ALL DONE

I am pooped! The last of our guests have just left and the house is still in chaos. I don't even have the energy to fix the mess in the boys' room. So much has just happened today I'm so exhausted and ready to hit the sack.

We began the day early. I was up at 7am. After a quick breakfast, I started cleaning and dusting our bedroom. Then I bathed the boys and then took a bath around 9am. My college friend came over for a visit because she needed a dental reviewer book from me. We chatted for a bit then after she left, I continued with the cleaning and the prepping of the house. By 2pm I was kind of tired. We put the boys to sleep and then I was able to doze off. We awoke at 3pm and I hurriedly got dressed. By 4pm, the priest arrived and then we had the blessing. A lot of people were already present by then, thank goodness! Anyway, after that, everyone lined up at the buffet table and Ruther sat with his officemates and I sat with my sis, brother and his girlfriend just nearby. We chatted for a long while and as more guests and relatives arrived, I had to approach them for mano (read more about this Filipino tradition below). Then we took photos and then chatted some more. Ruther's friends departed at around 6pm or so. Then I chatted with Ruther's cousins (who are always a lot of fun) and then at around 930pm, they left as well and it was time for us to settle down.

I must say, everything went pretty well today. For that, I am so grateful. And now, it's time for bed. Good night!

.....

MANO

When meeting elders, we usually do the Mano. What basically happens is we approach the elder, hold out our hand to ask for theirs, say "Mano po" and when they give it and put it in our hand, we raise it to our forehead (palm down). "Mano" means "hand" and "po" is an addage we say to elders that connotes respect. More about this below...

http://www.puc.edu/Faculty/Milbert_Mariano/MANO/origins.html

The Filipino Ritual of Showing Respect to Elders by the Salutation of the Mano

From youth, Filipinos are taught to respect those who are older than them. Not only have the elders given birth and raised many, but in their age, they have grown wiser, more experienced, and have, by tradition earned the respect of younger generations. Several symbolic ways in which respect is given to elders is in the use of language by calling older Filipinos "Po" and older siblings, cousins, and family friends "Kuya" and "Atee".

The most fascinating and ritualistic custom of showing respect to elders is of the greeting or salutation, the Mano. The Philippines is the only country in Asia that holds this specific tradition and its origins evolved from the mixture of western and eastern tradition. The Mano [Spanish for hand] evolved from the traditions of respect for ones elders which comes from Asian cultures coupled with the respect for the clergy during the Spanish occupation of the Philippines. In certain parts of Asia, it is respectful to bow to another person to show your repect for them. The bow takes several different forms throughout Asia, and is part of the origins of the Mano.