Happy Birthday, Ma!

we surprised her with a cake and flowers... happy to see her smile like this :-)

******

Happy 57th birthday, Wowa/Mama Lyn!

Exactly a year ago you were diagnosed with a dreadful disease (Chronic Guillain-Barre Syndrome). It was the scariest day of my life because I was afraid of the possible worst things that might happen knowing the state you were in.  It was so sudden but the only thing I remembered and kept in mind which was one of the things you've taught me about God... in Him all things are possible. We just have to trust His will and grace. 

What we've gone through was not easy but God made everything available and sent His angels to help us in any way they can. We can never thank God's angels enough for all the love, support, kindness and understanding they've showered upon us. In return, we pray that God may continually  bless each one of them and their respective families with love, happiness and peace. 

Thank you so much, Ma, for everything... even when you were bedridden and totally immobile, you maintained a very positive attitude and disposition. When we learned of negative comments about your situation, you never got angry and did not went on a name-calling tirade. Instead, you chose to forgive them and move on. Thank you for being such a strong woman of faith. 

I just want you to know, Ma, that I love you so much. And I am proud of having you as my mom. Everything that I am now, I owe it to you and papa. Your happiness is essential to my own. My family and I will always be here for you and papa no matter what. I am forever grateful to God for blessing me with such wonderful parents (you and papa). And guess what, Ma, I feel like it's my birthday too today (even if it's still next month) because this has been one of my wishes last year that we get to celebrate your birthday physically together. God is so good! He granted my wish. :-)

Happy birthday, Ma! I love you to bits!!!!! *hugs*

WOWO MAIE

Wowo Maie in Perth, WA (2011)

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Happy 60th birthday, Wowo Maie!

You may not be the best papa in the world but to me you're more than enough...

Now that I'm grown up, I appreciate you more as the years come and go...

Though we have had our moments of not meeting eye to eye 

but my love and respect for you still remain undeniably true...

I know you're not perfect (no one is) but you never made your mistakes/shortcomings

hindrance in correcting/reprimanding us when you see a need to do so. 

Thank you for all the support, guidance, care, service,

and love not only to us your children but also to your grandchildren.  

I wish you more happiness and healthy years ahead...

I love you heaps, Pa! *hugs* 

Wowa Lyn

It's happiness to see my mom happy like this... a dream come true...
(taken at Perth International Airport last June 2011)


*****


"Youth fades, love droops, the leaves of friendship fall;
a mother's secret hope outlives them all."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

*****

Ma, allow me to make you feel special today by letting you know somehow the gratefulness I feel having you as my mom... You have given so much of your invaluable service not only to us but also to the people who needed it that came your way... You have taught and instilled in me a lot of good values and life's wisdom that help me deal with my own life's challenges and detours. That's why I strive each day to live a life that does not make a mockery of all the good things you've taught me. Where I am now, I owe it all to you and papa. You both have given me the priceless gift of life... For all your support, unconditional love and care... for being the best WOWA... for being simply you, a GREAT MOTHER... THANK YOU! I am proud to have a mom like you. I love you heaps... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MA! xoxoxo 

Birthday Song

If I could say the things I feel, it wouldn't be the same

Some things are not spoken of, some things have no name

Though the words come hard to me, I'll say them just for you

For this is something rare for me this feeling is so new

You see I love the way you love me

I love the way you smile at me

I love the way we live this life we're in

Long ago I heard the song that lovers sing to me

And through the days with each new phrase I hummed that melody

And all along I loved the song but I never learned it through

But since the day you came along, I've saved it just for you

I don't believe in magic but I do believe in you

And when you say you believe in me

there's so much magic I can do

Now you see me now you don't watch me dive below

Deep down in your love lake where the sweet fish come and go

And I might sink and I might drown but death don't mean a thing

'Cause life continues right or wrong when I play this birthday song

I learned from you, and you (we) can't even sing 

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I simply love this birthday song. Today, I dedicate this to the husband especially these lines...

"You see I love the way you love me
I love the way you smile at me
I love the way we live this life we're in"

Happy birthday, My Love! Thank you for loving me the way you do and for taking good care of our little family. I love you! xoxoxo

Thomas

Having someone who understands you is home.

Having someone who loves you is belonging.

Having both is a blessing.

~Unknown

*****

To Thomas, thanks for being a real blessing. I love you! =) *hugs*

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Photo: Us, Thom & Cym, taken upon arrival here in Perth last June 4, 2010.

Happy Mother's Day!

my best mama in the whole world
w/ her jewels (as she calls them)! =)

*****

"I looked on child-rearing not only as a work of love and duty,
but as a profession that was as fully interesting and challenging
as any honorable profession in the world,
and that demanded the best I could bring it."

~ Rose Kennedy

*****

To my mom, a zillion thanks for all the things/sacrifices you've done for me (as well as with my siblings). I hope I could emulate even half of the traits you have as a wonder mom. It's always been you who mainly gave me strength, guidance and unselfish care and love that made me brave and confident in facing my own life's journey in the real world. I love you so much, Ma! Happy Mother's Day! xoxoxoxo

*****

Happy Mother's Day to all MOTHERS (even to the ones who never physically bore a child but was a true mother to someone) in the whole world!!! *hugs*

Celebrating Friends

Darlene, Mayette & Jane
~ three of the priceless treasures in my life =)
(taken using Skype during our video call last night)

*****

I have no talent for making new friends
but oh such genius for fidelity to old ones.
~Daphne DuMaurier

When a friend speaks to me,
whatever he(she) says is interesting
~ Jean Renoir

No man is the whole of himself.
His friends are the rest of him.
~ from the "Good Life Almanac"

*****

Yes, last night was happiness to me simply because I had an almost an hour Skype video call with the three equally gorgeous kindhearted friends in my life. Since I left Cebu more than a year ago, I never had the kind of conversation I had with them last night. It's really one of the things I miss the most. Talking/listening to them and at the same time seeing them felt like I was home for less than an hour. They just don't know how happy they made me last night. I was even giggling and smiling when I got to bed. My hubby noticed and commented, "basin mag-cge na lang ka ug katawa nganha ron ha bisan tulog na". hehehehe

To Jane, thank you for always spending some of your precious time with me online. I know how busy you are with all of your life's dealings but still you never fail to be there for me when I needed someone to chat/express what's on my mind without hesitations. I could never thank you enough for not only introducing me to the blog world but also for encouraging and sharing your knowledge about it with me. =)

To Darlene, I will always be grateful to the kind of friendship I have with you. I could say that our friendship has weathered a lot of storms already but still we managed to keep it floating. Thank you for granting my requests even if you're full of your own life's concerns. Keep up the positive attitude always. I'm happy about the new developments... and looking forward to some more positive developments in the future. =)

To Mayette, Bon Voyage! I know you're filled with mixed emotions now but one thing's for sure, I'm happy that soon you'll be with the love of your life and together you'll journey the world of marital bliss. Thank you for always making me laugh and for all the wonderful bonding moments we've shared. The word "resting" has never been so special in my vocabulary until you added more meaning to it that night when we're at El Salvador... hehehe

And to all of my trusted friends, you're part of the priceless treasures in my life. You have helped and moulded me in your own different unique ways. I could not imagine living life without you. I feel so blessed... THANK YOU! *hugs*