Reminiscing.....

On a cloudy, wet day like this, I can't help but think of the old days....

Mine is not filled with extravagant and luxurious things. But I am not complaining, in fact I am proud of what we have become.

Thinking about it now, I missed those days.....simple joys, simple things, simple wants, simple life. I remember playing with whatever things we have around and having good times with it. I remember having to go to bed early because we don't have television. We would lay down on the mat (banig) with the battery operated radio beside me listening to old "dramas" at night. I remember us eating together and being happy with whatever we have on the table. I remember my Mom having to feed us by hand so the food will be enough for us. I remember the good people who always have an open hand in those times that we needed help with money, with food.....people that we will forever be grateful with.

I remember how strong Mang was and how lovingly she took care of all of us. I remember how hard Daddy worked and worked harder for all of us.

Now that we all have a family of our own, I can't help but think how lucky we are. I am thankful for the old times, the simple joys, the simple life, the hard life that we used to have. I am thankful for my family, I am thankful to you Daddy and Mang. Whatever we have now, wherever we are now, its because of all your love and sacrifices for us. WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!

Reminiscing.......time to look back...I'm not rich nor famous but am thankful and appreciate what I have and what I have become, it keeps my feet on the ground and made me realized how lucky I am....good for the soul, good for the heart...

To Daddy, Mang, Ate, Kuya, Diko and Doods.....I love you all! Thanks for everything.

Life's Questions

What are your life's questions? What brought about these questions? Is it your need, is it out of frustration or is just a thought that pop up every now and then or, can we also say lack of faith?

I remember when I was still a child growing up in Bulacan ( province in the Philippines), there was never a time a "life's question" popped up in my young mind. If you remember in my other blog, I was grateful for the "hard life" we had for it made us a better and appreciative person that we are right now. Looking back, I think it is knowing and accepting the fact that we can not just have what the other kids have. I remember us not asking for toys, new clothes, new school supplies, of why is it that we only have little food in the table. I remember not feeling bad about not getting any gifts on our birthdays and Christmases. I remember not feeling any sadness about the lack of toys, new clothes and gifts. I remember not feeling any kind of envy to what the other kids have. All I remember is the the love and the contentment (of what we have). We are always thankful and feel blessed. We knew that Daddy and Mang were doing their best to give us a better life (and They DID!), we knew that they love us and that made up for everything.

Now that I am a mother myself, I am doing my best to instill the values and life's lesson that I learned while growing up to my daughter. I am doing my best to teach her that love is not all about getting new toys, new clothes, presents and all the material stuff that we kind of "associate" love to.

To go back to my life's questions, I guess what brought up these questions in the first place are our needs and the frustrations that comes with knowing that you are trying and doing your best and working hard but still...it seems to be not enough. That I feel like I am about to give up......

I questioned why some people have better lives than others? I questioned why is it that despite their good life, they don't seem to appreciate all the blessings that they have. I questioned why some people just have an easy life, like everything is offered to them in a silver platter.

I questioned why some people, despite of all their hard work, honesty, goodness and sacrifices never seems to move out of the life that they are trying to get out of.

I questioned why some people in spite of their hard life, still have a smile in their faces, love in their hearts and a helping hand to those that are in need.

Is it even right for me to have all these "life's questions"? I am still human. I get tired, frustrated and weak at times. Looking back, I think...I should apply what I learned growing up.

• Be thankful for everything that you have.
• Contentment on what you have at the moment.
• Be happy with what you have and who you are.
• Work harder and try harder to reach your goals.
• Have faith in God that everything will happen according to HIS plans.

Here are a couple of videos ( I found on youtube) that I would like to share with you all. These are two of my favorite songs (who the singer by the way is a fellow Filipino, Gary Valenciano) that I love to listen to when I'm at a point that I feel like giving up...

Just click on the link below.

Lead Me Lord

Lift Up Your Hands

Dominique

Dominique - French name meaning "belonging to God".

Meet Dominique, or "Nikki" as we fondly call her. She is 6, sweet, loving, caring, smart, curious, a chatterbox (this is in her own word), she loves school, loves to sing and writes her own stories. She also wants to be an author.

She is also quite an artist. She loves to draw and draw and draw. Below are resized copies of two of her most recent drawings.

She is everything that I have prayed for. She is my best friend, my joy, my life.

To you sweetheart, please remember that I love you very much, we love you very much. I do pray each and everyday that God will keep you in his loving and watchful care. I pray for you to always stay healthy and be safe. I pray for all your wishes and dreams to come true. I pray for you to be strong and courageous as you learn more things about life.

I'll do my best to be the best Mom that I can be, your friend, your teacher, your shoulder to cry on. Remember what mommy said, you should never keep secrets from me and I will always be here for you no matter what.

I will be looking forward to more stories from you, to your future books and to more hugs and kisses and laughter. I love you...

Grateful

What are the things that you are grateful for? Is it your family, new house, your job, your new car, your friends, being famous, money? I am sure we can come up with a lot of things that we are grateful for.

Me? First, I am grateful for everything that I had experience and went through (from childhood to present). Why? All these experiences are the keys as to who and what I am today. If somebody will ask me or grant me a wish to change something in my life, I would say I wouldn't change a thing. If I changed something, I would probably won't be where I am today and will probably won't have what I have now.

Second, I am grateful for my parents, my brothers and my sisters. I am grateful for all the hardships that we went through growing up, for it made us a stronger and better person. I am grateful for what we learned and accomplished despite all the hardships we had. I am grateful for all the love, the guidance and the support my parents gave us. I am grateful for the principle my father have, that in spite of the hard life we had, he overcame all the temptations at work and showed us what a great and principled man he is. Something that we will always be proud of. To you Daddy and Mang, thank you so much for everything, for all the love, the support, the sacrifices (you had to endure), without expecting anything in return. Mahal na mahal po namin kayo (we love you very much)!

Third, I am grateful for my family, my husband and my daughter (who are the loves of my life and my bestest gift ever), my in-laws and for everybody at our church (Rock Creek UMC) who love me and accept me for who I am and who never let me feel like a stranger. They are my family away from home.

Fourth, I am grateful for who I am, what I am and where I am now. I may not be rich, I may not be famous but I am grateful for all the little things that I have accomplished. I am still a long way to be considered "successful, rich and famous" but I am doing my best to be the best that I can be.

Last, but definitely NOT the least, I am grateful for all the everyday blessings that God is giving my family and I pray to God to continuously bless our family with peace of mind, good health, happiness, love, trust, faith and hope. For God to always put us in HIS loving and watchful care. The rest will follow......