Special Occasions

For those who wondered why there was a "Part One" included in my previous post, read on here to find out why.

It's February 18 today, and I'm happy. And it's a big deal.

With Daddy (beaming with pride, I believe!) on my wedding day (January 6, 2001).

You see, it's my Dad's birthday, and today I remember him with happiness in my heart, instead of sorrow and grief. This day is unlike the previous birthdays which had been punctuated by sadness and longing for the man who left us some four years ago. This day, I feel more alive than ever, and grateful that he had been a part of my life.

Had he been alive today, he would have been 69.

No, I've not abandoned this blog. Fortunately - or unfortunately - for you, o faithful readers. What have I been up to lately, you ask?

Well, I've also been busy doing a lot of experimenting in my kitchen lately. Here's my futile attempt at recreating the party atmosphere back home. Food, glorious food!

Why, I've been taking my sweet, sweet time savoring the first few weeks of the new year. Got back to Nippon right smack on New Year's Day. Spent the first day of the year cooped up inside a Boeing 747, amidst flight attendants whose glazed eyes betrayed their longing to be elsewhere except on that flight. But perhaps that bodes well for the rest of the year...I mean, traveling on the first day of the year...perhaps this year will be another year of travel for us?

About our trip home? Oh, I couldn't possibly wrap it all up in this blog entry. I won't even attempt to. Too many stories, too much to tell. Too many photos to share...and I'm pretty lazy right now to work on them yet. But if you really want to look at some of our vacation's photos, just check out my Flickr photo album. Dozo! Vacation in the Philippines can be summarized by these words: food, food, and more food! Oh wait, there's also family, heh. Just kidding. Family is topmost on my list, of course.

Time flies. And as for growing children, time flies even faster. How could it have been five years already since we took home this sleeping jewel in our arms?

 

The day after Aya was born, Baggy and I just stared at this tiny breathing, wailing, demanding (don't you dare take your eyes off me), red and toothless thing - you mean we really have to take this home with us? As first-time parents, we were fraught with anxiety and fear.

 

Sleepless, countless nights followed. We lost track of time; day and night blurred into each other. Food became something we just shoved into our mouths to keep ourselves going and going and going like the Energizer rabbit. We were pushed beyond the limits we previously thought we would never dare cross.

 

All because of her.

 

Happy Father's Day to all dads out there. I lost my Dad three years ago, but his memory is alive and well in my heart and mind. I especially remember him this day, Father's Day, as he was one of the most significant persons in my life.

In his very last letter to me, dated on my 31st birthday, he wrote:

Hahh, what a week! I had to disengage myself from blogging activities in order to concentrate on other more pressing matters. Matters like making a presentation in a conference, writing and submitting my proposals, rewriting a paper for a journal, submitting an abstract to another conference, yada, yada, yada. March is always the busiest time of the year, which, incidentally, also coincides with the end of the fiscal year here in Japan. Anyway, I'm glad that I've completed most of the tasks I needed to do. I can breathe now, thank you very much! On a brighter note, the sakura (cherry blossoms) are already in full bloom, and we can enjoy viewing them this week! Yay!

Well, there is a particular topic that I want to write about in this post. Thing is, I'm turning a year older tomorrow. It's no big deal, right? Everyone else will turn a year older this year. But for some reason, I'm having a "When Harry Met Sally" reflective moment. Ok, sure, 40 is still several years down the road, but hey, I will turn 40...someday! To paraphrase Sally's outburst: "Forty...it's just there, waiting!"

One of my cousins in the States sent me this photo taken of their new baby, Torin Lucas. He is sooo cute! He reminds me of Aya, who as a baby also used to frown and furrow her forehead in the same way. But no matter what faces they make, babies are so photogenic, don't you think? Creative parents can think of a thousand and one ways to make use of those shots to amuse other people.

Just got back from a three-day escapade. Will definitely post something about the trip (plus pics, promise!) in forthcoming entries.

 

In the meantime, let me greet everyone a happy new year! Manigong bagong taon sa inyong lahat! Sana ay masaya kayong kasama ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay. Nawa'y pagpalain tayo sa taong 2007. Mabuhay tayong lahat!

Our little girl just turned 4. Parang kailan lang na nag-rush kami sa Shoji for the delivery, now she's totally different from that red, bawling thing we took back home.

Our celebration for her 4th birthday is nothing fancy. Just went to a restaurant nearby, her favorite. Then we gave her a birthday cake, courtesy of the local bakery. Just for fun, we picked out an Anpanman character cake. Aya heartily ate Anpanman's "brains." Is it no wonder that Anpanman's brains is nothing but sponge? Hahaha!

Happy birthday to our dearest one, li'l Princess Aya. You make everything worthwhile. Keep your light shining for the rest of the world. We will always be here for you.

Always proud parents,
Nanay and Tatay

I wrote in my diary a year ago - "Growing old is everyone's business. There will always be someone younger than you, and always someone older than you. The point is not in comparing your age to someone else's, but in comparing yourself now to yourself as you were years ago. How much you have changed in the years that passed is what matters."

Today I feel nostalgic of sorts, because today marks the 10th year since I last spent my birthday together with my family in the Philippines. Fortunately, I've got my own family here in Japan - Baggy, Aya, and with Mommy as a "bonus," heheh. Plus the friends and other acquaintances I've made - Japanese, Filipinos, and other foreign friends. They're as much as my family now.

I'm not much into gifts, but well, I've just received my early gifts on this day. One is a humongous card from Mom and my sisters. The other is another flower "shower" from Baggy! Sobrang daming roses, hay - I have to use three flower vases to contain them all! A word of advice to all single women out there - if you're looking for a lifetime partner, look for someone who will give you flowers not when he is wooing you, but someone who will still give you flowers way after you're married. Di ba?

So much to be thankful for, so much to look forward to. I know this year will be GREAT.