being there

Somebody wrote an essay, as she was diagnosed with cancer, outlining the things she would've chosen to do if given another chance. One of these was "Work less."

Hmmm, if she had another chance to live life over, she would've left work at exactly 5PM and went on to enjoy the other parts, perhaps the more meaningful parts of her life.

When I was young, I was never wanting of attention from my parents. My mom was a government employee and because she had reached a certain position, she needed to travel a lot. I vaguely remember her trips to the US and Europe. I also just remember her six-month stay in Philadelphia because of those early Saturday mornings our dad would make us write cards and letters (on onion skin paper - so that it would weigh less and thus, be cheaper) and we would head off to Tita Unti's house to get Mom's salary. I also see souvenirs from my Mom's trips all around, wall artifacts from Chile and Argentina, pictures in front of the Louvre and other places I only read about in Araling Panlipunan, so I know she must've gone there.

But never in my mind did I feel that she left me. I guess it was because for the other days she wasn't overseas, my mom took us to school at 7AM and picked us up at 5PM. Everyday.

And of course, in between those periods that Mom was away or at work, Dad was always there. He cooked for us, reminded us of our homeworks, bought project materials with us. He was even our school bus later on, when I was in college.

Imagine how sheltered and loved we were. It was either Mom or Dad or even BOTH of them, all the time, with us.

And now that I'm married and looking forward to having kids, I know I want my kids to feel that way too, about our family.

I told Mark one time of one team leader in the company who did not want to be promoted because he knew his priorities. I asked him what his was. And he said, family, like me. (No wonder I married him.)

I believe it when I read that life is here to take and there are certain things just more important than money or prestige. I don't want to regret the choices I make in my life. I want my kids, in the future, to be able to say that when they needed their parents they were there.

I want to be able to say, in the end, that I knew what was important and that I showed it.

sweet surprise

After ten months of marriage, I sometimes feel that I've been married forever.

You do fight more, but the things you fight about are more, well, household-y.

"Wag mo nga akong agawan ng kumot, yung kumot mo, nasa ilalim ng unan mo!"

"Ipagluto mo naman ako ng almusal."

"Mag-ingat ka ngang mag-drive! Pag nagka-anak na tayo, iri-risk mo ba ang buhay niya?"

"Maligo ka, ang baho mo na..."

And in the everyday things like these, we sometimes forget to be romantic and all that stuff.

I sometimes look at my "attached" friends preparing for dates and vacations while my husband and I, consider our once-a-week dinner at Red Ribbon to be splurging already.

My good friend, Dette, who's also married, tells me of the time that she told her husband (as they were going in Jollibee), "Doon naman tayo kumain sa nakaupo tayo." To which Dennis told her, "Sige, umupo ka na dyan, ako na lang pipila."

What did we get ourselves into?

We can't help it, we get older and become adults, a large part of which we change priorities. That instead of a dinner for two worth Php 1500, we'd rather save it for a door of the house we want to have.

The good thing about marriage, though, is those little surprises that make it worth it.

Like that kiss on the cheek when your husband thought you were already asleep.

Or that new shirt in the closet that was bought because all your other shirts were old already.

Mark gave the sweetest surprise when he bought me an Ipod Nano, stuck it in the passenger's chair of our car and when I sat inside, texted me to say I had something under the seat. What surprise, when just seconds before, I was scolding him, he texts too much even when driving.

Kaden, my new companion :)

Well, marriage truly is that scenario when you be your worst and best selves and still be comforted by the fact that one person will stick around through it all.

Will I trade this comfort for an expensive dinner? Never.

I'm Back!

After much inaction, because of too much action, I'm back.
It's been a long time since I've had the luxury of sitting down and writing about anything. Well, Christmas' near, have to run only two more workshops and I finally have time for me. :)

We also got our wedding layout last week. I still had some of the quotes changed since cheesy and sappy is not really my style. Here's the link. Hope you enjoy the pics as much as we did.

NOTE: For those who know Mark and me, ano kaya ang naiba sa pictures?