chego2 the kitchen

more than a year later

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:39:00 +0000

i have gone back to the workforce, which is the reason for my absence on this blog. the kid is staying with his grandparents during weekdays (because good nannies are hard to find) and i only get to see him on weekends. tough? yep. separation anxiety issues? you bet. we (the kid and i) experience it every week. there's just no other way of doing it.

school starts in the next couple of weeks. he's 4yo now, so it's time for his first step to independence. i get nightmares on how he will forget me when he starts making friends, how the sun does not rise and set with mommy, that there are actually other people to get to know and play with other than mommy. i dread the day that he will realize he doesnt need me anymore, that he will reject the hugs and the kisses. that he will let go of my hand and run to his playmates and forget all about me. soon, he will realize that mom IS NOT COOL.

i want him to have a normal childhood. i want him to learn to be independent. someday, he will have a family of his own and he has to be prepared for that day.

i'm just gonna miss the wet kisses, along with the i-love-you-mommy...

the exam that shouldn't have been

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:45:00 +0000

i'm currently job-hunting. i have sent out resumes for the past couple of weeks and, thankfully, have been granted interviews.

early this week, a former colleague sent me a text message saying that a company i applied to called her up and asked about me. i was a bit surprised that the application process was still on-going, considering that the last time i talked to them was december 2010. later that day, i received a call from the said company and they wanted to schedule me for a pre-employment medical exam. hell yeah!, i said to myself as the HR person listed some things for me to remember. i was thisclose into getting that job. it was scheduled for thursday.

early thursday morning, aunt flo came to visit. of all the days she could have dropped, she just had to come that day. despite that, i went through with the medical exam. of course, i couldnt do the urinalysis but everything else went on as scheduled. as i lied on the table, the doctor started conducting the breast exam. she went back a couple of time to a spot on my left breast. i can feel some lumps, she said, you need to undergo an ultrasound. i told her i had my period that day and could it be hormonal? maybe, but i think some of them are not.

i tried to still my hands as i buttoned my shirt and did my best to catch what she was saying. my mind was racing. lumps?! why?! i need to work so i can help finance my son's schooling, and i have lumps?! it cant be! this isnt happening...wait, they might not extend an offer because i have lumps...but i need this job..i'm too young...i havent completely potty-trained jackjack...my husband would be devastated...both of his parents had cancer...surely,the lumps are because of my period, please....

my head cant fully wrap itself on this fact that lumps were found. i am supposed to have the ultrasound sometime next week. i'm worried that the result would affect my chances of getting hired. i'm scared on what will be found. i try to put this at the back of my head, but i feel cold water down my back at the slightest memory of that moment. i try not focus on it, thinking that there is that possibility that i may be worrying over nothing. or am i?

i'm scared. shitless. i have to be strong, but i dont know where to draw my strength...

the holidays: dinner with the girls

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:56:00 +0000

i am croaking. jackjack is croaking. we both sound like creatures that are neither human nor adult.

i have also been job-hunting for the past couple of months.i have actually received an offer, but i turned it down; the expenses outweigh the salary. did i make the right decision? i dunno. but to keep my mind away from that for awhile, let me recount how i spent the holidays...

tipsy over non-alcoholic beverages

have you ever been to a party where no alcohol was served, yet everyone was behaving like they were drunk? i swear all we had was iced tea and a couple of dishes. but i'm getting way ahead of myself.

chopsuey

we decided to meet up on a thursday night, that being the day when everyone's schedules had a break from all the christmas parties and christmas shopping. we decided to have dinner at Mesa, a sister resto of La Mesa Grill, specializing in modern Filipino dishes.

one of my friends had great news that day: she and her long-time beau had gotten married a month before! since almost everyone would be coming from work, we used up that time waiting to squeeze out the details.

baked mussels

when we were finally seated, i ordered a round of bottomles iced tea for everyone, not knowing that we could actually get wasted on that. more food was ordered as more people arrived. gifts and gossip were exchanged. confessions and advice were partaken, along with the sumptious food that Mesa has to offer.

pritchon

afterwards, we walked off the fullness of our tummies and treaded towards Red Mango for frozen yogurts. i know this has been around for ages, but this was my first time to try fro-yo's. it was nice, really nice. a great ending to a great meal. i wouldnt mind having them again, even let jackjack have some since he prefers yogurts to ice cream anyway, but maybe when i can for them myself. they are a bit steep for yogurt, which is readily available at the grocery store.

another great year added to memory. i have known these girls half my life, and things are just getting better.

*all photos courtesy of jan narciso

reaching out from the abyss

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:47:00 +0000

for the longest time, i have been stuck in the abyss. the edges are slippery, and i cant seem to pull myself through.

for the longest time, i was comfortable in the abyss. drowning in misery, i would contemplate so many things, none of which is helpful or sane.

the abyss is my comfort zone, a place i go back to when nothing good is going on in my life. where there are no other voices, no judgments or prejudice, other than mine.

there are times i step out into the light. it is nice and warm (compared to the enveloping cold and loneliness of the abyss), but like a hermit crab, i go back into the dark abyss and revert back to my old ways.

for me, stepping out into the light (and staying there) is hard work. as they say, it is a decision. on the other hand, stating in the abyss is ALSO a decision.

today i make another decision. i have to step out to the light. i have to try. it will not be easy adjusting to the light, but it has to be done. no more excuses.

i have to take control of my life.

will you hold my hand as i go through this journey?

anybody home?

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:49:00 +0000

no, i havent been living under a rock, but i havent been around much, either. i was just concentrating on the other facets of my life, but i wasnt documenting it. so, here it is, in a nutshell...

my dad was discharged from the hospital more than a week ago. what he had was a mild heart attack and, thankfully, he responded to medication. he will be meeting his doctors next week to discuss more about the treatment. to all those who have prayed with me and has sent loving thoughts, thank you. i wasnt able to visit him in the hospital because jackjack isnt allowed to visit due to his age. we saw him last weekend, and jackjack gave his lolo lots of hugs and reminders. "inom ka gamot, lolo" (drink your medicines, grandpa). now, he keeps saying this to his grandpa, even on the phone.

speaking of jackjack, i have been attempting to potty-train him for two weeks now. i take his diapers off during the daytime and use big boy underwear. he tells me when he has to go pee and we rush him to the bathroom. he also announces when he has to poo, but refuses to sit on the toilet. the last time i attempted this, there was a lot of crying and the urge to poo disappeared. it was almost naptime so i put a diaper on him and let him nap. the urge came back when he woke up and he still refused to budge. a lot of moms have said that when that happens, dont push it. he may have a traumatic experience or a fear of falling into the toilet. i think it's the latter. maybe we do need to get him his own potty.

i had finally finished reading my booksneeze assignment. i have yet to write the book review. that book is so powerful and it came at the right moment in my life. i read it the week my dad was in the hospital and it helped me pray for his recovery. i hope to write it in the next couple of days (and i have been telling myself this for the past couple of days). muse, this would be the best time to come back. well, how about it?

at the moment when i felt insignificant because i couldnt bring myself to write, i read a comment that says i'm a good writer. liz, thank you for that. you have helped me believe in myself again.

i have missed all of you. how have you been?

i pray

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:07:00 +0000

it was 2am and my dad woke up with a start. the pain in his chest woke him up. he tried something to ease the pain, but it didnt go away.

when my brother woke up, he asked that he be taken to the doctor. mom tagged along, which was a good thing because they werent prepared to hear what the doctor said. after numerous tests, the diagnosis came. the 2am chest pain was a mild heart attack.

the doctor was concerned that the heart attack might recur sooner than later, so dad was advised to stay in the hospital for a couple of days for observation. the tests have indicated that there is a slight blockage in his arteries which might have led to the heart attack. for that, he was given aspirin to thin his blood a bit.

as i write this, my dad lies in the ICU. doctors think it would be best for him to stay there; a nurse is dedicated to just two patients, making response time quicker and faster.

it was my dad, not my mom, who brought us up. i am daddy's girl. when mom had to go out and work, he stayed home and took care of us. i broke down the moment i heard what happened. i'm better now, though. ignorance of the situation rattles me.

as i write this, i whisper a prayer for my son, the grandson who adores his lolo. i pray for more years to come, for there is so much a grandson can learn that only a grandfather can teach him.

i pray for my mom's strength. she had relied on him all these years to make sure that the laundry is washed and folded, that dinner will be waiting when we get home from work and school, to pack our lunches. their system, even if a bit non-traditional, worked because they understood their parts. her world may not crumble, but there would be a noticeable slack in the system.

i pray for the daughter who still needs her father for comfort and support. the constant love, even if unsaid, has helped me all these years and i cherish it more now that i have become a parent like him.

i am thankful for the time past and all the lessons learned. i pray for time, that it will be well spent and that every moment be a good memory. i am grateful for the opportunity to be reminded of my own mortality, and to make every moment count.

be strong, dad. we are here.

a cupcake party

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 18:53:00 +0000

after weeks of preparation (on their part) and agonizing decision-making (on mine), i met up with my girlfriends last saturday for an overnight of fun and laughter. they all chipped in to make it happen. i feel so honored, yet embarrassed, that i dont know how to return the favor, being jobless and all.

while waiting for everyone to show up, i was treated to a massage. it turned out that they were baking up a storm at a friend's apartment, which i why some of them had to keep me occupied.

we, then, trooped to dinner at a local restaurant. we would have taken pictures but we were so hungry that we wouldn't look good in it. a friend is training to be a food photographer but she couldnt take pictures of the food because we gobbled them up as soon as they hit the table. she was able to swat our hands long enough to take this, but we had more dishes than that.

pineapple fried rice*

we headed back to the apartment after dinner and was greeted with this. rather, i was greeted with "akin yung cupcake sa gitna, ha!" (i want the one in the middle!) and then this.

mia's cupcake tower*

that would be my college roommate. sweet, yes? i wouldnt expect anything less from her. besides who can blame her?

yes, she wants the one with the flowers

these cupcakes were made from scratch and had buttercream and fudge frosting. i am a chocolate person, but the buttercream frosting became my favorite. it was that good! i having one as i write this post.

the night went on with booze and belly dancing tutorials but i dare not post pictures of that, lest i lose my friends. i have said before that i dont have many friends, but these girls i'll treasure.

*all photos courtesy of jan narciso

today, i turn...

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:54:00 +0000

photo courtesy of leo reynolds (flickr.com)

all these years, i constantly remind myself that happiness is a choice.

i will always be grateful for everything, good and bad.

i hope i have grown up. if not, there's always next year.

bad mommy?

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 18:09:00 +0000

would be a bad mom if i sneak out when jackjack takes a nap to meet my friends?

the final option: the teeth edition

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +0000

i went to the dentist today. it was a birthday gift from my mom, to have my teeth cleaned. other moms bond over trips to the salon or shopping; we gush over oral hygiene.

admittedly, i have not seen the dentist's office for quite awhile. more than two years, to be exact. when i was pregnant, i wanted to have my teeth cleaned, turns out you can't do that when you're pregnant.so it wasn't surprising that the dentist took one look at my teeth and promptly said, "i'd have to charge extra. this would require intensive cleaning."

as she was peering through, i asked her what was causing the pain at one part of my teeth. there were times that i would feel a jab of pain on the right upper-side incisor. i was told that it was badly damaged, something that might require a root canal or extraction. extraction? EXTRACTION?! my previous orthodontist stripped a part of my tooth to make room for adjustments when i had braces. now, because of that, that tooth had been exposed to decay and might get pulled out.

i was crying inside. i had worked so hard on my teeth. i had braces on for two years just to straighten them out. i brushed my teeth religiously, which is why i had never had tooth decay as a child. i circled the date on my calendar when i'm supposed to go back to have my teeth cleaned. i worked hard on my teeth and i'm proud of it.

and now, i was being told of my options. i was crying on the inside because i knew. i knew it would be the last straw. i would be on my way to being fug-ly, and i had just stepped into my thirties. i would be toothless, fat and uninteresting as a wallflower.

the sun would shine tomorrow. we would be setting aside some money for the x-ray so we would know the final option. i'm still hoping that an extraction and a root canal are not the only options.

oh, to be free...

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:03:00 +0000

after days of agonizing over what to do for that event (see previous post), i have finally came up with a solution.

my friends have finally told me what to expect on that day. yes, i'm not the one for surprises. i like to plan things. here's what's in store:

saturday
4:30pm meet up at friend's place
6:00pm head out to dinner
9:00pm go back to friend's place and hang out/sleep

sunday
9:00am brunch. head home afterwards.

it turns out that this was organized for everyone. it's like a "hey-let's-meet-up-and-hang-out-wait-isn't-it-cheri's-birthday? thing. it wasnt just for me. it was a good wake-up call, i was kinda thinking they organized it for me. this being the case, jackjack would be spending the day at grandma's house. hubby will pick him up in the afternoon; his only condition was a couple of hours' rest and he's good to go. i would be meeting up with friends until dinner, then go home. i dont need to sleep over, especially when it's perfectly clear who needs my presence the most. this way, everybody's happy and i get to spend some time away. good enough?

to all who gave me advice on this topic, thank you. your words helped me know what to do.

a day just for me...hopefully

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:31:00 +0000

i'm in a bit of a jam, and not the sweet kind.

my friends have organized a secret something-something for my birthday two weeks from now. it's just me and the girls. the last time this ever happened was before my wedding almost five years ago. there's only one problem: jackjack.

here's the thing: hubby got a job offer, which he accepted, and he starts working nights in two weeks. the girls planned an all-day saturday to sunday thing. this means that if i leave my boys at home, hubby might not be able to give his full attention to jackjack due to lack of sleep. he suggested that if my parents would welcome the idea, jackjack could spend that night with his grandparents. this would be the first time that jackjack would be spending the night somewhere else without me. my mom is concerned that he night look for me and refuse to cooperate with them.

i really want to go. i think i deserve it. i have never had a day-off or a me-day ever since he was born.

any ideas how i can go through with this?

christmas is here!

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:41:00 +0000

in the philippines, we have the longest christmas celebration. everything that reminds you of christmas is present from september and will last until the second week of january (the feast of the three kings) the succeeding year.

once september steps in, everything changes. people seem nicer, the radio stations start playing christmas carols. the malls display christmas decors, not to mention that everything goes on sale. families start decorating their home and the christmas lanterns come out.

photo courtesy of hansntareen (flickr.com)

locally known as parol, these christmas lanterns can be seen almost on every home as the ber months (september to december) step in. traditionally, the parol is shaped like a star, symbolizing the bright star that led the three kings (or magi) to the manger where the Lord Jesus was born. the design can be as simple as japanese paper laid out on a star-shaped bamboo skeleton with a simgle lightbulb inside, or as ornate and colorful as the ones on the photo. in schools, a lantern-making contest is normally held every year. i remember one year, when the theme for the annual contest in our school was the eco-friendliest parol. lanterns made from different types of materials, including those made from corn husks and corn seeds. there was another one made for eggshells, every piece painstakingly glued together and painted to form a mosaic of the Holy Family. if i remember correctly, the once made from coconut shells and abaca fiber won that year. yes, students made them.

for us Filipinos, the parol is not just a chirstmas decor; it is a reminder of the Baby that was born that night and the mission he is set to fulfill.

there are only 114 days left before christmas.

are you ready?

lessons learned

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:17:00 +0000

in two weeks' time, i'd be older by another year.

nothing much has changed since last year. i'm still a stay-at-home mom of a very active toddler. i still get to cook daily meals and receive stamps of approval from the hubby and jackjack. i still get paid with tight hugs and sloppy kisses, not that i'm complaining.

in two weeks' time, i'd be older by another year. did i learn anything new?

i learned that...
...friends may not be around as much as you'd like them to, but that doesnt mean they dont care about you.

...time and children can ruin your looks and body shape, but friends can still recognize you, even if you last saw each other during high school graduation.

...a child's smile can make all the bad things fade away, even for a moment.

...it's okay to admit that you are depressed for no reason sometimes.

...you are not the only mother with a very active child that tries your patience for most of the day, everyday.

...if playing games on facebook is the only thing that's holding your sanity, then it's okay to play and you dont have to be guilty about it.

...if you cant relate to the weekly writing prompts, you dont have to stress about having to write a blog post.

...you are not alone. somewhere out there, someone will always be willing to listen.

...there is such a thing as a virtual hug, and it can make a person feel better as much as a real-life hug.

...that sometimes, virtual hugs are all what it takes to save a person's life.

bye-bye boobies!

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:26:00 +0000

for the last couple of weeks, i've been trying to wean jackjack from the bottle. i know, he's two and should've been sippy cupping for awhile now, but we live in the philippines and that isnt the trend here (unfortunately). i know of a kid who only stopped drinking milk from the bottle when he started school at 5 years old. of course, there are parents who try to do the sippy cup training thing, but let's face it, not everyone here does it.

just like all things that we get attached to, it is quite difficult to pry a bottle away from a toddler's grasp. it's even harder when he's resisting vocally. as a mother, we learn the art of zoning out noise, especially the one when he screams bloody murder.

"dede ako!" (i want milk)
"dede cup?" (milk in the cup?)
"hindi! dede bottle!" (no! in the bottle!)

this conversation would go on every single time he wants milk. i go into the zoning out mode whenever he does this, but my poor hubby cant hear the voices in his head. between jackjack's adamant refusal and the hubby's plea for me to give in, i kick into the zone. after all, i need to hear the voices in my head. help came in the unlikeliest of places...

i drink from a sippy cup

sippy cup, sippy cup

i drink from a sippy cup

cause i'm a big kid now...

it worked like a charm! we still struggle on who gets the last say, but now, i ahve charlie waffles' help. toddlers want to grow up so fast, they like hearing "big kid" incessantly.

how did you wean your child from the bottle?

peeing in public?

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:03:00 +0000

the good and the bad side

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:07:00 +0000

in the pit

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:48:00 +0000

i havent been around lately, i know. i have been spending my time playing games in an effort to cheer myself up. i'm depressed, you see.

there, i said it. i'm depressed. about what, i dont know. there are days when i just fall into a slump and stay there. i havent really figured out what could get me out. i still havent figured out what triggers it.

a lot of things come to my head in moments like this. bad mommy. bad wife. bad friend. and i can justify all of them, too. i can enumerate one by one why i am all these. i do feel unworthy as a mother that i wonder why i have this job. i'm not very good at this. i wonder if i should look for something that i can be good at, like an actual job. maybe i'm just a bit burned out. is that possible, to be burned out as a mother? should i be really worried?

how do you get yourself out of the pit?

it's never too late...

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:08:00 +0000

i'm still well under way towards writer's block recovery. i was scouring through previous comments when i saw that there were awards waiting to be acknowledged. both awards were given by one of my favorite bloggers, the drama mama. i wept when the internet connection got cut off last week because i wouldnt be able to read her blog. if you havent heard of her, you may have been living under a rock.

i gratefully accept these two awards.

here are a couple of things about me..

i play games most of the time on facebook.
i like Glee primarily because i know almost all of the songs,
which means i am a child of the 80's.
i studied at a catholic school until i graduated high school
i wish i could travel.

these bloggers deserve both awards...

just thinkin'

the ungourmet

i'm a full-time mummy

diary of a chocoholic

lilac city momma

a gringa in cancun

1 wasabi mommy

a certified gleek!

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:34:00 +0000

it started out really slow. i tried to fight it, but it was futile. everyone had been bitten by the bug, except me. then, the hubby liked it. jackjack started singing the songs. we watched the madonna episode and i agreed that she had helped empower everyone, regardless of sex. yes, i have succumbed to Glee and out family are certified Gleeks! this would also mean that this is the lie i made two weeks ago.

my son does have a "smiling" tummy. for those who haven't read his story, you can read them here. oh, and i have pictures to prove it.

i know to most people, soy milk is icky. it is non-dairy, after all. a milk substitute. but like most asians, i am lactose-intolerant. it would only take minutes before i clutch my tummy in pain whenever i drink milk, which is ironic since i love cheese and chocolate. i discovered soymilk as an adult and it opened my eyes to the endless possibilities. i tried chocolate and coffee soy milk and i was hooked.

so, here's to hoping i get my groove back next week. take a wild guess which of these is a big fat lie:

i'm a closet reality show fan.
i have a thing for blood and gore.
i love to watch horror films.

help me, i've been trampled over

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:06:00 +0000

aaand we're back!

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:54:00 +0000

in case you haven't noticed, i disappeared from the face of blog-land for a week. not by choice, like there's a vacation or anything, but by pure necessity. internet connection conked out a week ago, and our ISP (internet service provider) scheduled repairs a week later. which was yesterday.

by the time they arrived to fix it, hubby was almost foaming in the mouth. he was the hardest hit since he works from home. he had no choice but to go to the internet cafe (where you could rent a computer and go online for a fee) and work there without the comforts of home, like meals and water. i felt so bad for the guy.

but we did survive, barely. my sanity was hanging by a thread when i had to stop blogging and jackjack missed his youtube fix (he watches cartoons and music videos). thankfully, it's over.

so, how was your week?

the things i do for a grade

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:21:00 +0000

i am not a camping/outdoor-sy kinda girl. i love the shelter of a decent roof over my head. sitting at the dinner table to partake a meal that was cooked on a stove that didnt require continuous pumping. ilike sleeping on a bed with a mattress above ground and see the ceiling when i look up.

so what was my 10-year-old self doing camping at the school grounds, sleeping on the floor inside the classroom, smelling of floor wax? i needed it for my grade. aah, the things you'd do to pass a subject. this was for P.E. aka gym class. yes, i suck at any physical activity. so to veer away from being the only girl who would flunk gym class and escape the wrath of my parents, i signed up to camp at the school grounds.

several activities were lined up: games, cheering contest, poached egg cooking contest. but first, let's address the issue on why we were camping on school grounds and not on decent camp grounds. it's because none of us, including our so-called camp masters know how to really camp in the wilderness, devoid of any modern-day comfort. i think the last time my teachers/chaperones ever went on a real camping trip was in their childhood, and it shows. i dont think they would ever be able to defend us from wild animals. so, for everyone safety and their sanity, they opted to camp inside the classroom, which was no different from a sleepover.

back to the exciting activities in store: parlor games, cheering contest, poached egg eating contest. i dont know why there's a contest for the prettiest poached egg, when none of us has ever eaten a poached egg, much less cook one. at some point, i grabbed the egg from one of the girls and cracked it open on boiling water. mind you, the boiling water was in a pot.

night came and soon, it was time for lights out. as a group, we hurried to the john to do our business. it was then that i realized that i would not be able to take a bath in the morning. great. as i lied down on the cold hard floors, i wondered what the hell was i doing there. oh yeah, the grades.

in the morning, as i ate pork and beans from a can and very-soft-almost-porridge-in-consistency rice (the assigned cook didnt know how to cook), i pondered if it was all worth it. i also promised myself that i'll strive better in schoolwork so i wont have to worry about my grades again. come to think of it, i just wanted a higher grade. i wasnt failing or anything.

it was quite a memorable experience. needless to say, it was the only camping trip i ever went to.

two types of friends

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:41:00 +0000

spaghetti day!

noreply@blogger.com (cheri) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:34:00 +0000

i made spaghetti today. just the usual spaghetti that we normally have almost every week. only today, i made that spaghetti for a special guy.

to the guy who stalked me on livejournal and insisted that we went "offline dating"...

to the guy who rescued me when my shoe snapped...

to the man who promised he will love me, no matter what...

to the husband who was beside me during the scariest time of my life...

to the father who loves to roughhouse his son...

happy birthday, pappy!