My 2010 :)

Before I recap my 2010, let me just give you a background of what my 2009 looked like. Maybe then you'd appreciate it when I say that despite all my musings here, 2010 was a lot better. Way way better. A million times better. Just a shoutout to God for redeeming this year for me. :)

The year 2009 was a very difficult year---with me resigning from my first job, with me breaking up with my long-time boyfriend, with me losing a job opportunity abroad---a year when everything had gone wrong! This year ended with me being jobless and boyfriendless and almost penniless and prideless.

Then 2010 came. I had hopes that this was going to be a year of rebuilding dreams and reconnecting with some people who made impact in my life. Thankfully, this year started promisingly---with me getting a new job that allowed me to travel much albeit locally. As a result, I've been to places in the Philippines I never thought I'd go to. I've met diverse people, made few friends here and there. I've earned miles from PAL! Yey! :) I'm thankful to God for giving me this job, but somehow, I know deep in my heart, that this is not yet the job I've been called for. There's a big piece missing and I will try to look for this one in 2011, God permits.

All throughout the year, I struggled with bad habits that God patiently exposed in the circumstances and conflicts I encountered. I realized that until I learned the lesson God wants me to learn, I would never graduate from the same set of trials. I also realized that God is so in love with me, He would never ever leave me, even If most of the times, I'm the most unloveable creature on earth!

On the best side of this year, I received the greatest blessing in my 28-year existence on this planet! I received the Gift of Love from God, a love for keeps, exactly the kind that I prayed for since June 2010. God truly answers prayers.

Apart from receiving the Gift of Love, I thank God this year for the Gift of Salvation. I now know for sure where He is leading me. He has been leading me to Christian life all along. And I think I am ready for this. By His Grace, I know I am.

As I close this chapter of my life, I couldn't be more thankful for God... for leading me to the best life I could possibly have, for the trials that prepared me for the one He gave me to love, for the gentle glimpses of how great life can be when He is in my life, at the core center of it, breathing and living for it.

The best is certainly yet to come.

That Day

Note: This note was posted in my FB in 3 January 2011, but for this personal blog, I have posted it the day it happened, the day Rolando and I officially became a couple.

***

 “I love you," he said, not for the first time since he confessed his intentions and crossed the line of our six-year friendship, but for the first time on that particular day (December 30, 2010). In a move that suprised us both, I finally uttered the words he waited patiently to hear for months---no hesitations, no stopping to reconsider, no more risk assessments, no more what ifs.

A moment of great silence enveloped us followed by mishmash of emotions.  I was scared, I was happy. Suddenly, everything that happened in the past---failed relationships, broken dreams, hurtful pruning from God---made sense.

As he locked me in a bear hug, still acting crazy and not absorbing the whole thing, I thanked God for the gift of Love and for answered prayers---my prayer, as a friend years back that he’d be able to meet Christ, my prayer that I’d be able to meet the right one and his fervent prayer for my YES.

I thank you, Author of Love, for writing this piece for him and me. May your other grander plans for our lives come true according to Your will.

    ***

Its all so strange. How can it be?

All along this love was right in front of me!

And for the first time, I am looking in your eyes.

For the first time, I am seeing who you are.

I can't believe how much I see,

When you're looking back at me.

Now I understand what love is...

Love is... For the first time.

We remember moments

I have welcomed December with all my heart together with all the things attached to it: 13th month pay, chilly air, longer nights, glittery lights and grandeur christmas trees, amongst all other christmassy stuff.

Oh dear life, thank you for being so goooood, awesome gooood to me lately and sending me all these awesome moments to record in this online diary of mine, save for later recollections in life.

Cherishing every moment of it, 
Lai

Can't Get Enough of You (*_*)

This is really mushy. UBER mushy. Sorry, just can't help to post. He has already turned my world upside down. Never in a million years would I thought and expect him to be saying these things to me one day. *Blush.

Thankful on Thanksgiving Day :)

Since it's Thanksgiving, allow me to pen the wonderful things I'm thankful for in my recent life. :) Thank you dear God:

1)   for him, yes for him. :)
2)   for the good health of my old folks.
3)   for not giving up on me.
4)   for wonderful people at work.
5)   for photography
6)   for nature.
7)   for friends.
8)   for trials.
9)   for financial provisions.
10) for love. :)

Thank you as well for this sunset on a Thanksgiving day (taken on top of our house). I am one of the fortunate ones who works for American companies, thus, have today as a holiday! ;-)

Won't Last a Day Without You

"When there's no gettin' over that rainbow,

When my smallest of dreams won't come true

I can take all the madness the world has to give...

But I won't last a day without you..."

Our typical day starts with him greeting me good morning. That's the cue to our day-long chat, a day of chitchats about anything under the sun... in Singapore and in the Philippines. Him in SG, me in PH or wherever it is in this planet that we feel like talking about. :)

We share everything, from the mundane tidbits of our day to the most treasured dreams in our hearts. Trivial things suddenly become the source where the sincerest and simplest of affections flow. Eat muna. Rest ka na. Bangon na baka malate ka. Drink lots of water.

Sure, our days are not perfect even if we have each other on the other line. We face challenges at work. We deal with stuff that test our faith. We walk in two different worlds where we don't physically see each other everyday. That's the reality of him being there and me being here. Long distance as they say.

It's hard now and I know it'll be harder in the next coming days, months, perhaps years. Right now though, it's enough that we know we have each other, that we can talk (thanks to technology) in any means possible without depleting him of his resources (long distance calls, I know they're expensivel.. hehe). :)

What's keeping me and us now is that at the end of the day, we know we have each other. Our talks at night about how our day went, the people we met, the things that made us laugh, keep us going. Sealing our nights in prayer is always, always, the sweetest thing in this world that I will never ever trade for anything, not a million dollar.

Yes, no matter how hard the day is, I can't last it without him. He's always enough for me. Always.

It's his Birthday Today!!!

And look, we're messing around in Skype:

And he misses me: :)

One Sunday at the Airport

At NAIA Terminal 2 one November day; 11:00 AM

Sipping coffee at Ka Kun Kaya, waiting for my 12:05 PM flight, surfing the net and perusing your flight itinerary with a sheepish smile on my face. Yay! You are really going home! Why did my heart skip a beat on that? I guess, I'm excited and anxious. Yes. Excited and anxious to see what lies before us upon your homecoming.

*Hush. Be still my heart.

Bagay Tayo Bagay

This is how it all started officially. Well, it has started that one night in October when he met me for a dinner (you can call that a date). You may not want to read this, this is so mushy it’ll kill you. Don’t say you weren’t warned. :D

.  .  .

HIM: Me nabasa ako, sabi Nya, Hindi tayo Tao, hindi hayop. Bagay tayo bagay.
ME: Joke ba yan?
HIM: Oo, joke sya
ME: super slow ako ngayon.... sorry... di ko magets...
ME: sirit..
HIM: ano ba! Yun na nga e, bagay tayo as in bagay
HIM: I mean, gets?
HIM: Hahaha
HIM: Actually, parang Hindi kape kelangan mo, tulog
ME: WaaAaaaah... oo... sobra.. incoherent na ako...

LATER

ME: hay naku nagets ko na ung joke mo!!!
HIM: Hahahaha
ME: You think so???
HIM: Hahahaha
HIM: What do you say?

PAUSE

ME: Lam mo minsan, mas malabo ka pa sa mata ko.
HIM: Hahaha, okay.
HIM: To answer your question. I do. And I do hope that you and the Lord have the same opinion. Though I'm not going to rush my case. Pero nandito lang ako.

LONG PAUSE

ME: Sleepless and speechless...
HIM: hahaha, never mind it now. Im stupid, I know.
HIM: Wow. Irish debt crisis
ME: Don't you dare change topic..
ME: you've confused me enough already.
HIM: I think so. I think I may have to call you. Let me know if your free to talk.
ME: I’m going home na (5:30 PM)
ME: let's talk. 11:00 PM. will catch some sleep first.

.  .  .

11:00 PM. Phone ringing. Oh gosh.

“Hi...”

You were saying, “So Lai... I’m now crossing the line...”

Holding my cellphone tight, I managed to keep my heart from jumping out of my skin. I still couldn’t believe I was hearing these words from you.


The rest folks is history. :)

Remembering Singapore

A good friend of mine working in Singapore has sent me these photos in the last few days via his iPhone3! I swear I'm going to get that phone when finances allow (unfortunately not so soon). On why he is sending me random photos, I'm not particularly sure. It's going to be a long story altogether if I tell you the timeline of events leading to this and you might form your hypothesis and conclusion on the matter before I can even form my own. I'm touched for the thoughts and the effort to capture then send me the images more than the photos themselves. (*_*)

I've been to Singapore twice in 2008. I've seen the glorious Fullerton and the grandiose Esplanade. These photos make me want to visit SG for the third time. I'm sure there will be A LOT of changes. Wonderful changes. *Wink.

Back of Fullerton

Esplanade Park Part 1

Esplanade Park Part 2

View from 57th floor of UOB Tower (his client's office)