#3 - Love is...

saying that YOU are more important than my work (and meaning it). :)

Travel Report

2011
January: Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro
February: Manaoag, Pangasinan; Baguio City
March: Tagaytay City
April: Baguio City
May: Laiya, Batangas; UPOU Graduation
June: Catbalogan, Samar; Calbayog City, Samar
July: Pre-CANA Seminar, Ateneo De Manila University
August: Cagayan De Oro; Bukidnon
September: Zamboanga City
October: Coron, Palawan
November: Tagaytay City; Enchanted Kingdom; Divisoria, Manila; Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
Paoay, Ilocos Norte
December: National Museum (outside); Manila Cathedral; Cultural Center of the Philippines

2010
January: Quiapo, Manila
February: Panglao, Bohol
March: Binondo, Manila; Lagro, Fairview
April: Baguio City; La Trinidad, Benguet
May: Dasmarina, Cavite
June: Tagbilaran, Bohol
July: Malolos, Bulacan
August: Davao City; Samal Garden Island
September: Malolos, Bulacan
October: Ocean Park, Manila
November: Tagaytay City; SM Bicutan - Pacquiao Fight
December: Puerto Princesa, Palawan

2009
January: Manaoag, Pangasinan; Baguio City, Baguio
February: Baguio City; Cebu City
March: Baras, Rizal
April: Antipolo City; Tagaytay City
May: Cagbalete, Quezon
June: La Mesa Eco Park, Quezon City
July: Quezon City Circle, Quezon City; Port Harbor, Manila
August: Los Banos, Laguna; Alaminos, Laguna
September: Candelaria, Quezon

2008
December: Sagada, Mountain Province

Miguel at 6 months

Presenting, my family's HAPPY THOUGHT... Miguel. :)

Miguel playing with Papa

Miguel with his new toy from Carlo and Taluts

Miguel with Ate Ninang

Miguel sleeping on top of Papa's desk

Miguel with Daddy Gian on Christmas day

Miguel with Mommy Elena on Christmas day

Miguel with Papa watching the cars and trucks outside

Miguel playing with his new toy before going to the doctor

For 2012

Resolution:

1. Not to be late at work.

Plans / Dreams:

1. Travel to a new place once a month.
   Target places:
   Batanes, Batanes, Batanes!
   Japan :) - to see the cherry blossoms
   South Korea
2. June - MS in Environmental Science OR MS in Rural Studies OR Ph.D. in Communication?
3. September - Start a new life.

Song for 2011:

Caledonia

I don't know if you can see
The changes that have come over me
In these last few days I've been afraid
That I might drift away

I've been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I've come from
That's the reason why I seem
So far away today

[Chorus:]
Let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia, you're calling me, now I'm going home

But if I should become a stranger
Know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving
Proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing
Found others on the way
I have kissed the fellas and left them crying
Stolen dreams, yes, there's no denying
I have traveled hard, sometimes with conscience flying
Somewhere with the wind

[Chorus]

Now I'm sitting here before the fire
The empty room, the forest choir
The flames have cooled, don't get any higher
They've withered, now they've gone

But I'm steady thinking, my way is clear
And I know what I will do tomorrow
When hands have shaken, the kisses float
Then I will disappear

[Chorus]

Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had

Kurapika and Judge Zorro (without cape)

We are only 19 in our office (11 permanent and 8 project staff) and yet here we are, having our very own cosplay. :) Fun! Fun! Fun! Excited na next year!

Like having a two-year old kid

Yesterday I asked Jopet to look at my first entry on what "Love is...". I think he appreciated it because the next thing I knew he volunteered to draw something that i could post along with my next "Love is..." which is holding hands.

He sent me this:



I was all praises for it because it was so cute. However, as i looked closer, I saw that the two people in the drawing are looking at a bombing site where planes are sending out missiles and everything. I immediately called him to ask for a revision. Napakakulit! Parang 2 years old, talaga naman!

After a few minutes of coaxing, he sent me this:



Much better di ba?! :)

Thank you, my lovely toddler.

#1 - Love is...

coming back after saying goodbye just to hug and kiss her. :)

32nd Birthday - Happy!

At age 25, I already reached the conclusion that there is an inverse relationship between ones age and the number of gifts he/she receives. As time goes by, this has become a fact that I learned to accept - with a heavy heart, of course.

And so, this year I was not expecting anything from anybody. Well, I was expecting a little something from Jopet ;) – a frog stuffed toy from Blue Magic to complete my frog collection for this year.

However, as the saying goes: good things happen when you least expect them.

December 11 - My birthday started when I went to Fairview to fetch Jopet. He was so busy these past few weeks that we rarely see each other. I felt that since it was my birthday I would exert a little effort for him. We had dinner with Migs at MOA before we watched Immortals, which by the way was good in the beginning, kinda disturbing in the middle and a bit disappointing in the end.

As a birthday present, Migs gave me a super cute heart radio! Thanks, Dad!



Being my mom/daughter, Arlene waited for us until 2 am just to give me a cake – the number of candles and their sizes made up for the size of the cake. :) A few weeks ago, she also gave me a frog and a turtle stuffed toy. Now I have 2 frogs (the other one came from Carlo) and 1 turtle. :) Thanks, Nanay!

December 12 – Everybody woke up early to celebrate my birthday. Edmond cooked pansit, adobong pusit, and tinolang manok for lunch. Parang fiesta! :) Thanks, Tatay!

After lunch, Jopet and I went out on a field trip. The itinerary was:

1. National Museum
2. Fort Santiago
3. Casa De Manila

I was saddened when we found out that National Museum closes every Monday. :( I guess Jopet saw how disappointed I was because he suggested that we go to Manila Zoo. I told him, no because from what I heard, the animals there are not in good condition any more. I don’t want to be sad on my birthday. He suggested Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), which according to him, was one of his favourite places. During his early years, his Papa would enrol him in the CCP summer arts program. It was during those times when his passion for the arts was honed. Migs, who is also an artist, met us there to explore the place. CCP is old but the grandeur is still there.



After CCP, Migs suggested that we go to Museong Pambata because the exhibits there are interactive. But it was beyond 5pm, we figured it was already closed. We went straight to Intramuros to visit Manila Cathedral.

We decided to forgo our visit to Fort Santiago and Casa de Manila. May part 2 na lang daw ang field trip namin sabi ni Jopet. There he gave me a rose-shaped salmon pink coral earring (such a beauty) as his birthday gift. :) Thank you, Mahal!

December 13 – My birthday would never be complete without my Papa and Mama preparing lunch for my office mates. This started more than a decade ago when I was still with Alpha Cargo International. This year, Papa brought: inihaw na tilapia, bopis (my favorite), spaghetti, and lumpiang sariwa. I super appreciated their effort. Grabe! :) I wonder what will happen next year no?! :) Oh well, I’m sure it will still be special. Thank you Mama and Papa!



Mama, being a generous mom, gave me a Long Champ bag. Bongacious! I would never ever buy this stuff because I find it very expensive and yet my mother gave me one. Whoa!

(Picture to follow)

Next, Ate Wena gave me a very nice Belle Jewellery box. An addition to my Beauty and the Beast collection. :) Thank you Ate Wena. :)



Ate Josh, upon learning that it is my birthday, gave me her mom’s ube halaya. :) Super yum! Thank you Ate Josh!



Ate Cha, although 2 days late gave me a Starbucks Christmas mug. :) Now I have 4 Starbucks mugs and 1 tumbler.



~~~

Of all these things that I received, what I appreciated the most is the time these people spent remembering my birthday and making sure that I would feel special on this special day.

I thank my wonderful and beautiful God for making my day extra special. :) Thank you, Lord for a wonderful year! I pray that you will continue to bless me and my loved ones this coming year so that we may become blessings to others.

Important note: I will try to post the birthday greetings i got from SMS and Facebook, hopefully next week. :)

For Christmas...

I want these:

Book: Surgeons Do Not Cry



"The stories of an institution like the University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) are timeless. But as it is often said, nothing ever happened unless it is written down. There are so many stories to tell of the agonies and triumphs of both doctors and patients, who have peopled this venerable institution through the ages. I wrote the stories because I firmly believe that healing is a mutual process; that the healer is very often himself healed as he goes about caring for the ailing person. So the stories bite both ways." Thus is the blurb for this bestselling volume, a collection of stories from Ting Tiongco who spent ten memorable years of his career as a doctor and surgeon at the UP-PGH.

Machine: Espresso Machine

Family: For this little angel to be well...

Miguel at 5 months =)

Test

Jing

posted from Bloggeroid

I'm just a kid...

Dear Mahal,

Good morning. I know I am not the friendliest person on earth these past few days. I am sorry. You have been so kind and patient and loving. Salamat. I promise to be kinder and... yun lang, no more na.

I just wanted to let you know that I love you so so much. Wag ka na magalit ha. Kakantahan na lang kita...

I’m just a kid and life is a nightmare,
I’m just a kid and I know it’s not fair.

Wait, wait... kapareho lang pala siya nito...

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me,
I think I'll go eat worms!
Big fat juicy ones,
Eensie weensy squeensy ones,
See how they wiggle and squirm!

Down goes the first one, down goes the second one,
Oh how they wiggle and squirm!
Up comes the first one, up comes the second one,
Oh how they wiggle and squirm!

I bite off the heads, and suck out the juice,
And throw the skins away!
Nobody knows how fat I grow,
On worms three times a day!

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me,
I think I'll go eat worms!
Big fat juicy ones,
Eensie weensy squeensy ones,
See how they wiggle and squirm!

Kiss na! Love you...

...always and forever,

Jing

Eternally beautiful

Posted by Jim Paredes
on Saturday, 29 October 2011
in Thoughts, musings, ruminations, music in the mind

Eternally beautiful

Posted on November 01, 2006 by jimparedes
Humming in my UNIVERSE By Jim Paredes
The Philippine STAR 11/05/2006

Exactly 29 years ago on Oct. 29, Lydia and I walked down the aisle. She was 20 and I was 25, both of us wide-eyed but so sure of ourselves and our decision to stay together forever as we plunged into matrimony. We were sure, the way young people tend to be certain, that it was going to be an adventure. But little did we know that it was going to be a big one, probably the biggest one we’d ever know.

Getting married is like signing a blank check. You have no idea how much it will cost you. You are committing an unquantifiable amount of material and emotional capital – time, money, patience, sacrifice, and an infinite number of things you have not even begun to imagine that you must deal with eventually.

Many of them are real minefields as Lydia and I, like all couples, soon discovered. There are the in-laws, kids, expenses, the balance between career and family life, personal habits, sex, jealousy, etc. There is also the process of arriving at a “negotiated settlement” on how to deal with things like getting along with each other’s friends, child rearing, spending habits, religion, hobbies, and how much “independence” the partners should be allowed. The institution of marriage, as we inherited it, was very complicated.

One of the things I found out much later in our married life is that there is a difference between a love affair and a marriage. A love affair has a dynamic that is different from a marital bond. Generally, love affairs are not meant to last. They are meant to have a beginning and an end. Why? Because they are about two separate people bonded by romantic, oceanic feelings of what seems like love. They live for the intense feeling, riding it as far as it will go and split up when the thrill is gone.

Marriage, on the other hand, is the experience of life by two people as a couple. Many times, new couples discover that they are not an easy fit, as Lydia and I discovered early on. That’s why in a marital relationship one must necessarily give up big parts of himself/herself to the union to get a payback. While one may still want some privacy and independence, one cannot have them without a large dose of a shared life. From the start until the end, marriage is about two people experiencing one and the same lifetime.

It starts with romance and the sexual thrill of being with each other, but you can only count on those for so long. Anyone married for more than 10 years can attest that there are times when the attraction which seemed so strong when you first laid eyes on each other as single people can be non-existent for long periods. Viewed from the perspective of a love affair, that is certainly not a good thing. One may feel like the journey has reached a stretch of uninteresting flatlands. The joyride is over.

But from the perspective of a long marriage, this is simply a hiatus of sorts, or may even be the first signs of a qualitative change in the way one loves. It can be disconcerting at first but if you stick around long enough, the picture starts to get clearer. While gone may be (from time to time) the breathtaking highs and exhilarating moments, something else may be happening. Author M. Scott Peck put it so well when he wrote that “the death of romantic love can be the start of true love.”

In our early years, Lydia and I felt that being married meant we had to do something dramatic all the time to keep it going. But as we got older, the doing often gave way to just being. Where before, love had to be “proven” by the sparkling diamond on her finger, or the great trip abroad, or the special dinner with wine in some plush place, love in our 29-year marriage feels no compulsion to prove itself as dramatically. Having long walks, conversations after dinner, holding hands during long drives, snuggling in bed or just simply being together – sometimes without even talking – have often taken the place of all that. While sex can still be as great as ever, the truth is, as an older couple, we have discovered other ways to remain interested in each other. There is not only comfort but magic in the “ordinary,” as one realizes that love can be expressed in simply caring or supporting each other’s steps towards personal and spiritual growth.

One of the big recent highlights of our journey as life partners was Lydia’s big cancer scare three years ago. We felt so helpless as we tried to deal with the fear of losing each other. But we took it on as a couple. As far as we were concerned, we both had cancer. Those were days of great emotional upheaval. Ironically, they were also moments of calm and assurance. Even as we cried about it, we also learned that we loved each other enough to willingly suffer together because, paradoxically, by doing so, we eased each other’s pain.

This may sound flippant, if not cruel, but looking back, I can say that if I could only guarantee survival, I would recommend cancer to everyone because of what it has done for Lydia and me. It has been such a rare opportunity to meet and accept unconditionally the hard-to-take faces of love that we often run away from. Yet when we bit the bullet, we opened ourselves to greater depth and began to see the face of the Divine in the other human being we had chosen to love. Only then did we realize that all the suffering made sense.

In the end, the very suffering we undergo turns into something eternally beautiful.

Missing Miguel

I miss my baby love, Miguel. :(

Di bale, I will just visit Jena, Jeric, Lolo Ciano, Lola Baning, and Lolo Lope on October 31. I will volunteer to take care of him on October 30 and November 1.

So short a time with my baby love.

My mother is a bit worried that at his age, he still does not know how to do things that full term babies naturally do. She is actually considering availing the early retirement offer from her employer to take care of our little baby.

Hays.

Sana anak ko na lang siya no? :(

I just miss him so much. And I am not even his mommy. Tsk.

Happy 28th Birthday!

Dear Mahal,

Happy 28th birthday! Thank you for everything.

Love always,

Jing

~~~



SHOW ME YOUR SMILE
APO Hiking Society


Show me your smile and then kiss me
Tell me you love me again
Come to my room and then lye in my bed
I love you, you know
Although sometimes it just doesn't show

Giving is my way of loving
It’s the only way that I know
I've got nothing much, I’ve got nothing to show
I love you, you know
Although sometimes it doesn’t seem so

CHORUS:

Love me forever,
Love me all night through
Love me for a lifetime
I live my life for only you

I love you, you know
Although sometimes it doesn’t seem so

Show me your smile and then kiss me
Tell me you love me again
Come to my room and then lye in my bed

I love you, you know
Although sometimes it just doesn’t show

Special weekend

I was given a special weekend...

I went home last Friday with my Mama and Papa. For two consecutive Fridays, they waited for me so that we could go home together. For some reason, I know they like it this way – me going home every weekend instead of every other weekend. These days, going home has been everybody's priority because of Miguel. By the way, I had a meeting at Los Baños last Wednesday and immediately after the meeting I went home to Alaminos to see our little angel. I was so sad last Tuesday when i heard the news that his doctor found a lump on his lung (not sure whether it is on the left or on the right).

Anyways, I was able to spend time with him and his parents, with Inay and Carlo, with my Mama and Papa, and with Jopet last weekend.

... with Miguel

Miguel and his new socks/shoes. He is getting taller and taller every time I see him. His dietician said that he gained .3 kilo since the last time she saw him. But he still needs 1.3 kilos in order to meet the standard weight for his age, which is 5 kilos. Nevertheless, we are very happy for the improvement. I was quite amazed at how much milk he consumes every day. Five (5) days lang sa kanya yung milk niya na 500g samantalang dati 2 weeks yun. =) So yes, I am certain that he will be ok now. In his own way, he is assuring us that the battle he is fighting is something that he will win in the end. =)





... with Inay and Carlo

The age difference between these two persons and the chemistry they create never cease to amaze me. =) Papa asked me to go to SM to have his cell phones fixed. So i asked Inay, who is currently staying with us in Alaminos, to accompany me. When we’re about to leave Taluts called to inform us that Tito Mike will bring Carlo with him to our place. When Inay heard this, I though I saw sparks in her eyes. Kapag si Carlo kasi ang pupunta ng SM isinasama lagi niya si Inay. This time, its Inay’s turn to bring Carlo to SM. It was an adventure for me, because we were not with Mama or with Taluts or with Papa. I was the one in charge of the two lovely persons. =) Here are their pictures together. I found it so beautiful that the 70 years age difference is almost negligible because of how much they love each other. Inay assisted Carlo while he played at WOF. On the other hand, it was Carlo who assisted Inay while she shopped for a faucet replacement and some toiletries.





... with Jopet

Two weeks ago, Jopet promised to do something for me but at the last minute, he told me that he was not sure if he wanted to do it! I was furious, kung hindi ba naman talaga siyang naghanap ng away ng ganun. Kung magkalapit lang kami, I could have punched him. But like all our misunderstandings in the past, this one did not last longer than a day. I do not know how he does that but he has his way of making me smile. Marunong maglambing!

We usually meet in Bicutan. But last Sunday he insisted on meeting me in Alabang. Travelling all the way from Fairview to Alabang just to meet me was actually enough, but wait! While having our lunch, he asked me to close my eyes because he’s going to give me something. After much hesitation, I just covered my face and looked the other way. Then he showed me this..

He said, “Nagustuhan mo no? Kasi may lalagyan?!” Sabay smile. Then he showed me the handle of the container. Panalo! :) He stayed until yesterday so that we could have lunch together. :)

~~~

Last Sunday, while looking at the picture of Mark Bautista, he commented that it was edited in Photoshop because of the lighting. I asked why the artist/photographer had to do that, he told me that it was for Mark Bautista to look like he is “wired”. After explaining what being “wired” means, I asked, “eh ikaw, wired ka din?” Sabi niya... “No. I’m plump.” Haha! Tawa talaga ako. I thought he would insist that he is “wired” din. Buti na lang hindi kung hindi lagot siya samin ni Arlene. =D

Seriously, I super like it that he is a bit on the plump side. :)

~~~

Jopet and I are like afternoon and night, dawn and mid morning. Not opposite but not really alike. I would like to think that we just complement each other. And we exert effort to work on our differences.

He is adjusting on..

1. Walking. Growing up in LB, I am very fond of walking. He hates it. We almost always fight every time I ask him to walk even short distances. But lately I observe that he is exerting effort in spending time walking with me to different places - kahit pa malayo-layo ng konti. =)
2. Messy room/house. I hate it every time he does not put something back to its original place. As in hate! Last weekend I saw that he arranged the seat cover and the slippers and the papers on the table after using them. =) He even washed “some” of the dishes that Arlene used. =)

On the other hand, I am learning how to..

1. Use electric fan.
2. Lessen my kasungitan every time may nagugulo siya sa gamit ko.

There are still a lot to learn but we are taking one happy step at a time towards achieving them.

~~~

My Super Crush

Before: Mark Nelson
Now: Dereck Ramsey

=)

7 Rules of Success

Steve Jobs and the 7 Rules of Success

By Carmine Gallo | Entrepreneur – Fri, Oct 14, 2011 2:36 PM EDT

Steve Jobs' impact on your life cannot be underestimated. His innovations have likely touched nearly every aspect -- computers, movies, music and mobile. As a communications coach, I learned from Jobs that a presentation can, indeed, inspire. For entrepreneurs, Jobs' greatest legacy is the set of principles that drove his success.

Over the years, I've become a student of sorts of Jobs' career and life. Here's my take on the rules and values underpinning his success. Any of us can adopt them to unleash our "inner Steve Jobs."

1. Do what you love. Jobs once said, "People with passion can change the world for the better." Asked about the advice he would offer would-be entrepreneurs, he said, "I'd get a job as a busboy or something until I figured out what I was really passionate about." That's how much it meant to him. Passion is everything.

2. Put a dent in the universe. Jobs believed in the power of vision. He once asked then-Pepsi President, John Sculley, "Do you want to spend your life selling sugar water or do you want to change the world?" Don't lose sight of the big vision.

3. Make connections. Jobs once said creativity is connecting things. He meant that people with a broad set of life experiences can often see things that others miss. He took calligraphy classes that didn't have any practical use in his life -- until he built the Macintosh. Jobs traveled to India and Asia. He studied design and hospitality. Don't live in a bubble. Connect ideas from different fields.

4. Say no to 1,000 things. Jobs was as proud of what Apple chose not to do as he was of what Apple did. When he returned in Apple in 1997, he took a company with 350 products and reduced them to 10 products in a two-year period. Why? So he could put the "A-Team" on each product. What are you saying "no" to?

5. Create insanely different experiences. Jobs also sought innovation in the customer-service experience. When he first came up with the concept for the Apple Stores, he said they would be different because instead of just moving boxes, the stores would enrich lives. Everything about the experience you have when you walk into an Apple store is intended to enrich your life and to create an emotional connection between you and the Apple brand. What are you doing to enrich the lives of your customers?

6. Master the message. You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you can't communicate your ideas, it doesn't matter. Jobs was the world's greatest corporate storyteller. Instead of simply delivering a presentation like most people do, he informed, he educated, he inspired and he entertained, all in one presentation.

7. Sell dreams, not products. Jobs captured our imagination because he really understood his customer. He knew that tablets would not capture our imaginations if they were too complicated. The result? One button on the front of an iPad. It's so simple, a 2-year-old can use it. Your customers don't care about your product. They care about themselves, their hopes, their ambitions. Jobs taught us that if you help your customers reach their dreams, you'll win them over.

There's one story that I think sums up Jobs' career at Apple. An executive who had the job of reinventing the Disney Store once called up Jobs and asked for advice. His counsel? Dream bigger. I think that's the best advice he could leave us with. See genius in your craziness, believe in yourself, believe in your vision, and be constantly prepared to defend those ideas.

Carmine Gallo is a communications coach, a popular keynote speaker and author of several books including The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs and The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs. His latest is The Power of Foursquare (McGraw-Hill, 2011).

The innocence of a child

Christmas time is fast approaching. Love has always been the greatest thing that ever happened to mankind.

THE INNOCENCE OF A CHILD

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly eating and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, “Hi there.” He pounded his fat baby hands on the highchair tray. His eyes were wide with excitement and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin. He wriggled and giggled with glee.

I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man with a tattered rag of a coat, dirty, greasy and worn. His pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. “Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,” the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks, “What do we do?” Erik continued to laugh and answer, “Hi, hi there.” Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby.

Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, “Do ya know patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo.” Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence, all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. “Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,” I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby’s “pick-me-up” position. Before I could stop him,Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man’s. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love relationship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man’s ragged shoulder.

The man’s eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor-gently, so gently, cradled my baby’s bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment, and then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, “You take care of this baby.” Somehow I managed, “I will,” from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest-unwillingly, longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, “God bless you, ma’am, you’ve given me my Christmas gift.”

With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, “My God, my God, forgive me.” I had just witnessed Christ’s love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking “Are you willing to share your son for a moment?”when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, “To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children.”

Author Unknown

Mahal ko na ang phone ko!

From Pinoy Techie Zone

Google Nexus S Specs Feature

- Android 2.3 Phone
- Camera: 5.0 MP
- Type Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
- Size 480 x 800 pixels, 4.0 inches
- Contour Display with curved glass screen
- Multi-touch
- Touch-sensitive controls
- Proximity sensor for auto turn-off
- Dimensions 123.9 x 63 x 10.9 mm
- Weight 129 g
- Internal Memory 16GB storage and 512 MB RAM
- External Memory No
- GPRS Yes
- EDGE Yes
- 3G Yes
- Wi-Fi yes
- Bluetooth Yes

Miguel is going home today =)

Miguel is going home today. He was confined at the Mary Mediatrix Hospital in Lipa, Batangas for 9 days. He was initially diagnosed with bronco-pneumonia; however along the way the doctors discovered that his lungs are uneven in size and his heart has a hole in it - all because he was born a month earlier than his term. The doctors assured us that with proper care and medicine, he will be well. But then again, the little boy was a fighter kaya we know that he will be well. It is as if he is aware of the people who love him and who prayed and begged the Lord to make him well.

Thank you to those who prayed for him. God bless you all.

~~~

I volunteered to take care of Miguel last weekend, as in from Saturday to Sunday. I figured this would give my brother and his wife a chance to rest and regain their strength. Jopet and I stayed to take care of the baby. I never thought we could pull it through, but we did.

The next morning, I found him staring at Miguel. It was such a wonderful sight. :)

From an email forwarded by Arlene. =)

Source: http://trissya.tumblr.com/post/9862689522/iloveyouthissssmuch-sticks-in-love