We As Parents

My mother always told me this: "You will never know what it takes to become a mother or a father until you became one. " And indeed, she is right. School did not teach us how to become a parent. There were no courses on Parenting but it did provide lots of advice on how to be a responsible person so that one knows how to handle life's many responsibilities.

When Hubby and I first learned that we were going to have a baby, we knew then that we have a great responsibility towards another life. And so Hubby worked hard and searched for a better job. I on the other hand had to also find ways to make ends meet and to prepare for our child. We also had to save up for the coming baby. We make sure though that we get equal opportunity to care for our baby. Weekends always mean a family day and I am just glad that Hubby has a normal job that does not demand working on weekends.

Samantha may seem closer to me because when both of Hubby and I are around, she would most of the time come to me. I guess this is just normal because we spend the entire day together while Hubby is working. But when I leave the two of them alone, she would be drawn to him like a magnet. At her age, she knows who to approach and when. As new parents, we always want to provide our only child with what she needs and her occasional wants. But we see to it that we do not spoil her. We also discipline when it is needed because a wrong must be made right while it is still early or it will be too late.

It is our fervent prayer as parents that we may be able to nurture our child in the best way we know how and that she may grow to be a God-fearing and good person. And it is our silent promise to be always present for her in whatever stage of her life.

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My Love Affair with the Coffee Prince

I am so hooked with Coffee Prince lately. That explains why I have been late in posting my memes. I am watching it on TV, thru our network enabled BD Player. I came to know about this series through my older sister when she visited us in Japan in 2008. I didn't get much time watching along with her though because I was on the night shift taking care of my little one and I would catch up on sleep during the day. Although this Korean series came out in 2007, it was only of late that I went gaga over it. Each time Samantha wouldn't mind me switching players, I would watch the series. Even my Hubby got intrigued and watched along too. But bitin kami. Why? Because we could not find some parts of the last episode on YouTube! Whaaa!!!

Are you familiar with this Korean Drama Series? Well it's about Go Eun-chan who is the breadwinner of her family and was mistaken by Han-Keol to be a boy. Along the way, Eun-chan developed feelings for Han-Keol although he thinks that she is a boy. She had no choice but to play along because she was afraid that Han-Keol would stop seeing her if he found out the truth. Theirs was an unusual friendship but they eventually fall in love. Kind of creepy huh? But it is a fun series to watch. And it has got a kilig ending... Well, that's what I am expecting because I haven't seen the end of it yet.

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My Two Blogs Got Some Makeover

Did you get the chance to visit my two other blogs lately? I've been quite restless again these past few days so I decided to change the layout of my two other blogs: Samantha's Own and In His Steps. I have been neglecting them lately, with no updates for quite a while and so I thought that they could use a makeover to begin with and some blog updates.

I got the In His Steps template for FREE from Ms. Lena of Fabulous Blogger Templates. I just edited the blog header to give the blog title a more personal appeal and I just love how it turned out. This is one of the three layouts in her latest FREEBIE collection.

The template for Samantha's Own was one of the four premade templates that I won from Ms. Lena's Giveaway a month ago. Again, I just edited the header and added Sam's photos and personalized the blog title. It originally had white background with a floral graphic on the left side but Hubby complained about it being too white so that I had to tweak it and change the background into something that matches the colors of the header. I had a difficulty selecting the background but the present one was the best I could come up with.

I hope you like my two other blogs' makeover. The next challenge: a blog makeover for Just About Anything. I have no idea how I want it to look like. And with my blog turning 2 years a month from now, I know that I just have to give it a whole new look. Now, if I could just gather my thoughts and come up with something one of a kind... Your ideas are most welcome.

And oh, it would really make me happy if you could visit my two other blogs. The links are in my Navigation Bar, just below this blog's header. They sure could use some loving. Thanks!

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The Sun Smiles Down On Us

Finally, after weeks of chilly, cold and wet weather, the sun has finally smiled down on us. I can finally hang my laundry out our balcony to dry. I can walk around the house without feeling chills. I can once again lounge outside our balcony and watch the birds fly by and the clouds turn into different shapes. Even my daughter seems delighted at this weather too because that would mean she wouldn't have to wear lots of clothes. She gets fuzzy when I put on one shirt after another. Hehe!

Last Sunday after church in Schlossplatz, Stuttgart.

It was a perfect day but I was not feeling so well.

And did I already share the good news that we finally found a Kindergarten for my little one? I must have shared with you my worries about not getting a Kindergarten in time but the last Kindergarten that I visited last week accepted her. Although she is not yet 3 years old in September, the director took her in. God is really good! He has answered our prayers. Now all we need to do is fill in a few papers, prep Samantha for school and she is good to go.

Sigh! Just thinking about sending my baby off to school a few months from now brings tears to my eyes. My baby is really growing up so fast. If given the choice, I would have held on to her and looked after her until she is old enough. But alas, I had to decide if i also wanted to go back to school. Sniff! Sniff!

I know that it would also benefit Samantha if she is exposed to other children. I know that she will do well because she gets along easily with other children as she is deeply interested in them. I also know that she will learn a lot and will discovery many new things.

It's full speed ahead for us! And I just hope that the sun will continue to shine down on us....

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TCP#40: Music & Lyrics

Welcome Couchers to the May 25th edition of Tuesday Couch Potatoes where we post about a movie each week. This is our 40th TCP entry... 10 more Tuesdays to go and we would have featured 50 movies already. Do stay tuned every Tuesday as I might hold another giveaway for all of my dear Couchers. I still need some ideas though...
Anyway, the theme this Tuesday is It's All About Hugh. For all the huge fans of Hugh Grant out there, I know that you have lots of films to name. Although not really a huge fan, I still enjoy watching Hugh Grant on the big screen because of his English accent and his beautiful blue eyes.I have seen a number of his movies and felt good after watching most of them. I didn't like him so much in Bridget Jones Diary where he played the womanizer Daniel Cleaver.

So my pick for this week would be: Music & Lyrics, a 2007 romcom about a former pop music idol (Alex Flecher) and a struggling writer (Sophie Fisher) who were struggling to compose a song for the reigning pop diva, Cora. The best thing about the movie is that Drew Barrymore was in it and they just have Chemisty! I also loved the song that they were able to come up with which was entitled Way Back Into Love. Even my Hubby enjoyed watching this one. We even ended up humming the song long after the movie has ended.
So, what's your Hugh Grant movie? Come share it with us this week and enter your TCP link to the MckLinky below so that others can come visit you too.

Next week's theme will be It Begins With the Letter A. Since school is about to start, I wanted to go back to the basics and would like my Couchers to post whatever genre of movie so long as the title starts with a certain letter of the alphabet. So be ready with your A movies next week my dears!

Till then, take care and Happy TCP! Have a great week everyone!

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Friends From Work

I have had two ChE-related jobs since I graduated from college and then some part time job on the side. I can't find any photos from my first job so I am just going to post about my last job in the Philippines. I was a corporate slave then. Worked at a multi-national company in the beverage manufacturing. Work was hectic and demanded so much of my time because the plant is new, everything had to be commissioned and tons of product quality protocols had to be followed. I remember I had to stay at work for more than 24 hours on various occasions.

But the best thing about working long hours is being able to bond with my colleagues from my department. I have made good friends with my fellow QAs then.


Movie marathon at Em-Em's place. With Te Dang, Jhownie and Emerald.

My QA Family. Nini was still pregnant here.

In our badminton uniforms during our 1st Badminton Tournament in 2006.
Sir Danny Tan was still the plant manager.

With Joy, Jhownie and Te Dang during our summer outing

My badminton partner Bimbo. We were the champion for our 2nd year tournament. No wonder I was so small then! :D

The pioneering QA angels: Nini, Te Dang, me, Joy

My QA family: Chip, Nini, Joy, Me, Te Dang, DingDong, and Jhownie

With my QA family and other coworkers and bosses.
It was my last official day at work.

Those were such fond memories. I miss working in a corporate setting but I am happy where I am now. I am just thankful to have known and met them all. Thanks to email, Facebook, YM and Friendster, we still get to communicate every now and then.

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Important Municipal Bond Terms

If you are interested in investing in a municipal bond, then it is important to understand all of the terminology surrounding it. The following three terms are the most important to know before investing:

Nominal Amount: This is the amount of money that the issuer agrees to pay interest on. It is usually paid back in full at the end of the loan, but there can be some variance in this rule depending on what type of municipal bond it is.

Coupon: This is the interest rate that is agreed upon when the bond is issued. Most of the time, the interest has a fixed-rate. The coupon is paid back to the purchaser at intervals, usually six months apart. Average interest rates stay around 4 percent.

Maturity Date: This is the date when the nominal amount will be returned in full. The length of time it takes for a bond to reach maturity varies from bond to bond. It can be anywhere from one month to more than ten years. After a bond has reached maturity and the nominal amount has been returned, the bond is finished, and you will not receive any more interest payments.

The great thing about municipal bonds is that you do not have to pay federal and state income taxes on the interest received from the bonds. This makes them ideal for investors who want to make a large return from their money. For the most part, these types of bonds are very straight forward, but it is still important to talk to an investor or financial planner to ensure you buy a bond that will meet your investment needs the best. You can find help at a local bank, investment institution, or even on the Internet.

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Finally A Mom!

You must have already read about my pregnancy, labor and my delivery in my previous CC post so I wouldn't dwell on that here. Looks like I haven't been following instructions. Lol!

As expected, because my baby is tiny (at 2275grams birthweight), she had to be incubated and closely monitored. Nothing is wrong with her though, except for the fact that she has low birthweight. She was already out of the incubator after a day and have been gulping her milk like a very hungry horse. She was progressing very well and was back into our ward after 4 days and I was able to nurse and breastfeed her then.

I was supposed to be discharged from the hospital first but when my routine blood tests came out, my OB had to check me again because my WBC levels are way too high. I was on hooked on antibiotics for a few days and had to stop breastfeeding my baby again. You could just imagine how painful a nursing mom's breasts could get not being able to nurse. I had to regularly pump the milk out just to relieve the pain.

And so it was that both my baby and I were discharged on the same day. I think it was March 11 when we were both discharged. It was also the day when my sister arrived in Tokyo to help me out during the first three months. Samantha's godmother Ate Zera accompanied us back home to Yokohama and Hubby fetched my sister at Narita airport. I was surprised to find a "welcome home" banner posted on our wall. I know it was lovingly made by Hubby and I was really touched. I know it must be very hard on him to juggle his way between the hospital and work considering that we were confined in Fuchu, Tokyo and he was working in Yokohama. And after almost three weeks of Hubby being home alone, we were finally home at last. Ah, home sweet home!

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TCP#39: The Independence Day

Hello Couchers! And welcome to the May 18th edition of Tuesday Couch Potatoes where we post about a movie each week. Looks like I am running late again for my entry and I apologize for the delay.
Anyway, this week's theme is Apocalyptic. If you love movies based on the revelations or the end of the world and the human race such catastrophes caused by wars, nuclear holocaust, pandemics or plague, astronomic impact, cybernetic revolt, and more, then this is the theme for you.

I have seen tons of apocalyptic movies of different nature but there is one movie that I particularly love. And that would have to be: The Independence Day or ID4. This sci-fi film came out in 1996, and is about the alien invasion to earth. What makes this movie different from other alien movies is that when the aliens arrived, they did not hide but made themselves visible... with the alien mothership 1/4 the size of our moon hovering above the New York sky. When government attempts to communicate with the aliens fail, humanity eventually found out through a scientist turned cable technician that the aliens are planning to attack the major points of the planet in less than a day. Humanity fights back on the 4th of July, fighting for their freedom.
I really enjoyed this film and found the speech that President Thomas Whitmore gave on the 4th of July noteworthy:
Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. "Mankind." That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!
How about you? What's your apocalyptic movie? Come share it with us and enter your TCP Link to the MckLinky below:

Next week's theme: It's All About Hugh. For those huge (and not so huge) Hugh Grant fans out there, next week is your week!

Thank you for joining us this week on TCP! I hope everyone is having fun and I hope to see you all again next Tuesday. Till then, take care and Happy TCP!

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Prepping Up Our Guest Room

We are expecting friends and family next month so that as early as now, my mind is cooking up plans on what to cook, how to make our guests comfortable during their stay, all those stuff. You know how it is with Filipinos when we have guests, we try to make them as comfortable and at home as possible.


Since our guest room is not yet complete, I am thinking of getting bed sheets and bed covers, some pillows and floor rugs. I know that I can easily purchase these items at various home furniture shops but getting them for FREE is much, much better.

That's why I am taking my chance by joining Ate Rose of Rose's Obstacles and Glories 2nd Blog Anniversary Giveaway. She is giving away $100 worth of promotional code from CSN Online Store. While the $100 promo code is only valid for USA and Canada residents, those living in other areas, like me, can still join and get a chance to win $25 paypal cash. Isn't it great?

Interested? Come join us for the contest and get your chance to win any item of your choice! Just click on the contest banner below:

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Friends From School

School is where we meet most of our friends. Some we get close to. Some just come and go. Some are meant to last while some, just for a while.

My high school classmates and friends during our Davao Reunion last 2007.



We were from II-Kamia: Enya, Lowie, Ogie, Me

I am lucky to study in a high school where the class size is small. The maximum number of students is 30 so that more or less, I know all of them and even get to be classmates with some of them from first year until fourth year high school. I have grown close to a number of them but sadly, we had to part ways during our college years. Most of my close friends in high school went to UP Diliman while I was left in Davao. So sad! But we still communicate through emails, YM and FB though. Thanks to the internet, we still are able to catch up on each other's lives. I am hoping to see them again soon. I am just biding my time. I know that one day, the heavens will answer my hopes of being reunited with my high school barkada.

My two best girl friends from College: Maricar and Judai.
Both are Samantha's godmothers.


After the shower party that my SICO family threw out for me.

Hubby and I more or less have the same set of friends. Aren't we lucky?

College was an entirely different environment but very interesting nonetheless. I have various sets of friends. I have friends from my course, two of whom became my best girl friends. I also have my friends from the volunteer group where I also volunteer. I also have a set of friends from other organizations of whom I have a common interest with. These sets of friends all helped me balance between my academic and social life and have helped shape me to become the person I am more or less today.

My SICO Family - where I became a person for and with others.


College Days: SICO Volunteer training with ASEP 28 Batchmates and volunteers.


Me with the younger SICO Volunteers back in 2007.
We all are young and filled with the energy of youth and have our own careers.


My mentor, my art therapy partner, my very good friend
who never fails to make me laugh and smile: Ate Shal.

I don't know where I will be without these friends of mine. And living overseas all the more magnifies my nostalgia. I wish the circumstances were different and I could just visit them and see them whenever I please. We all have our own lives to live now, own families and own careers. I hope that as we move on with our lives, we may never forget those precious moments. And that we may never forget to invite them into our lives again should the opportunity come.

I miss my friends. I hope that all is well with them.

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