Three Tips for a Fun Wedding Day

Your wedding is an incredibly important event that signifies an amazing commitment between two people. While marriage is a serious thing and is even sacred to many, it's also cause for some major celebration! Here are three ideas to help you make the most of your wedding day by keeping things fun and memorable at your reception.

Pick Your Reception Music Carefully

For starters, live music creates an exciting atmosphere and is an extra source of entertainment for your guests. Consider some local wedding bands NYC and see if there's a group that fits your style and tastes. If live music isn't your style, make sure you evaluate your DJ just as closely as you would a wedding band. Attend some upcoming gigs or ask for videos to help you get a better feel for their personality, and make sure you're very involved in picking the set list.

Include a Unique Activity for Your Guests

Surprise your friends and family with some special activities throughout the event. Hire a caricature artist, rent an adult-sized bounce house or set up a station with different games your guests will love. Be sure to include options that will appeal to all of the age groups you've invited to your big day. If your reception lasts for more than four hours, plan to order pizza for the guests that stay late to dance the night away.

Serve Extra Sweet Treats

Wedding cake doesn't have to be the only dessert option at your reception. Set up some tasty sweet treat stations so your guests can indulge whenever they want. An ice cream sundae bar is a delicious option that can still partner well with a slice of cake. A candy station gives guests the option to take home some sweets to enjoy later and can even serve as a wedding favor. For winter or outdoor events, set up a s'mores station for a special dessert option. 

Your wedding is something worth celebrating! Find creative ways to make the day exciting for you and your guests.

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Why June Weddings Are So Popular

To be a June bride is something that a woman may have dreamed of becoming. There must be something in the month of June that makes many couples want to marry in this month. But did you know that marrying in June traditionally goes way back into the Roman times?

Juno, The Goddess of Marriage
Yes, you read it right: the Roman era. It is believed that the goddess Juno, for which the month name June is derived from, protects women throughout their lives, that includes of course (!) marriage and childbirth, two important milestones in a woman's life.

Floral Scents Cover the Stench
Ever wonder what the bouquet of flowers is for? In the Medieval times, hygiene is not practiced in the way we know it now and bath soaps are a luxury that is difficult to have. There were only annual baths where one gets to thoroughly bathe. This is usually done in May or June, which means brides are still relatively fresh in the month of June. They carry along with them a bouquet of flowers, which are thankfully abundant in the month of June, to mask their body odor just in case.

Beautiful Weather
Practically speaking, for those of us living in the northern hemisphere, June is a perfect time to get married because it is the time when summertime kicks in. You have a higher chance of getting a beautiful weather. Add to that the longer days in June, which means you can also utilize outdoor space to the fullest.

So these are some reasons why many tend to marry in June. Do you know any other reasons? Be sure to add them in the comment section!

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How to Choose the Right Divorce Attorney

Selecting an attorney to represent you on any legal matter is one of the most important decisions you can make. When it comes to divorce, who you choose is of particular importance given the massive pool of attorneys from which to choose. The needs differ with every case, so it might take a lot of time and research to find the right divorce attorney Hillsborough county.

Divorce can be hard for both sides and men in particular need to ensure their attorney keeps their best interests at the forefront of settlement negotiations. Here are a few things to consider when beginning your search.

Don't Assume Only Male Attorneys Provide the Best Representation

You should not depend on your attorney's gender impacting the outcome of your case. What is more important is finding an attorney who is competent, dependable and makes you feel comfortable that they will serve your best interests. Regardless of their gender, you want to know that you can trust their representation of what is best for you.

Hire an Attorney Specializing in Family Law

There are many different practice areas, but you want an attorney who focuses on divorce proceedings. Hiring someone who knows specific divorce laws in your area is crucial. Just like you would not want a veterinarian if you needed heart surgery, you should not want legal representation from an attorney that does not practice family law.

Find One Experienced with Your Interests

Although family law is a specialty, there are still parts that makes your interests different from another case. If you and your soon-to-be ex have children, you want an attorney who handles child support and custody issues.

Look for an Attorney with Good Negotiation Skills

You should want to reach a fair settlement without going to court. A good negotiator can help you avoid that fight. Fighting things out in a trial can become an expensive and lengthy process. However, an attorney with courtroom experience can help to settle disputed issues.

Go beyond just picking a name for selecting an attorney. Establish a sensitive relationship with one who is right for your case.

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Heaven Sent!

Some people are just simply heaven sent! That is one of the things that I realized today. If you are one of those expat families who has been longing to have a little quality time with your spouses, I guess you would know what I mean. As parents, we know how important it is for us to spend quality time with our children. But we must also not take forgranted spending some quality time with our spouses so that we can also enjoy each other's company as a married couple. It helps keep the marriage strong and allows you to rediscover yourselves.

So it was really such a blessing when I called our friend who is also like a second to us and asked if it would be alright if they can look after our little girl while we are away. She gladly said YES and even thanked me. You are indeed heaven sent Ate Lolit! I know that you and your family love our little girl and we know that she will be in good hands. My heart is at ease...

Now off I go to do some bookings! :)

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A Friend Got Engaged! What Should You Give?

I have always loved weddings... I always find them beautiful, sweet and perfect in their own way. But I love hearing stories of the engagement, and how the relationship blossomed, better. How the groom proposed, whether it was love at first sight, or if it started with friendship. Being a romantic, I love watching sappy old movies about weddings and engagements.

I learned some high school friends just got engaged and are now planning for their wedding. It would really be a great idea to send them engagement gifts but I really have no idea what to give since I don't know their interests as a couple. But perhaps I can play safe by looking for a personalized engagement present that will somehow show them that I care and something that will be memorable for them.

It could be a heart wedding canvas like in the photo shown above, with their names written inside the heart and text below it that said: "It doesn't matter where you go in life... What you do... Or how much you have...  It's who you have beside you." That is just sweet right?

Many of my friends have already been married. I wasn't able to come to their weddings. But maybe I can make up for it by giving them personalized gifts. After all, there will always be wedding anniversaries, and they are a good excuse to send such a heart wedding canvas their way. :D

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Girls Talk: Cheesy, Mushy

It is love month and well, one cannot help but be all mushy and cheesy even if you are not because it is just contagious. When people are in love, they do all sorts of things, even if they are corny and mushy right? And you don't even care because you are doing it out of love.

Valentine's is really no big deal for us but there are some things that just never fail to surprise me, where my hubby is concerned. Small things actually, like when hubby played The Gift on Valentine's evening at home. Or when he would tell me how much I mean to him in his own dramatic but funny way. Back on our bf-gf days, I was the one who was more mushy as I love to send love cards and letters. And since we were on a long-distance relationship for many years, he would surprise me with flowers on days when I least expect them or send me book sets that I have been dying to read. It is not often that he does these kinds of stuff and I really appreciate all the effort.

And the day he first confessed his feelings? That is something to really listen to! It is ordinarily simple and yet so cheesy! But that's another story. Lol!

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GT: Love Life Resolutions

It is the first month of the year and the theme this Thursday is Love Life Resolutions. I missed Girls Talk last Thursday and the many other Girls Talk many Thursdays before that and so I hope to be able to join from this Thursday on.

With the New Year and all, I just realized that I haven't really planned or even thought about my resolutions. Sometimes, I would think about what I want to do this year to improve myself and my relationships but I never really got around to seriously writing them down. Thanks to GT, I am obliged to do so. I think it is very important to think about what I intend to do to keep my relationship with my husband stronger and work on some of the weak points.

We've been together as a married couple for four years now and although we go through difficulties, we managed to get through them together. But ever since I started at the university last year, I have less time to take care of the essentials. So this year, I need to work on managing my time better so I can also take care of things. I am always tired and exhausted that I only have time to really take care of my little girl and often let the hubby take care of himself. I also miss our talks and morning prayers and we would just pray on our own since we have different schedules. I hope we would manage to bring that ritual back. I also hope to be more active and initiative in terms of managing the budget because that is the area where I am really very poor. Isn't it that if you have a good financial standing, you and your partner don't argue as much?

So I guess that's it for now. There are still lots of things that I need to work on but these are of the higher priority. Hehe! I hope to join again next Thursday for another edition of GT. Here's hoping that everyone manages to fulfill their love life resolutions this year.

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When Was the Last Time He Gave You Flowers?

Twelve years and four months ago today, a friendship blossomed into love. I can't believe it has been that long since I have known my husband. Every day, I discover something new in our relationship and grow to love and respect him more. 

But sometimes, if you are too comfortable with the relationship, you tend to forget to be sweet and thoughtful and you sometimes lose your romantic ways. However, the failure to be romantic does not necessarily mean that love is gone. Love is still there of course, but it has been put at the backseat to give way to other things like work and taking care of the children and raising a family. Many married couples go through that phase in their relationship and it is up to them to decide whether to rekindle the flame or continue where they are now.

A question then comes to mind. For those of you who have been married for a number of years now, do you remember the last time when he surprised you with a bouquet of flowers? Was it on your birthday? your anniversary, or two months ago? Do you remember if it were roses or tulips or sunflowers? 

If you do remember when and what kind, then consider yourself lucky because your husband still is the simpatico that you have known him to be. For those who don't recall, well you must be getting old or it could be that your husband is just not the type of person to do such things. When they fail to send you flowers, it doesn't necessarily mean that they don't love you or don't remember those special dates. It just means that they are not the type of persons who give flowers on just about every occasion.

As for me, the last time my husband gave me flowers was last year... and he only bought them because I told him to buy some roses because it was for a cause. Lol!

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On Family Planning & Pregnancy

I believe that if you are a responsible parent and if you love your spouse, you would as much as possible plan your family: how many children you would like to have, how many years it will take until the next baby, and so on. Of course, you also have to consider your financial status because having another child would mean having another human being to raise, to send to school, to feed, to clothe. I am just glad that my husband supports me in this endeavor and although we want another baby now, we just can't yet because I am still doing my master's degree. Hopefully, after two years, we will have another child again. I guess by that time, our little girl will already be able to understand what Mommy is going through.

I do miss being pregnant sometimes. As I browse through my preggy photos, I am reminded of what we have been through as a newly married couple. I also remember the first trimester and how I have been yearning for acne products that work because of the pimples and acne that have grown like mushrooms all over my face. I remember the pain of labor, and the relief and joy upon hearing the cry of our firstborn and the peace and contentment that I felt upon holding her in my arms for the first time. 

I know that the next pregnancy will be better because I have a little girl who will be with me and accompany me. And I would like her to be as much a part of the pregnancy  as my husband will be. So that she will also anticipate the baby's coming and would not feel like her little brother or sister has taken away the affection and attention that she once enjoyed.

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The Bands That Bind

Marriage is no laughing matter. Many couples who do decide to get married are somehow prepared with what's coming their way. From the proposal down to the wedding day and the rest of their lives, there is one thing that plays a major role, that one symbol that keeps husband and wife together no matter what: their wedding bands. The ring, in its perfectly round shape is a symbol of unity and oneness and has been around since the time of Cleopatra. It is what binds husband and wife, and is the strong witness to the sacred vow that they made before God and man.

Once in a person's life, the RING becomes his/her turning point or crossroad. Men who have finally chosen the woman they want to marry give away engagement rings, and they do so in very surprising, romantic and even out-of-this-world proposals: dinner by candlelight with live romantic music, an extraordinary outdoor adventure, or a public proposal.

Needless to say, the couple will of course have to choose their wedding bands. It could be diamond wedding bands, or just plain gold or platinum wedding bands. It could come in various designs and carat and price. It shouldn't matter though whether the wedding bands are expensive or not, elegantly designed or not. What matters is that there was a spirit of sincerity, joy, excitement and agreement when the wedding bands were chosen.

One has to start things right the first time, right? And a good way to start your new life together is with the right wedding bands.

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Marriage & Divorce

Some marriages are based on friendship and love. Some are based on practicality and convenience. Some even on lies. I often hear of famous people getting married one day and then getting divorced the next. Of a divorced couple fighting over who gets custody of their children or of who gets what. I have also read and heard about pre nuptial agreements to protect one's properties before tying the knot. I don't know why people bother to get married if they are going to get divorced in the end anyway. But whatever the reasons, I know that at some point in their lives, they loved each other.

But getting a divorce is a tedious and very emotional matter. It may look like only the couple is involved, but if you come to think of it, there ate lots more: children, relatives, properties to name a few. That is why there are Family law solicitors in London and in other countries where divorce is a reality to provide advice and representation to some sensitive family issues.

While I do not believe in divorce, I do respect other people's decisions for getting one. It is their own life after all and I believe that the serious people who get one are doing it for the best of their children. But a divorce is still a divorce. It leaves children without a mother or a father to grow up with. Although there are visitation rights, life just isn't the same growing up without a father AND a mother who will be with a child all the way.

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Weddings

I have always loved attending weddings. There is so much excitement and happiness and love in the air. Whenever I hear of friends getting engaged and getting married, I always volunteer to help in organizing the reception and giving out suggestions to the bride to be. Even if it is not my wedding, I am always feel enthusiastic about how the wedding will turn out to be.

I admit I am not an expert in organizing weddings but I think I know the basics. Apart from the paperwork, which I think is the most important, there are just a number of things that are just as important such as the wedding ceremony and the wedding reception. A wedding will not be complete without the bride and groom, of course and both should look dashing and perfect. More often, the grooms wear a coat and tie or bow ties, or in traditional formal wear such as the Barong Tagalog in the Philippines. The brides on the other hand usually wear a long white gown and a veil, designed specially for the bride. The entourage is usually garbed with the wedding colors, with the bride's maids wearing formal or semi-formal long dresses and the groom's men in coat and tie or barongs. A wedding will not be complete without the flowers and photography. This event comes only once in a lifetime, for the case of those who don't believe in divorce, so that these precious moments should be immortalized on photo paper. One must not forget the wedding rings for they symbolize the promise and the bond that the married couple have made.

Ah, weddings... If you are the bride and want to really take care of every detail, it could be quite stressful. But with the help of family and friends, and a little inspiration, all shall be well and everything will just fall into place. One must also bear in mind that it does not end at the wedding ceremony. Married life has just begun the moment you say "I do."

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Twilight Saga: New Moon

I have a confession to make. I know I am a self-confessed movie buff and proud host of  the movie meme, Tuesday Couch Potatoes. But when it comes to the latest movies, I must admit that I am lagging behind. Why? 

Because I only managed to watch the second sequel of the Twilight Saga two weeks ago and it was great! The love story of Edward and Bella is becoming more complicated as it is with Jacob in the scene. The three make a good love triangle. New Moon was a nice movie although I wanted to see more of Edward here. But I guess the focus of New Moon is about the men-wolves and their role in the vampire world. I also thought that Jacob looked better with long hair. Why can't he still have long hair even if he is already a man-wolf? That would have made him stand out more among his man-wolf friends. I can't wait to see Bella's reply to Edward's proposal. 



Eclipse will be shown here in Germany in July. There is an upcoming Twilight Saga triple feature to be shown on July 10 in Corso Kino International, a cinema that shows films in the original English version. I hope Hubby and I get to watch it. I think we can go on a Saturday movie date now that Nanay and Tatay are here. They can babysit for our little girl. Hehe! I'm excited. Looking forward to it!

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Better Together

The first time I heard this song, I instantly fell in love with it. It's not just the melody or the rhythm, it's the message of the lyrics and the way Jack Johnson sang it. I just find it so cool and well, reminded me of my then-BF-now-Hubby when were living separately... physically that is.

You may have already heard this song but for the benefit of those who don't, here's a clip that I found on YouTube.



Here's the lyrics if you want to sing along too:

"Better Together"

There's no combination of words
I could put on the back of a postcard
No song that I could sing
But I can try for your heart
Our dreams, and they are made out of real things
Like a, shoebox of photographs
With sepiatone loving
Love is the answer,
At least for most of the questions in my heart
Like why are we here? And where do we go?
And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy and
Sometimes life can be deceiving
I'll tell you one thing it's always better when we're together

[Chorus:]
MMM it's always better when we're together
Yeah, we'll look at them stars when we're together
Well, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, it's always better when we're together

And all of these moments
Just might find their way into my dreams tonight
But I know that they'll be gone
When the morning light sings
And brings new things
For tomorrow night you see
That they'll be gone too
Too many things I have to do
But if all of these dreams might find their way
Into my day to day scene
I'd be under the impression
I was somewhere in between
With only two
Just me and you
Not so many things we got to do
Or places we got to be
We'll Sit beneath the mango tree now

It's always better when we're together
Mmmm, we're somewhere in between together
Well, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, it's always better when we're together

MMmmmm MMMmmmm Mmmmmm
I believe in memories
They look so, so pretty when I sleep
Hey now, and when I wake up,
You look so pretty sleeping next to me
But there is not enough time,
And there is no, no song I could sing
And there is no, combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing
We're better together.

This song is just beautiful! It always reminds me, whenever I get annoyed at Hubby because of some petty things, that we are always BETTER TOGETHER. We may not be a perfect couple but we are always BETTER TOGETHER.

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A Bunch of Fresh Flowers

This is a post Mother's Day entry. I have been meaning to post about it eons ago but I got buried deep in my tasks so I didn't get the chance at all. It was only today that I remembered that I haven't anything about how my Mother's Day went.

So here it is:

How things turned around was quite unexpected. It was a fine Sunday. We went to church to hear mass and then greeted our mother friends a Happy Mother's Day after the service. I knew that Hubby wanted to stroll around and relax first but I was grumpy and exhausted so we went back home. Not in the mood to do anything at all, I went back to sleep. Hubby and the little one slept with me too. I don't know how long I slept but I can remember that I heard Hubby telling me that he was going out for a while. I slept on. Then much to my surprise, he woke me up, a bunch of fresh flowers in his hands. It was his Mother's Day surprise for me. And more surprises came when I went out of our room.

Nope! There were no rose petals on the floor, no candles lit, no dim lights nor soft music playing. There was nothing at floor! I mean, the living room was clean. All the mess that were there in the morning were all gone! And there was dinner waiting on the table.

It was all such a surprise! And this very sweet gesture from my Hubby was very unexpected.

Thanks Dad for making my day. You always know how to make me smile at the most unexpected times.

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Look Who's Pregnant?!

As usual, I am late again for this week's Couple's Corner. I hope that Marce Liz won't boycott my Tuesday meme for failing to post my CC entries on time or for not posting religiously every week!

Anyway, I am happy that this week's theme is about pregnancy. I guess I never really got the chance to blog about up until now.

Doing the jump shot with Kikit in Odaiba.

I guess I got pregnant on my first night in Japan. (big grin!) If you were physically separated from your spouse for a long period of time, you really won't be wasting your time over chitchats, right? So anyway, that's my guess. I found out that I was really pregnant when I noticed that I was a week delayed. I noticed a few changes too but just ignored them at first, thinking that it was just PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome)... I even went to Odaiba by myself to meet my friend and we even did a jump shot. But of course, I still didn't know by then although my stomach was a bit queasy when we grabbed a bite at the Tokyo train station.

A few weeks after that, I did a test at home and it returned positive. I couldn't explain my initial reaction but it was certainly a warm fuzzy beautiful feeling after I was able to let it all sink in. Everything seemed to turn around 360° for Hubby and me. I was filled with fear and excitement and awe. Imagine a life growing inside of me? I couldn't really believe it at first that I took another test the next day just to be certain that it wasn't just an illusion.

We went to Yokohama to celebrate after my first OB appointment.
Little did we know that it was to become our home after I had Sam.

August 4th, 2007. My first appointment with my OB. That was the day when everything really became REAL. Seeing the image of my baby from the sonogram all the more convinced me that this is the real deal! I no longer thought of the life growing inside of me as an "it" but rather as a "he/she". He/She was so tiny then, at 8.6mm in diameter, as tiny as a pea but is REAL and GROWING. I was about five weeks pregnant then.

Just a few of my baby's sonogram images:
L-R up-down: 5W, 9W+5d, 20W+2d, 36W+2d

From then on, I had my regular check-ups and already registered at the hospital where I wish to give birth to my child. Blogging was still unknown to me so I whiled away my time teaching English at an conversation school (Eikaiwa) on a part time basis. We needed to save for my delivery and it was a nice distraction. When I don't have classes, I just stay at home and play War Craft or watch movies. That explains why I grew so big and the baby inside me didn't... I didn't get enough exercise.

Pimples were all over my face during my pregnancy!

What of the morning sickness? Well, I also had my fair share during my first trimester. I realized that fish isn't for me the one time I made fried fish and then threw up. I felt so sick that Hubby vowed not to cook fish while I am pregnant. Everything else was okay for me as long as the smell is not so strong. My favorites though were adobo and pineapple. And oh, I have got pimples all over my face! Blame it on the raging hormones!

I was supposed to deliver my baby on March 17th but the OB decided that I must deliver him/her earlier than expected. They noticed that my baby was no longer growing inside me and that her head was smaller than the average size. I was 36 weeks pregnant then. They decided to have me confined at the hospital for a week to observe if there will be any significant changes with the baby's growth. Then the OB found out that my amniotic fluid level is very low so that the baby has to come out. And so it was that my contractions were induced. My OB explained the procedure to me in English. They ran a test they called the "Stress Test" to determine if my baby can survive the stress through normal delivery. Then they also had to force my cervix open by inserting a balloon inside me. I have never felt such excruciating pain in my life... I felt like I was beaten by a thousand men. But that was all part of the plan.

And so on the 28th of February, at 37 weeks and 3 days pregnant, I was already crying while praying because I felt that I have been in labor for the longest time when in my baby book, I only had 7 hours and 38 minutes of labor. My tiny little Samantha Ysabelle came out into this world at 1:00 pm. I can't explain what I felt the moment she was totally out: it was as if all the pain and the aches just suddenly vanished and replaced by a very tender and soft emotion. She is indeed a miracle... an angel sent to us by God.

Our first family photo... Just a few hours after my delivery.

Look where we are now?

Just the three of us. Two years, one month, and twenty-five days later...

Of course, I wouldn't be able to make it through without the love, support and care of my Hanhan. He was always there by my side, seeing to it that I am never alone. He would take time off work just to accompany me on my check-ups. He would make dinner if I felt too sick or too tired to do it. He would entertain me when I am feeling low. He would interpret for me because I do not understand Japanese. He was even with me during my delivery, pushing with me when I needed to push, feeling my pain, and witnessing everything when I delivered our little Sam. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why he doesn't want me to have another child... at least not just yet.

So, how was your pregnancy? Come share it with us!

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The Best Friend There Is

Hubby and I go a long way back. We have known each other for 11 years now and although our marriage is not a perfect one, I can say that we have become each other's strengths. I can definitely say that my Hubby is my best friend... he knows me inside and out. He has seen me at my best and at my worst and loves me just the same. I hope that he also considers me as his best friend, considering that I give him a hard time most of the time. :D I guess I will just have to interview Hubby then, eh? Hmm...

He knows the smell of my utot (fart) :D, he knows my scent, he knows my profile even if I am part of a sea of people or in a crowd, he knows what my touches mean, he can tell my moods and would let me be or confront me with whatever is bothering me, he goes crazy each time I become my stubborn self, he appreciates me for all the little and big things, he affirms my being a wife and a mother, he shares to me his problems and and his plans, even the sometimes too technical realm of his job because he trusts me enough to share the confidential stuff that his very confidential work entails.

And all these are just part and parcel of why I feel so blessed, so happy and so thankful that I am married to this one amazing man who sometimes asks me the one question that I have so many answers of yet don't have the appropriate words to say: "Why do you love me?" Perhaps I can answer him: Because you are the bestest best friend there is!

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All In A Day's Work

It was my last day at work...

I used to be a corporate slave. My world then before I joined Hubby was home-work-home-work. I tinkered with PET resins, PET preforms and PET bottles. My bestfriends were the gas chromatograph, the burst tester, caliper, universal testing machine, and sodium bicarbonate. Packaging production start was dependent on my test results and analysis so that I had to make the right decisions the first time. It was a tough job, very technical but I immensely enjoyed it.

Me with my colleagues at the Quality Assurance Department.

All of that changed when I moved in with Hubby and we started a new life together. I changed careers and concentrated on being a wife and a mother and Hubby is the main provider. Being a stay at home mom is very different work from what I am used to: very domesticated yet very challenging nonetheless. One has to balance the books and maintain the budget, keep the household running without running out of tissue paper and toothpaste and salt, keeping mealtimes something to look forward to - all this while trying to keep your sanity intact and your relationship "alive and kicking".

Hubby always calls when he is on his way home. He would always ask how we are and I would just summarize it for him and tell him some details when he has finally arrived home safely. I also would ask him how his day went. We would usually talk about our day during dinner or after I have done my chores. Of course, as a married couple, we all have our moments. If something at work was not right, he would share it with me and I would try to encourage him. Sometimes, things here at home stress me out too and because I am not the talking type, he would just let me be until I am ready to share with him. Hubby knows me inside and out, so that he can readily tell if something is bothering me or not. We do talk, after I have cleared my mind or after anger has subsided.

I think the other important things in a marriage, aside from love and respect, are open communication and being sensitive to each other's feelings. If the other one needs some space, it would be best to let them be for a while. Otherwise, words that are best left unspoken are spoken. And no, I do not "add insult to injury" especially when I know that Hubby has had a bad day. I don't want to add up to the burden.

How about you? Do you ever share how your day went work with your spouses? Share them with us!

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How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You

I am running late yet again for Couple's Corner but as they always say, it's better late than never. LOL! Sorry Marce Liz for my tardiness but I am still present for CC this week!

This week's theme is Sweet Gesture. Hubby is not so much the PDA type of person... but he does know how to show it, in his own little ways. Hehe! Okay, let me edit that... maybe he is a PDA! LOL! When we were still going out as a couple, he would fondly hold my hands and massage my fingers and then kiss them. He would also remember to send me flowers on special occasions especially when he was already in Japan to study. We always kiss when in church, during the Peace-Be-With-You part regardless of whether we are attending the usual Sunday services in German or the special services celebrated with the Filipino community. I always find it sweet when he would just sit beside me and place his hand on the small of my back... well, not really small since I have become so big these days or just simply hold my hand. Hihi! He does that when he sees me just sitting at our table at a social function... a sign that I am getting bored. He would gladly prepare dinner for the family especially if he sees that my hands are really full or if I am sick. Although I fail to press his shirts most of the time, he does not complain. He just makes parinig that an iron is about to attack him and so I would press it there and then, giving him some time to eat his breakfast consisting of yoghurt! He also lets me sleep in late especially if I have been working in the wee hours, which I find very sweet. And even if we are already married, he still carries most of the stuff. He doesn't like to see me "nagbagood"... I would be the one to carry Samantha and he would be towing/carrying everything: bags, stroller, groceries and all.

I on the other hand, am also a sweet person although my sweetness has been somehow marred by exhaustion, stress and a hectic schedule. This week's theme I guess is an eye opener for me... I never really took Hubby seriously when he said that I am no longer the sweet person I used to be. Looking back at my previous paragraph, it all spells HIS SWEET GESTURES.. where's my sweet gestures? Hmm... I need to work on that. Let's see, I do cook his favorite food every now and then, the latest being palabok. I also give him a massage before he sleeps when he asks for one, although I do it after saying all my yada-yada-yada... And I can never really say NO with a lots of things especially if he is concerned.

What I find to be the sweetest gesture is that we never fail to say I LOVE YOU to one another, whether on the phone, when he leaves for work or I leave for my class, or simply just because. Sweet tiny gestures all adds up to that spark in a marriage. So I guess it best for couples to embrace them and practice tiny gestures of love and care. They may be small but they make wonders in a relationship.

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For The Sake of The Family

All of us have to SACRIFICE something just so we could get to where we are now. Nobody is exempted, I think. All of us, in one way or another had to give up something in order to gain something. It doesn't matter if it is great or small as long as the sacrifice is done wholeheartedly and sincerely, meaning one is not pushed to do it. This is especially true when we have a family to take care of... There are lots of things that we need to sacrifice.

As for me, I sacrificed my job and my career in the Philippines just to be with my husband and raise a family with him. I may be out of a job but I have a family that I can call my own. As a parent, I had to give up some little luxuries. I only buy what I need and not what I want because one never knows when emergencies arise. When we were still in Japan, Hubby would sacrifice his weekends to go to driving school to earn his Japanese driver's license. It was hard for him considering that Sam was too small then but his efforts paid off and now we can go wherever we want to go, the budget considered of course. As a newly married couple starting their life together in a foreign country, we had a lot of sacrifices to make. It was hard living in a country where the standard of living is way too high, if you know what I mean. But we count ourselves very blessed because God answered our prayers. He has crowned our efforts with success and blessed us today with a good home, a stable and satisfying job for Hubby, a beautiful (but makulit) daughter, and lots of opportunities for me to earn on the Internet.

I guess it all boils down to this: When you make a sacrifice, why do you do it? Is it for the family, for your loved ones, for personal advancement, or for money? Nothing is wrong when you make sacrifices... for as long as you do not step on somebody else, I am fine with it. :D

How about you? Where did sacrifice take you? Share it with us here on Couple's Corner!

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