Welcome 2023... Thank You 2022!

 A few more hours and 2022 will be history.

As I sit down and think about how 2022 went by, I felt my struggles in work, my everyday life as a teacher, my simple joys as a Mom and the blessings I continuously receive. Life is much better in 2022 because majority of us are now vaccinated, We can now go out to enjoy a bit, dine out and even travel too. The mask is still part of our daily outfits, although there are times we are no longer conscious but COVID19 is still here!

And so life must go on...

Me and Myself

The first quarter of the year was both terrible and terrifying... I got the virus! It was my first batch of thesis research and defense in my department when I thought it was just fatigue. Good thing the defense was online, I was laying down most of the time with camera off to rest. I got fever for 24 hours and a terrible cough after 3 days. Luigi stayed with me in my house, so he also caught the virus. We were isolated for 14 days and the defense continued. The terrifying part was, you do not know what will happen to you everyday! There was an all around anxiety attack. Good thing, I was able to book an online checkup with my internist, Dra. Nancy Torres and we were diagnosed with the Omicron variant. I finally calmed down and was able to rest for a few more days to complete the quarantine period.

I finally had the time and courage to do my utmost plan of home renovation. I had 2 huge clothes cabinets in the second floor of the house, redone my dinning cabinets, painted the house interior, changed a few light fixtures, changed my main and side doors and changed all my windows into sliding ones. Plus a new all-solid acacia table from Ikea topped the renovation. All done in 3 weeks and this made me super happy!

My Lorenzo

He turned 18 this year and he is on his 12th Grade taking up Culinary Art in STI College Calamba. He wanted to become a real chef someday and the best decision to do is to start with a strong foundation as early as now.... then go, COOK! He has now experienced cooking in an industry based kitchen, learned a lot of basics and now can cook on his own. Oh he got the virus as well, he got it towards the end of January, where he was isolated alone in his big room and his computer. 

My Luis

Luigi turned 29 this year. He continuous to be the most responsible son and kuya to us. He can now drive to Manila, but of course with a good navigator on his side. I wish him the best this coming new year, maybe its time to think of family and marrying?

Our Family

My brother Louie and SIL Hayk visited us in April, this was after the 2 years lockdown. We had a short get away to Baguio City and a lot of strolling around in Laguna and Manila. While mommy flew to USA in September for a-2 month vacation with my youngest brother, Jay and her sister, Auntie Linda and Uncle Bill. Mommy celebrated her 83rd birthday with good health and plenty of prayer meetings.

My Spouse

Dodo will be remembered always! I received his retirement ring this year. It will be kept safely for the two boys to remember his hard work all his productive years. It has been 2 years since he left us, but all his memories are here to stay.

My Life

At 54, I have no idea of what is still in stored for me. All I know is I have two precious boys to take care and grow old with. I am looking forward to more experiences, more challenges, more discoveries and more happiness with them. I want to slow down in work, take it easy with stress and work problems, no more PhD plans and just be a regular teacher. I just want to walk, eat and just be happy with life.

I am grateful for 2022! There should be no room for unhappy thoughts, instead, find the good things out of those experiences. I wish for more ME time on self care, mental health, scrapping time, chat with friends, good relationship with Lord and more quality time with my kids and family. My wish for myself are good health, resolved anemia, more peaceful menopause transmission and more time to walk. My wishes for my family are good health, safety and another major trip to be together again.  

God bless us all as we 

welcome 2023!

Welcome 2022... Thank you 2021!

I am back after 2 months!

As I am doing this many many years ago, I always look back at how the year gifted me and my family with positivity and challenges. 2021 was patient with me in everything. I slowly went back to life after loosing my husband in October 2020. The battle with Covid19 is still here and the world is still very much affected. But life must go on...

Vaccinated!

The good news on the other hand is the invention of vaccines... We are all vaccinated! Thank you Los Banos for giving us these free protection.

My Lorenzo

He turned 17 in March! Although it is still pandemic, he choose to invited some few good friends over lunch at home. He graduated in Junior High School in July with an Academic Achiever and Loyalty Award from Morning Start Montessori School, Inc., Los Banos Branch. Now, he is taking Culinary Art for Senior High School at STI College Calamba. 

My Luigi

Luigi turned 28 in September. He is still the same responsible eldest son and big brother to Lorenzo, Bruno and Coco. The best part is, he has a girlfriend already! I am just excited and hopeful for his new found love.

Me and Myself

I am still with STI College... Although this year was really a tough one for all of us, I am still grateful because I have a job, I am earning and Lorenzo is free for SHS. I am still balancing teaching and administrative tasks as the General Education Program Head on my 6th year.

I went back to taking care of myself... after my December 2020 confinement due to acute anemia and loosing 35 pounds, I slowly went back to myself. I went back to walking, eating less, scrapbooking a lot and found a new hobby, digital scrapbooking in Shutterfly, which I created 4 albums for myself and 3 for others. I had more time to scrap this year. I was able to finish Georgina's pages and clean, organized and labelled my boy's albums.

After moving on a bit with my life... I always come back to thinking about my husband. This year, we celebrated his first Death Anniversary on October 1, 2021. We had the 9-day novena via Zoom with my family. Still sad because he is not physically here with me, but I am more at peace thinking about my dream a day after his anniversary. The white shirt guy and the long slow dance until I got up the following day.

I miss going out, shopping and visiting relatives. But I found my place here at home... in my little house with my two boys and my Mom. I realized, life is more than complete and a blessing.

I can only ask for God's presence and guidance in my everyday life. Travel mercies as I go out for work and Luigi driving me everyday. Good health for all of us including my brothers and their families abroad and my other relatives. Covid19 and the pandemic to end, so we can go back to our normal lives and forget about being anxious. I still have a grateful heart after all these.

Thank you 2021... Welcome 2022 for happy hopes and God's presences.

God bless us all!

 

Goodbye 2020! Hello 2021!

2020 was not a good year for everyone! With the Covid19 virus and the pandemic effect all around the world plus a lot of local calamities, I believe it was not a good one for generally all. Well, it was a terrible one for our little family... my husband Dodo left us on October 1, due to a fatal heart attack. And everything changed...

The Philippines had its share of hardships early 2020. In January, the famous and beautiful Taal Volcano exploded leaving a lot of damages in its nearby towns, it even reached Los Banos, Laguna. There were earthquakes in the southern part of the country. And in November, a number of typhoons overlapped to hit the whole island.  

My Lorenzo

On the lighter side of life... Chuy continued to grow to be our little man. He had his promenade in February at the Monochrome Events Place, Sta. Rosa City and got himself a big blue suit. He finished his Grade 9 before the lockdown and now struggles and enjoys his online classes in Grade 10. We celebrated his 16th birthday on March 1 with a korean-samgyup lunch as he requested. This was our last family celebration before the lockdown and eventually, our last too as a complete family.

My Luigi

My eldest Luigi, became more responsible this year, specially now that his Daddy is gone. He takes care of all us in the house, specially our dogs. Dodo left us with 4 guard dogs and Diego our indoor pet. He turned 27 in September, a week before his Daddy passed away. From then on, he became more passionate, considerate and more helpful to the family.

My Job

I had a roller coaster ride on my job! March 16 was my last day at work and the start of the lockdown. I did not report for work physically for 5 months, but we had continuous trainings, meetings and communications. STI College made sure that our electronic learning management system is maximized and teachers are equipped in this kind of challenges and change.  I am grateful that my co-Heads are very understanding and considerate about what I have been going thru this past few months. I am also proud of our teachers who are there with us during this struggle, they showed their support and love to our students in spite of their own struggles. 

My Craft

This pandemic gave me a lot of time to go back to my crafting. This helped me keep up with my anxiety and worries of everyday life. I went back to sewing and stitching, finished my backlogs on scrapbooking and my project life, and lastly, had so much time with my plants. I had the longest time also in cleaning up the entire house, even my Mom's house. 

Life without Dodo...

We are still coping up with our lost. Unconsciously, my body was hocked up on this stress and pain. But I, together with with my boys, are moving forward to face life again. I know my husband is in a better place now with the Lord, this thought kept me going and made be feel somehow at peace, too. We will never forget how he bind us as a family, how we both dream to make a home and how much he loves our two boys... those good memories will be our treasure from now on.

Life must go on...

Luigi, Lorenzo and I are still grateful with life. We gained another angel in heaven, this time our little girl Maxine is now being taken cared of his Daddy Dodo in heaven. Its Christmas time once again, it may be sad, but I am still happy to celebrate Lord Jesus Christ's birthday. Prayers and sharing to others made me feel better. I pray for a better new year... healthy body and mind for me and my boys, my brothers and their families, and our Mom; productive and more output in my job; more time with my boys and most of all, may this struggle of Covid19 end soon.

Merry Christmas and a full of Hope 2021!

God bless us all...