We're Married!

01.17.2009

Fajitas!

I was inpired by my bestfriend's chicken fajitas last Monday when we had dinner at their house. So this weekend I made sure I'll make one also.

Chuck is not the typical "kanin-ulam" lover type. He prefers western style of eating. I can't feed him corned beef and pork n' beans forever. Haha! So I'm starting to prepare for it by practicing at home.

My sister was my guinea pig this time and she finished 3! Actually we almost finished the whole thing! Just the two of us. HAHA! Bye bye diet.

Red Cups 08

It has been my tradition to take a photo of my first red cup for the season.

My first red cup for the season is a tall hot Dark Cherry Mocha.

I'm not a fan. I like PEPPERMINT MOCHA better. Parang hindi Christmas pag walang peppermint mocha. =(

Ok ang babaw.

Global financial crisis vs Peppermint Mocha.

Tsk tsk tsk.

I really really love coffee and I love Starbucks. I love them because...

1. they opened a branch in our building... (sorry na lang sa wallet ko)

2. of the super friendly baristas. (yeah I know because they want to sell but the people in our building and those from PSE where we used to go are the friendliest bunch I've ever met)

3. of the yearly planner. Never mind if they're not perfect. Sometime even ugly. (HAHA) Tradition na eh. I cannot attend a meeting without it. (Ok another kababawan moment. What happened to your morals hija? Haha!)

BUT... I still love COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF's coffee and tea more. =)

The 4 Way Test...

in shopping....

1. Do I really need this?
2. Can I live without it?
3. Will I really use it?
4. Do I already have something like this in my possession?

Sooo cute AND useful! Must remember everytime I go to the mall. HAHA!

Hmm... they should have this posted sa malls.

Got this from chuvaness.

While I'm Waiting

I came accross the movie FIREPROOF this morning before I left for church. It just amazes me still how God talks to us in the most creative way. I stumbled upon this on John Mateos Ong's multiply site.

Lately my relationship with Jesus has been on a dry spell. I just miss Him so much lately but at the same time I'm not doing anything to look for Him. Yes I'm still doing church work and serving Him through different ministries but I don't feel Him in my life. And it just made me realize that ministry does not equate a relationship with God.

This morning during the worship service, Hazel said something about times that we just tend to sing these songs but not really feeling it or nothing is coming out of our hearts. But she just encouraged us to still sing, to never get tired of singing and worshiping God until the time our hearts are ready.

I just want to share the song from the movie. It's entitled While I'm Waiting by John Waller. It's really beautiful. I hope it will encourage you the way it encouraged me.

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on you, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on you, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait.

I WILL MOVE AHEAD, BOLD AND CONFIDENT. TAKING EVERY STEP IN OBEDIENCE. WHILE I’M WAITING, I WILL SERVE YOU. WHILE I’M WAITING, I WILL WORSHIP. WHILE I’M WAITING, I WILL NOT FAINT. I’LL BE RUNNING THE RACE, EVEN WHILE I WAIT.

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on you, Lord.
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on you, Lord.
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait.
Yes, I will wait.

I WILL SERVE YOU WHILE I’M WAITING, I WILL WORSHIP WHILE I’M WAITING, I WILL SERVE YOU WHILE I’M WAITING, I WILL WORSHIP WHILE I’M WAITING,I WILL SERVE YOU WHILE I’M WAITING, I WILL WORSHIP WHILE I’M WAITING ON YOU LORD.

An oh by the way, I think FIREPROOF is a REALLY GOOD MOVIE. I encourage all married couples and those like me who are going to marry soon to watch it. Trailer pa lang amazing na. I can't wait to see the movie.

a crazy week.

My week started with a sad news. Eugene's aunt who's very close to them (like a second mom) died. She died of complications from her chemo for leukemia. She died in New York. Good thing her sisters (Eugene's mom another aunt) are in Seattle and Chicago to be with her in her last days. We will miss her presence in the wedding. She was even preparing already for what she will be bringing for all of us before she went in the hospital. She's a very very kind person and will truly be missed.

Tuesday was not very good for me either. I started feeling sick. Actually morning pa lang I wasn't feeling good na. But I had a lot of things to do so I decided to go to work. I should've worked from home but I left the laptop in the office na kasi to stop myself from working pag uwi. But after doing the urgent tasks, I decided to go home na. That was after lunch.

Wednesday, I was on sick leave. I just rested the whole day but would turn on the laptop once in a while for urgent emails or questions from my team. (Adik!) Haha! But they were able to manage so hopefully I can do this na more often. Not get sick ha. But just to rest.

Thursday, I wasn't feeling well pa but better na so I went to work. It was Trick or Treat day in the office so medyo busy. Unfortunately, just before the kids went up to start the Trick or Treat, I cut myself with a swiss knife. Hay! A teammate brought pomelo and we were trying top open it when I cut myself. I went straight to the clinic kasi the cut was kinda deep. It was bleeding for an hour! The nurse had to give me a medicine for it to stop bleeding.

Friday, I was so worried the whole day. While in the clinic kasi the nurse asked if I have an anti tetanus vaccine. Then that night Eugene was telling me how important it is. Nag research pa ako on effects of not having one. Ayun super paranoid ako ng Friday. I went to a clinic in Glorietta and had my anti tetanus shot.

Hay having a week like this one will really allow you to appreciate weekends more.

Cheesy Movies

I'm on sick leave today. But I won't talk about that.

I just finished watching "P.S. I Love You". No, not the Sharon-Gabby movie. (Although I've seen that one also.) This is the one with Hillary Swank. I got interested when Daphne blogged about it.

Last Friday night naman I had a date with Eugene and we saw "Nights in Rodanthe". Yeah it has been a cheesy week. Haha!

I liked both movies. The two movies were very romantic and funny in a witty way although both stories revolved on death of someone you're romantically involved with. For someone getting married in a few months, it scares me a lot. It's not that I'm backing out or something. It just made me think if it's all worth it. You'll be spending most of your life with this person. You'll build memories that will not be perfect if built with someone else. But eventually it's inevitable that you will lose him.

So is it worth it?

I'm sure it is. I'm positive that it will be. =)

I'm not good at making movie reviews so I'll just post some lines from both movies. 'Hope it will convince you to see it.

P.S. I Love You

Dear Holly, I don't have much time. I don't mean literally, I mean you're out buying ice cream and you'll be home soon. But I have a feeling this is the last letter, because there is only one thing left to tell you. It isn't to go down memory lane or make you buy a lamp, you can take care of yourself without any help from me. It's to tell you how much you move me, how you changed me. You made me a man, by loving me Holly. And for that, I am eternally grateful... literally. If you can promise me anything, promise me that whenever you're sad, or unsure, or you lose complete faith, that you'll try to see yourself through my eyes. Thank you for the honor of being my wife. I'm a man with no regrets. How lucky am I. You made my life, Holly. But I'm just one chapter in yours. There'll be more. I promise. So here it comes, the big one. Don't be afraid to fall in love again. Watch out for that signal, when life as you know it ends. P.S. I will always love you -- Gerry Kennedy

You know the worst thing for a parent... second after losing a child? Watching your child head for the same life you had. You can't stop it. It's a terrible, helpless feeling. Makes you angry all the time. And I've been angry. For a very long time. I'm exhausted. -- Patricia

We're so arrogant, aren't we? So afraid of age, we do everything we can to prevent it. We don't realize what a privilege it is to grow old with someone. Someone who doesn't drive you to commit murder or doesn't humiliate you beyond repair. -- Daniel Connelly

Holly Kennedy: I don't want to make any mistakes.

Gerry Kennedy: Then you're in the wrong species, love. Be a duck.

Daniel Connelly: What do women want?

Holly Kennedy: [whispering] We have no idea what we want.

Nights in Rodanthe

Saying good-bye to you today is the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do, and when I get back, I can honestly swear that I’ll never do it again. I love you now for what we’ve already shared and I love now in anticipation for all that’s to come. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I miss you already, but I’m sure in my heart that you’ll be with me always. In the past few days I spent with you, you became my dream.

When I sleep, I dream of you and when I wake, I long to hold you in my arms. If anything, our time apart has only made me more certain that I want to spend my nights by your side, and my days with your heart.

High School Chronicles I

Everything started in Facebook when Shalah thought of uploading our grade school and high school pictures in Theresians 98 group. Riot sobra! The others started uploading pictures also. The older it is, the better! Ang kulit sobra! Blackmail material ang pictures.

Anyway, then Frankie posted a blog here in Multiply about her own high school and college experiences. I got inspired to the same so here it is. :)

Our high school barkada was made up of 15 people! Dami no? I remember being called for one on one counseling and when the guidance counselor asked me sino ang friends ko I started mentioning their names. Ang nasabi lang niya was... "Oh you belong to that big group." HAHA! Ok.

I don't think we were really notorious, makulit lang talaga. I cannot remember doing anything significant na would cause, you know, cancellation of classes or things like that. As I've said talagang makulit lang.

Chuck would always laugh at my high school stories. One classic story....

I was in second year high school (II-4) and my Speech class was boring me to the max. I decided to write on a piece of paper the following... may pera sa ilaw. I passed that note to my seatmate and then she looked up. Sobrang tawa ako ng tawa. I know!!! So babaw diba? Anyway so we passed that note slowly to everyone in the class until half of the class from the back were waiting na on who would look up next. The teached finally caught us when these 3 girls, I think si Ina, Camille and Tata ata yun looked up ng sabay sabay. Half of the class laughed. And ayun basta super mad yung teacher and nahanap niya the note came from me. Bwahahaha! And ito pa... when she found the note and read it... she looked up also! Super natawa yung buong class. Sabi lang niya... "Ang babaw niyo!" HAHAHAHA!

Oh man! More of my high school chronicles next time. Here are some of our blackmail worthy pictures muna.

We were in fourth year in this picture. (IV-1)

If Life is Hard...

“One day we will meet beside the river and our Lord will dry every tear. For now, we must live in the joy of that promise and recall that for every generation life is hard, but God is faithful.”

Bodie Thoene

The Tale of Two Sisters

Oops! Nope this is not about me and Nicole. Hehe! It's about two sisters that became really close to my heart from the gospel of John and Luke.

Question... have you ever tried to do it all?

I know I have. Just two weeks ago I've been telling myself and some people around me how tired I was. Tired in every sense of the word ha. Tired from work, personal life (wedding stuff) and church. Yes, even church! One day sa small group session namin sa office I just caught myself crying really hard in front of people na were not that even close to me. Nagulat ako and I didn't realize na I was that tired that just sharing about it and pouring my heart out to this people can make me cry like that eh ang question lang naman was "How are you?"

After that small group the Lord reminded me of Mary and Martha. One day Jesus visited the house of these two sisters. While Martha was busy preparing the house and the food for the guests, Mary decided to sit at the feet of Jesus. So Martha got annoyed because instead of helping her sa kitchen she was there just sitting. So when she couldn't take it any longer, she told Jesus to ask Mary to help her instead of just sitting there staring and listening. And then Jesus told her these words...

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

I found myself relating to Martha and replying to that with, huwaaaattt?! But wait! There's more!

In the book of John naman Mary and Martha was mentioned again this time when Jesus brought Lazarus, their brother, back to life after being dead for four days. If you will notice in this story (read John 11) on the fourth day of Lazarus' death Jesus arrived and when Martha saw this she immediately run to Jesus' side. She told Him that if only He was there earlier their brother would have not died. Jesus replied and assured her that he'll live again. After that, Jesus called Mary and asked her to come to Him. As soon as she heard this she stood up and came to Jesus quickly. She asked the same question Martha asked and Jesus replied the same. And then Jesus brought Lazarus back to life.

Notice how Martha came running to Jesus while Mary patiently waited for His instructions? In the midst of trials Mary chose to patiently wait for the Lord's instructions and quickly obey as soon as she heard it. That was the result of her spending time at the feet of Jesus. By spending time with Him, she got to know Him better. She knows how He works, how He loves and how He sovereign He is. She knows that the Lord is still in control amidst the chaos around her so she just waited for Him to call her.

So simple lang ang naging message sa akin ni Lord at that time. Everything that I was busy with at that time are all blessings pala. Work is a blessing. Wedding is a blessing. Church work is a blessing. So bakit ako nagrereklamo na I am tired diba?

This is just like having a best friend. I'm sure you know your best friend very well. You know who their crush is. You know their favorite food. You know how they say or do things. You can even finish each other's sentences most of the time. You know how they're feeling. And most especially you know what is in their heart.

Natutuwa ako na He revealed to me what is in His heart. He made me appreciate the things that I was doing at that time were all there to give glory to Him. Pero ang greatest learning is if only I take time to spend some time at His feet I would know what is in His heart right away. I could have not noticed that I was tired if I knew in my heart and be always reminded that God is doing something in me every single moment of my life.

I pray I'll have Mary's heart inspite of this Martha world that we live in. Super busy! But I'm sure I don't need to let go of the Martha in me. I would always want to serve God wherever I am. But I pray for a heart that would choose what is better. I want a heart that is always longing to just sit at the feet of Jesus and get to know Him more through His word.

Uultin ko lang ang sabi ni Kuya Martin sa DEV-O 1 natin...

Sa mundong maingay,

maupo,

tumahimik,

makinig.

NOTE: This is my first DEV-O contribution. Feel free to visit http://wccwildfire.multiply.com !