Mothers I adore

Lhai Recalde Taylan. I've always said that if I become half the mother and woman my mum is then I'd consider myself successful. But from where I stand now I realise that if I do just that, I'd end up disappointing her. I realised that a mother would always want her children to go way beyond her achievements and to dream bigger than her dreams. So Ma, I will follow your path, but I promise to go way beyond you've ever dreamed of. :) Thank you for being my inspiration. Thank you for being the strongest, smartest, funniest, coolest, most beautiful, most supportive and most understanding mother anyone could ever have. (Anyone who truly knows my mum will definitely agree with me.) I would like to believe I've inherited your one-of-a-kind strength and for that, thank you. :) I love you very much. ♥

Michelle Taylan Suarez. My Ate has always been a mother-figure even before she had Kylie. She stood as a second mother to me, Shobe and EJ in more ways than she could ever imagine. As a sister she's strict, protective, generous and caring. As a mother she's even better! :) Kylie is one lucky angel for having ate as her mother. Ate is luckier for being her mother. ;) I love you, Ate Mich! :D


Vanessa Abainza Arinsol. We were a few weeks away from graduating from college when my best friend learnt she was carrying Enzo, but unlike other girls our age, she didn't cower. She stood taller than ever as if saying, "bring it on!" Nhe is a fighter. She's independent and carefree and not sweet! :-P But I'm sure as hell she's the sweetest mother to Enzo! :) And I love her much!


Khristine Machuca Esguerra. My good friend from college, Chickie, is a girl blessed with the power of being motherly in nature. Even back in college, there's something in her that made me believe she'd make a good mother. I'm sure the cutie Bettina will agree with me! ;)


Denden Recalde Chua. My Tita Den is someone I really admire. She's superbly loving and caring to Ishee and Boyboy and despite some problems she's encountered, she remains strong for her children. She will do anything and everything for them. It takes a great deal of strength and love to keep a family together and my Tita Den is such a strong woman (I think it runs in our blood!) She's one ideal "Naynay" and she is one of my inspirations. :)


Connie Marie Arinque. Truth is, Connie isn't a mum yet but she belongs to the "Mothers I adore" list simply because she's got all the attributes that make a good mother. :) She's patient, supportive, caring, loving, selfless, thrifty and smart. Our teenage students love her, which one way or another, reflects how her future children will look up to her. ;) She claimed on her mother's-day-card for me that I actually stand as a mother to her. The thing is, she stands like a mother to me, too! She helps me go to places I haven't been to and teaches me things I've never heard of before. She inspires me to work harder because she is such a good teacher, I feel ashamed to be any less. I haven't told you Mads, but you've been nothing but a positive influence on me. And for that I am really grateful. :) I love you!

Other mothers I truly love and look up to:

Agnes Recalde Valmores & Kathryn Valmores Aguilar. Mama Ness and Ate Kath are mothers I adore because they are beautiful and strong (as I said, it runs in our blood! :P).

Katherine Bacosa. I know of many women who got pregnant at such an early age and right after giving birth, forgot about their kids. Kath is the exact opposite. She's living a beautiful life in a different country yet she's never forgotten about her son here in the Philippines. This made me respect and love her more. :)

Nina Recalde Garcia. Because I know she'll move heaven and hell for Dhona and Dhonell! :) I admire Tita Nina because she's strong, selfless and beautiful.

Baybee Recalde Collao. Because despite and in spite of, her love for life and her kids has remained as steadfast as ever. Some of life's beautiful and bitter lessons I've learned from my Tita Baybee.

the super SUPER MUM!

xoxo

birthdays birthdays!

YESTERDAY:

Happy 25th Macix! (in this photo: Mac's girlfriend, Vea)


TODAY:

Happy 50th GILL! :P (in this photo: sillyyeng, Ivor & HV)

DISCLAIMER: I don't have solo photos of them.

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I am very very lucky to have both Mac and Gill in my life.

Mac is someone I couldn't imagine to be with (again) but at the same time, couldn't imagine to live without. He's just always there. ALWAYS. Despite and in spite of. He's like my Pau sans the romance. And like he always say, our friendship is one of the few things we know would last forever. :)

Gill is my EXACT opposite yet I feel at ease with her. She tries and teach me how to be a MODEL employee, and I try and teach her how to break the rules. :P I win most of the time! Haha. Once I heard someone say "work mates aren't friends; they're just colleagues." Gill can put that person to shame. ;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUYS! *hugs*

xoxo

HV

Happy "37th" birthday HV!

HAHAHA.

*hugs*

You know I don't like HR people very much, but you're my favourite HR person! :P Well, I guess you are EVERYONE's favourite! Mygod your line is always busy and you always have 'someone' at your post!

I love you HV. And again okay... EVERYONE LOVES YOU! EVERYONE LOVES CLARISSA! :P Haha.

my main man

Because I do not have the right words to say...

how blessed I am to have you

how thankful I am for this day

how wonderful life is with you

and how amazing that love grows despite and in spite of.

Here you go:

God knows how many times I've ran away from you. But you silently wait in one corner (because you're just that freakin patient when it comes to me!), knowing I'd be back. It's hard to breathe without your air.

Happy happy birthday to my happy pill! :)

xoxo

my other big little bub!

Mummy "Dishia" loves you soooo much! :)

xoxo

2 days late

Photos of our uber cozy workplace:

Before our move to hell, Gill and I have uber big work spaces! Like really. And now, we're very very close. I love Gill alright but we all know that relationships always need "space" hahaha.

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Meet Mitzel. Well, call him Ivor 'cause he likes that nick better. :P He's our new Markets Officer. He can do Australian accent which never fails to make me laugh every time he uses it. Haha. That photo was taken 2 days ago when we're the only ones left in Markets! PARTY WOOHOO! ;)

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Happy birthday Bong! :)

L-R: Aljo, Mike (yeah that's Starstruck's Mike Tan. he's actually really nice and plays too much WoW too :P), the invisible Yeng (the empty seat was mine), Pau, Mcnaire, Lyndon, Fonz, Bing, Oli, the birthday boy Bong, Iñaki (more like his hand, really), Chard (more like Chard's hair :P), Nikki, Vea, Mac, Markus and Martin

*Burgoo, Tomas Morato*

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I skipped work today because I have enormous tummy ache since last night. NO I AM NOT PREGNANT GILL. :P It's called ulcer. Bleah.

Time to play WoW! YAY! Haha.

xoxo

I love you

Exactly 1 year ago today I had you.

And from that day on, I had never let you go.

I never believed in love at first sight.

Until this day:

See, I have never really considered my self a "good" person. But now I know I did something VERY OUTSTANDINGLY right some time in my life. I should have. Because I was blessed with you.

You are the GRANDEST blessing I ever EVER received.

Happy 1st birthday Giann. :)

Thank you for the past 12 months filled with anticipation, anxiety, stress, patience, bliss, love and lessons.

Thank you for completing me.

Love,
mum

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Good night all! :)

xoxo

tan-an-an-an-an

I just got home from watching The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger was goddamn amazing!

The premiere was like a firm-wide event! Our CEO, CFO and Consultant were there. Also some associates. It wasn't that much of a "high society" thingy like Gill was afraid of. :P It felt so much more like... the office. Hahaha.

BUT. Pol came so we're happy! Plus we got to meet his wife. And Phil! And. NEVER MIND. :P

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I spent half of the day calling/e-mailing (more like harassing, really) people from Sydney. I still didn't get what I need though. :-( I would've had a better chance if they were from Melbourne! But yeah. Maybe not.

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This is an hour and ten minutes late: Happy happy birthday to the guy who calls me Princess(ting!) (and even published it on school paper!). He calls me Nefertiti too! :P Happy birthday JB! :) *hugs* I would've posted a photo of him but they're all in Manila so next time.

Alrighty good night. I need to wake up in 5 hours. And Giann will wake me in 3, without a doubt. :P

xoxo

my other other half :)

We finish each other's sentences.

We get each other's drift despite our uber DIFFERENCES.

We don't always agree with the other's decision yet we support each other all the way.

Our Literature professor in college thought we have a special relationship! HAHAHA.

We can live with only coffee, cheesecake, each other and Enzo and Giann for the rest of our lives. :P

We could've married each other if one of us was really born a guy. LOL.

Then again, I'm uber glad you're my best friend. :) It's more than enough.

I love you Baneneng!

Happy 24th birthday!

YOU'RE OLD OMG! :P

*hugs*

My Marvelous Men

"It is much easier to become a father than to be one."

I love you Daddy Dan! For the nth time: You are the BEST father. :)

I love you PauPau! (a.k.a. Macho Man! :P)

I love you Kuya Kim!

I love you Kuya Marvs!

I love you Kuya Pat, Kuya Billy, Tito Tats, Tito Lot, Tito Jhun, Tito Nonoy, Kuya Boy, Tito Diko, Papa Dick, and Papa Mock!

Super Ate Mich

Happy happy 26th birthday Ate! ♥

I love you.

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Happy 24th Winnie! ;)

xoxo

the greatest

If I can be half the woman you are then I will consider myself successful.

Happy 46th birthday Mummy Lhai! ♥

I love you.

We love you.

for yesterday

Happy happy 24th birthday Ingolok!!! :D

Love,
your fellow nguyamyams! :P

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You're NOT a mother. (unfortunately for you)

You're not living MY life.

You will NEVER ever come close. 'Nuff said.

You have NO idea.

So SHUT THE FUCK UP.

thankyouverymuch. :)

Unless you're someone I love and care about, your thoughts don't count. So don't bother. Save yourself the stress. Nobody wants to hear idiot. :)

happy/sad

Tomorrow I am beginning a new life yet again. I will be part of the corporate world after missing it for more than a year. My heart hasn't been fully convinced that it is the right thing to do. I only have one reason: Giann. I know that starting tomorrow, I will miss most parts of his infancy. I will leave the house while he's sleeping and go home when he's already asleep. That routine for 5 straight days of the week. That thought alone makes me cry. I will miss giving Giann a bath and his giggles when I pour lukewarm water on his body. I will miss sleeping with him on my chest at noon. I am not very much comfortable with the fact that I will leave him to the maid. That even if it's the same maid that raised his father. Because I want to be the one who's there for him, not someone who's paid to do so. And because, Pau and Giann, although they are father-son are two different people. Very different to some extent, actually. So yeah.

I've always believed I am not made for house work. Therefore I cannot be a house wife. I don't know how I can reconcile that with the fact that I just want to stay at home for Giann. Only until after his formative stage. Then of course I want to be productive as a person. :)

But I am given this opportunity now, and I don't want to pass on it anymore. I want to raise Giann alright. And I realised that raising him also means providing for his needs, financially speaking. Of course there's Pau's mum and my ever loving and supportive parents but Giann is MY son, not theirs. Over and above anyone, he is MY responsibility. And as I've said before, one thing having Giann taught me is how to be responsible and mature.

I know Giann will be fine. I'm sure he'd be a good boy even without me to look after him most of the time. One thing that gives me hope is Mama and how she's always been a working mum but has never been less of a mother for us. If she's done (and still doing it) for more than 25 years, I know I can too. After all, she raised me. I'd like to believe I've been endowed with her strength if only a little. :P Also, I choose to believe that dad is right when he said, "mas maalagaan mo si Giann kapag may work ka na." It doesn't make perfect sense. But it does make sense. :)

I am still worried that's the truth. And I am fighting back tears as I write this. But I am mother and I am strong. :) Giann will be fine. And I know I will be too. :)

P.S. I cannot deny that I am kind of excited to work again though.

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Happy happy birthday to my most favourite and loved cousin, Kuya Kim! :)

I love you!

xoxo

Macikoy

Mum and Ate married their first loves. I didn't. But he'd always have a place in my heart. :)

I'd always be proud to talk about him (and his pagiging pasaway! haha!) and how he helped me be the strong, smart woman that I am today. *cough*

God knows how thankful I am for you, Macix! And wow, someone's getting old! :P

Us. 7 years ago. Wow.

Us. 4 years ago.

Us. A year ago, doing a re-enactment of My Bestfriend's Wedding :P

Happy happy birthday Panget! ;)

xoxo

25

Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Dubery for bringing an amazingly wonderful man into this world exactly 25 years ago today.

Happy birthday Charles! :)

P.S. Yep no photo of him to go with the greeting. That's the way it is. ;)

xoxo

L♥ve

So I know it's already the 15th but I can't be bothered earlier! And after all, it's the thought that counts! :P

Happy love's day everyone! :)

xoxo

breaking up is hard to do!

Happy 1st anniversary!

Happy/overwhelming/sad/tiring/life-altering/depressing/worthy 1st wedding anniversary!

The past year is definitely not perfect. And somehow along the way it stopped being happy. But we'll get there. We promised that. And one thing this relationship has taught me is that sometimes people break promises, but that doesn't mean they can't make up for it, doesn't make the promise less true, or far. People make mistakes. But people learn. And when you really want to make things work out with someone, you'd always find a way to forgive and accept them. Because that's what love is. Whether people call that stupid or crazy.

I know we'll get there. We will make us get there. Giann will help us along the way. :)

Thank you for loving me, despite and in spite of. For being patient and understanding. I know I'm hardest to deal with. But you've stuck with me for 10 long years! Unbelievable! :P

Happy anniversary Paulo! I love you.

xoxo

P.S. I'm sorry.

la-la-looove!

I am a sucker for love stories. That's a well-known fact. I especially love those that end with "happily ever after." Well, actually, I most love those that don't end at all. ;) But one particular love story I won't get tired of listening to over and over is my parents'. After all, it is that story that brought me here! :P

And today we celebrate the 26th year of that love story! WOOHOO! ;)

Happy 26th wedding anniversary to my heroes! :)

For love, laughter and happy ever after! *cheerios*

NOTE: The world will be a much better place if we have lots of Dans and Lhais, really. ;)