so long, Joms

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You wake up one day thinking that everything is still as it is. Never knowing that sometime later you’ll know that you are one friend less.

A friend asks if you’ve heard the news. You reply eagerly, thinking that it’s just news of another friend moving to another country for work. Or two friends getting together. Never expecting the news is of a friend leaving everyone behind.

You go about the rest of the day, thinking of all the times you’ve been together, all the laughter he brought, how loyal a friend he has been, how good he made everyone feel, all the bear hugs he gave you, all the “bottoms up, Ate Marj!”. Knowing that all of those, you won’t have again, in the future.

Know Joms that you are much loved. That all of us are really really sad to not to hear you laugh again nor make another person laugh again. That you would be sorely missed. That it would take us quite some time to really accept that we won’t see you again.

Too soon. Too early.

Rest in peace, dear Joms.

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baby diaries: your morning smile

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I love it baby that the first thing you do when you open your eyes in the morning is to tilt your head a bit to look me in the eye and then give me a big, sweet smile.

I am blessed enough already that you sleep through the night when you were yet six weeks old. I am blessed enough already that it’s very rare for you to wake up in the morning crying. But to have you wake up in a good mood, looking for me and bestowing upon me that very angelic smile, God indeed is very good.

Love you, Moirraine anak. Grow up well, my pretty.

Christmas 2012

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Where there’s queso de bola, hamon and/or lechon among other handa for Philippine Christmas, there’s fried chicken and Christmas cake for us in Japan.

So cute isn’t it? Santa is edible by the way. 🙂

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Baby is eyeing the cake, looking as if she wants a piece for herself.

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A Merry Christmas to one and all from our little reindeer who’s having her tummy time in this photo.

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precious moments

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Moirraine is getting social by the day. She already looks at people when they look at her, rather than sleeping like she used to. But it’s still a very rare chance for her to smile at people other than at me, her dad and her aunt who lives with us.

The first time she did smile at a “stranger” was with Maj, her Ninang. But it took two meetings before Moirraine smiled at Maj. Albeit when she did smile, she made me so happy with her milestone my smile was ear to ear myself.

But earlier today, Moirraine’s second smile at a “stranger” was to somebody whom she only got to see closely that very first time: her great-grandmother. What a joy it was.

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Precious moment indeed. Merry Christmas everyone! 🙂

realisations

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Realised again how Hubs (and his family) had been very supportive to me. Not only did he support me with (and respected) my decisions, but he also never forced me to do anything that I didn’t want to do nor forced me to do something that I wasn’t ready yet. True that my being spoiled is putting me in tight spots nowadays because I still can’t speak Nihongo. But the fault lies with me, I had been very lax and had been very dependent. So dependent that I still ask Hubs when to put out which garbage because our guide table is in Japanese. Hence as an act of being independent, when we went to the ward office earlier for day care application, I also asked for an English copy of the garbage collection schedule (see how DETAILED the segregation is!!).

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I know this is just a very simple act. But I can’t tell you enough how liberating it is to be in control even when it’s just as simple as knowing the detailed segregation of garbage and when to throw it out.

I have to step up. Have to speed things up. Have to make things a little easier for Hubs.

My daughter would hopefully be starting day care by middle of next year and I know things will be more difficult for me/us simply because I can’t speak the language. I can’t be lax anymore. True it’s kind of a tall order, wanting to be able to speak the language by next year. But I have to.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me – Philippians 4:13