Updates

I usually write on my blog when I feel a need to. I mean when there is a pressing matter that I really want to address. Sometimes, it's because I want to share something great or vent out about something frustrating. Less often, but it happens, I also feel inspired to write. Today, however, I do not exactly know what's motivating me to write this. I'm thinking, it's a relaxing thing.

It's six months before our wedding and Marc and I are so excited. Sure, there's still a lot to be done, but the "crunch time" part of it is not yet here. Our rings have arrived from Hong Kong and I can't help but gush about how pretty they look. A part of Marc wants us to wear them already, and a part of me agrees. Haha. By the grace of God, we have also found an apartment cozy and at the same time roomy enough to accommodate us. I'll be living there starting August to hopefully alleviate the stress and fatigue incurred by the torture that is EDSA. Marc will be joining me there after we get married. Until then, I'm thinking of offering our place as a venue for my Sunday D-group. Marc consents. That is, when we get chairs and tables and such furniture. So, yeah, I'm totally excited about that, too.

Also, we have purchased our first conjugal property! 

So timely, since we're leaving tomorrow for Caramoan. It's shock proof and water proof. Hopefully, I'd have quality pictures to share when we get back.

Ummm... what else? Marc and I are still attending classes in CCF. We're now studying Galatians. It's not as in-depth as I thought it would be, but it's a good start. Marc's group there has officially become his D-group. In addition to our singles D-group, we have started attending a couple's one, too.

Last July 12, 2014, Marc & I got baptized. Got the certificates to prove it, too. (happy dance)

So, that's about it for the past three weeks or so. God has been busy bestowing grace upon grace on us, crossing off items on my list one by one. To Him be all the glory. :)

Sign of the End Times

I honestly do not know exactly how to proceed with this, but I know that I definitely have to say something. I do not know how many people actually do read my blog; I think there is none, but nonetheless, I need to get this off my chest.

Ok, so a sister of a celebrity recently said some things in public television, and as everything and everyone is sensitive about religion, she got bashed and there were so much bad comments and untruths that made it hard for me to read further. Anyway, I am in no way saying that everything she said was correct nor am I saying that majority of it were. I simply feel the need to address some of the comments posted thereafter.

Exhibit A: I do not know what kind of "believer" his mom and siblings are, but regardless of what it is that they believe in, (in the context of the topic, it's probably in God) I don't think it's fair for them to call Alex tanga. Second point, on reading the Bible: The Bible is not a crystal ball. It is not something you look into in pieces, out of context. For example, if you are deep in debt and decided to look into the Bible to get enlightenment, and chance upon Judas' story after the betrayal when he hanged himself... is that even logical? No. It's not a toy you shake (magic 8-ball) and expect answers based on your understanding and then depend your life on it. Ultimately, it takes the Holy Spirit's wisdom and guidance to understand the Bible. It does not give you doubts, on the contrary, it tells you exactly what your purpose in life is. Doubts arise from not having the patience to learn the context. It is why we have to attend Sunday Service in church. The doubts come from not having the Holy Spirit's guidance and being pilosopo as a result. Also, religion and belief are two different things. Belief is a way of life. Christianity is a way of life. As for the additional comment, it just seems to have come from a very bitter and very angry person.

Exhibit B: As there are mistakes in what Alex has publicly shared, there are also holes in this comment. Let's face it, we are not perfect. Again, religion and belief are not the same. Religion has never been a ticket to salvation, but belief/faith in Jesus Christ is. Claiming to have a god on their side does not necessarily mean it really is God on their side. Isn't it common sense to understand that when these people committed the atrocities, then these people are just probably worshiping a god based on their understanding, which, I repeat, should not be the case. I absolutely agree that "Believing in an imaginary being is not a guarantee that you'll end up a better person", which is why I believe in the Alpha-Omega, and not an imaginary one. Lastly, while religion does not necessarily modify behavior, belief does. For the Nth time, religion and belief are not the same. If you truly believe something is real or a fact, won't that dictate your behavior?

Exhibit C: Actually, all non-believers and all believers are sinners. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Exhibit D: By the way, Alex is not Catholic. (At least from what I gather.) Second, what makes the pope the authority over people who are not Catholic? Also, John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. God & Son (Jesus Christ) = eternal life, the rest = perish.

Exhibit E: If this person was a true believer, he/she wouldn't be "wala akong pakialam sa mga taong iba yung religion or walang religion".
"A believer is ready to serve everybody wherever he can. He cannot but profess the gospel before men, even though he foresees that he can reap nothing but ridicule and scorn for it; yes, he is ready also to give his life for the gospel" - C.F.W. Walthers

Again, I am not actually saying that everything Alex has said is true, nor do I agree with everything she said, but what I am saying is that these comments are not true or have faulty basis as well.

Hay, it's scary how things like this happen more and more frequently lately. Indeed the end times are upon us.

Before I Do (Part 2) Marriage Takes Three

I promised to do a part 2 and 3 on the Before I Do post I did in the beginning of May. After going through the May 10 workshop and the others that followed, I decided to do more breakdowns. Sorry for the delay. Here is part 2:

So, I'd like to break it down to the three components in a marriage: God, Husband, and Wife. The Before and After I Do workshop provided a great illustration on this:

Obviously, as with everything, the marriage should be centered on God. He is to be your anchor, your basis for everything. As the husband and wife focus on their relationship with God and grow closer to Him, they grow closer to each other at the same time. 

Although it seems to be such a thing of common sense, I learned a lot from this. I learned that you're not supposed to go into a relationship expecting your partner to complete you. You both have to be complete in Christ, because two incomplete people can't make each other whole. People disappoint, people fail, people may not always be there, but ultimately, our God is, and forever will be perfect. Marriage is not a give and take with your spouse. It is always a give. You take from God. He alone could sustain you. Whatever overflows from that, you give to your spouse and loved ones. Amazing? I know, right?! So much enlightenment!

Promotions

I'd like to promote the blogs of a couple of wonderful ladies, who write about their walk with Christ in their marriage, in being super moms, and in being a woman of the Lord. 

Joy Tan-chi, author of teachwithjoy.com
She's the daughter of our Pastor in CCF. She has been through a lot, and have inspired a lot. A mother of 5, a supportive wife to her husband, and an overall inspiring woman. You may browse through her blog for more information, or find videos through youtube. I don't know her personally apart from these, so I hope she doesn't mind me sharing this with you. If it will be for God's glory, why not, right?

Liana Perete author of http://coffeetalkswithhim.wordpress.com/
We met through her husband, who is a colleague of mine. Her thirst for Christ is amazing, and her lamp is burning ever so brightly, lighting up not only the nooks and crannies of her home, but spilling over everyone around her as well.

The links are listed on my blog roll (Blog Hopping portion) as well. Happy reading!

Before I Do (Part 1)

Now I'm not going to pretend that I am a great example of how to be a perfect bride-to-be, nor am I claiming that my relationship with Marc is immaculate. I am far from pristine, and our relationship is a perpetual work in progress. For me, that's the exciting part: we get to experience God continuously working in our lives and our marriage.

What little I know about being ready for marriage, I'm about to share in this part 1 post, as I am currently in that state of my life. After that, I'll do a part 2 on what the Bible says about it. Then next week or sometime around that, I'll be doing a part 3 wherein I'll be adding on and/or correcting what I wrote on parts 1 & 2. This is after Marc and I attend CCF's "Before and After I Do" workshop seminar on May 10.

For soon-to-be weds and newlyweds, I'd like to invite you to attend this. It's at CCF main in Tiendesitas, on May 10, 2014, 8:30AM - 5:00PM. Registration on the day is at 1000Php per couple. For more information, you may check CCF's website: www.ccf.org.ph

Marc and I are about to tie the knot on January. Before deciding to marry, we had a few of "the talk". Basically, there are the negotiables and the non-negotiables. I'm focusing on the non-negotiables because, well, they're the important ones. Here are ours:

1. We had to both be Christians. When we became girlfriend and boyfriend, he wasn't a Christian yet. Although I stressed the importance of my faith even before, it was a disobedience on my part at the time, and I wouldn't advice the same to anyone. It was sheer grace from God that he became a Christian, December of 2013. An important note: A Christian not only by words, but by walk.
2. Before getting married, we have to prepare ourselves: Physically - we wouldn't be able to take care of each other if we're sickly or weak, would we? Emotionally - we had to make sure we didn't have any emotional baggage from past relationships. Spiritually - in such a way that we have strong morals; our hearts being in tune with Christ's. More on that on part 2. I'd like to add also, just to clearly state the obvious: Absolutely no sex before marriage. Financially - not necessarily millionaires, but enough so we don't start our married life in debt, and we have enough not to be dependent on other people, i.e. parents for our survival. Maturity - are we ready to leave our single life and prioritize the welfare of each other over our own?
3. We have concrete plans. Not the typical we fall in love, get married, live happily ever after. More like, how much do we budget for the wedding, how much do we need as start up for our future, how much emergency fund we need to maintain, where do we live after getting married, how do we support ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually in our marriage, etc.
4. I almost forgot this very important part. When I prayed about getting married, the passage God gave me was about honoring my parents. With this in mind, we had to make sure both sets of parents were on board with this. Marc talked to his parents, and when they confirmed that they approved of me, he asked for my parents' blessings before proposing to me. (I know, I have a wonderful husband-to-be. All thanks and glory be to God.) Imagine not having to deal with monster in-laws! Bliss!

The point is that, getting married is not only about the wedding, but the marriage. It's not a one day thing that you plan for. It's an everyday decision to keep loving your spouse and your kids; an everyday effort to learn, love, and grow together. It's being sensitive to your future family's needs more than ever, every single day... and on that note, I'd like to end with Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages. 

I've had the pleasure of reading the short version and it gave me so much helpful insights and I've been trying my best to apply what I've learned ever since. I'm planning to buy the paperback copy soon.

Downtime

Funny how God makes sure you get your time off.

To say that I have been stressed for the past three weeks is the understatement of the.. well, the past three weeks. Aside from the frustrations I had with my boss and my job, I suffered a week long cold, followed by stomach problems that lasted another week, and now, dysmenorrhea that forced me to finally take a day off from work. 

Saturdays have been spent quite well, balancing wedding preparations with quality time with Marc. Sundays have been for Church, GLC1 classes, and D-group. Rest has been evasive. 

I now am being reminded of God's fourth commandment:

Exodus 20:8-11 (NASB) Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

So, yeah, day off it is.

And to try to enjoy the day of rest, and hopefully relieve the backache, I brewed my TWG Moroccan Mint. Simple joy #11.

desperate times call for loose leaves... when teabags are simply not going to cut it.

Mint tea helps soothe cramps; at least it does for me... and the smell is wonderful! Moreover, Google informed me of the additional benefits of  having tea daily, so it's a big fat plus. Now if only I had pastries --lady fingers in particular, to go with these. Mmmmm!

Random Thoughts

For the Nth time, I'm typing a start to this blog entry. Might end up deleting this again and starting anew. Kinda makes me think of typing things on an old school typewriter and crumpling the papers when I don't like what comes out. Currently do not have an congruent train of thought. Not sure why. Just really really lazy right now. No motivation to work.

Marc has been studying his bum off the past week and the sunog kilay thing will go on 'til the end of this week. Sacrifices has been made in the form of less time to spend with each other, but he has been such a dear, making it a point to still have quality time with me, just not as much as we used to have. On my end, on days like yesterday and today, when we don't get to go home together, I feel cheated... as though my end-of-the-day-something-to-look-forward-to was snatched away, and replaced with more pointless work. Sad, really. I miss him terribly. Two more days.

On work naman, I honestly don't feel like it anymore. I'm about to write a whole bunch of stuff about my boss that he won't be liking, but are really really consistent with how I'm feeling right now... but since I know I'll be regretting that later, I'm opting not to go through with it. Let's just leave it as I'm currently hating my work right now. I'm feeling unappreciated. I know this is bad, but I'm just venting, and hope it helps the blah-ness of today. Tiis tiis, until things change.

Fire drill this morning. We avoided the grueling walk down the stairs by escaping to Cafe Bene near our building minutes before the drill started. While there, we had a little meeting so as not to really waste too much time. After that, I filed my liquidations and stuff. Lunch was a bag of Granny Goose Chips. Now I'm just staring into space. Lazy.

So now that's that. Let's hope things will get better from now 'til end of business day. 

The Rings

We ordered our rings from J's Diamonds. Same with everything else, we had the same criteria: simple, elegant, and timeless. When we found all three in their booth at the wedding expo, it was a done deal. We've been to hundreds... ok, maybe around fifty jewelry stores. There were simple rings, elegant rings, timeless rings, simple and elegant rings, elegant and timeless rings, simple and timeless rings, but not one of them were all three. It made us smile a little bit wider to find all three requirements in a pair of wedding bands that time. It would take a few months to have them made the right size and have the engravings done since they have to be ordered from Hong Kong, but it'll be worth the wait. Besides, we have time. 

The tips: One kuya from a store gave us his two cents, which we found to be really helpful, so I'm sharing them here, together with a thing or two we learned on the way. 

First, whatever design you want for your rings, it will always be best to see the real thing on your finger. 
No matter how pretty the design is, especially in photos, it will never look exactly the same when custom made. 
Next, aside from the stone qualities/specs, there are various other ring characteristics you have to pay attention to. For example, the width of the rings. Generally, thin delicate ones look good on women; how wide the men's are would depend on the size of their fingers. Then there's the thickness of the rings. Also, there's the insides and the edges. Will they be flat, curved, or pocked.
Check as well the other rings that you don't pick for the general quality of their merchandise.
Try not to scrimp on your rings too much coz you'll be wearing them forever, after all.
For the ladies' ring sizes, allow a few millimeters more in preparation for pregnancy bloating.
I don't know why, but the standard sizes didn't seem to apply to us. Our sizes differed from one store to another, so it would probably be best to have your size sorted on the store where you will be buying your rings from.

Aside from J's Diamonds, Radiance also has good ones. We had my engagement ring modified there. I'll look for the links of both and update this post.

Engagement Ring: Orogem & Radiance

Wedding Rings: J's Diamonds
Reserved/Ordered: March 8, 2014

A Love Story

People call it mental block, I call it "duuuuuhhhh..." (insert drool) I'm not exactly the diligent blogger and most of the time, I can't even think of what to say, or how to express myself. It's just that writing has always been my outlet as well as a way for me to keep memories. Sometimes it's just hard to know how to begin, how to narrate everything, and how to end.

Well, it's that time again, and I'm afraid I'm kinda stuck. Part of me wants this post to actually make sense, and hopefully help people as references. Another part wants to just write and write and write regardless of the sense it'll make. The latter's winning.

Here goes. I'm going to rewind, back up and start with the planning. So yeah, before everything, it was clear to both Marc and I that this... our relationship and everything related to it has this ultimate goal of ending up together and marrying each other. I told him right from the start that I do not get into relationships for a trial and error run. My end objective will always be marriage, so if he's looking for someone to "test" things out with, I'm not the person for that. He told me that we have the same view and he's done with the part of his life that doesn't (have the same view). It's time for him to settle down and be with someone he loves more than anything and anyone in this world, and that, according to him, is me. So I told him about my God and my relationship with Him. I let him know that, his highest spot with me will always only be second to God, and he's alright with that. He knows how important my faith is, and what I have with my Savior cannot and should not be de-prioritized; he understands that. I then started to pray for him, for his salvation and for God to prepare us both. So there, sometime last year, we became us. After about a year or more of constantly praying for him, he got saved December of 2013. This year, he proposed, and thus, we are starting yet another journey together.

Lookie that bling. ^_^

The proposal: I've seen a lot of proposal videos and read a ton of stories. Most of them depict a nervous guy, asking his girlfriend to be his wife in front of a public. Most of these guys tell people that the proposals were pretty nerve-wracking coz the girl might say no. I've never been a fan of that. Maybe I'm just a private person... sure, I blog, but not about the personal details, i.e. step by step on how he proposed, how our dates go, etc. Maybe I'm KJ. Or maybe not. For me, proposing in front of a public is really impersonal and kinda manipulative. It's like hey, look at all the people around, say yes, and don't be the bad person breaking this poor guy's heart. Also, what's up with the girl might say no thing? Maybe it's just me, but I'd want to know beforehand that we're both ready and committed before I propose marriage to another person. I mean, if I'm not sure if this person will marry me, then we're not ready to start this part of our lives. Sure, if I was the guy, I'd still get pretty nervous, but it'll be because I'd want her to like the proposal... for it to be heartfelt and really special, not because she might just turn me down. Thankfully, I'm happily blessed with a loving man who wants the same intimate and private proposal and gave me just that. Since I do believe everything from the proposal to the marriage is for both parties, and not just for the bride, as an added bonus, I got to propose to him too. And yeah, he said yes! 

My ring & his watch. Image reposted.

The preparations: Technically on-going, but so far, we have the venue, the catering, the photo & video, the hair and makeup artist, and the on-the-day coordinator booked. The guest list has been finalized (let's say, second to the last finalization), the rings ordered, and the gown penciled in. Praise God for the discounts, the great deals, the wonderful people, and the ever so patient fiance! I'd have to double check the list, but I do think we're on schedule. Fingers crossed so I don't have to turn into what the people in the business call Bridezilla.

Lovin' it! Thank You, Lord.

The Perfect Venue for a Perfect Evening

We only had two options shortlisted for our venue. Our preference has always been simple, elegant, and timeless, and we agreed to have this incorporated into everything for our wedding. The color motif, of course, will be green and white. It was then a matter of picturing both venues with the intended spring look.

Marc was actually the one who picked Light of Love, and by the time we went there for the ocular visit, I was more than convinced. The Atrium venue we wanted had an amazing glass ceiling that would show a wonderful sunset hue to a hopefully starry night sky on the night of our wedding. We still went to the other venue just to make sure we had covered all bases. It paled in comparison. So, Light of Love it is.

Aside from the glass ceiling we had fallen in love with, Atrium has the charm and elegance we wanted for a sweet romantic night with family and friends.

photo from lightoflove.com.ph

The reservation and/or booking wasn't that hard either. Ms. Steph, our contact, had a bubbly happy attitude that made us feel like we were talking to a close friend. Being the OC and sigurista person that I am, I kept e-mailing her for everything. From the packages, to the rate adjustments, to the payment terms. I was even texting her for some catering questions. She was really patient, accommodating, and was well-equipped with details, contacts, etc. for their affiliates. She made this task a breeze for us.

One down. Tons more to go.

Venue: Light of Love - Atrium
Reserved/Booked: March 8, 2014

 

First Time

It's my running joke that isn't so funny anymore. Whenever I get confused or make minor mistakes on the wedding preps, that's my excuse. It's also my initial line before I ask my family for advice, hehe. Anyhoo, doing this big event for the first and last time in my life, I get overwhelmed a lot. There's just so much all at once, and I am constantly reminded that it's going to be a one time hopefully not so big time thing, thus I simply cannot flop.

So as I go through everything, I plan on documenting both the excitement and the frustrations on the way, with permission from Marc, of course. Hopefully I don't get much panic moments, despite my OC-ness.

Technically, the preparations have started before the proposal. We talked about it and decided to go to our first bridal fair, January 18, 2014. The amount of brochures, fliers, and calling cards we got was quite a shock to us both, the pictures don't even do it justice:

It was a good start. In an attempt to get organized, we sorted them out and kept them in a clear book. Shortlisted some after a ton of inquiries and email exchanges and got our top 3s for the major ones.

317 days left.

At the Beginning

I have always liked that song.

We were strangers starting out on our journey
Never dreaming what we'd have to go through
Now here we are and I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you

It hints of an adventure about to be experienced by the couple. A kind of mild you-and-me-against-the-world-thing, or something like I can do and go through whatever as long as I have you. It makes you want to believe in a happy ever after.

No one told me I was going to find you
Unexpected what you did to my heart
When I lost hope, you were there to remind me
This is the start

It really is a wonderful thing when God has someone special waiting for you. It shall and always will exceed your expectations. It's kinda like a symbol of hope for me. Put your faith and hope in Christ, He will never disappoint.

And life is a road and I want to keep going
Love is a river I want to keep flowing
Life is a road now and forever
A wonderful journey

Sure, life won't always be smooth or in this case, wonderful, but as I always tell Marc, it will always be worth it. 

I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you

Well it'll probably be nicer if they're together even during the storm, (who thought up that specific line, anyway?) but hey, it's a feel good song. 

So why the sappy love song? Because of this:

The Lancaster Hotel Disappointment

You know how when you work at a hotel or at an establishment where service is the primary thing you're marketing, you're supposed to be nice and courteous, right? ...or at the very least considerate? Well, tonight, my boyfriend has just had an appalling experience from the staff of Lancaster Hotel, Mandaluyong.

He dropped by to place a reservation for my coming birthday. Upon arriving there, a vehicle was parked outside such that it has taken up more than the space allotted for one. He was instructed to park inside instead. After booking the date, on the way out, he was asked to pay for parking. Now, even malls have this rule that if you don't spend more than 15 minutes in the parking area, they'd waive the fee. He asked for a little consideration since he didn't stay more than 10 minutes in there and yet they insisted on making him pay for parking. They refused to validate his ticket, saying that the validations were for guests who have checked in only. Do they mean that he was not a customer just because he hasn't checked in? He booked a reservation, for crying out loud! How inconsiderate.

I don't think this is a petty case, and since this is not our first time with the hotel, I would've expected some courtesy. Of course I don't expect them to remember us, but I do believe they owe everyone the same consideration, regardless of how many times they've stayed, but all the more for those who have actually booked with them.

This is so very disappointing. There won't be any more next times for us... nor for our families... and I'd really tell my friends about this, lest they get taken advantage of. If this scheduled stay wasn't already paid for and non-refundable, we would've chosen some other hotel instead.

Long Distance Relationships

What I'm about to write next is extremely biased, so please, if you're reading this and do not agree with my views, please live and let live, as I do not see myself changing my opinions anytime soon and have no plans of getting into a debate of any kind.

I simply do not want a long distance relationship. I'm not saying with finality that long distance relationships do not work, but from what I gather, this is what I strongly believe in.

The thing is, whether we like it or not, people change. They change because of their peers, the environment, their experiences, their choices, and a whole lot of other reasons. And being apart from someone for a long time, not going through the changes with him/her, changes the relationship as well. For me, the essence of having a relationship with a person is enduring the same challenges, encouraging each other, empathizing and sympathizing with each other. My problem will be his problem, and his problem, mine, too. I do not mean that we have to literally go through the same thing, but that we share the experience. Being there for each other through the ups and downs is not at all the same as being a supportive audience. Would you want your loved one to come home very different from the one you knew? Of course not. The little things matter. These little things accumulate into big character changes.

Also, nothing beats being able to see your partner after a long day for a hug, a kiss, and/or an occasional lunch or dinner. It's what relieves you of your stress, makes you forget your office problems, lightens the burden of whatever made you suffer during the day or week. And who would not want a comforting embrace after petty misunderstandings, someone to wipe your tears off when things get to be too much, a listening ear, who will never judge you?

Another joy is being able to try and enjoy new things together. Not just once or twice or thrice a year, but everyday. The pleasure of exploring even the littlest new things with the most special person in your life is priceless and incomparable to anything else. 

Gastronomic exploration. Felix @ Greenbelt. 01.22.14

I don't want to be too busy preparing (to the point of compromising happiness) for my future that my present ends up to be one gigantic sacrifice. So, why would I trade that for a job or for money?

Mighty Bond Mishaps

Simple Joy #10: Laughing at Mistakes

Whatever you do, do not hand me a tube of super glue that sticks like crazy in less than 5 seconds. I've lost count on the accidents that I've had with them. Apparently, when it comes to sticking things, I lose all logic and common sense. 

Anyway, since it feels real good to laugh, I'm telling you about two of them here.

Once upon a time, Marc & I were out having dinner with friends. Halfway through the dinner, my shoes felt heavy like something was dragging it down. I was sitting at this point, so the damage was not that apparent. After a few minutes, I had to get up and go to the bathroom, and that's when I noticed the soles were flapping around like crazy. Yes, soles! Both feet! Somehow, both of them have been dislodged up to half the length of each shoe. I then practiced dragging my feet to see if they were still walkable. They were, but there were no guarantees on how long they'd stay half-functioning, or on how they'd perform when I came face to face with stairs or sidewalks. Since everyone agreed to get coffee after dinner, Marc & I decided to either buy cheap slippers or get a tube of Mighty Bond. The slippers weren't easy to find, so 10 minutes later, we found ourselves fumbling with a shoe each, struggling in the dimness of the pickup's light, in an attempt to fix the darned things. Marc's came out ok. Mine on the other hand was another story. After less than 5 minutes, I held up my shoe smiling, proud of myself for fixing it, unaware of the quick drying glue dripping on my left arm. I had two, 3-inch long drips, before I realized I was making a mess. In an effort to fix the new accident I've created, I got glue on my fingers, and on Marc. I even got some on his watch! Go figure how that happened. At this point, I'm just really really blessed, God gave me someone who laughed with me through all this and he did not even get mad that I ruined his watch. I spent the rest of the night making kutkot on my arms and fingers while having coffee... Marc smiling at me knowingly.

Next story. Today, my 100-peso sandals started to fall apart. It wasn't as crazy as what happened to my heels, but it was also a sole problem. This time, it was on the right one only and it started to flap from the back. I got a tube of Bulldog Superglue that says it's specifically for shoes. I immediately got to work, forgetting my previous mishaps. As usual, I over squeezed and put in a lot more glue than I should've. The sandal started to drip on my office table. In an effort to minimize damage, I put the sandal down on the floor, onto some tissues. I wore the sandal and stepped on it so the soles stick together properly. After 30 seconds, the footwear was now stuck on the floor. I did not realize the glue had seeped through the tissue and stuck everything to the floor. I had to pry them off, trying real hard not to laugh at my stupidity. I then looked up from the tiles and what do I see next? My phone... on the table... where the previous drips were! True enough, my phone was another thing I had to pry off another surface.

I had nothing else left to do but laugh at my mistakes... and it felt really good to laugh. Praise God for these simple joys!

New Year, New Goals

Happy new year, everyone! I had a very nice family thing this year. We spent December 28 to January 1 at Fontana Leisure Parks & Casino (No, this is not a sponsored post), bonding over food, board games, food, movie marathons, food, swimming, and more food. It's actually a good place to rest, relax, and enjoy each other's company. Marc spent the new year with us, which made it a lot more special.

Before I get into my new goals for 2014, here's a recap of my 2013. The recap's more for my benefit than anyone else's.
1. Blog more often, at least 3 entries a month. 
     - November and October kinda failed, but I hey, the 7 entries for December made up for them.
2. Create and keep more memories. This means adventures, travel, and pictures, pictures, pictures! 
     - I have accumulated pictures and memories. I just need to set time and effort to have them documented in scrapbook form.
3. Run regularly at least once a week. 
     - Total failure.
4. Cook more. 
     - Since I was not able to define "more", I guess I'm comparing this to how I did on the previous year. This one's a yes, but only just.
5. Go to a beach at least once. 
     - Yup, sadly Boracay's not what it used to be.
6. Climb a mountain at least once. 
     - Done Tarak. Yey.
7. Ride a bike. 
     - I did, but not regularly.
8. Ice skate. 
     - Not this year. T_T
9. Attend Sunday service regularly.
     - Better than 2012, but still not on an acceptable level.
10. Be more faithful with my quiet times. 
     - Same as 9.

So here are my new goals for the year:
1. Pray more often. Particularly for the following:
     a. For Christ to change and mold my heart for a less horrible, angry, and bitter me.
          (Especially toward my family)
     b. For spiritual growth
     c. For the Lord to prepare and ready my character and whole being in becoming
          a good Christian wife and mother.
     d. For the Christian life/walk of my loved ones, especially Marc's.
     e. For a ministry
2. Attend Sunday service and have quiet quality times regularly.
3. Lead a more healthy life, meaning:
     a. Eating healthy
     b. Exercising regularly, or at least as much as I can

Happy 2014!