Just the way it is...

It’s going to be my cousin’s birthday on the 5th. It’s a shame I forgot with so much going on around. She works and lives in Singapore away from her family. Though I haven’t experienced what it is like, I certainly know how it feels living alone in a foreign land. Well, not literally alone because I know for sure she got bunch of nice friends out there.

Anyway, her little sister wrote me last night asking for some pre-made birthday greetings. She’s cooking up a surprise for her on her special day and now I’m caught between the ideas of producing either a video or a personalized e-card. Hmm, we shall see. I’m not really good at talking in front of the camera but oh well; I shall find a way for that I guess.

I would have been thinking lately of making (using my family photos) and sending out personal postcards to her and her sister who is also now living in Australia with her own family but postcard printing takes time. It can wait though… will just have to send them on different occasion when it’s ready. I know communications are already made easier for people nowadays with the help of all those powerful tools available around but don’t you think it will delight them to have received something from the mail?

About a few minutes ago my cousin, Hanee finally landed at Changi Airport in Singapore. A trip to the place has been promised to her after she finally completed her nursing course in one of the best nursing colleges in the city where she lives. She graduated last month and soon she'll be in a nursing scrubs uniforms to practice her profession but of course before that, her sweet big sister who is also working in Singapore thinks she well-deserve a break and therefore generously funded the trip for her.

Well to me any graduate deserves a treat be it grand or a simple one. Completing a common 4-year college course is already a huge accomplishment, how much more a nursing course? (Sigh!) This made me feel nostalgic again... not because I wanted the same treat but it's the sad feeling of not being able to fight for what I've really wanted to do while I still had the chance to do it. I would have been wearing medical scrub uniforms now too. I sure would pick the stylish ones from this link: http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/ should I need to but obviously I don't so I guess I just have to let go of that dream from now on and just leave my cousin make it for me. Good luck dear cuz and enjoy your vacation to the fullest!

I miss them more than anyone else on earth today. Life is much way different without them.

I have them all by myself for the last 2 solid months. Play with them, eat with them, tell a story with them, sit and watch movies with them, slept with them and even became child again with them. In short, they simply put back that effortless smile that I haven't been wearing for an honest-to-goodness longest time... they are my two most precious possession here on earth... they are my daughters KATE & NAUREEN.

Here I wanted to share some of our recent priceless moments together:
(Kate is on a pink top while Naureen is on a blue one... they usually wear the same clothes but they're not twin)

I know soon they will be leaving for they have to go back to school. But before I could even finish doing this post, their papa called telling that he's on his way to pick the girls up. Hearing that news from my brother broke my heart into tiny pieces for the _th time but I believe God is good and I'm sure He will let them find their way back to mend it. I warned myself not to cry. Funny because I didn't imagine myself keeping my emotion so well for the very first time when suddenly my daughter Kate hurriedly stepped down from the car and run her way through me, hugged me so tight while bursting in tears and said she didn't want to go. How am I suppose to handle that movie-like scene? Before I knew it, mom already wiped her tears and did some explaining to my daughter for me. She convinced her eventually and sent her back to the car.

Sigh! I already missed them.

It's been years (perhaps 5) since I last dine at a BBQ house around here in my place. There was only me and my daughter Kate left till early this evening and do-nothingness got in to me. So I asked if she'd like BBQ (grilled stuff) for dinner so mom just don't have to cook... she excitedly nodded. At the house, she had her favorite and I believe most kids' favorite too... grilled hotdogs and pork while I have hot chicken wings paired with coke. So We washed our hands and were ready to eat when she surprisingly asked in quite loud voice

"where's my spoon?" I startled! Everybody looked at her and smiled.

"We don't have spoon and fork here" so softly said by one of the house's crew.

To get through with her disappointment, I just as well further explained to her that BBQs are best eaten with free hands (kamayan) or else you would starve...and all she could say was... "Okay!" LOL! She still eventually enjoyed the food. She even ate more than she usually does.

If it wasn't for her, I would rather stay and settle for whatever is instant like noodles, crackers or just a cup of coffee. But even though it was all unplanned, we still have had some fun and loved our perfectly perfect moments together.

Indeed, the start of the year hasn't been so good for me and my family. After battling with the so excruciatingly painful illness for months, yesterday morning my brother-in-law, Jimmy has to cast out his final breath with the presence of his whole family inside the car, mobiling while on their way to the hospital yesterday.

I don't live near my family so I only know bits and pieces about his condition, though I know he'd been going in and out of the hospital since late of last year. It was only a couple weeks ago when his doctor finally disclosed about him having a liver cancer along with several complications. Not even once that I've seen him on his condition. The last time we've seen each other was August of last year and and I just heard from my sister that he was confined to the hospital just few days right after we left Davao for Cebu.

I was preparing and were about to take lunch along with my younger sister and my nieces when I got the text message my sister, Joyce (his wife) has sent me yesterday. I was totally stunned! While reading the message, my mind was trying to grasp something I am not certain about. I have to call my sister right away. I need to hear her voice. She was trembling while trying to gather altogether what she has to say. I can feel her pain while I was so helpless. All she asked is for us to come home.

After my father's death 5 years ago, this is just but another major struggle my family has to go through especially for my sister. Its gonna be a long healing process that awaits for her ahead, and I know it's not gonna be easy and for us to be there for her is I think the most important thing we could do for now. We (my sister, Thea and I) are considering of getting a possible way to get home tomorrow either via air or a sea trip...I may not be visible here for several days but when I get a chance, I'll try to stop by to check here once in a while.

A little time to say a little prayer for the soul of my brother-in-law, Jimmy will be greatly appreciated.

GOD BLESS US ALL!

They say opportunity only knocks at your door once so grab it while you can... This is exactly what I was doing during the last few days. And if you scroll down a bit, you may realize what I am talking about. Well, you can't blame me for that. Can't afford to miss any of them... and if you're blog savvy you would know what I'm coming up with. Anyways, enough about it...

Last week my nieces have a had a Halloween break from school. But instead of enjoying and making the most out of the week long holiday both of them ended up getting sick. Bernadette got a high fever out of the blue then some burn-like spots developed all over her mouth from her lips, tongue and gums. MJ on the other hand has the fever too while the poor little baby has the cough & flu. She probably got it from her Mom who'd been suffering from hard cough. But among them Bernadette got the most worrying condition so before anything worst will happen we decided to run her to the nearest hospital. Nearest is up to the next town like 15-20 minutes ride. "Badian" was the name of the place and as people say it's a nice town with some beautiful spots. Next thing that came through my mind was my camera.

I didn't know that the place where the District Hospital is situated itself was the nice place they've been talking about. So after Bernadette was checked, we spent a few minutes walk around... While looking, I took out my camera and begin snapping...it was a nice place indeed!

Here are some of the pictures:

I am asking prayer for the sick infant, Alex Nelson Schmidt, first grandson of my very dear friend Jim Knopp. He was born prematurely and has developed pneumonia. He was sent to the Special Children's Hospital for immediate proper care. Now the 5 days old little guy's condition is getting stable and he's slowly gaining might which is a very good sign of hope.

In behalf of Kristen, the baby's mom, JK and his family, I would like to ask a bit of your time to say a little petition for the quick recuperation of Baby Alex. I know a lot of people coming from this community have prayed and are continue saying their prayers. That act of kindness of yours means a lot for the family. Thank you so much and may God return your favors a hundredfolds!

See related posts and the baby's photos here.