Till Next Post

Can't believe it. Ed and I are actually flying to Manila today! I know Ed is excited too, maybe even more than I am. After all he hasn't been home since 1983! But he doesn't show anything emotionally. He's the ever cool Ed that I married that summery day in June almost four decades ago. I know he is excited because he keeps reminding me if I had bought this and that for everyone. Yesterday he made sure I didn't forget to buy insect repellant and sunblock lotion. Another sure sign that he is excited is he keeps asking for the time, which I notice, is suddenlly moving so slowly! But as he keeps reminding me: "Just relax, sit down, keep quiet and leave everything to me." And like a little kitty (and so unlike me if I may be allowed to add), I obey (chuckle). I hope I can find a way to post from wherever we may be. Otherwise, till we're back!

Will everything fit?

What? The first week of my vacation gone? That was fast. Really, really fast! I know I've been in and out of stores trying to find a matching gift (pasalubong) for everyone we expect to see when we get to the Philippines. In fact, our problem now is how to fit everything in our Balikbayan boxes - from a pair of jimmies for a 6-month old grand niece to a night gown for a ninety-year-old aunt. Yes, my Tia Paring delights in receiving one everytime. And the soaps and lotions for my high school classmates? And, oh, yes, the pahabols (last minute take ins)!

But, this "problem" is part of the thrill of visiting one's motherland.

Tuesday we treated Rachelle to a belated birthday lunch. Her birthday was June 16 but she was in the midst of her finals. Matthew and his parents joined us.Then on Wednesday Patrick and family invited us to a barbeque and to watch the fireworks at Claremont from their garage. Yeah, they are that close to the real thing. Isn't that neat? Jacob and Joshua had a great time biting into their corn and watermelon.

And before I forget, Paul, my godson who joined the Navy after high school and is now with the medical corps as a nurse, is on home leave and came to visit me and his ninong. We had a great lunch at Chilli's. He came with his mom, and nephews Sean and Coby. Kirby went along with us, too.

Then, we were back to packing.

HAPPY JULY 4, AMERICA

Images of freedom that is America

Impatience

All that I can think of right now is my coming trip to Batangas. My ticker says 6 more days. Yes, less than a week!!! Today I - * kept looking at my ticker * suddenly missed my sisters * kept myself busy by helping Ed fill up Balikbayan boxes * feel as if my head's going to burst as - * I see everything on tables, chairs, sofas and floor * looked for bucks .... * smelled Michael Kors for the first time and * found out I still prefer dolce and gabbana * bought a pair of white pants to wear to my mini-reunion with high school friends * wasn't successful in finding a matching blouse * went for a mammogram (my doctor was getting frantic about my not having it done) * craved for chow mein * had no motivation to cook * bought two bowls of mandarin chow mein * bought bowls of teriyaki chicken and orange chicken * bought a bowl of chicken fried rice * had dinner with Ed and Kirby * made a list of what will go into my carry-on * made a schedule of how to leave the house clean before Ed and I leave * made a mental picture to ask Kirby to help me set up my lap-top * "told myself" to write down numbers and addresses that I will need while away * thought of filling up my weekly medicine dispensers * am sufferring from the SoCal heat * feel so busy finishing nothing * wish we are already on the 6th day!

I have my own JACK

A niece e-mailed me the following article. I Googled the authoress and found out she's a minister's wife. I think her message is true and relevant not only in marriage but in any relationship in life. With my own brand of temper and moods - I consider myself lucky to have my own Jack - a fact my father-in-law (may God bless his soul) never quite understood.

The Secret to a Lasting Marriage: Embrace Imperfection Deb Graham When I was a little girl, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned toast in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my mom, and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite! When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the toast. And I'll never forget what he said: "Baby, I love burned toast." Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Debbie, your momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides-a little burnt toast never hurt anyone!" In bed that night, I thought about that scene at dinner and the kindness my daddy showed my mom. To this day, it's a cherished memory from my childhood that I'll never forget. And it's one that came to mind just recently when Jack and I sat down to eat dinner. I had arrived home late as usual and decided we would have breakfast food for dinner. Some things never change, I suppose! To my amazement, I found the ingredients I needed, and quickly began to cook eggs, turkey sausage, and buttered toast. Thinking I had things under control, I glanced through the mail for the day. It was only a few minutes later that I remembered that I had forgotten to take the toast out of the oven! Now, had it been any other day -- and had we had more than two pieces of bread in the entire house -- I would have started all over. But it had been one of those days and I had just used up the last two pieces of bread. So burnt toast it was! As I set the plate down in front of Jack, I waited for a comment about the toast. But all I got was a "Thank you!" I watched as he ate bite by bite, all the time waiting for some comment about the toast. But instead, all Jack said was, "Babe, this is great. Thanks for cooking tonight. I know you had a hard day." As I took a bite of my charred toast that night, I thought about my mom and dad how burnt toast hadn't been a deal-breaker for them. And I quietly thanked God for giving me a marriage where burnt toast wasn't a deal-breaker either! You know, life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm not the best housekeeper or cook. And you might be surprised to find out that Jack isn't the perfect husband! He likes to play his music too loud, he will always find a way to avoid yard work, and he watches far too many sports. Believe it or not, watching " Golf Academy " is not my idea of a great night at home! But somehow in the past 37 years Jack and I have learned to accept the imperfections in each other. Over time, we have stopped trying to make each other in our own mold and have learned to celebrate ourdifferences. You might say that we've learned to love each other forwho we really are! For example, I like to take my time, I'm a perfectionist, and I'm even-tempered. I tend to work too much and sleep too little. Jack, on the other hand, is disciplined, studious, an early riser, and is a marketer's dream consumer. I count pennies and Jack could care less!Where he is strong, I am weak, and vice versa. And while you might say that Jack and I are opposites, we're also very much alike. I can look at him and tell you what he's thinking. I can predict his actions before he finalizes his plans. On the other hand, he knows whether I'm troubled or not the moment I enter a room. We share the same goals. We love the same things. And we are still best friends. We've traveled through many valleys and enjoyed many mountaintops.And yet, at the same time, Jack and I must work every minute of every day to make this thing called "marriage" work!What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is the one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting marriage relationship. And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your married life and lay them at the feet of GOD. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a marriage where burnt toast isn't a deal-breaker!