Pregnant Again!

Last July 4, I invited Boydee to witness my pregnancy test, just the basic P99 per box Medic pregnancy test kit. I had a feeling I was pregnant because I was just so hungry for sleep. Imagine 10 hours a day!!!

So, there we were by the bathroom sink. A few drops after, the test registered two lines. We were stumped! We looked at each other with mixed emotions and Boydee said, "You're pregnant!!! You'll be a mommy again!" I didn't know how to react that time. I was just so surprised that it came to us that soon, that easy. Dr. Artenos said we could try making a baby within 6 months to a year. On our 6th month, I texted Dr. Mitch if we could start trying. She said, "ok". Little did we know that we'd get it on our first few tries.

I was quite scared for my stitch more than anything else. I wanted to go for a natural child birth, the second time around, but if I gave birth this soon, would a natural delivery be possible without my scar giving in? How could I give equal attention to Bric and our new baby?

After a visit to Dr. Mitch and several "interviews" with Moms who had c/s operations and kids right after, I felt a little more comfortable with my pregnancy. They reassured me that no harm will happen to the baby inside me, and that no harm will keep to me. The worst thing that can happen is for my scar to tear in the latter part of the pregnancy when I'm just about full term. I just have to be carefully monitored during the last trimester.

Worries put aside, I am happy and excited for the next baby. We pray God will gift us with a baby girl this time around. Then, perhaps, Boydee and I can rest in that department.

This pregnancy came so fast, so soon. We are still quite amazed at how God has blessed us. Every once in a while, I worry if something should go wrong. But I am comforted. God has willed it that we be sent another angel in our lives, who are we to question His will? We can only be very grateful and trust that everything is according to His plan. We are but His instruments. I know He will be with me, with us in this interesting phase in our lives, just as He was so present when I was carrying Bric in me.

We will continue praying for a normal, healthy, complication-less, safe and happy pregnancy and delivery; and for a normal, healthy, strong, happy, beautiful (if girl, hopefully, please let it be a girl.... hehehe...) or handsome (if boy), intelligent, kind-hearted baby who will grow up enjoying God's friendship. We also pray that Bric and Baby 2 will get along. Amen! :)

Happy Birthday Love!!!

It was a Mexican Fiesta themed party we threw for Boydee as he turned 37 yesterday. As is typical of our family, nothing can spoil our spirits for as long as there's good food and great company. So, when the rain started pouring on the poor jet-lagged lechon that we flew in from Cebu, we decided to move all the dishes which was set up in the tent in the garden to the Lanai area. So, our Mexican hats and my precious food labels didn't achieve their purpose! But as I said, it was still fun as we all gamely dressed up in ponchos and cowboy costumes and Tito Lito's cooking weaved all of us into a Mexican spell!

Our buffet table consisted of the following:
Rejy's Seven Layered Dip

Nachos w/ 3 Kinds of Salsa-Tita San's, Jack's and Mango Salsa (the latter 2 bought in the US)
California Mango with Shrimp Paste
Quesadilla with Meat from the LV kitchen
Quesadilla from the LV kitchen
Taco Salad by Tito Lito
Rondic's Chicken Wings ala Hooters
Shrimp and Chicken Fajita by Tito Lito
Balbacua by Tito Lito
Mexican Rice by Tito Lito
Burrito
Lechon de Cebu from Rico's, my supplier in Cebu
Tocino del Cielo from Des Rodriguez - discovery of Lai in Salcedo Village Market
Caramel & Brownie Bars from the LV kitchen
Lemon Torte from Rod & Zhar
Cherry Cheesecake from Anabelle

Of course, after seconds and third helpings, we were all stuffed. Then we sang Happy Birthday to my dear hubby. A few hours after, we called it a night.

I have to thank those who helped in their own little and big ways in staging the themed party. So, muchas gracias to Tito Lito for efficiently and generously sharing his culinary talents as he whipped up the dishes for our feast and downloaded Mexican songs as if a real Mariachi band were playing; to Rejita for her yummy dip and for her artistic skills in painting the hats and decorating the tent; Zhar, Rod, Raegan, Raine and RJ for painting the colorful, festive hats; Elizza and Zhar again for buying all the materials needed for the decors and for being excited about the theme; Rondic for cooking the chicken wings which was a huge hit!; Mommy and Boydee for shopping for the ingredients needed from the US and bringing them here; the LV staff for helping out; and all our guests for the gifts and being part of Boydee's celebration.

Lastly, I can not thank God enough for the gift of Boydee in our lives, in my life!!! I thank Him for making him the way he is; and for choosing, of all the billions of people in this world, him to be the man I should spend the rest of my life with, and with whom I would raise a family with.

To Boydee, I love you. That simple word sums it all up for me, love. My heart is yours to keep forever; my whole lifetime is devoted to you and our children for always. Thank you for being born for me and making my life a kaleidoscope of beautiful memories and experiences!

P.S. Boydee and Ate Rona share the same birthday, so.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TOO ATE RONA!!! WE LOVE YOU!!! Ate spent her birthday in the States so she wasn't here with us to celebrate. She would've LOVED the Mexican spread here. WE MISSED YOU!

The Looong Wait Is Over

Just a few hours more and Bric and I will be on our way to the airport to meet the most important man in our lives. After three exruciatingly long weeks, my Love and Bric's Daddy will finally be with us, and we'll be a complete family again.

It's funny, though. As the day draws nearer, I find the waiting seem longer, unlike in the past weeks he was gone. I presume this is because the anxiety and excitement is already there so it's harder to keep it in. So, I pray to God, He brings Boydee home to us safe and sound where we'll be waiting to welcome him with all our love.

Even if we were alone, Bric and I weren't lonely. First of all, we had each other and he had his yaya also. Hehehe... Secondly, thank God for family!!!! I am so indebted to Rondic and Lai, Rodney and Zhar for keeping me company all these days. We had numerous bonding sessions, usually dining out or hanging out in the house. Once, they even had to be Bric's babysitter in Ponzo's while I was attending the dry run of St. Alphonsus Parish's Dedication Rites and Yaya Mila was on her day off. Super duper thanks to my siblings!!! I super love you!!! Hehehe....
Thirdly, thanks to our extended family... Tito Lito, the Sargan kids, RJ, Robin and Rejy, Tito Rey, Tita Tinggoy, Gelo, Avic for making the house not seem empty. Thanks to the lovable Gavino kids too for keeping my nights and weekends more colorful and 'challenging'. Hahaha... Fourth, our house mates... Marivic, Melinda, Sinny, Ringo, Irene, Roland, Polids and everyone for keeping the La Vista Household in order, despite Mom or Lola's absence. Hehehe... Fifth, me and Lai being the only bosses here in the MVC office, we had lots more work to do (issuing memos, for instance... hehehe... and chairing the ExCom). Sixth, Tita San's passing kept us all preoccupied with grief and the preparation of the wake, etc... :( (Although this event made me miss Boydee more. I'm sure he would have wanted so much to be here, too.) Seventh, my pregnancy makes me so takaw (greedy) with sleep that I usually spend 10 hours a day with my eyes closed; which means I cut down my waking hours. Hehehe... Eighth, Harry Potter kept me busy for a few nights. Hehehe...

Now that Boydee's going to be back soon, I'll miss having to sleep with Bric beside me. Our nights will be more noisy because Boydee keeps the TV on most times; but it will be complete because we will be all together. Our bonding sessions with our siblings will be more fun (but less juicy... hehehe) because of Boydee's silly antics when he's full. The house will be more homey because I'll have my partner back; and my heart and my hand won't be empty anymore because finally, after days and weeks of missing Boydee, he'll finally be back tomorrow morning. Whoopppeeee!!! :D

I love you Love... Welcome home to our loving arms!!! We missed you super!

God Is So Alive

I was privileged to have witnessed the Solemn Dedication and Consecration of a church twice this year. First was our very own Shrine of St. Therese of which Boydee and I played active roles in its fruition. Second was yesterday's dedication of the church of which Fr. Benny is the parish priest, the St. Alphonsus de Liguori Parish in Magallanes.

This time around, I was able to concentrate more on the ceremony than its execution (unlike in St. Therese). Despite the long wait, we were asked to go at 4pm but the mass actually started at 5, I was thankful for being there. Despite my aching flat butt and my uneasiness in wearing heels now that I'm almost 3 months pregnant, and despite my hunger, I patiently watched, listened, sang, participated in the 2-hour ceremony of dedicating the newly built church to God.

The whole ceremony was not without its share of long rituals, cute gimmickry (children singing), long, unfamiliar songs with a choir that sad to say had more soloists than the beautiful, pleasing blending of voices (but their song arrangements were really noteworthy!), meaningful speeches, chants, and of course, the usual mass proceedings.

Still, the whole set of unique rituals like the lighting of the altar, consecrating of the altar table, incensing, etc., performed by the Cardinal and his assisting Archbishops and Bishops, with their Master of Ceremonies and other priest concelebrants was amusing and educational to watch. Each ritual had its significance for being part of the whole and I can only thank the Catholic Church for preserving these rites through the ages so that we may get a glimpse of our culture, our history and an appreciation of the richness of our religion.

As HE Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales wiped oil on the altar table that was to be consecrated, I could not help but feel so blessed to see and feel God so alive in one place, in the hearts of so many people. This was the birth of a new house of God in its physical aspect, but more than that, this was the re-birth of a community. This was a community intent on re-building the structure that burned down 3 years ago and yesterday, on the feast day of their patron, through the kind and focused leadership of Fr. Benny, a new edifice stands. And you can see in the faces of the people, that there was joy... and fulfillment for being part of something good and something for His glory.

The church is done but the work never stops. Everyday, we are part and instrumental in the building of churches within our community. We may already have the structure but the real church is really its people. We are the church and each one of us is the brick, the hollow block, the nail; and our own construction is an on going thing. But it's not the money that oils the work-in-progress. Oh no! It is the love towards our brothers and sisters; it is our common faith in the Lord Almighty; and it is our commitment and strong resolve to always strive to be good and devout Catholics - all for His glory!!!

Congratulations Father Benny and to the Magallanes community and parishioners!