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.  

Hugs

My nieces, Lynn's daughters. I miss them so much.

Hugs can do great amounts of good - especially for children. 

Princess Diana

I agree with Princess Diana, hugs can be  powerful and comforting.  You can feel the love even without hearing the words.  According to Virginia Satir:

We need 4 hugs a day for survival. 

We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. 

We need 12 hugs a day for growth.

Five wedding photography ideas you must try

Your wedding is certainly going to be one of the most important days in your life. With many things to consider, photography is going to be high up on the to-do list. Wedding photography has grown as an industry, with more and more techniques and styles to choose from. Here are some ideas that you should consider when thinking about who to go for and what to go for.

Which style to choose?

With so many different wedding photographers their skills and method of photography can differ. The four main styles of photography are reportage, traditional, contemporary and artistic. The most popular approach for modern brides is the reportage approach, which offers a more of a storybook album once completed.

It is good to research the different styles out there, too find which is more suited to your tastes. Look at different wedding photographers portfolios and try and tell the difference between the styles. Once you have a better understanding out what is out there, then you can start deciding on your style.

Package ideas

Do you want your parents to have their own photo album of the big day? Some people do, but it is not the usual package people choose. Having a specially made wedding album sent to the parents of the bride and groom is certainly going to bring a smile to their faces. Being able to see the big day with high quality photography’s that illustrate just how big and important the day was to the couple, family and friends.

Background and venue features

When you hire a venue for your wedding, you do so because you fall in love with the place. So why not make the most of what’s on offer. If there is a huge garden out back then make the most of it. Ask the photographer to take pictures of the couple kissing with a backdrop of trees, birds and flowers. This is certainly going to look good on the wedding album and adds another dimension to the old usual kissing outside of a church.

Even inside of a venue will offer some spots with a good photo opportunity. Many big venues have staircases that go on for miles, a picture of the bride and groom walking down the stairs makes for another good photo opportunity. By using what is available in the venue, you can certainly add some character to the wedding photography and ensure that your day is one to remember.

Emotions of the day

A wedding is an emotional day for everybody that is in attendance. There is going to be family members who are crying with tears of joy and others that don’t usually crack a smile! By asking the wedding photographer to focus on certain family and friends you can be certain that no smile and no tear will be missed. When the time comes to look back at the pictures, memories of how important and happy the day was will come flooding back to you.

Theme of the wedding

Themes can add fun and a more relaxed feel to a wedding, which in turn helps the photographer find the images they are looking for. A themed wedding is something that is unique and special to you, and so capturing this in the best possible way is important both to the couple and the photographer.

A themed wedding also gives you something to look back on time and time again with a wedding album. Allowing you to see every detail in the style you had chosen. A wedding photographer can offer so much to a wedding that it is often considered as an important choice when planning a wedding. 

Michael Smith is a keen wedding photographer from High Wycombe has helped many people in the area with their weddings.