50 And Blessed

 Before this day ends there are so many things I am truly grateful for, and people I am forever be indebted.

First and foremost, I am forever grateful to Papa God for all the blessings He showered and continuously showering me and my family. I am also grateful for all the challenges that came and will be coming my way, without these adversaries I wouldn’t be the person I am today. 

I am grateful to Mama Mary, for always being there for me. She even extended Her love to the people who are dear and important to me ~ my immediate family, my husband, and most especially my three beautiful kids. Thank you Mama Mary for your guidance and always protecting us with your blue mantle of protection.

I am forever thankful to my Papa & Mama, for all their love and support. I will always keep in my heart all the sacrifices they have made so that I and my siblings could have better lives. Having them as my parents made me feel the luckiest person in the whole wide world. 

To my siblings, friends, relatives, and to my husband’s family thank you for always making me feel important and loved. 

Lastly, I am thankful for my family ~ the most beautiful gift I received from God. Not many are blessed to experience a love at its truest form. My husband, my kids and my fur babies completed me. 

My heart is already full ❤️.

Short But Sweet

 For the last six months, I have been busy taking care of a very cute pup, Winston, also known as Goku. He was nearly three months old when I had him. He’s so sweet and gorgeous boy. For the last six months he kept me company and tried his best to fill the void Toby left in my heart.

When it comes to dog tricks, he’s a fast learner. He knew how to sit, lie down, give his paw, high-five, and lately to stand on his two paws or up.

Just like his Kuya Toby he was also resource guarding me. He was a bit aggressive to other people and dogs when I am with him. But he’s a good boy to others when I am not around.

But fate decided to take a different twist. Maybe because he was a free-spirited little boy, he could not be contained inside the house. If he sees an opportunity to run free he would do it. He accidentally escaped and because the house is in the main road, my Goku did not make it.

My heart is torn again into many pieces. But, after I reflected, a thought hits me, from the first day I had Goku deep in my heart I felt he and Toby were one. 

It will be my 50th birthday next month, and only Toby knew what my heart desires. There was one time I told Toby my wish when I turn 50 is to see the world, and he knew this would only be a wishful thinking with him around. Toby knew I would not leave him with someone else or if I did I would always worry. 

Toby left after my 49th birthday, Goku left before my 50th. I think my gut feeling is right, Goku was Toby! He came back because he saw me in so much pain. Goku reassured me he is fine and he enjoys being free. Both of them wanted me to continue with my life and enjoy and fulfill all my dreams. 

I know someday I will see my two fur babies again. So from today and onwards, I promise my fur babies that Mummy will go on with my life, do the things I put on hold for them, and always be happy so that they won’t worry too much for me.

Have a blast in heaven my little Goku. Thank you for coming into my life. It maybe short but those six months were the sweetest.

Winston ~ 4th Feb 2025 - 9th Oct 2025

First of The Many to Come

 Last night, after 15 years, I was finally able to sleep again in the bedroom on a comfortable bed. Today, after 15 years, the first day of the many days to come without my beloved fur baby, Toby.

Toby was the first dog I personally took care of and looked after. He’s a Zuchon ~ Bichon x Zhi Shu. He’s very fluffy and so nice to cuddle. 

Toby doesn’t know any dog tricks. It took him seven years to master how to sit. But if you asked him “where is mummy” he will start looking for me or if he’s being carried and I am near him, he will extend his paw and tap my arms.

He also has an excellent sense of smell. This is one of the senses he hasn’t lost until his last minute with us. He knows where we keep his treats and if you placed it somewhere accessible to him, he’ll definitely steal it.

Toby also likes music. Most probably he acquired that passion from me. If he is restless at night, I will play some songs and he will go back to sleep.

I am happy that I have so many wonderful memories of my fur baby, and I will forever be keeping those memories of him in my heart. I told him yesterday, before he breathed his last breath, that I love him so much and no one can ever take his place in my heart.

My Toby, thank you for being such a wonderful fur baby. For being a good dog, son,  friend, companion, confidant. Thank you for taking good care and protecting me, daddy, your kuyas and ate. I know that no matter where you are, you will always be watching me and my family.

Run free now my Toby until we meet again.

16.10.2009 ~ 12.11.2024

Do What Makes You Happy

“Do what makes you happy” ~ A phrase I always hear in movies, at work, in public places and sometimes from people who are dear to me. But how easy is it to put this phrase into action?

When I was young doing things in a heartbeat was so easy. Often times I forget to carefully examine what will be the consequences of my actions. Everything was fine as long as it makes me happy.

As I grow older, especially when I became a mother, I become more cautious of my decisions and actions. I learned to prioritise the feelings of those people around me, most especially my loved ones. Over the years, the phrase “do what makes you happy” has changed to “choose what is right”.

Doing the right thing most of the time contradicts to what will make me happy. But at the end of the day, choosing what is right gives me peace of mind and in turn leads to infinite happiness. 

A Christening Prayer

 A good friend asked me to be her daughter’s godmother or “Ninang”  at her christening. Of course, I gladly accepted it. My friend also asked me to lead the opening prayer. I still said yes even though the thought of speaking in front of a crowd frightens me.

I admit that I was lost while thinking over what to say or how to begin the prayer. I am not a writer like my HS best friend or my daughter who has lots of ideas in her mind. Also, I want to write something special as this will be my first to write something for someone, and then say it in-front of many people.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for this beautiful day as we gather here to celebrate [name of the child]’s Christening. 

We thank you for bringing us together to witness the beginning of his/her journey to Christian life. We pray that you continue to bless and guide his/her parents {and siblings} in helping him/her become a God fearing and God loving person. We ask that you give them strength and patience in their journey as a family. 

We also pray for [name of the child]’s  Ninangs, Ninongs and everyone present here today that they may help his/her parents in bringing him/her up to be a good Christian and be a loving inspiration to others.

We thank you Lord for [names of parents] for sharing their joy and blessings to us through their son/daughter, [name of the child]. 

Lastly, we ask you Lord to bless the food that we are about to share. Bless the people who took time to prepare it and to serve it. May the meal and our celebration nourish our bodies and strengthen the bonds that unite us in love and faithful service. Amen.

To Trust Again

TRUST is one of the most important thing in every relationship, and this is also something that I do not freely give to others. In order for me to trust another person, he/she must earned it.

Once I gave my trust to a person, he/she must take good care of it. Because once broken, it is so hard to trust again. Honestly, I'm not sure if there will be another chance for me to trust that person again.

In His Time

I had the privilege today to witness a new spiritual journey of a friend. Her struggles and how she overcome it were so inspiring.  But the most beautiful part of her life story is how she found God amidst all the hardships she had been through.

True, life isn’t always jolly and bright. Sometimes if I will sum up the good and bad things I have experienced, the latter always outweighs the former. This is very sad to say but it is the truth. However, if we will open our heart and mind to God and lift up to Him all our worries, the yoke becomes light and easy to carry.

In God’s time He makes all things beautiful ❤️.

Practice the Pause

Do you sometimes wonder if what is happening in your life really meant to happen or merely a coincidence? I do...especially when my mind is clouded or if what I have to face is so unexpected.

In times when I do not understand things going on in my life I often resort to prayers and reflection. Most of the time it works but there are also times that I still feel so confused.

A friend once told me that if something is really meant for you it will happen even if you think it is impossible. But if it is not for you, no matter how easy you think you can achieve it, there will always be lots of obstacles. In times when you feel discourage or uneasy, this is the perfect time to practice the pause.

“When in doubt, pause. When angry, pause. When tired, pause. When stressed, pause. When disheartened, pause. And when you pause, pray.”

My AlDub - Then and Now

July 2015 when I joined Twitter and this was all because of my favorite Love Team - AlDub. “AL” stands for Alden Richards; “DUB” for Yaya Dub, a character from Eat Bulaga Kalyeserye portrayed by no other than Maine Mendoza.

It all started with that unscripted smile from Yaya Dub when she saw Alden on the screen. The smile that gave hope to those hopelessly romantic individuals; happiness to those overseas Filipino workers longing to be with their loved ones; kilig to those elderly ones who never thought that they could be young at heart 💓 again. Thus, Alden and Maine truly are deserving to be called The Phenomenal Love Team.

AlDub most awaited movie, Imagine You and Me, brought a different level of hope to many of their supporters, including myself. Many fans imagined that Alden and Maine will end up together. That their love team from reel will be real. Then came their first tv series, Destined to be Yours, a title that perfectly describe their tandem. When they are together you can feel the magic, you want to believe that destiny is real and that they are destined to be together forever.

But as the saying goes every thing has its end. A dreamer has to wake up from his/her dream and starts to face the reality, and same goes with AlDub.

As their fan I must learn to accept the fact that not all stories have happy ending. Alden and Maine deserve to be happy. They should enjoy the freedom to practice their free will. I must respect their decision if they choose to be with someone else who will complete them.

Alden and Maine have done and still are doing their best to give happiness to people on- cam. In return, I need to give them the privacy that they truly deserve off-cam. I still wish, hope and pray that in the end they will end up together. But for now, together or individually my love and support for them will never waver.

When It Is Better To Say Nothing At All

We often hear people saying "It is better to keep your mouth shut if you have nothing nice to say". This is also one of the million advices most parents tell their kids. And I do agree to what this phrase conveys.

First time in 43 years of existence that I was immensely hurt by a friend's comment. I do not see her often and when one time I saw her, the first thing she said to me was "Tumaba ka" (in English you became fat).

I admit that I am fat, I have gained a lot of weight, but it is not my choice that I became fat. I have been sick lately and one of the medicines I am taking contains steroids. My doctor has explained to me the side-effects of the medicine, whether I like it or not I will really gain weight. I would not really mind the comment if I became fat because I am not cautious of what I eat, but this is not the case 😔.

After that short and unforgettable encounter with my friend, I realized that I should be more careful of what I will say to others. Sometimes, a simple 'Hi', 'Hello', or 'How are you?' is more than enough to brighten another person's day 💖.

Thought of the day

To live is to face the unknown over and over again. But with God the best is yet to come...

Being a MOM

One time my daughter asked me if I regret having kids - having her and her two brothers. Of course I assured her that she and her two brothers are my greatest blessing and most precious treasures. I have no regrets being a mother, no matter how tough being a mom is.

My children taught me so many things. I learned the true meaning of the word RESPONSIBILITY from my first born. The first tears I shed when I had him wasn't tears of joy, but tears of realisation that I am about to face the most challenging role in this world.

My second child, my lovely daughter, she made me realised that my happiness is different from my children's happiness. She taught me that in every relationship, there must always be RESPECT. She also taught me how to listen and be more understanding. Now I know and have accepted that in all aspects my kids are so much different from me.

The youngest made me appreciate motherhood. To enjoy it and savour every moment of being a mom. He made me realised that the answer to my prayers are already in front of me, and that's them - my kids.

Man's Best Friend

I never consider myself a dog lover. I find dogs cute and adorable, but to really like and love them is another thing. In fact, I am SCARED of dogs - little, medium, big - the size does not really matter, I'm scared of them period.

My daughter, however, is my opposite. She loves animals especially dogs -  all breeds and sizes of dogs! She always begging me if she can have one. And because I love my daughter so much, I gave in to her non-stop pleas.

February 11, 2010 when my family of five became six! But the sixth member has four legs and so fluffy like a teddy bear 😍. Toby...that's what we named this gorgeous lad.

I vividly remember his first night at home, it was a nightmare. It was like having a newborn baby again! My kids, my mother-in-law and I tried to make him stay at the back yard so that he can be trained as an outside dog. But that's way far from possible. All night he was howling. The kids sang songs to settle him, my mother-in-law placed a hot water bag underneath his bed and then wrapped him in a blanket.  All those tactics failed. In the end, I cuddled him and let him sleep on my chest for  three long nights! Gradually, I trained him to sleep in the laundry room and on his bed. In short, I became his Mom.

Eight years later, I still can't believe that I have this capacity to love another creature - a dog. Toby made me realised that dogs know how to love unconditionally and they do know what loyalty means. Toby will do everything and anything to protect me and my family.

Now, I fully understand why dogs are called man's best friend and why this four legged fluffy lad is called a dog. DOG spelled backwards is GOD 💓.

Who wants to play with me?

Toby's first lesson - Sit

When behaving well

Playing Dress-up

A music lover

Copying Panda

Peek-a-boo

When not in the mood to share his toy

Smiling Toby

Solid ALDUB Fan

First time in my many years of existence that I started to follow a showbiz love team. Because of this LT (shortcut for love team) I learned how to tweet.You wonder who is this LT that I am so "crazy" about?

Them...my ALDUB 💑




ALDUB stands for Alden and Yaya Dub (whose real name is Maine, Philippines' Dubsmash Queen). It all started in split screen, Alden in the studio while Yaya Dub or Maine in the barangay. Yaya Dub's character  is snobbish, she doesn't smile. Except for that unforgettable Thursday the 16th of July 2015,  when she saw Alden on the screen 😍. The rest as they say is history...

More than two years have passed and I still could not explain why I am so crazy with ALDUB. Probably because Alden and Maine have this special chemistry that I have not seen in other love teams. They can make you smile, laugh, cry and make you feel young at heart. They can also make you fall in love over and over again. In short they bring MAGIC 💓.

I am one of their many fans who wish to see them end up together in real life. It is also fine with me  if this does not happen (but I am still hoping and praying that they will end up together!). I guess what is important is that they have touched and still touching many lives, making people happy (especially when they are together!) and bringing hope to those hopelessly romantic individuals 😍.

Lesson 101: How to raise a child

As a parent, I often asked myself  if there is such a thing as guidelines how to raise a child. It's a fact that having a child comes great responsibilities - physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually ( Oh yes, I become more prayerful when I became a mom!) and the most important one ☝️ FINANCIALLY. But these are already given. What I am often caught unprepared is how to discipline my kids, teaching them the difference of good from bad, how to answer their out of this world questions...and the list goes on and on and on...

A friend told me that the best thing I can give my children is my TIME. I need to be there for them always, especially during their teenage years. Honestly, I don't understand this at first. I don't know how much of my time I need to give my kids - 50, 60, or 100%? 😱Now, I realised I need to give 101% of my time to them.

If you asked me if it is worth-it to put on-hold everything for my three beautiful angels 😇, my answer is a big YES. Their happiness is my happiness, their success is my success. Everything my kids do reflect on me as a parent (and as a person). The most unforgettable comment my husband and I received came from my eldest son's  HS teacher - the teacher told my son that he must have good parents for him to become a well-mannered young man 😊.

Store Brands

Many still are debating whether to choose leading brands or store brands when doing the grocery shopping, and I am no exeption to them. But as time flies many people opted to select store brand products over the leading brand. Main reason the PRICE. I guess we are becoming more price conscious and we want to be in control of our budget.

Choosing store brands does not mean you are sacrificng the quality. Honestly, there are store brand products which you can't tell the difference from the leading brand (except of course the price!). Here in AU there are plenty of store brands to choose from...there's Home Brand and Select of Woolworths, Smart Buy of  Coles, Black & Gold, No Frills, etc. Most of the time I do my weekly grocery shopping at Woolworths or Coles because of the store's proximity from my house.

So which one do I prefer, Woolworths brand or Coles brand? Yes, even store brands differ from each other!

Product	Woolworths	Coles
Toilet Cleaning Items	V
Kitchen Items (dishwashing liquid, scouring pads, etc.)	V
Toilet Paper	V	V
Cheeses	V	V
Chicken Nuggets	V	V
Prepared fish fillets		V
Ice cream		V

With prices of household items going up to often,  it's about time to be wise.

To My Daughter

My daughter's school asked parents of Year 12 students to write an affirmation letter to their son/daughter. The letter will be handed to the students during their retreat.

Honestly, I don't know what to tell my daughter. There are so many things that I wanted to tell her. But it is so difficult to put my thoughts into writing.

If by any chance my baby girl will stumble upon this blog, this is what I wanted to tell her...

My Dearest Chloe,

There are times when our ideas clashed. There are times when I can see you disagreeing with my decision but cannot express your disapproval because you knew that your dad and I will never tolerate you and your siblings to answer us back. But during those times that we are on opposite directions, your good manners and respect to your dad and I are always there.

I am so blessed that you are my daughter. At a very young age you know how to run a household. At times when I am in a not-so-good mood you are always there ready to rescue me. When I am sick you are there to be my little nurse. 

Your way of thinking is so beyond your age. Often times I wonder if you are an old soul trapped in a 16 year old body. 

This year is a very important year for you. I know you are excited to find out what the future holds for you. No need to worry my love, I am sure that it will be beautiful.

Do not be afraid to try and then fail, this is better that not trying at all. Always be mindful of your manners and never ever make someone feel inferior.

Offer all works to God and be thankful for all your blessings.

Keep in mind all the advices that your dad and I have been telling you. And always pray and seek God's guidance. Like what I am always telling you and your brothers, I am not after having the best child, all I hope for is you to become a good, compassionate, loving and most importantly God fearing person.

Love,
Mum

Online Survey Reward

So happy to recive my reward gift voucher from Valued Opinions. I've been their member for about five years, and it was my first time to claim the points I have collected.

Though it took awhile for me to collect the points I needed to claim a $20 gift voucher, but  it is still worth it! Nowadays $20 is still something big.

It's so easy to join Valued Opinions and everyday I receive online survey invitations from them. To those who are actively online it is worth trying to be come part of an online survey company. Good use of your "surfing" the net time.

My first entry for 2017

It's been a while since my last blog entry. The usual excuse, family and work keep  me busy :)

I often hear people saying when kids grow up you will have more time for yourself, you can do this and that and so on and so forth. True, my kids can now do more things on their own. However, I realised that as they get older what they need from me changes too. Like my 16 year old daughter, she wants me to spend more time with her. She gets excited when I am taking some time-off from work. She is happy when we can spend the weekends together even though we have nothing exciting to do.

My two boys are the same as well. They always look forward to Saturday evening because I will be cooking something special for them.

Being a parent is a 24/7 job. There are so many things to weigh and prioritise. It is not easy to raise a child but it is definitely rewarding 😊. No regrets that I am a mom.

#motherstory #mother #kids

Open Letter to My Teen-age Son

Dear Kuya,

Finally, your most awaited day arrived, you're now officially a teenager! But this does not mean you can now freely do whatever things your heart wishes. Of course, your dad and myself will still be at your back and constantly guiding you.

Being a teenager is exciting and at the same time entails bigger and more responsibilities. You're about to enter the most vulnerable stage of a person's life. Many paths will be presented to you, at the end only you who can choose which path you would like to take. Keep in mind what we always tell you, think many times before you decide on to something because it is you who will bear whatever is the consequence of that decision.

Do not choose to do wrong in order to be different. A true friend will accept you unconditionally. He will not ask you to change just so you can be his friend. Choose your friends well, they too will play important roles in your life.

We wish and pray that our Lord will always guide and protect you. May He always enlighten your mind and help you make right decisions. May He make you strong to resist whatever temptations that may come your way.

Always remember that daddy and I love you so much. We will always be here for you...

Love,
Mum