2012 was not so kind but I welcome 2013 with full of hopes and aspirations. Now here's a short recap :)
Poms left us in Manila to go back to Orange County on January 2012. My kids and I took a longer vacation to spend more time with the family. Besides, I'm a homemaker I didn't have to worry about going to work and driving the kids to school (but now I would!) Our youngest Cielo Isabelle turned 1 and meeting all my cute nephews and nieces made me feel young at heart. It was also the month when my family I learned that my father has stomach cancer. Indeed, God works in mysterious ways. That must be the real reason why I had to stay for a little longer to spend quality time with my ailing father. My mama was incredible. She was a perfect example of a loving wife and a mother who had the most share of sacrifice among all of us.
My parents-in-law were very supportive from the very beginning. We went to Bangkok. It was a temporary escape or rather a cushion from the hurtful news our family has been taking for the last couple of months. That first time trip to Bangkok was nothing else compared to a happy shopper in an outlet mall in the US. My mom-in-law was right that a hundred US dollars one has in her wallet can stretch a hundred times in Chatuchak and the rest of the weekday market in the city. The idea of a side trip to Bangkok before heading back to California is definitely on my list (if budget permits!) Shoot.
Meeting more friends and more relatives left and right was happiness. Home is where the heart is they say. It's all true. When I see them all they're like placards with a message that says "Stay. Here at home." It was simply one of the happiest moments of my life. I cannot exchange that for a day of bliss in the weekend market in Bangkok (but if I can savor both why not :grin:) Oh and yes, this is also the year where Bienne's iPad mysteriously...disappeared :P
It was heartbreaking when I left Philippines on March 2012. Two people close to my heart were sick and the only thing I can do was to pray for a miracle and hope that God has something even better in store for all of us. I'm good in sealing fear and sadness my heart could take (my own family can attest to that) but when I went back to Aliso Viejo it came pouring out uncontrollably when no one was around. There were questions and more questions I asked and the silent conversations between me and God were endless.
I turned 36 last April 14 and it never felt so good. It seemed like Poms and I were just a couple years ago but now we have two young sweetlings who make our life so much better. That year also we celebrated our 6 years together as husband and wife. Yes there were happy moments and things to be grateful for. After all, this is what we call life.
Poms turned 43 on June 22. The man of my life is my inspiration, a reminder that God does respond to prayers. More exciting events came such as our youngest Cielo's reaching her milestones in advance and our eldest Bienne attending school for the first time. Six years of happy marriage and now we're sending one to school. Time flies so fast I can hardly keep up.
The night of the first day of September is a day in my life that I will never forget. Right after I received the message from my brother that our father passed away I broke into tears. I was very emotional and that call from my mom-in-law woke Poms up in the middle of the night. I cannot recall how our conversation went all I remember was that Poms was already holding the phone talking to mommy and hugging me tight. I don't even remember how morning came all I knew was that I was starting to pack few pieces of clothes for a week stay in Manila. Poms and Bienne were not able to join me so I took our 1 1/2 years old Cielo with me to the Philippines. It was a tough but happy flight nevertheless but yes God provided once again.
Just days after my trip to the Philippines we flew to Orlando where we planned to celebrate our anniversary. Disney World is indeed the most magical place on earth. Still mourning and with fresh memory of my father being laid to rest, I managed to put up a smile and think of all the happy thoughts for the sake of my children and the love I have for my husband. I thought to myself everything will be all right. Our first night wasn't bad either, it was the worse. A phone call from mommy that our dearest sister-in-law Frances who's battling lung cancer for more than 3 years finally gave up. The next day we went to visit the church near the resort. Poms prayed wholeheartedly and the girls who were just really kids and so innocent were sitting silently between us in the quiet place of worship. Me? I was there too not knowing where to start. I sat there the whole time waiting to hear God's voice while reminiscing all the events happened in our lives since the start of the year. If that's considered praying then yes I did pray. We lighted candles for my father and Frances. We offered mass to bless the whole family especially to the ones Frances left behind. No words to describe how to console Peps and the two small kids but I am guessing that faith has made us all stronger and gave comfort to each other.
A couple of months before the year ended, Poms and I got the good news that we are finally settling down in the US for good. We are now in the stage of planning the place to live, work, and where to send our kids to school while waiting for our status to be changed to immigrants. Unfortunately, we were not able to go home last Christmas but we had the chance to spend the holidays with our loved ones in this side of the globe.
See, 2012 wasn't so kind but wasn't that bad either. It was one hell of a roller coaster ride. But faith which I nearly lost in the air has taught me a million reasons why I must stick with it and let tomorrow worry itself. After all isn't it the only tool we use when things get way out of hand? Thanks to my dearest family and friends who were there during the times I was confused and lost. Special mention to all the people tagged in this post. Thank you all for being part of our lives. You were all amazing!
Cheers to 2013!
