I am Thankful!

It's Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for. I am thankful to have a wonderful family and the gift of motherhood. I am indeed privilege and blessed to be a mother, a blessing that I will always be thankful. I am very blessed to have a wonderful husband and sweet little girl.

I am also thankful that I have a wonderful family here in the USA. My thankfulness also goes to my family in the Philippines who are always behind me.

I am thankful for all the friends that I meet along the way... for all the good times and the laughter that we always share....

There are countless of blessings that I received and I thank you Lord for all of them!

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Let It Go...

A good friend of my send me this email that is worth sharing....


If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to......
LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ......
LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth.....
LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you.
LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge.....
LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction... ..
LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents
LET IT GO!!!

If you! u have a bad attitude.... ...
LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better......
LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him........
LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship. ....
LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves.. ...
LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed ...........
LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying 'take your hands off of it,' then you need to......
LET IT GO!!!

'The Battle is the Lord's!'

Sometimes I Wonder...

Sometimes I wonder what's the feeling of being employed here in the USA. Before I became a wife and a mother, I was a career girl. I started working when I was 18 and never stopped until I moved here in the USA. I even worked full time while attending school.

I always plan to seek an employment when I will be in the USA. It didn't materialize because after few months of getting married, I got pregnant. When I gave birth to my daughter my priorities changed. I believed that with my daughter being premature, she needs me more than anything else.

I still wonder how it is to be working but I am not sorry because every time my daughter learns new things, I know I made the right choice.

Farewell Kuya Shem

Last night we had a send off party for a friend Kuya Shem. It was fun. Most of our friends were there to wish him well in his new journey. We made it a happy send off party, after all, we should be happy and thankful for the memories that we shared.

Farewell Kuya Shem. Good luck on your journey. As we all say... "See you in Facebook!"

Everything is BIG in USA

I remember the first time I visited my father in law. The two plasma tvs that they have was the first thing that caught my attention. I was mesmerize. I am not exaggerating! I came from the place where a 21" inch tv is considered big already. Seeing a 65" TV for the first time was a very astonishing experience for me. When we watched the TV that time, I was so amazed at how big the people in the screen, to me it seems like the people are life size.

My first few weeks in America was full of surprises. That was then that I realize that everything in America is big. The hamburgers are big and the drinks in the fast food chains are huge. The serving in the restaurants are all in big portions that I can only manage to eat less than half of it. Everything is big from fruits to veggies and all the toiletries are sold in big packages. Everything here was sold in big packages and from where I came from most things are sold in the smallest package that is available.

Sunday @ the Park

It was a pretty day today! In fact the temperature was in the high 60s! It was a good day to get out and enjoy the beautiful day.

We went to Moody park to enjoy the good weather. We let Andrea play. It was so good to see her run around and make some friends. She was really enjoying it and I am so glad that she made friends. She ran around and play the slides without hesitation. Up until now though, she doesn't like the swing.

It was so cute to see her making friends. There are no kids her age that she can befriend except for Alex, Matthew and some other older kids (kids of all my filipina friends).

As expected, she cried when we went home. We didn't stay too long because it was about to rain. We caught a few raindrops and we don't want for the rain to catch us while in the park.

It was a good day!

Apartment Living

Since we live in an apartment, I don't need to deal with problems that revolves around a garage. I don't have to worry about any garage flooring problems. Our apartment complex has ample parking space for all its tenants and visitors. If we need to, we can also pull up our car near our door if we have some heavy stuff to tow inside our place.

There are some advantage when living in an apartment. Up until we can have our own house, I will enjoy the advantages that an apartment living can offer. Living in an apartment may mean limited space but hey I have a roof over my head that protects me from the cold weather, we have food in the table, and I have a great family.... Life is Good!

Sisters' Talk

I have grown closer to my sister through phone calls. She lives in New Jersey so seeing her and her husband in person is not feasible at all times. We do see them once a year. But for the rest of the time, we just communicate through phonecalls. We always talk for long hours. It is funny to think how we never run out of topic to talk about.

We talk about anything and everything. We discuss things from the past, plans of the future and our present situations. We always talk of how life was when we were kids and how fortunate we are with our husbands and our lives now.

Would you believe that we even talk about football and different sports. Well, we never knew what football was until we migrated here in the USA. It is amazing how quickly we adapted to an American life.

Anyway, when I talked to my sister yesterday we were discussing about bills and how things are getting expensive now. She was complaining to me how high their home insurance is. I advise her to look for another insurance company. She can always compare home insurance quote and find a cheaper one with all the necessary specifications for the insurance coverage.

My Love Affair with Blogging

When I moved here in the USA, things are different. I was stuck in the house most of the time while hubby is working. I can't work because I need to be a legal resident for me to legally work. Things were a complete turn around from what my life was. I used to work more than 10 hours a day and almost 7 days a week. I worked since I was 18 so I never was a domesticated kind of woman.

When I moved here and got married (to a wonderful hubby by the way!), I learned to be homebody and I learned to be domesticated. I had to adjust to my life. Without being occupied with work, I have to find something that will occupy my mind and that's when I found out about blogging.

I feel in love with blogging because it was my way of expressing and sharing my life. It was a good avenue for me to make my mind active. I was just glad that we have two netbooks at home so I can use mine anytime I want. I can blog anytime some idea pops up on my mind.

Blogging has been fun. I meet friends online and yes I earn from it too. So, why don't you try blogging?

2009... A Recap

Year 2009 has been very wonderful for us.... I am very thankful to the God Almighty for all the blessings He showered on us....

• I am glad we were able to visit Philippines as a whole family. My biological family was able to finally met Andrea in person.
• Despite having an Ear Surgery early of this year, Andrea had no other problems health-wise.
• There were so many little blessings that we received and we even forgot to acknowledge... we didn't have major health problems, despite job loses Dave managed to have a job although their hours were shortened but having a job alone is a blessing.
• My brother passed the Licensure Exam for Teachers and so is my sister-in-law
• A new addition to our family ... my brother got married and had a baby girl
• We expanded our home in the Philippines (thanks to my sister)....
• My family in the US are all healthy no major health problems... they are all wonderful to me..
  
• Of course, we were able to watch Andrea grow up everyday... and my family is stronger than ever... we have a happy married life
• There were little problems... just part of living and spices of life...
  
• Lastly, I discover my blogging passion which enable me to gain friends, express my ideas and yes earn from it too!

Thank you Lord for a wonderful 2009!

Placement Fee

Working abroad is very common among Filipinos. Thus, there is a commission that oversees Overseas Foreign Workers. I couldn't imagine how many millions of Filipinos are working abroad.

Filipinos are hard working. Their skills are sought after by different countries. There are many Filipinos that works professionally in their different fields of expertise in a foreign land. There are also a lot of overqualified Filipinos who doesn't have a choice but to work as domestic helpers in other countries. There are many degree holders that work as domestic help in foreign land because there is no job available for them in the Philippines. Besides, working as domestic help in foreign land pays better than any ordinary job in the Philippines.

When it comes to working abroad, the placement fee is getting ridiculous. Most placement agencies are demanding placement fees that is very unreasonable. It is like you have to work for a year just to pay the placement fee! Believe me when I say there are many Filipinos who are buried with debt before they can work abroad. Working abroad does not guarantee that you can pay all the debt because there are many cases that workers are being mistreated and have no choice but to seek help and go home empty handed.

I really feel sorry for the families that doesn't have a choice but to leave their families behind to work abroad and has to pay those ridiculously high placement fee. I hope that the soaring placement fee for works abroad will be regulated... of course I don't think this will happen.

Interracial Marriage

Marrying somebody other than your race is a choice and everybody has a freedom to do so. This is not the case in Lousiana. A couple were denied marriage license because they are of different races.... that surely give a big "what????" when I read it... Can you imagine if it was me in that position? All hell will break lose for sure!!!

Justice of Peace Keith Bardwell said he was concerned for kids of biracial marriages. Hmmm I don't think it is fair... Kids of biracial marriages are always good looking (specially FIL - AM...... proof? Andrea...lol)....hahahha

The couple eventually got married by different judge and they hired a lawyer to file a case in order for Justice Bardwell to lose his job....

For more of the story read here....

A Glimpse of the Moon

Dave decided to take descritionary hours so that we can start our labor day weekend earlier. He picked us up before 7pm today. While in the car going to his office, he pointed at the full moon in the sky. I look at the moon so amazed at its glory for it looks reddish and so perfect in the sky and the dusk of the evening added its beauty.

Staring at the moon, I began to think of simple things and natural beauties that are often unappreciated. I didn't have enough time to revere on the full moon's glory as we were headed to do something else yet I was happy to be able to take a glimpse of the full moon. Full moon often reminds me of my childhood, the simple life... less materialistic ... yet content and happy....