Good and Bad

So many  bad things happened to my family back home this year.  My Mom's house got   destroyed by a typhoon, one of  my sisters was diagnosed with Myoma (tumor), and many other things that  left me so stressed out for the past  months.  That's one advantage of being away from your family.  It is also hard because I don't have a permanent job here so financial support has been so hard  for us.  Although we really tried our best to help out, it still  ain't enough.  My sister has also been feeling so low lately because she didn't pass the teachers board but I told her to try again  next year.

She has been sending out applications and resume but since job  opportunities in the Philippines is so scarce, she find it hard to land a job.  Through the help of a good friend, she  had the opportunity to work as a substitute for  just two weeks, which is really god.  I told her that it's good  to have it at  this time of the year so she'll have something to spend for the holidays.    I hope and wish that she can find a job after this one.

 She will be going to Manila on Christmas break because she got a call for an interview.  Good luck Nhe!

How age Affects your Chances of Getting Pregnant

I was already in my 30-ish when I got  hitched so I thought getting pregnant would be so much harder.  I feel the fear when  after over a year of trying, hubby and I are still trying without luck.  But I think that a lot of  it was the fact that we were living so far away and I was stressed out and anxious.  He would just come to my country  to visit and stay  a week or two.  Thanks God that I got pregnant after  a year and  several months of trying.

We all know that age and fertility are important factors in getting pregnant. Women are at the peak of fertility in their early twenties and as they grow older their fertility begins to slowly decrease from there, according to www.pregnancytips.org. Women in their twenties are ready for pregnancy, and probably will be for a while if you decide to wait to start your family. That said, pregnancy at any age has advantages and disadvantages. 

At age 40 and above women have reduced fertility potential as compared to that seen in younger women. However, this does not automatically mean that it is impossible to get pregnant when you are older. Pregnancytips has shared the effective ways and tips on what to do if you are trying to get pregnant later in life. If you plan to get pregnant at the age of 30-45, there are many techniques that you can try to get pregnant with the help of your doctor.

New Career Path

While waiting for  the  result of the  licensure exam for teachers, my sister  is at home with my Mom for now.  I am sure that she is anxious of how the result  will turn out bu-t I pray and hoping for the best for her.  She said that she submitted  some applications  for jobs but she hasn't received any call back yet.  Below are photos of her and her friend, Issa.

Now that  she is done with college, I think she is beginning to get worried.  Reality is setting in that she has to find a job because my obligation in sending her to school is over.  I hope that the future will be  good for her.

Happy Birthday Mae!

The day after my birthday, my youngest sister  celebrates hers too, so happy birthday  Nene.  She was only a kid when I left  the Philippines but now she is a fully grown woman.  I hope that God will continue to bless you with  good health especially  that you are  so sickly lately.  I wish you good luck in taking your licesure exam in August.  We love you!

Summer Break in the Province

During school break,  all my nieces and nephews who were living in Manila came home in the province to  visit my Mom.  How I wish, we could have been there to visit with them.  I miss them terribly.  They are growing up so fast.  My sisters Lyn and Rosel's  kids with my youngest sister Mae.  

Glad to see the progress of the road construction in  the remote are where my Mom lives.  When I left the Philippines, we could only travel by boat from our place to the town of Donsol but now, you can travel by land already.  Unfortunately, traveling by land is what cost my oldest brother's life.  So it's a bitter-sweet  thing.  

I miss the ocean, I miss the g=fresh fish and other  seafood, and I miss my family.  Oh boy, hormone is kicking in lol so I better stop before I end up in tears.  

Graduation, Gratitude, and More

It feels so good to have graduated from College.  I know that this is not the end  but just the beginning of hopefully, accomplishing my goals.  This journey would have never realized if my love ones aren't there for me.  So my gratitude goes to the following:

• First and foremost, I thank God for giving me the strength and perseverance in  accomplishing my first goal.  I  faced bumps and difficulties along the way but YOU always led me the right way.
• To my ever supportive Ate and Kuya John, words are not enough to express how thankful I am  with you guys for doing your best to help me out financially and emotionally, I wish that you could have witnessed the product of your hard labor and sacrifices in sending me to school.  I know that I should have  communicated  with you often but glad you perfectly understand my situation.
• To my mother who  is always there to remind me from right and wrong and to make sure that I am okay, thank you Ma and I love you very much.  I take every advice you give me  to heart.
• To my siblings who  are so proud of what I have accomplished.
• To my boyfriend fr the love, support, and understanding.
• To my very close friend Thel for  being there like a sister for me.
• To my landlady, Ate Eden for  keeping me under your roof and treating me like your own family.

We had our graduation rites on April 12.  I had a mixed feelings because I miss my sister but glad that my mother and boyfriend was there with me on that bog day.  Here are pictures, be warned, I have lots of it for my sister's family to see.

Preparing for the Baccalaureate Mass

Baccalaureate Mass at Divine Word College Gymnasium.

Before going to the graduation venue.  Photo opp with  Mama and BF.

Graduation Rites:

After the Commencement Exercise.

After graduation:

Glad to have finally overcome those four grueling years of sweat and tears.  Now comes the hard part,  reviewing  for my LET exam this July.  We have two months to review for this big test.  I hope that I could pass.  Wish me luck.  Okay, this is it for now.  I will be going home for the Holy week and come back here  next week to  enroll for my review and hopefully find a summer job.  Thanks again Ate and Kuya for sponsoring once again this  next journey. 

Communication is a MUST!

I mentioned in my blog that March wasn't a good month for me. Lots of not-so-good events happened last month with me and my family back home.  I was just got done  paying for all my youngest sister's tuition, graduation fees, and other   miscellaneous expenses so my budget was totally drained.  Then  a week after that, a friend of mine texted me and said that my sister was in the hospital and in need of money.  I was dismayed because it isn't easy to just get that kind of amount  considering that I just spent the last amount I have allocated for her.  But what can you do, we are the only one they can depend on  on emergencies.  I am sacrificing our budget for this month  just so I could send money back home to pay for her hospital bill.  I still have to save for her review, sigh.  

Hubby and I are willing to help my family back home the best we can. All I want in return is a constant communication from my sister but she isn't good with that part which sometimes irritates me. I understand that she was busy but just ten minutes of her time allocated to chat with me would mean a lot. If she have time for a boyfriend, she would certainly have time to talk to me for ten minutes. I wanted to give her a party for her graduation but due to lack of communication, I did not. Besides I still have to pay for her review before she can take the LET exam so that is more important than a party.  She understand  the situation and she doesn't mind.  She finally talked to me after I told her what I felt.  

Mae, I hope that you would exercise the sense of responsibility.  Communicating with me and honesty is all I ask.

Back Home before Graduation

Hello everybody, it has been a while since my last post here. You might have read in my sister's blog that I was hospitalized. It was a horrible experience. I felt so bad that my sister and my brother-in-law has to endure a great amount of expense for my hospitalization but I am grateful that they are always there for me and my family. Thank you so much Ate and Kuya John!

I came home after  finishing all my requirements for my graduation.  I am still weak  and needs to recuperate so I decided to  be with my Mom.  Here's a picture of one of my nephew, isn't he cute?

The easy part will be over soon.  After  graduation, comes the hard part, facing the real world of job hunting. Ate and Kuya John offered to pay for my review (again, I can't thank you enough) so I will have to do my best to learn what I need to pass the LET, wish me luck. I will be back in Legazpi on the 10th of April as my graduation is on the 12th. Again, thank you all for visiting.

High School Graduation

I chatted with my eldest niece a few week ago and I can feel her pain not having their Dad to guide them anymore. She is in Manila with some of her relatives to continue her High School. When my brother (her Dad) died, I introduced her to the family helped me during my high school and she lived there until her Junior years but something happened and she chose to leave which I was sad but it was her choice.

She is now graduating in high school and she  is sad that my brother won't be there to witness her milestone anymore.  I feel so badly for my three nieces as they lost their Dad  at young ages.  My brother could have been 43 years old this month but due to a  horrible motorcycle accident, he died 5 years ago.

She find it hard to understand her Moms current relationship situation.  I told her that her Mom is young  and  that she  is looking for a company that could help her raise the kids.  

Looking at these photos  makes me miss them even more.  Glad there's facebook, it somehow lifts my spirit when I look at the photos of my family back home.  

Congratulations to you Bhim, please  know that we love you and we are very proud of you!

Seniors Night

March is the busiest month for graduating students. There are projects and events left and right as graduation day approaches. I rarely talk to my youngest sister anymore as she is so busy with her practice teaching. Luckily, I have a very good friend whom I trust and she always update me with what's going on with my sister.  I sent her the money that she needs for tuition and other  fees that involves in the graduation process.  I took a chunk from our budget this month and glad that hubby is always willing to support my sister.  We have been financing her education since  her freshman years and it's a great feeling to know that she  made it all the way to senior year.

I grabbed these photos from her friend Isabelle's page in Facebook when they  had their Senior's Night on March 7th at La Pizza Hotel and Convention Center.  My sister is  the one in blue dress.

I wish that I could go home to witness her graduation but I can't afford it.  My husband wants me to go but I  don't want to go alone, I want them to go with me.  Right now, it is not possible for us to leave since my children's school  is not over yet until May.  I told my sister that we might come home next year.  Living so far away from your family is so hard sometimes.  I feel so homesick right now. 

Out of Comfort Zone

I am glad to see that my sister has totally came out of her shell, out of her comfort zone.  She used to be so shy and timid but now, looking at her pictures, I can tell that she  has grown and has changed a bit  since the last time I've seen her.  She is on her last league of her  education degree and I wish her all the best.

Being a teacher was my dream as a kid but when I finally went to College, I changed my mind because  back then, Commerce was the "in-demand" course.

She was hesitant to  get the scholarship that the school was offering  because she was not comfortable with Education course but I told her that in order for us to  help her  in going to school, she has to do her part as well.  I am glad that she accepted the challenge, I think that she can make a good teacher in the future.  Keep it up Nene,  we have high hopes for you! Every cent we spent for you is all worth it.