Cancelled: Christmas Market

We were looking forward to celebrating Advent and Christmas this year, especially for the Christmas markets. We were all very excited, because maybe, it would be a different Christmas this year despite the pandemic. But authorities cancelled the Christmas Markets in Ludwigsburg, Stuttgart and Esslingen at the last minute. Today, the Baroque Christmas Market in Ludwigsburg was supposed to open, but they decided to cancel it yesterday evening. They knew that the situation is bad, and yet they didn't do anything for weeks. And just when the preparations were almost finished and the opening ist just a day away, BAM! Abgesagt! Cancelled! I understand that because of the very high number of positive cases and the critical situation in the ICUs in the hospitals, a drastic move has to be made. But they should have foreseen this situation, as this was also the case last year, that the numbers would rise especially in the autumn / winter season. But no, they didn't seem to have learned something from last year. And that is what makes me sad...

But still, without the Christmas market, we can still make the Christmas season a memorable one. We can still celebrate in our small and intimate family circle and warm up Kinderpunsch and Glühwein. We can bake Christmas cookies with our loved ones and consume them while watching family movies in the comfort and warmth of our homes. We can create wonderful memories and sing Christmas carols. Create wonderful handmade Christmas decorations and give them out to friends. Yes, we can still all do this despite the pandemic. And the money that we are supposed to have spent on rides and shops at the Christmas market, we can save them up donate to a charity that needs it the most.

The Christmas markets may have been cancelled but the true spirit of Christmas, of family, of thanksgiving, of gifting, of hope and of love will remain.

  

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Lilly is Five Months Old

How time flies. Our Lilly is now five months old. Time does go by so fast especially in these unconventional times in the pandemic where our daily routine consists of nursing and waking up, changing diapers and playing games, singing lullabies and sharing cuddles, warm hugs and good night kisses. 

Lilly is doing good progress and despite being locked up most of the time at home, unable to visit friends and going on short excursions in zoos, I can say that she is developing well. She can now support her head and recognize our voices. When we lay her down on her stomach, she would make mini push-ups as she heaves her head up. She is also practicing to roll over, although she isn't able to do it alone yet. Slowly but surely, she will. Her favorite activity: munching on her fists and sticking toys to her mouth. She still hates pacifiers though but enjoys sucking her thumb. I remember her big sister is also the same. She can recognize faces now, and with only three faces to see, it is not very difficult to recognize who her favorite is. Me of course!

She is an adorable little darling who would scream out loud when she is hungry. But her giggles and coos are more than enough reward for those sometimes sleepless nights. She still wakes up once or twice into the night to nurse so this mommy is still not getting enough sleep but that is okay. Because I now know that they grow up so fast and so, I have to enjoy these moments as much as I can because it too shall soon pass.

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Hard Lockdown at Christmas in Germany

The year 2020 is about to come to an end. We were all looking forward to the Christmas season but due to an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases here in Germany, the federal states have decided to go on a hard lockdown beginning December 16. For some states, it started last Monday, December 14. What does the hard lockdown mean? For our state it means closing down of schools and kindergartens, and shops and retail businesses too. Beauty salons are also closed. Bars and clubs too. Restaurants are only allowed to sell food and beverage for takeout. There is a curfew from 8 o' clock in the evening until 7 o' clock in the morning. Shopping malls, garden centers and hardware stores are closed. Supermarkets, drug stores, pharmacies, gas stations, pet stores among others remain open. One can only go out when one goes to work, or to buy basic commodities and medicines for the family, walk the dog, or go to a doctor's appointment. Only two households are allowed to meet with a maximum total of 5 adults, children below 14 years old not counted. On Christmas days, the number allowed to meet is additional four adult persons but that's it. Fireworks sale and use are also not allowed on New Year's Eve.

It is going to be a very silent Christmas night for some but I think this is an opportunity to spend more quality time with the family, to sit down together and share Christmas dinner together, to reflect on what is really important in life, to pray together for healing and world peace and to be thankful for all the blessings received this year.

I wish you all a blessed 4th Advent Sunday and a beautiful and merry Christmas.

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The First Advent

It is officially Christmas. It started yesterday, on the first Sunday of advent, where one lights the first candle of the advent wreath. 

The first candle symbolizes hope. This year, there are so many things to be hopeful for - a cure or vaccine against the COVID-19 virus among others. We are hopeful that this pandemic, like all other pandemic, will end and we can all go back to enjoying the company of our friends and relatives, meet new people, travel new places - all without the fear of being infected and getting sick, or worse, infect others.

We are also hopeful for a healthy 2021, hopeful that our plans will push through, hopeful to see and visit family and relatives back home again. 

What are you hopeful for? 

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How To Host a Movie Night at Home

Lockdowns around the world have many people stuck at home. It's a time of confusion and boredom for those who are used to being out and about. Thankfully, there are many different activities to keep oneself entertained during quarantine, and a movie night is a fun idea for film lovers. Continue reading to learn how to put together the perfect quarantine movie night.

Projector

An HDMI cord can put your computer screen on a bigger screen, but to fully replicate the theater experience, consider audio visual projectors for your home. The image can be projected on any blank wall or backdrop so viewers can see the picture in its entirety. When not playing movies, a projector is perfect for displaying funky backgrounds anytime you want to have a dance party or create a relaxing ambiance.

Snacks

Have plenty of snacks available for your housemates or family. Popcorn is a universally loved cinema snack that can be dressed in butter, caramel, or any seasonings to enhance the flavor. Candy complements the salty, savory taste of popcorn. Along with traditional snacks, try cooking up some new delicious snacks that will satisfy everyone's cravings.

The Movies

A movie night without movies is like a fashion show without fashion—it just cannot go on. Familiar movies never get old, but a new movie you've never seen before could be your new favorite. If a movie marathon is in the books, select a mix of movies under a certain theme, or no theme at all. Many streaming services offer libraries of films of all genres and can be paired with DVDs, also.

Movies are an everlasting pastime that bring people together, even when the theaters are closed. Have these three main things ready so you and your housemates can have a movie night to remember without leaving the house.

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Baby Photography Services in Hospitals

I have always wondered how they are able to take studio photos of days-old newborn babies when generally, mommies will not expose their newborns to places outside of their homes when not necessary. Then I got answer when I let our little one have her photoshooting right at my hospital bed when she was 2 days old. :)

Yes, hospitals offer this photoshooting service and they have an "in-house" professional photographer who magically turns your hospital bed into a photo studio for your little one, complete with all the accessoires the baby might need for the shoot. In a small trolley, they have lots of props available for baby girls, boys and twins.

 

And the photoshooting takes just about 30-60 minutes depending on the baby's mood. Because they are still newborns, they don't really move a lot so this makes it easier to photograph them. Be sure that your baby is fed though so they are in a good mood or asleep during the shoot. There is also no need to those blinding studio lights as natural light can very well do the trick.

And in this time of the pandemic, the photographer has to follow hygiene protocols, wearing of masks included!

The photoshooting in itself is free and you get some freebies from the hospital composing of a bib cloth, a welcome video, a digital print of one of the photos from the shoot, and a photo of the baby published on the hospital's website. Parents have the option to buy prints among others. Depending on which package you choose, I would say the photoshooting service is worth it. You would want to capture these moments of your tiny little baby and distribute prints to family and friends. As for me, I just ordered the CD and digital copy of all the photos. And with the pandemic, you would like to restrict and limit visitors so sending them the first photos of your child is one of the best and safe options.

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The Bonus Kindergeld

Until today, the human race is still on the race to find an effective and safe vaccine against the novel corona virus which has plagued the entire world since December 2019. It has never been easy for many of us who are greatly affected by the lockdowns. Some have lost their jobs, some families lost a loved one to the virus, some have no choice but to work from home, some have to work less hours resulting to lesser income. 

We did not see this coming and it is a good thing that here in Germany, there are many support packages that the government is offering. One of them is the bonus Kindergeld (child care allowance) amounting to €300.00 per child. This bonus allowance is automatically given to children who are receiving the child care allowance in two installments: €200 in September and €100 in October. For children who are first born this year, they will also receive the bonus allowance but at a late time. The schedule for the release of the funds is dependent on the last digit of your reference number. For our first child, we already received the €200 a few days before the scheduled day. It was really a welcome surprise for us as we really could use the extra cash to purchase new clothes and school supplies as the new school year recently started.

  

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An Angel Is Born

My dearest Lilly,

You came earlier than expected. And nothing could have prepared us of your coming although we have been excitedly waiting for you since you were  conceived. It took years, you see, before I got pregnant with you. We have prayed for you and He has answered our prayers at a time when we least expected it.

I had my worries during the course of my pregnancy with you, because I was turning forty and there are lots of risks that go with a late pregnancy. But our Lord is gracious and faithful and gave us a healthy baby girl. There were complications during childbirth, but it was all perhaps for a reason. You are now 19 days old and growing bigger and filling our days with surprises and our sleepless nights with wonder. Looking back at what we have been through the past couple of weeks, I could say that you have been through a lot, that I still cry remembering your pain each time they wanted to get your blood samples for tests. The Corona pandemic didn't make it any easier for us, as it did not allow for hospital visits from other family members and friends but the positive thing is, we were able to bond better and have the time just for ourselves. 

There are lots of challenges, surprises that will come our way, in this journey together with you but I am positive and happy because everyone in the family is here to support you and me: your daddy, your big sister and even our dog Suki. For that I am grateful. We are all happy that you, our little angel, is born. And we have lots of plans with you, going on family trips and family adventures, or just spending lazy days at home.

We welcome you into our life, our little angel, our Lilly Anne. We thank God for you. Thank you for being born.

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4 Simple Ways to Keep Your House Germ Free During the Pandemic

COVID-19 has caused nearly everyone to spend much more time at home than usual, and this means that your home is likely dirtier and more full of germs than ever before. If you are worried about the germs in your home multiplying, here are 4 simple things that you can do right now to keep your house virus free.
 

Wash Sheets at Least Once a WeekYou spend a great majority of your time at home in your bedroom, so it is essential that you keep items like sheets as clean as possible. Wash your sheets and bedding at least once a week to keep germs at bay. Once you have run your sheets through a wash cycle, dry them on high heat to kill any viruses that are lingering.
 

Deep Clean Your Carpets

Simply vacuuming your carpets occasionally is not enough. Hire a service to perform deep Carpet Cleaning Denver to steam out germs and grime that is lurking below the carpet's surface. This is especially important to do if people wear shoes in your home, since shoes are carriers of all different types of dirt that could make you ill.
 

Disinfect Phones and Other AppliancesYour cell phone is 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat, according to Time Magazine. Consider how often you touch your phone and other appliances in your home, such as computers, cooking appliances, and even light switches. Though cleaning supplies are in short supply and are tough to find right now, do what you can to sanitize things that you touch frequently so that germs are not inadvertently spread to others. Also be sure to disinfect any high-traffic areas in your home daily, such as kitchen counters and desks. 

Store Your Toothbrush SafelyIt is easy to get into the routine of simply leaving your toothbrush on the bathroom vanity when you are finished brushing your teeth, but this is a breeding ground for germs. Instead, place your toothbrush upright in a toothbrush holder so that the bristles are not making contact with any surface that could be dirty. If you do not have a toothbrush holder, at least put it in a drawer so it is not sitting on a counter and susceptible to infection.

Keeping your home germ free while quarantined may seem daunting, but it is possible. Ensure that you are cleaning as often as you can and you won't have to worry about viruses invading your space. 

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The New Normal in School

Schools have opened once again for the non-graduating grades after the Pentecost break here in the Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Beginning last June 15, 2020, school children were allowed to go to school.

New Class Schedule
Most schools have however modified the class schedules, wherein only the core subjects will have classroom instruction. For the case of my daughter, she will only have Math, German, English, Latin, Biology and Visual Arts. I don't understand why they included Visual Arts in the schedule but anyway, they will only be required to come for a few hours a day, with the longest at around 4 hours and the shortest at 2,5 hours. To uphold the social distancing requirement, the school has reduced the number of students coming to class at a time by dividing them into two groups. One group will come during the Week A schedule and the 2nd group will come during the Week B schedule. Since there are only six weeks remaining before the summer break, that means that they would only need to come to school for a total of three weeks. On days when a child does not need to go to school, some minor subject teachers have opted to continue with online instruction.

Mandatory Wearing of Face Masks
The children will be required to wear face masks whenever they are not seated in their seats. This is for their own and others' protection since the enemy is invisible.

Mess Halls Are Closed
There will be no canteen service for the remaining 6 weeks in school for safety reasons, which would mean that the children will need to bring their own food for snacks and lunches. As parents, we should make sure that our children have enough to eat and drink when they go to school for this time period. I should make a menu with my daughter so that we prepare her food ahead of time and so that she will not go hungry at school.

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A Different Easter

It has been more than a month now since the state of Baden-Württemberg implemented the protective measures to stem the spread of the Corona virus. Schools have closed since then and school children find themselves home schooling. Workers who are not in the critical infrastructure are urged to work from home. Car industries have opted to shut down their production lines. Restaurants, pubs, cinemas, museums, churches, public playgrounds are closed to prevent the gathering of people. All these measures are in place to help stem the spread of the COVID-19, to give the health system the time to accommodate the critical cases. 

Just yesterday, Chancellor Merkel and the state ministers have come to an agreement to relax the protective measures a bit - but by relax, it meant opening some of the shopping stores that have less than 800 sqm. store area whilst still implementing proper distance of 1,5-2 meters. Schools will slowly open beginning May 4th but initially for those who are in their final years and will be undergoing their examinations. Public gatherings and sports events are still not allowed though. Visiting friends and relatives are still restricted, even travel plans. 

It is usually around the Easter holidays when we have travel plans with the family, to enjoy Spring and celebrate Easter somewhere else.  This year is a very different story. We were not able to celebrate Easter somewhere else but celebrated it with the family at home. There was no church gathering and the usual Filipino traditions that I have been accustomed to while growing up like Palm Sunday, the Pabasa beginning on Holy Thursday until Good Friday, going on the Stations of the Cross and then celebrating Eater Sunday at Church with the Filipino community. 

But what I find beautiful in this crisis is the communion with God and friends online. I find it beautiful that I get to pray the rosary and novena for the dead with my high school friends. To attend the holy mass at the comforts of your home through a live broadcast on social media. Even though the churches are closed, communities are still able to gather online, praying at the comforts of home. We get to spend more time with the family. It could get challenging at times, when boredome strikes, but it is still a nice feeling.

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How To Beat COVID-19

It has been months now since the COVID-19 virus has spread throughout the world. It has affected the lives of everyone and the global economy. What makes it more difficult is that it is so new and we don't fully understand the virus yet and we need more data in order to come up with an effective treatment or vaccine against it. For the medical and pharmaceutical fields, it is a race against time.

So what can we do as ordinary citizens to beat this virus? Foremost, we must listen to what our health authorities say. If they are saying to stay at home, then by all means, please do so.

The most basic thing to do is to observe proper hygiene and treat everything you touch and person you meet to be infected with the virus.

Observing proper handwashing technique is very important. We all have seen illustrations and even videos on how to properly do it. It is important to thoroughly wash the hands including the wrists with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, rinse and thoroughly dry. Then sanitize hands with a disinfectant like 70% isopropyl alcohol.

Avoid touching your face especially in public places with unwashed hands. 

Should you sneeze or cough, use your elbow to cover your mouth.

Wear a mask when going out, especially when going to public places.

Keep a 1,5 - 2 meter distance to the person next to you, especially when in public areas. Avoid physical contact like shaking hands. 

Most of all, stay at home when you don't need to go outside to buy groceries or medicines or to see the doctor. This could definitely help save lives.

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Livewires 97 Fundraising for the Frontliners of Southern Philippines

The Corona virus has befallen the entire globe. Everyone is affected, nobody is exempted - no matter what color, religion, race or age group you may be, the virus comes undetected to infect you. Especially vulnerable are the senior citizens, the elder sector of our community aged 60 and above and those whose immune systems are compromised due to pre-existing illnesses like asthma, diabetes, kidney failure, and heart diseases to name a few. 

Many developed countries have a high number of positive cases of Covid-19 patients. Despite the advanced and good healthcare system and facility, some of them are not able to catch up with the pandemic, like in the case of Italy and even Spain. 

For third world countries like my home country, the Philippines, if the virus and contamination gets out of control, then it could really, really be critical for everyone. That is why the government in my country has ordered an enhanced community quarantine, and even extended it until the 30th of April because that is the only way that we can slow down the spread of the virus. This is to give precious time to our healthcare facilities to manage and handle the critical cases, to avoid the crowding of patients in our already full hospitals and to allow time for our scientists and researchers to find a cure. 

In my home country, especially in Southern Philippines, PPEs or personal protective equipment are very difficult to procure. Our frontliners are in dire need of them, because supplies have run out, and without them, they are placing their lives at a very great risk. Aware of this situation, our high school batch called Livewires 97 have initiated a fundraising campaign to help procure these essential PPEs and distribute them to hospitals handling COVID-19 cases like the SPMC (Southern Philippine Medical Center) and DMSFH (Davao Medical School Foundation Hospital) in Davao City, Royeca Hospital in General Santos City and DRMC (Davao Regional Medical Center) in Tagum City.

We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our donors from the day we started our fundraiser.

As of 6PM of April 6 Philippine time, we were able to raise a whopping Php 604,711.23! From all of us from our batch, we are very grateful for you support for our frontliners. Indeed, no amount is too small as your help can go a very long way. If you want to know more about our fundraiser, please feel free to visit us at our official website: www.livewires97.org or visit our Facebook page for updates at facebook.com/livewires97PisaySMC.

Thank you again to everyone with a generous heart. May God bless you and keep you and your family safe and healthy! 

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