BABY NO MORE

I just suddenly realized that Ethan will be having his birthday in two weeks! My baby will be turning 4! I can't believe how much my boys have grown. Sometimes I wish they would remain babies forever but at the very least, I am very glad that I have been with them since infancy. I am very very happy that I have been there every step of the way to watch them grow, to see their firsts and to keep an eye and be proud of their development and accomplishments. Come to think of it, Ethan is still very much our baby. And he's very affectionate to everyone. Yeah, he can be unpredictable at times, but his happy personality and sociable nature makes him so lovable. Whereas Nikki has this inquiring mind, Ethan is more laidback. And I really don't mind that (even if other people compare them all the time) because I know Ethan has his strengths too. I've grown to understand him more and more. I never thought I would because I was so used to Nikki's complacent attitude, but eventually, I realized that Ethan just makes our world a whole lot colorful, if not surprising and unpredictable. Our little boy will be turning 4 and I can't believe he's growing so fast! I've always said that Nikki is my rock but Ethan is my comfort. Anyway, I suppose I need to do some planning for his birthday. Nothing fancy of course, but there definitely will be cake, fried chicken and balloons. And hopefully it'll be another fun-filled day for my little Ethan.

END OF ANOTHER MONTH

Upon checking my chatbox, I see a lot of people asking if we could exchange links. I really don't mind doing that and I really like it when people stop to read some of my posts, get to know me a bit more, and like what they see/read. It's nice to reach out and touch people miles away. Anyway, exchanging links is fine with me. Just give me time to visit your websites because aside from the weird internet connection we've been having lately, I share the computer with a few others here in the house. But I will get to it soon and perhaps I'll like what I see/read too. =D

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The rains have come and gone. I think there are no more typhoons. At the moment. Today is pretty sunny although during the rainy months in the Philippines, you never know. But then again, it's nice to have a sunny day for a change. It's definitely not as warm as it was last month and for that I am glad. Ethan is coughing right now. It's frustrating to see him cough so much but hopefully, it'll be gone in a few days. I always have to check him and make sure he doesn't perspire too much and that he drinks lots of fluids. My sis checks on him from time to time so I'm not worried (too much).

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We're starting to collect our documents for our visa application. Ruther is completing his and I'm collecting ours. Hopefully, in 2 weeks' time, we'll be able to submit the papers to the accredited agency and get positive results. Please do pray for us. A bit of prayerful help will be very much appreciated. =D

TYPOS

When I post here, I usually just type away. I basically just sit in front of the computer and write as I think. Before (which was a loooong way back), I would pretty much read through my post before publishing it and check for errors, spelling mistakes, grammar problems, etc. But these days, with the busy schedule, the chaos and mayhem (also named Nikki and Ethan) not to mention the internet problems, I hardly have the time to correct every single post. Once in a while, I read past posts and when I discover a typo error or something grammatically wrong, I cringe. I guess it's very similar to walking around town only to discover later on in the house that your skirt was caught on your pantyhose and you were exposing a significant part of your behind to unknown people. Yup, something like that. So yeah, I don't like it when I discover these little mistakes after writing them down. Sometimes, I tell myself, "Okay, check your work before publishing" but of course, that's not always possible and that's not always the case. So anyway, hopefully dear readers, you would overlook some of the mistakes in some of my posts and just attribute it to a typo error or oversight or sleepiness or exhaustion. I just wish I could let it go that easily...

ANOTHER VISIT TO THE DENTIST

It's not that I hate visiting the dentist. I just feel sometimes that it's so unplanned, or the timing isn't right, or the expense was not part of the budget for the month. Anyway, I HAD to go to the dentist. There was no ifs or buts about it. The other night, in between my 2 front teeth was a food particle. I tried to get it loose using my tongue but it was stuck fast. So, I used the ever handy floss. Now, I have a small filling on the back of one of my front teeth (more to the side though but not visible from the front), and when I used the floss, it felt so rough. I tried to remove the food particle anyway and when I pulled the floss from between my teeth, whaddya know, not only the food particle, but the filling came off!! Talk about shoddy work! That's not even supposed to happen. Ever! So I was bummed about it because a). the dentist who did the filling was (something I'd rather not say here), b). I'd have to have an immediate appointment with the dentist the next day and c.) I would have to spend for something I didn't even think I was going to spend for in at least 4 more months. Sigh. Anyway, to make the long story short, I went to the dentist the next day and so I have a new and better filling to replace the old one. This one is okay. No excesses, no overhangs, not as rough as the previous one. So hopefully, this one stays in place - with or without flossing.

OOPS!

Okay, I know, I did it again. I know I've been remiss in posting here. I know I should at least try to post regularly now, but sometimes, I just don't know where the time flies. Sometimes, it's the internet connection. Sometimes, it's the hectic schedule. Sometimes, it's the unavailability of the laptop (the boys can be cruel, you know =D). But always, always, I sometimes find myself at the end of the day, wanting to say so much and not finding the time or the moment to gather my thoughts and write them down here. Except tonight. Anyway, I hope this won't be a common occurrence. I've really missed writing, I've really missed visiting blogs but most importantly, I've missed keeping in touch with friends. So hopefully, as May ends and another month begins, I'll be able to write more often. And maybe, I'll be able to hear from you all again. =D

Take care!

RAINY DAYS

We hardly ever have sunny days now. And if ever we do have those, it isn't as hot as the past few weeks. And of course, I'm glad for that. It's just so wonderful to have cool air in the evenings again. Hopefully, the last weeks of May will end in such a manner.

.....

Been corresponding with a High School friend who currently lives in the United States with her husband. She's been like my confidant since we graduated and even if we don't get to see each other all the time, we still keep our friendship tight online. In fact, we've never been so close. I feel I can tell her anything, anything at all and she won't judge me or won't tell me things I would simply want to hear. Anyway, she was kind of feeling conflicted about having a baby. She feels that she's not ready to be a mom and at the same time, she feels that if she waits much longer, she'll be putting her career on hold and she won't be able to "get it back" after having the baby and such. Also, she says that not working is not an option for her because of the expenses (her husband is working in a pharmaceutical company) and I do understand her plight. So now, they are thinking of not having a baby yet and she feels sad that that's the case. I reassured her of course and told her that she should not feel pressured in having a baby. She should just focus on what makes her happy right now and if God graces her and her husband with a child later on, then it was meant to be. Besides, I told her, not having a baby does not mean she won't be fulfilled in life. She's career-driven, my friend, so it's natural for her to focus on her ambitions. Me, I'm a nurturing soul so I feel very content taking care of my family. I'm just the type of person who puts family first and career second. And I'm very thankful that Ruther is so responsible in taking the reins financially. I know it's difficult, but we get by and for that, I am glad.

I know that other people may have other problems. My friend's problem is deciding whether or not to have a baby, mine is having my family live together in one place permanently. I suppose it's how we manage our lives, direct our focus and prioritize that will help decide the outcome of our problems. Of course, prayers and faith wouldn't hurt either. A little guidance from the Lord will surely be a big help. Hopefully, the problems that come my way will be manageable. That's all I ask for now.

FINISHED

I just finished reading The Subtle Knife AND The Amber Spyglass, the second and third books of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series (that follows The Golden Compass). Frankly, I feel so overwhelmed with the story of Lyra. The closest thing to describing my feeling is like watching the Matrix for the first time. It's like you get lost in all the lingo and jargon and you just need to watch the movie one more time and pay attention a bit more closely. Well, Philip Pullman's books were like that. I feel -now that I've read through all the stories- I need to read the books one more time to fully appreciate the story. It was just so riveting that my eyes devoured every word and I just hated putting the book down to do something else. Last night, I slept at around 3am because I only had a few chapters to finish and I wanted to know how it was going to end. And when I finally read the last word on the last page, I just felt a bit empty. Like when I read the last book in the Harry Potter series. I felt like I won't be able to talk to a friend again, that's what I felt. I just wanted to know what will happen to Lyra next, and to Will and to all the many characters in the story. How will the universes survive? What will Lyra's future be? How are the beings going to live again in their homes? It's all very frustrating because I just want to know so much more. It's like being so involved in something that you just can't think of anything else. So it's very frustrating. And I really really really want to know more. It seems pretty disappointing that there are only 3 books. It would have been nice to have read a bit more about Lyra's adventures. And there was so much material to go by, so many stories to tell, so many other adventures. It's just soooo frustrating. But still, I loved it. It's something I've really really come to love and now, I can't stop thinking about it. So maybe, I'll make up my own stories about Lyra and Pantalaimon and Will and Iorek and Serafina Pekkala and the angels and the mulafa and Mary Malone and all the other characters that made the current reading so entertaining. And I wish that one day, I'll once more stumble on a wonderful story such as this, that would not only take my breath away, but would transport me to another world, completely wonderful and completely unexpected.

IS SUMMER OVER?

It might be too soon to predict that summer is over since it's only the middle of May, but we've been having rains for days now. Blame the typhoon that is currently in the country. I hope it's not causing havoc but I really love the cold weather. It's just wonderful. Not only do we no longer use the AC these days (lower electricity bills at last!) but the nights are so comfy. I really really love that. I didn't think that the rains would continue on until now, but hopefully, this will mean that summer is coming to a close. I hope.

.....

Still addicted to Nintendogs, in case you were curious. I usually try to play it several times a day which results in a sort of tug of war with Nikki over his DS. Haha! But in the end, he watches me play so he could get tips on how to take care of his dachshund. I'm trying to build my trainer points. A bit slow but am getting there. =D And the fun continues...

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The other night, my younger female cousin came over at around 11pm to give something for my brother-in-law. We ended up talking until around 130am about so many things. I guess she just wanted to unload some of her current problems and as always, I wanted to help her out any way I could. I would like to think that I'm one of those people family and friends could come to whenever they need somebody to talk to, to vent, to ask for advice or when they need a shoulder to cry on. I would like to be that kind of person because as sensitive as I am, I know that it's important to me that I find the same reassurance, trust and sincerity in my friends - especially when I feel low or depressed. Anyway, I suppose I maintain a pretty close relationship with my cousins. Not all of course, because I am closer to my cousins who are near my age than the younger ones but my close cousins always know that they could talk to me whenever and whatever. Hopefully, that stays until we're all old and grey.

THE SUBTLE KNIFE

At last I have it! I now have the second book!! The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman. Been waiting for this ever since I finished The Golden Compass days ago. And I couldn't help but think of anything else after that. The story is just so riveting. Really. I know many will hate me for saying this but I just love this loads more than the Harry Potter series. And I loved the Potter stories a lot! So you can only imagine the reasons behind my extreme obsession with the story of Lyra Belacqua. The whole thing/movie/book/story was just so unexpected that it just caught me by surprise. A very pleasant surprise. And now, I'm hooked! Tonight, I will once more lose myself in the thrilling and exciting life of a young girl named Lyra. Can't wait. =D

INTERNET PROBLEMS... AGAIN!

Been having some problems with our internet connection lately. It's been so erratic. Sometimes it's okay but most of the time the connection gets cut all of a sudden. It's really frustrating and only because I can't do videochat with Ruther in the evenings. Last night, after waiting for the longest time, I had to call him using my cellphone. Crazy internet connection. I don't know what's wrong with it. My brother-in-law might, though. Hopefully, it'll be better the next few days. It's just sooo bothersome and frustrating and even Nikki has noticed it too. I just tell him to busy himself with other things and he usually does. =D Anyway, I'm hoping the next time I sit in front of this computer, our internet connection is A-ok.

.....

We're having ants in the house again. I just hate those little buggers. The black ants, though, I don't mind so much because they're harmless and well, are a sign of good luck in a home but those little red ants are really irritating. There are actually lots in the kitchen and have found their way into the rice cooker, the sugar container and who knows where else? I just hate it when I see their trail all over the house. We've had some of those trails in my bedroom and I immediately shooed my boys to the living room and sprayed the pesky insects. Irritating, really. In case you were wondering about my extreme dislike for these red ants, it's probably because I'm allergic to insect bites. Yup, mosquito, ants, cockroaches (never bit me though, just through a skin test - I would never allow a cockroach to get close to me, that's for sure!)... I get these red bite marks that are sooo ichy I have to apply liniment on them to distract me from the itch (calamine lotion doesn't work). Anyway, I read that pepper is a great ant deterrent. I might try that in the kitchen. I can't of course, just spray away in there with all the food around. So hopefully the pepper will be a safe way. But in other parts of the house, you can bet, I'll have my spray bottle ready.

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Oh yes, I almost forgot. My sis found the book I've been looking for: The Subtle Knife. It's the second book of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series, you know, the one that comes after The Golden Compass. I can't wait to start reading it!! I'll be getting it on Saturday and I'm dying to find out what happens to Lyra Belacqua and Pantalaimon. Sooo looking forward to getting my hands on that book. I just know it'll be another great read! =D

MARKET PRICES

Mama went to the market yesterday. When she got home she basically complained about the cost of everything. She said everything became expensive over the week. She told me that the cost of a piece of ginger which was around P5 only became P12 now. The price of tomatoes, onions and other vegetables also increased. I could only imagine what the price of meats, seafood and fish cost these days.

When we were in Japan, I had to be very careful with our grocery-shopping. Everything is expensive there so I had to really plan the week's menu so that we would not be wasting food. It was not that hard because I usually cook Ruther's favorite food and then would prepare some side dishes to go along with it. To also save money, I would cook Ruther's lunch for the day and he would bring that to the office. Of course, we do indulge in the occasional fast food (KFC) because of some cravings but other than that, we managed quite well. I suppose that with the increasing prices of vegetables and perhaps everything else, it would help to be a bit more consciencious with our spending and eating habits. Maybe it's just a matter of discipline. Food wastage for me is quite sinful, especially when I see so many starving people around. When I'm at the grocery/supermarket, I always take a list with me and if I see something I want to buy that's not on the list, I have to think twice about purchasing that item. Sometimes I give in and other times I don't. Sometimes I regret certain purchases but of course, that's the only way to learn (not to buy that item anymore). When the boys want some snacks I ask them, "how many do you want?" If I feel that it's too much, I just tell them to get a few and if they finish those, we could always go back and buy more. The good thing with my boys is that they listen. When I say, "it's an expensive toy, we can't get that now" or "only 3 small bags of chips", it's okay. Sometimes, Nikki would bargain, "Could we make it 4?" and okay, 4 it is as along as he eats those after dinner. Anyway, I do feel a bit alarmed at the rising costs of food these days. I mean, who wouldn't? It seems as though eating out is becoming more and more a luxury. Like a 2-piece chicken (with rice and gravy) at a fast food here costs P100. But for the same price, you could get like 8-10 pieces of chicken wings and just fry them at home and you have homemade fried chicken.

Perhaps it's about time we learn to tighten our purse strings. Maybe it's about time we check our plates after dinner and see how much food was wasted or unconsumed. Then maybe we could gauge how much money we're throwing away every week. Maybe it's time we plant our own garden. Or maybe it's time we take care of our health and just eat right. Whatever our choices in life, maybe it's time we realize that our habits not only affect our family, but the whole world as well. Maybe it's time to make a change.

RAIN/SHINE

The weather these days is driving me bonkers. This morning it was sooo warm and now, it's so overcast and windy that rain is just a breath away. Yesterday was sweltering and the day before that it was raining the whole day. It's just so weird. And now I'm coughing and having this really bothersome itchiness in my throat that can't seem to go away no matter how hard I try to clear it or how frequent I swallow. Nikki is also starting to cough a bit and I'm kind of worried about that. I think this weather is just so unpredictable that it's just well, crazy. Anyway, why am I complaining? I suppose a bit of cold weather is a whole lot better than suffering in humidity and heat day after day, right? Okay, I'll shut up now.

.....

Yesterday was Mother's Day, as you all know. Anyway, I asked Nikki to make this nice picture for Ruther's mom as a homemade present. So, he did is little drawing and signed it and gave it to her. She was quite delighted with his creation. He made this stick drawings of her going to work, watching tv, cooking, tinkering with her cellphone, etc. I actually thought that his drawing was cute. Anyway, I'm just glad that she appreciated the picture. She even said that she was going to show it to her friends at work. I'm sure Nikki is quite happy about that. =D

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I am currently addicted to Nintendogs, a game in Nikki's Nintendo DS. It's actually a lot of fun. You get to take care of a dog and earn trainer points and even teach your dog tricks and let it join contests when it's good and ready. You also get to walk your dog and meet other pet owners. My pet is a Chihuahua (female) named Cheetos. I was just fiddling through the games in Nikki's DS after playing some Sudoku and I encountered the Nintendogs game. So I gave it a try. And now I'm quite addicted. But it's so much fun! Anyway, when I earned some money, I got another dog, a Siberian Husky which I named Coco. I looove my doggies. I know it's not the same as having the real thing, but it's really fun and I think I'm going to be playing this for well... who knows how long? =D

FOR ALL THE MOMS

Love you all! God bless!

TGIF

I forgot to mention the other day that Ethan is starting to read! Yay! The other day, when Nikki asked me if he could watch Ice Age (I agreed) and when the 20th Century Fox logo appeared at the beginning of the movie, Ethan approached the tv and said, "Number 20!" and I said, "That's right! Very good, baby!" But then, to my surprise, he pointed towards the tv and said "Fox!" I really amazed and happy about it that I shrieked and said, "Oh my god! Ethan can read!" You would have thought I was witnessing a miracle (well, in a way, it is). I never "taught" Ethan the way I do with Nikki. As I've always said, Ethan is not the let's-sit-down-and-study type. He would rather learn on his own. Which can be so frustrating for me because I feel that I'm not doing much to help him learn his lessons. So, I try to compensate by buying him educational toys and software. He really loves to learn through experience and trial and error so as much as I would want to let him answer worksheets, I suppose I would just have to respect his learning style. And I'm glad I left him alone because now he's reading! And all on his own! He could read "boy" and "go" and "cow" and "moon" and "sun" and "mars" and "pluto" (loves the planets obviously) and "bed" and of course, "fox". Can't wait for him to read more words. His dad is quite happy to hear that his little boy is now starting to read. He was worried about Ethan's disinterest in the usual structured lessons so now he could breathe easily. Anyway, more homeschooling updates next time! =D

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It rained yesterday and last night was so wonderfully cool I can't believe how much I've missed rainy evenings. But today, it's quite warm again and just a few minutes ago when the boys and I walked to the store to buy some potato chips for Nikki, I decided to let them use their small umbrella. Nikki was relieved about that because he said it was so hot outside. On the way home, he told me, "Whew! Mommy, I'm all sweaty! I'm hot!" And when we got to the room, he of course, asked me to turn on the AC. I couldn't say no. Why should I when I was feeling so hot too? So I guess for today, we'll be holed up in our air-conditioned room wishing it was raining again.

OBSESSED

So remember how intrigued I was about the movie The Golden Compass? Remember that I mentioned not knowing anything about the flick (except that Nicole Kidman was there) and then being blown away by the story? Well, one day, at a discount bookstore, I happened to find the book. Yup! What were the chances right? So I got to reading the book right away and oh my god, the book is waaaay better than the movie, I must say. It's very rich and detailed and very creative. I loved how Philip Pullman incorporated metaphysics in his writing. I said that the movie was intriguing? Well, the book is just amazing! The thing is though, the movie wasn't really faithful to the book (unlike the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - it was made as it was written in the book). Lyra Belacqua in the movie is rebellious but somewhat sweet. In the book, she is headstrong, petulant, and almost mean aside from being intelligent and easy-going. Her past is also explained in greater detail in the book. More explanations about the human-daemon relationship was also written in there and I found them to be all so fascinating. Like all adult servants all have dog daemons. So cool. Also, it took Lyra a while before she could figure out how to read the alethiometer. But of course, they couldn't do that in the movie - naturally. All the other characters were amazing as well but I love Pantalaimon and Iorek. I was just so fascinated and amazed at the imagination of Philip Pullman. The book was something I enjoyed tremendously and I am already thinking of reading it again. (I watched the movie twice already.) I went back to the discount bookstore the other day to look for the second part of His Dark Materials series, The Subtle Knife but I couldn't find it. I was soooo disappointed. I so wanted to read it because The Golden Compass left me hanging and I really couldn't help but wonder about Lyra's fate. I already read the synopsis and I just want to get my hands on a copy so I could once more lose myself in a wonderful world of daemons and alethiometers and alternate universes. I asked my sister to help me look for The Subtle Knife at a bookstore close to where she works. I'm hoping that she'll find me a copy. And soon.

SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER

I can't believe it's May already. Pretty soon, summer will be over and I really can't wait for the rains to come. I know the monsoon season can be pretty harsh in the Philippines but I just love rainy days. Summer is pretty okay too, and I used to like it so much before but now, with global-warming and aging skin and all, it's just a bit too much for me these days. So yeah, I can't wait for June to come... Cool weather (hopefully), Ruther's and my anniversary and Ethan's birthday. So much to look forward to...

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I finally got White Paw a cage!! It's just so hard seeing him so cramped in his basket that I knew I had to get him one immediately. Fortunately yesterday, at a pet store just outside our subdivision, I spotted a nice red one that had a tray underneath. Since I was going to the post office then, I decided to check it out on the way home. I was worried at first about the price and told myself that if it cost more than P500 (approx. US$11.80) I won't get it. When I got to the pet store, I inspected the cage. It looked okay. It was sturdy, big enough for White Paw to move around, easy to clean and conveniently had a tray underneath it so I could easily throw away the rabbit's little droppings. I asked the man in charge how much the cage cost. He said it was P400. I thought for a moment and asked him if he could give me a lower price for the cage (this is a common thing in the Philippines so don't think I'm being callous by asking for a lower price). He said he could give it to me for P380 (approx. US$9) and I was happy with that so I got it! And now, White Paw is happy in his new home. I take him out of the cage from time to time to pet him or to stretch his legs. But I don't do that all the time because he's very naughty and nips at everything. Also, Ethan freaks out when he sees White Paw out of his cage (to me: "Mommy! Get him!" To White Paw: "Hey! Don't bite!"). =D Will try to take a photo of White Paw later...

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Mom and Dad are back home in Zamboanga. They left Manila early this morning. But I think they plan to come back in July, in time for our birthdays (my siblings and I have the same birth month). We went to their room last night to spend some time with them and to say our goodbyes and good nights. My mom and dad teased Nikki about going with them but Nikki adamantly refused. I suppose my little man thinks he belongs with me. =D So cute. Anyway, it was nice spending the past few days with them. I hardly had time to study and the boys too, but I suppose the break was worth it. =D

TO BECKY

Dearest Becky, this little post is dedicated to you...

I just want to say thank you for always dropping by and for taking the time to tell me your thoughts about some of the things I write here. I feel so lucky to be friends with you in this universe and I really and truly appreciate all your encouragement, advice, support, understanding and thoughtfulness. Just know that even if I rarely reply to your comments (or anyone else for that matter), I always take your words to heart and I enjoy hearing from you. I feel that I owe you a big thank you for always, always being there no matter what, for being my listening ear, my Bible, my shoulder. Thank you so much and I hope the friendship continues...

CRYSTAL BALL BROKEN

She stares at the crystal ball before her; unwilling to see, unwanting to believe. The future, HER future, that was so clear and sharp and positive had become bleak and cloudy and grey. She stares confusedly. Every fiber of her being resisting, denying, questioning... With the tip of her finger, she gently touches the crystal ball. It shimmers but the hazy image remains. She asks herself, "How can this be so?" Suddenly angry, she takes the crystal ball in her hands and shakes it hard as though it were a snow globe. She shakes the ball even harder with the wild hope that when she stops, the image would disappear and the happy future she once saw would return to her. When her arms finally became tired from the shaking, she carefully puts the crystal ball back into its velvet pillow. She closes her eyes and once more asks the ball, "Please, please show me my future." And to herself, "Please, show me the future you showed me before..." She is scared beyond belief. She wants to know what the ball's prediction is but at the same time, she no longer holds happy thoughts about tomorrow. She does not open her eyes for as long as she could and when her curiosity got the better of her, she slowly, slowly, opened her eyes. She stares. First inquiringly and then unemotionally. And then slowly, slowly, a silver tear falls from her eye. And then she cries. Silently. She cries with a thousand sorrows. She buries her face in her hands and cries her heart out. And then after she was spent, she quietly leaves the room never to return. She leaves the crystal ball. She leaves her future.

The crystal ball is broken. There is no hope.

PRIVATE TIME

I suppose time with my parents is what I need right now. We spend most of our days with them and of course, my mom and dad are just too glad for the time with Nikki and Ethan. They have even hinted about sending the boys home with my sister in the middle of May. She's going home to attend her bestfriend's wedding at the end of the month. I'm actually not too worried about the airfare because my parents will definitely shoulder that and willingly so. I'm just worried about how the boys will take being away from me, especially Ethan who still wants to be cuddled in the evenings. Anyway, still have to think about that...

Being with my mom and dad is nice. I miss spending time with them. I like seeing them together and I love that they love each other with so much intensity still. Theirs is a love that is passionate and without a doubt they are really made for each other. I know my mom and dad have different personalities. But they do their best to understand each other and to always prioritize the other. I am amazed at my dad's understanding of my mom's quirks and anxieties and I admire my mom for always believing in my dad even when he does not think too highly of himself (he's quite humble). When I am with them, especially lately, I know that their relationship is something I would want for myself as well. I want something that I could hold on to years from now, something that I know will make every sacrifice in the past worth it.

Tomorrow, we're going to the mall and I am looking forward to it. I'm sure it'll be another exciting day for the boys but for me, I am just glad that it'll be another wonderful day spent with family.