MAY 2012

The month of May 2012 proved to be a month of outings for me and my kids. Our company celebrated summer at the Northland Resort in Manapla, then,  I was fortunate to be invited by my friend Grace to join their company outing at the mountains of Patag in Silay City, and the promised Manila trip for my daughter Michelle courtesy of her father. Such is the life of a solo parent ^^

My children with their cousins and Mama Mel during our company outing

Ceci & PJ celebrating their 11th and 9th birthday ^^

My beautiful friend Grace during our Patag outing

Lucky me, joining the weekend outing of the
Sagay Central Bacolod staff and their families. 

Happy to have met Bro. Bo Sanchez personally with my daughter Michelle.
 Its SOP that he signs books/autographs and pose for souvenir
pictures after the feast at the PICC every Sunday.

View of Rizal Park and Luneta on the 22nd floor of the
Manila Pavilion. Awesome!

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson 

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Tree Planting at Don Salvador Benedicto

I was fortunate to have been invited by a friend of mine to go on a tree planting activity in the mountains of Don Salvador Benedicto. I have nothing to do over the weekend so I immediately said yes and happily joined the group of teachers from Fr. Gratian Murray Integrated School of Brgy. Granada. We left Bacolod City in the early morning with teachers from other government schools of the city.


I planted three (3) saplings of mahogany tree and I am so delighted to have done my share of preserving nature in the mountains of Negros. 

CHOOSING MY SAPLINGS

CAN YOU SEE THE TREE I PLANTED?

THE HILL WHERE WE PLANTED OUR TREES
I WONDER IF THE 1,000 SAPLINGS PROVIDED FOR
THIS ACTIVITY WERE ALL PLANTED...HMMMMM

MY FRIEND MARILYN CHOOSING HER TREE

AFTER THE TREE PLANTING ACTIVITY, PICTURE TAKING AT THE
 PINE TREE FARM WHERE WE ATE OUR LUNCH WITH MARILYN AND LYZA

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MY "HAPPY EVEN AFTER" LIST

After the expected and long awaited separation from ex, here is my "Happy Even After" list:

• I am able to regain my dignity as a person
• I regained my self-confidence
• Realized a full emotional support from family and friends
• Gained new and real friends during the healing process
• Able to enjoy short vacations with kids without a KJ or an alcoholic person around
• Not bothered with "are you going home or not?", "don't bother to go home" and all the other emotional blackmails used when insecurities and alcohol mixed
• Spontaneity fully realized
• Learned to take care of myself
• On the process of rediscovering myself 
• Getting comfortable and being used to doing things alone
• Able to go on dates with myself 
• Appreciating the company of girlfriends during girl's night out and ladies only events
• Able to proved that a solo parent can manage to maintain a household on a single income albeit with some sacrifices but nonetheless able to survive financial difficulties
• Able to proved that faith in God does make a difference in ones uncertainty
• Angels does exist in the form of generous, thoughtful and caring souls 
• Possibilities present itself continuously
• Opportunities to improve one's situation are aplenty
• Passions are realized little by little
• Expanding horizons
• Able to sympathize and connect with individuals who have the same concerns as mine
• Able to help others through sharing one's experience 
• Being an inspiration to someone without knowing it 
• Now, looking forward to another chapter of my life with a renewed spirit and confidence

What's your "Happy Even After" list?

MY COPY OF THE "HAPPY EVEN AFTER: A SOLO MOM'S JOURNAL"

I recently acquired a book entitled "Happy Even After: A Solo Mom's Journal" made specifically yes, for solo moms like me. The journal has inspiring short stories and tips from famous solo moms in the Philippines and one of them is somebody whom I admired most, award-winning children’s book author Jean Lee Patindol.

I found the journal very helpful and inspiring. Reading how solo moms managed theirs and children's lives alone. I learned that there's a Solo Parent Act passed by Congress. And, I am able to reflect on how to have a "happy even after" life for me too.

I already started jotting down my random thoughts on the blank pages of the journal and I am looking forward to more readings such as this. Who knows? Maybe soon I will share my own Happy Even After Story.

To Miss Jean, thank you for my free copy. Truly I'm blessed. 


    

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20 Things I Am Grateful of in the First Quarter of 2012

A lot of things had happened in my family and personal life for the first three months of 2012. I am grateful to God for granting me answers to prayers, blessings, unexpected happy events and much more than I expected. So here it goes... Thank you Lord for --

1. The school family day - much to my joy, the 2 younger kids stayed with me over the weekend during this school activity.

2. The bonding time with the mothers of my kids' classmates. I don't always have the luxury of time to be with them - mothers who chose to be homemakers instead of career women.

3. The realization that my son is already on the verge of manhood when I caught him having a chat with an older girl student who happens to have a crush on him ^^

4. The continued safety of my family when all I can read in the daily newspapers were hold-ups, accidents, rape, killings.

5. The financial help that comes from out of nowhere. I was able to hurdle the end of school year expenses and utility bills.

6. The food on our table.

8. My daughter Michelle's high school graduation. I guess its one down and two more to go.

9. The continued tuition support for Michelle's college tuition from my employer. Thank you Lord!

10. The bonding moments with my cousins and friends ^^

11. My Daddy's checking up on me.

12. Yan-Yan's getting 3rd place in the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Search for Hara 2012 without not much expense on our part, and the support of neighbors, friends and family during this event.

13. The peaceful death of my brother in law.

14. The graceful demeanor of my sister in her sorrow.

15.  The gift of family presence when death and health problem comes.

16. The tree planting activity with my friend Marilyn in the town of Don Salvador Benedicto. 

17. The bonding moments with my friend Marilyn and co-teachers at the town of Don Salvador Benedicto such as eating lunch under the pine trees.

18. The gift of time, renewal and healing.

19. The gift of love and friendship.

20. The presence of someone whom I lost, somehow had been there all the while, taking the time to renew ties, processing emotional hurts, possible ending of an unfinished chapter and a start of a new one. 

Thessalonians 5:16-18 

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: 

for this is the will of God. 

    

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SOMETIMES

Sometimes its hard to be accommodating.
Sometimes its hard to be always on top of every situation.

Sometimes its nice to just give up.
Sometimes its better to fight.

Sometimes its easy to be selfish.
Sometimes its nice to be giving.

Sometimes its better to be alone.
Sometimes its nice to have somebody at your side.

Sometimes its hard to be strong.
Sometimes its nice to let somebody take over.

Sometimes you don't want more pain.
Sometimes its better to be wounded.

Sometimes its easy to let go, sometimes its hard.

Sometimes when all is said and done,
Sometimes what matters most is the love that you gave.
Sometimes fleeting, sometimes forever. 
Sometimes free, sometimes earned.

A New Chapter In My Daughter's Life

I am delighted to share with you the high school graduation of my daughter Michelle. With all the circumstances that surround her well-being, I can't help but feel  glad that finally she's done with high school and soon will be finding her place in this world.

I also cannot help it but feel proud of her because she's a fighter too like her mom. Going to the same university as mine and taking a course same as mine, she's indeed my daughter. 

To you Yan, life maybe cruel at times, it may not be what you want it to be, it may bring you joy, it may cause you  to fall down, it may lead you to success, it may be hard, it may be easy but you must remember wherever your life's adventure brings you, your family will always be your comfort and strength. We may not be complete but when two or three of us are together....that's HOME.

I love you my daughter. I may not always be at your side but remember that you have my character and strength. I have survived and so will you.  

Mama