Saturday, December 29, 2007

Opening Of Christmas Gifts

We opened our Christmas presents after lunch on Christmas day. We waited on Shelly, Robert and Josh before we opened the gifts. The boys of Steven came in the evening with their mom. The kids got lots of presents of course. They got a lot of toys from their aunts and uncles. Hubby and I didn’t give toys. Instead we gave clothes. Wayne in Iowa had sent all the kids Christmas presents. The boys got remote cars from him. They were all happy with their gifts. Kids here in the US are so lucky. They have a lot of toys and clothes on Christmas. I remember the poor kids in the Philippines. They don’t have what the kids have here. Maybe just a simple toy, a new shirt or chocolates will make them happy. I really miss Christmas celebration in the Philippines. We eat the foods that we prepared on Christmas eve. It’s happier there, we go to our neighbors’ house and eat. Karaoke/videoke singing is all over the place. In our house, we had a videoke and my brothers, friends and brother-in-law sing songs with all their heart. I used to sing too though my voice is not that good. Oh well, those were the days.


Friday, December 28, 2007

Christmas Celebration

Hubby and I celebrated Christmas in Alvarado with his kids and grandkids. That was my 5th Christmas here in the US. How time flies! Stacy and Sherry cooked lots of delicious foods like baked ham, stuffing, deviled eggs, mashed potatoes, green pea salad, pistacchio pudding, banana pudding, sweet potato casserole, pecan pies, green bean casserole, dinner rolls and of course I cooked pancit. We went to Alvarado last Sunday afternoon and just got back yesterday. We spent 4 days there. We’re so glad to see everybody especially the little kids of Stacy, L.A. and Consuelo.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

My Niece

My niece Shaira Faith whom I blogged a few days ago is now 2 months old. My sister Violy had e-mailed me some of her photos. She has really grown. I talked to my brother this morning and he told me that his baby is their delight. She responded to them when they talk to her by smiling. A week from now they gonna dedicate her to the Lord.

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Friday, December 21, 2007

My Christmas Presents

Hubby and I went to the mall after lunch today. He bought me my Christmas presents which I have been requesting from him. I wanted to have a siver necklace with matching earrings. He also bought me a silver wrist watch and a necklace with swarovski crystal pendant. They are not that expensive because they’re on sale. It’s Christmas time and sale are everywhere so we really had a big discount. I’ve been asking him to replace my jewelries which were stolen early this year. We didn’t have a budget for a diamond ring to replace my diamond ring which was also stolen. But anyways, I love my new jewelries though they’re only silver and not gold especially it was given to me by my dearest hubby.

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Christmas Gifts For Us

When my hubby and I got home from the mall yesterday afternoon, there was a voice message on the phone from a lady in the post office saying that there’s an express mail for him that just arrived. He decided to go and get the mail and when he got home he opened it and it was from Wayne, his son in Iowa. He sent us a $100 check as his Christmas gift to us. Hubby and I were so delighted of course. It’s really a blessing from the Lord. Just a couple of days ago, my youngest step-daughter Sherry deposited $100 in our bank account in Alvarado to pay our way in going there. We’re so thankful for the blessings we received. We’re planning to go to Alvarado on Sunday to spend Christmas with the kids and grandkids. Merry Christmas to everybody!!! Happy birthday Jesus, you’re the reason for the Christmas season.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Lunch With My Hubby’s Co-Workers

My hubby had invited me the other day to attend the Christmas lunch for the teachers and staff in the school where he works. It was my first time to go to his workplace and meet his co-workers. They were all so nice and I ate lunch with them. I got to see Mary and Cathy finally. Mary and I had been sending e-mails to each other and I talked to Cathy on the phone twice. They told me how they love my lumpia and they said they can eat a bunch of them. It just made me smile. I’ve seen the kids gave high five to my hubby. The kids were so cute. Hubby had been receiving gift cards from the kids in the school as Christmas gift. Some gave my hubby shower gel, granola and candy bars. My hubby said that the school where he works now is the best place he’s ever worked in his life. All his co-workers are so nice and friendly and also the kids in that school are so cute. My hubby loves kids and he enjoyed working around them everyday.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Christmas Gifts

Last Sunday afternoon, our friends Jeff and Mary Ann dropped by in our house just to give their Christmas gifts to us. It was so sweet of them to think of us. I didn’t even buy a gift for them. Mary Ann said it’s okay, anyways she said she’s working and I don’t. She broke the good news to me that she’s preggy now. She’s been praying to God to give them a baby and it’s an answered prayer. Ann said her hubby is so happy. I told them that’s the best Christmas gift ever. I told Jeff to take care of Mary Ann and their baby. We took some photos before they left left.
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Revival

Our revival in our church started last Sunday. Our guest speaker Bro. Dave McCracken is a very good evangelist. Last Sunday morning, he preached about repentance. He said that you can’t be saved without repentance from your sins. He also said that repentance and faith are like siamese twins. You repent from your sins because you believe that God will save you if you do. Bro. Dave knows how to catch the audience attention. He told stories that relates to the verses that he read. He also crack jokes that made us laugh. Tonight he will preach again. Our revival will last until Wednesday. It’s our prayer that after the revival, all of us will be revived and our faith will be strengthen.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Celebration At Golden Corral

Our friends Pastor Yanie and Sis Modie treated us for lunch at Golden Corral buffet restaurant yesterday. It was their 28th wedding anniversary and we celebrated it there. They spent the night with us last Friday and they went back to Bowie yesterday afternoon. It was so cold and windy yesterday so we had to wear layered clothes and thick coats. While we were at the restaurant, we keep taking photos as souvenir of that special occasion in our friends’ married life. They will be flying to Los Angeles, California on Tuesday and after three weeks they gonna fly back to the Philippines. They’ve been here in Texas for one and a half year to attend the Bible Translation class. They’re so excited to go back and see their kids and their church members.

Anyways, we had a good meal yesterday. I got to eat again my favorites meatloaf, chicken fried steak, grilled chicken and corn on the cob. I wish I can eat more but my belly get full easily. My mouth wanted to eat more but my belly said "stop, no more place". But I managed to eat a small slice of carrot cake and a cookie for my dessert. At night I didn’t really eat because I was still full. Thanks to Pastor Yanie and Sis Modie for a delicious meal. We will miss you guys. Have a safe trip.

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Saturday, December 15, 2007

Dinner at Cici’s Pizza

Yesterday, our Filipino friends Pastor Yanie and his wife Sis Modie came up here and visited us. Hubby and I were so glad to have them here in our house and they spent the night with us. They are good Christian friends and we really enjoyed their company. They invited us to Cici’s Pizza and we met there those people from their church in Bowie. They all came up here in Wichita Falls and have a Christmas celebration at Cici’s Pizza. This is a buffet restaurant that serves different kinds of pizza pies. They also have vegetable salad. The East Side Baptist Church paid our meals and it was really a blessing. Hubby had the chance to talk to Pastor Jamie Reed, their church pastor. I was only able to eat 4 slices of different pizza flavors and I already got full. That’s the most I can eat. My hubby had eaten a lot though. He loves pizza pies. We went home very full.

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Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Studio Portrait


This photo of my hubby and I was taken in Baguio City, Philippines when we were just newly wed. We went to a portrait studio and had a picture taking. This is one of my favorite photos of ours. Hubby and I loved staying in Baguio when he was there because of the cool climate. We didn’t need AC or electric fan there. Weather is great.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

My Brother's Baby

I talked to my youngest brother on the phone the other day. He told me that they gonna dedicate to the Lord their baby girl Faith on the 29th of this month. My hubby and I will be one of the ninongs and ninangs. I just wish we are there to celebrate with them. I also talked to my other brother and he was so excited to break the good news to me. His wife is 2 months preggy and he will be soon a daddy. I’m so happy for my two brothers. They have now their own family. Both of them got married when I was already here in the US. My hubby and I were not able to attend their wedding. Now they’re having babies. Babies are blessings from the Lord. Below is the photo of baby Faith, a cute and healthy baby taken when she was 3 days old.

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Friday, December 7, 2007

Photos

Okay here are more photos of mine taken a couple of weeks ago after coming home from the church one Sunday noon. I always ask my hubby to take a photo of me after church before I change my church clothes. So here am I again striking a pose. Pasensiya na walang magawa si lola, he-he-he!


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Thursday, December 6, 2007

Cleaning Our Backyard

This afternoon after I went walking, I decided to rake the leaves in our backyard. The pecan leaves were already piled up on the ground. It was so thick and I can hardly see the pecans on the ground unless I scratch the leaves like chickens do, he-he! I also uprooted my vegetables because winter is here and it might freeze next week. So I did raked the leaves but I wasn’t able to do it all. Our backyard is wider than our front yard and there are more leaves to rake and throw away. I will have to continue again tomorrow.

Christmas Spirit

My hubby and I had taken these photos last night right after we came home from our Church Christmas Banquet. We had a good time taking pictures beside our Christmas tree. Hubby was even hugging it, he-he-he!


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Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Christmas Banquet

We had a good Christmas banquet in our church tonight. Lots and lots of foods were brought in by the church members. There were ham, turkey, green bean casserole, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a lot more that I can’t remeber. Of course there were lots of desserts, different kinds of cakes, cookies, pies, etc. I brought lumpia and as expected they were all gone not too long. The dining hall was well decorated with garlands, Christmas lights, Christmas ornaments and Christmas trees. After eating, Bro. Hugh had preached a good message. We had such a good time tonight in the church. By the way, our Pastor and his wife arrived yesterday from a week vacation. It’s good they’re back safely and we missed them.

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Sunday, November 25, 2007

Lunch at Golden Corral

It was wet and cold yesterday and today. But that doesn’t prevent me and my hubby to go to church and worship the Lord. We had a good service today as usual. Our pastor has been a real blessing and he always preach good messages. We love listening to him preach the Word of God. After our church service, hubby and I had been so hungry and we decided to dine at Golden Corral. I always like the foods there and their foods are not greasy unlike the foods in Chinese buffet restaurants.

I remember that Golden Corral was the first restaurant where I ate when I just got here in the US. We were traveling to Iowa that time and we stopped by at Golden Corral in Kansas to eat lunch. Hubby and I had tried almost all the buffet restaurants here in Wichita Falls but still Golden Corral is the one I like best. I like their meatloaf, their chicken fried steak, veggies and especially their corn in the cob. While we were in the restaurant, I filled in 2 plates with foods because I don’t want to stand up again after I ate my first plate. Hubby was surprised and asked me if I can eat all the foods that I got. He knows that I don’t eat that much. I told him I’m too hungry and maybe I can eat it all. It took me a while to finish my food and both hubby and I were so full that there’s no more room for desserts. We had a good lunch today. The foods were so delicious and yummy, yummy. Here are some photos of hubby and me while eating. Take a look of how we enjoyed our food.

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Friday, November 23, 2007

Thanksgiving Day Celebration

I had such a busy day yesterday cooking foods for Thanksgiving. We had guests who came, Pastor Yanie and his wife Sis. Modie. They are missionaries in the Philippines. They came here in the house Wednesday afternoon and they spent two nights with us. On Thanksgiving Day, hubby roasted the turkey. He put some herbs and vegetables inside and then he tied up the poor turkey which he put it in the roast pan and put it inside the oven. It took 3 hours before the turkey was cooked. Meanwhile, Sis Modie fried the milkfish which I had marinated while I cooked pinakbet. I also prepared fruit salad the day before. My hubby cooked turkey stuffing and then he cooked the gravy for the turkey. Oh my, we had such a great lunch. We enjoyed the fried bangus, pinakbet and the turkey.

We were so full afterwards. During supper we had invited our Pastor Jim and his wife Ms. Marsha. Sis Modie and I were again busy cooking for supper. We made 2 pumpkin pies but we had to make the pie crusts from scratch. I prepared the mixture for the dough and Sis Modie kneaded it. It was our first time to make pie crusts and I think it turned out good though it was a little bit thick. Then Sis Modie fried the lumpia while I cooked the pancit. Then Pastor Jim and Ms. Marsha arrived just when the pancit was about to be cooked. We still had the turkey and we served it again during supper. Hubby prepared mashed potatoes. We really had a wonderful time fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It was such a great privilege and honor to have 2 pastors and their wives celebrate Thanksgiving with us.

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Monday, November 19, 2007

Visitors In Our Church

We had such a good time yesterday at the church. We had visitors from Oklahoma City, the HBC Quartet. Those young men are students of Heartland Baptist College and they sang christian songs during our Sunday School and worship service. They performed and sang praise songs unto God and we really enjoyed listening to them tremendously. During the main service, one of them preached the Word of God. I was really blessed with the message and during the invitation time I went infront and prayed. The quartet had also CDs for sale which they recorded and I bought one. In fact I am playing it right now while I’m here typing. We really had a good time in the church yesterday. I took a photo but since I was not that close, it’s a little bit blurred.

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Saturday, November 10, 2007

My Hubby's Birthday

It’s my hubby’s birthday today. We just celebrated it simply at home. He got a lot of phone calls today greeting him a happy birthday. I wanted to cook pancit, lumpia and all those good stuff but since hubby is on a diet, I decided not to. He just cooked beef roast and I cooked beans and prepared veggie salad. I also cooked burger patties and scambled eggs for him this morning. He’s on a low carb diet so no starchy foods for him and no sweets too. He’ll do that for 35 days. He did it last year and he lost a lot of weight. After the diet he gained it back again gradually that’s why he need to go on a diet again. He gave up his coffee and tea while on his diet, also his bread and crackers. He eats more veggie salad, lean meat and beans. I want him to have a healthier body and also more birthdays to come. I love him dearly and I thank God for giving him to me.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Ladies' Fellowship

We had the Ladies’ Fellowship in the church tonight. One of the ladies hosted it and she brought cookies and drinks. Another lady brought cheese cake that she made. The wife of our Pastor gave the devotions and after that we wrote letters to the missionaries that are being sponsored by our church. We had such a good time. We do the Ladies’ Fellowship every month and next month it will be hosted by our pastor’s wife, Ms. Marsha Turner and we will be having a Christmas party.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Faith Promise

Our missions conference that we had for 5 days in our church was a great success. I really felt the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The theme was Rekindle The Flame. Our hearts were really rekindled and we were on fire in serving the Lord. Our guest speaker Bro. Wayne Hudson was really good and he preached tremendously. I like listening to him. The missionaries to different countries shared their testimonies of how the good Lord has worked with them in their mission fields. God made the things impossible possible for them to bring the gospel to the unsaved people. God made a way when there seems to be no way.

During the last day of the missions conference, we wrote our faith promise for missions. George and I promised an amount that we don’t know where to get it trusting God to supply the money so we can give it for the cause of Christ. That’s faith, trusting God of the things we can’t see. My hubby and I live by faith and not by sight. Our pastor Bro. Jim Turner was so emotional when he announced to the congregation the total amount of faith promise of the church members for missions. It was a whooping a little less than $80,000 for the coming year. We exceeded his goal and he was shedding tears of joy. The Lord has truly rekindled the flame in each and everybody’s hearts to serve Him with passion. He wants His work done before the second coming of His Son Jesus Christ to spread the gospel to the lost souls. He wants us to do His great commission.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:19-20

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Missionaries

Our church had started the Mission’s Conference yesterday night and it will be until Sunday. There were missionaries to different countries who came and attended. I met a Filipino couple who are missionaries in the Philippines. They are from Pampanga and I’m so happy to meet them. We also met the missionaries to Mexico and Colombia. They also showed some video clips of their mission fields. There are really a lot of souls to be saved and it’s good that there are people like those missionaries who are willing to go and witness to the people and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. People are getting saved because of these servants of God who have burdens in their heart for the lost souls.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Faith In God

According to the Bible, without faith, it is impossible to please God. So we need to have faith in God in order to please Him. The Bible said, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, that’s why it’s so important to go to church on Sundays and listen to the preaching of God’s Word. We need also to read our Bible daily because that is where you will learn more about the Word of God.

My faith in God didn’t grow instantly. I had to undergo a lot of trials in life before my faith went stronger. God used those trials to mold me and transformed me into the person He wants me to be. When trouble comes into our lives, we sometimes feel as if we’ve been hit by a strong typhoon. We feel desperation and then we wonder. Why is this happening to me? One possibility is that God is using a painful experience to get our attention and to turn to Him and trust Him to help us. Is God using pain in your life to lovingly persuade you to change and deepen your faith in Him? Trials are not easy but if we let God work in our lives and completely trust in His Son Jesus, then new growth will result and our faith in God will go deeper.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

MP3 Player from Josh

Last Saturday, our oldest grandkid, Josh gave me an MP3 player. He had bought a new one and he was carrying both of his MP3 players when I asked him what are those. I am really ignorant about these new gadgets, your lola is really out of this world, ha-ha!!! I haven’t owned one in my life and I don’t know how it works. Then Shelly told Josh to give the old one to me. Boy! I was really glad. I’ve been wanting to own one before because I was curious how those thing work but the price is too much for my curiosity. Besides I can live without those anyway. But I thank God I had it for free and that’s really a blessing. Josh had been showing me how to operate it but I need more time to master it. I used it already when we were on the way home last Sunday. It’s really cool because Shelly had downloaded Christian songs in it and I enjoyed listening to it. Thank you Josh, you’re so sweet for giving one of your MP3 players to me.

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Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Dinner At El Chico

Saturday afternoon we went to Robert and Shelly’s house in Cleburne. They were working on their house because a pipe broked and wet their house. They were staying in a motel while the insurance is fixing their house. George and I spent Saturday night in their motel in Cleburne. We were supposed to go to Traders’ Village in Grand Prairie Saturday afternoon but Shelly had to work until 3:00 PM so hubby decided that we will just go next time. Shelly is working now at Wal Mart, hubby’s favorite store. Robert and Shelly treated us for supper Saturday night. So five of us went to eat out, Robert, Shelly, Josh, hubby and me. They wanted to take us to Montana Grill in Grandbury because they have a huge chicken fried steak there but that restaurant was full of people. Chicken fried steak is hubby’s favorite.

We ended up eating in El Chico, a mexican restaurant in Grandbury. I ordered Poblano Chimichanga with mexican rice and beans. It was good and yummy. Hubby ordered his favorite chicken fried steak of course. Well after the main course, I was already full. No more room for dessert. Hubby ordered apple pie, Josh got cheesecake and Robert and Shelly got chocolate cake. I just tasted hubby’s apple pie, it’s too sweet for me. Hubby said it’s good and he like it. After the meal, we were all so full, thanks to the Brownlees. We headed to Wal Mart and walked it off.

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Thursday, October 18, 2007

Weekend Vacation

My hubby and I got back tonight from our weekend break. Actually we went to visit the kids and grandkids in Alvarado and Cleburne. We had a good trip back and forth except when we reached I-35 in Fort Worth the traffic was bad. It was heavy traffic when we went last Friday and traffic again this afternoon. My hubby and I hate the traffic. It’s good here in Wichita Falls, the traffic is not that bad. My hubby said that’s the reason he left Fort Worth, the traffic. He was born and raised there but he preferred a quiet life and he doesn’t like to live in a big and busy city like Fort Worth. He can’t stand the traffic and that I understand. Well, I’ll just post more tomorrow. I’m just tired right now. I’m glad I got a 2 day break from this computer.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Picking Up Pecans

It’s been windy the other day and also today. Pecans started to fall so I went picking them up. We have 4 pecan trees in our backyard and all are bearing pecans. I got one bag today and still pecans keep falling because of the wind. I will have to crack them, remove the shells and use it when I’ll make banana pecan muffins or bread. Pecans are expensive in the store and I’m glad I don’t have to buy it. Maybe if I will gather more pecans later I will have to sell it in the Pecan Shed. I sold some the other year. Pecans are all over our place, also at the alley at the back of our house. Whenever I go walking, I pass by pecans on the sidewalk so I have to pick them up. Everybody are just too busy to take time to pick up their pecans but not me. I just love pecans.

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Saturday, October 13, 2007

A Hallelujah Luau

We had a blast last night at the church during the banquet. There were lots of good foods and it was catered. The fellowship hall was decorated with hawaiian motiff. Hubby and I enjoyed the foods and the fellowship. They served beef barbecue, sausage, coles law, potato salad, ham, beans, dinner rolls, pickles, ice cream and a lot of more which I can’t remember. I didn’t really eat that much, I got full easily. My hubby went to get 2nd serving. After eating, there was a program. Some of the church workers gave their testimonies. Some rendered special songs. There was also a skit that really made us laughed. Pastor Turner gave a message to wrap up the night’s event. The program was hosted by Bro. Allen and Bro. Hugh. We had such a good time last night. I thought of sharing some of our photos taken at the banquet.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

My Good Friend

I got a call from my good friend Dr. Rose Bondoc today. She was on her way to Austin and it’s a long drive and she thought of calling me. I really enjoyed talking to her. She’s a traveling doctor and I met her when she was assigned here in Wichita Falls. I was working at JC Penney that time and she was there shopping. When she’s seen me, she approached me and talked to me. We got to know each other and we’ve learned that her mom and my dad were from the same town in the Philippines. I gave her my phone number and during my off, she came into our house.

Last year, she was again assigned here and she often came to our house and dine with us. Everytime she comes, she brought with her some groceries and also she treated us a few times to a restaurant. She is really sweet and down-to-earth lady. It’s been almost a year now since the last time we’ve seen her and my hubby and I missed her so much. She’s a good friend of ours and although she’s a lady doctor, she has no hang ups. She is humble, friendly and very helpful. I wish there are more people like her.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Forgiveness

It’s really hard to forgive others who did us wrong especially if that person is one whom you consider as a friend. I used to have a neighbor who came and cleaned the house three times a week. She did some house chores like vacuuming, mopping, washing dishes, dusting, throwing out the trash and cleaning the bathroom. She worked for me for seven months and we became friends. She’s the first Mexican woman who became my friend. Before she starts her work, we go out walking first for our exercise. While we were out walking, I asked her to take photos of me with the nice sceneries that we passed by with my digital camera. Everytime she make tortillas she gave us a bunch and she even showed me how to do it. In return I gave her lumpia and pancit whenever I cook. I also tried to witness to her about the Lord Jesus Christ and invited her to church with her 2 grandkids.

After 5 months though, I noticed that some of my jewelries were missing. The diamond ring that my hubby gave me and the matching necklace and earrings were not in my jewelry box no more. So I asked her if she’s seen it because nobody go in and out of our room except her besides me and my hubby. She said she didn’t see it and didn’t take it. So I just let it go just like that though those jewelries had sentimental value to me because the diamond ring was hubby’s gift to me when we repeated our vows here in Texas and the matching necklace and earrings were hubby’s gift to me on Christmas 2005. She still continued cleaning our house.

After 2 months since that incident, my digital camera was nowhere to be found. I searched and searched but I can’t find it. I called her on the phone to come and help me find my camera. She came and we searched all over the house but unluckily we didn’t find it. I told her that since she started cleaning the house, most of my valuables were gone. I told her that my digital camera is so dear to me because I bought that with my salary from my first job here in the US. Though I haven’t seen her stealing my things, she’s the only suspect I have since she’s the only one coming in our house. I really felt so bad, tears started to roll down my cheeks. Though it hurts me to fire her, I had to before all my things will be stolen. I even threatened her to report to the police but she hung up on me on the phone. That was the last time I talked to her. I haven’t seen her since then because they moved to another house which is 3 blocks away from my house a few days before I discovered that my digicam was missing. That night I can’t sleep thinking of my camera that was stolen. My hubby told me not to think about it so I can sleep. He said it’s just a piece of metal and we can’t do anything now to find it. He told me to forgive my suspect, the person I considered as my friend. Well, though I wanted to, it was really hard at that time. I was still hurting and it caused me some sleepless nights and I felt hatred in my heart. I had to do a lot of praying to the Lord and asked Him to give me a forgiving heart. My hubby bought me a new digicam to replace my stolen camera.

A few months had passed and I can say that I had already forgiven her. They said that time heals all the wounds, but for me, it is God who heals all the wounds. Though she didn’t ask forgiveness, I chose to forgive her. How can my Heavenly Father forgive me if I don’t forgive others who wronged me. The Bible says that we should forgive others 70 times seven which means always. No matter what others did to us, we must forgive them because it is the will of God. Forgiveness will release us from the bondage of hatred and bitterness in our hearts.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Looking Back

It’s exactly 4 years today since I first step foot in this land of the free and the home of the brave wherein most people in my country are dying to see. I still remember, my hubby and I left NAIA (the airport in Manila) at about 12:30 midnight. Before boarding the plane I was so excited and I told myself, America here I come, lol! Well, that was my first time to ride a plane and I had mixed feelings, nervous and excited. We had a smooth flight from Manila to Korea and I managed to have a little nap.We took the Korean airlines and we had a 7 hour layover in Korea. Oh my, that was a long wait for me. I was so eager to see USA.

Then finally we boarded the plane that will take us to Texas. It was a very long trip and the flight was not as smooth as the previous one. We encountered a lot of turbulence during the flight. At first I got so nervous, it feels like there was an earthquake inside the plane, lol! But after a while I got used to it and I got to enjoy the trip. The stewardees had served good food and hubby and I enjoyed it. I looked around the other passengers and some of them were sound asleep and some even laid down on the vacant seats. I wonder how they managed to sleep inside the plane. Maybe some of them travel by plane often and they got used to flying. But me, that was my first time and I can’t sleep while flying. Besides I got a lot of things in my head like what will my life be like in the US and I thought of my family that I left in the Philippines. Sure thing I gonna miss them.

Then after long hours of flying we were finally in the US territory. I was so excited to take a glimpse of how the US look like so I asked my hubby to exchange seat with me so I can sit by the window. I took a peek outside and all I’ve seen were trees and buildings. When we finally landed and got our baggage, hubby and I were in the lobby of DFW airport and there we were met by his 2 lovely daughters. I was glad to see them, my new family here. While we were on our way to the house I just kept looking around. I said to myself, so this is it, this is USA…my home for the last 4 years and God’s willing, for more years to come. I thank the Lord for bringing me here.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Wedding Anniversary

We had a simple celebration of our wedding anniversary tonight. But as early as yesterday, my husband gave me fresh flowers. He said it’s for his beautiful wife and for being married to him for 5 years. He said it was the best 5 years of his life and that I made him happy. I told him the feeling is mutual, he made me happy too and I had no regrets of marrying him and we embraced and kissed each other. So to celebrate the occasion, I cooked foods like meatloaf, potato salad, pancit, lumpia, blueberry muffins and cathedral windows jello. Wow! I was like a supercook cooking all these by myself. The preparation of the ingredients especially for the pancit took most of my time. I made the jello last night, the muffins yesterday and I wrapped the lumpia the other day and just fried them today. The pancit, potato salad, meat loaf and the lumpia I cooked them after lunch.

Anyway, while I was cooking the pancit, Malou came by and she helped me mixed the pancit and the vegetables together. The noodles were so sticky because my husband bought rice noodles made in Thailand. I asked him to buy me rice noodles which is made in the Philippines and I thought he knows how it looks like but when he came home, he bought a different kind. It tasted good though, only it was sticky. In fairness, the foods I cooked were all good according to my husband. He ate a lot. We didn’t even have room for the butter pecan ice cream that he bought. I didn’t invite others because I thought I would not be able to cook much. It’s good Malou came by, she didn’t know that it’s our anniversary today. I just asked her yesterday to come today because I’ll be cooking. We invited James to come for supper and he came after we ate and Malou had already left. He got off late tonight and he came here straight from work in his navy uniform. We had a good time eating and I gave Malou and James foods to take home. George and I give thanks to the Lord for another wedding anniversary that He gave us. Every good and perfect gift comes from above.

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salute the navy