2023

 It's April already. How can I describe the first quarter of the year... hmmm let me think.

Me and Alvin went out on an end of December to close the year with a date. Vista Tala is beautiful, but like all of the places we've been, we always survey it first before taking our family especially Thea. While it is a nice place to go, surrounded by nature, colder and a pool with mountain view, we can't take the family there because the parking is a bit far from the lodging. The walkway's slope is steep for Nanay's aching knees, plus the stairs to reach the rooms would cause additional burden. So it is an X for the family but it would be good for dates. 

January came and I still don't have my word for the year. I looked into all my previous words - excel, blessing, strong, more, but I couldn't come up with an appropriate word. Until the plan for the cafe didn't push through, I then decided that the most appropriate word for me this year would be TRUST from Proverbs 3:5-6 

And like a test, everyone started getting sick - I had a flu, Euan and Leb had it too then Ate followed.  For some, January was too long but mine was short. February was a challenge because Alvin got the bug albeit not serious some other issues arose. Several visits to doctors and they still can't figure out what's wrong - after all the tests and scans what worked were (just) vitamin B12 and thydin  (saging pa more) :D Going to doctors is a must, but we really need to go to the right doctor so we would get well and diagnosed correctly. The last doctor is good albeit mataray and konting sungit but we were grateful to have met her. 

Also it was Feb when everyone got stomach flu, una muna si Caleb, tapos si Ate then si Euan na! When it was Euan's turn tuloy tuloy suka and nanghina na sya so we needed to rush him to the hospital, they inserted an IV to replenish lost fluids. It was super super heartbreaking to see him crying while nurses inserted the needle, grabe saksak puso yun ang sakit sakit para sa mommy heart ko. I even doubted myself kasi baka di naman need tapos hinayaan ko magka trauma anak ko. The doctor said he needed that because madaming nawalang fluid, his lips were still cracked and dry. While there, I felt my stomach churn too, Alvin felt it too. Haaay so everyone got it and we suspected the water and the broken sink pipes, and the food that we ate, lahat na. (The only one who didnt get stomach flu was our kasambahay Ate Tess, who had severe toothache a week before and was on antibiotics when all this happened ). After the hospication, we only drank distilled water, changed the sink pipes and cleaned everything. After 2 weeks we were back to drinking purified water (delivered by the gallon) and we're all good. Hooray for Maxicare and Erceflora.

It was also Feb when Nanay Dolores got ER'd for hypertension and Kuya ped got hospitalised for 2 weeks due to appendicitis. Kung meron suntok everytime may ma-oospital sa amin baka knock out na si Alvin. With God's help and all the prayers from loved ones and friends we were able to survive the chaos of February and face March anticipating blessings and joy!

March was like RESET. We really pleaded for deliverance and that God to finally release us and let us rest and enjoy the summer. Guess what? March is like unwrapping a gift, so many good and fun things transpired, He gave us time to enjoy nature, time to bond as a family, time to relax. Time - a very valuable thing we possess, once given to someone you cannot take it back. It is a rare commodity that many people neglect and just use it on non essential things and then calling them self love. (Self love is not wrong but too much self love is.)

here's what happened last march

• Subic Funtastic Park - a 3D park  http://funtasticpark.com/ it felt like an exclusive trip wala kami kasama sa loob :D 
• Subic Blue Turtle Cove - the two young boys got to enjoy the sand albeit medyo malansa daw sabi ni Alvin, me and the boys still enjoyed our time
• 3.14 we got Terry Pi Picache aka Vera 
• The Manor for 2D1N
• Zero Meralco bill
• Early April was our family day at Happy Place Vacation Home at Angeles City - happy memories were made    

(Will try to load the videos here but for now narrative muna :)

Thank you dear Lord for the good and the not so good things that happened. Help us to always trust in Your plans and ways.