Life is what you make it...

Enjoy Life While There is still Time

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:41:00 +0000

The video above maybe a little graphic. Viewer discretion is advised.

I want to share with you the recent happenings in my country and my personal account and experience of the terrible flood the hit us.

It was raining non-stop since Friday evening. Hubby and I were watching TV and heard that Pasig was flooded. That was where my younger sister and her husband was living. I texted her and asked how things where in Pasig since they were also living with my bro-in-law's grandma who is 87 y/o. She replied with exclamation points "Hanggang ankle na inside the house!!!" (the water is up to my ankles!!) and that was the last time I heard from her.

I was texting here the whole afternoon and way into the evening. No response. I thought it odd that she won't reply to me and even when my mom and dad texted her. I felt that something was wrong.

What happened next was excruciating. News flash of ranging waters in Pasig and on different parts of Manila was shocking to say the least. How could this be happening. I was scared for my sister and her family. They lived in a one-storey house, with an old woman who is blind in one-eye. Where will they go? Are they still alive? Those where the thoughts that ran through my head. I've been calling their cellphones the whole night, but it was out of service. Panic and hysteria were bubbling inside my head. The storm and the fear that is forming inside my chest was devastating. Where they still alive?! I hoped so, I really hoped so.

I talked to my brother-in-law's younger sister; she told me the last time they talked to them was around 4pm Saturday. They urged them to transfer to an abandoned apartment in front of the house because it had a second floor. Then after that no news. Each hour that passed, fear and terror crept into our hearts. My dad did not take it well, he passed out. His blood pressure climbed high, he was beyond consolation. So is my mom.

No one could help us. The rescue was a slow, pain-staking process. The night passed and we wondered if they were safe, if they had food, if they were alive.

The following day, Sunday, we waited for news. There must be something, anything! But none came. It was after lunch already, I was sitting infront of my laptop with tears running down from my eyes as I frantically researched for agencies that could help us. It was getting dark again, still raining. Another night, not knowing if they were okay, if they were even alive. I posted messages in Facebook and waited for news. But still no news if there was any rescue going to happen. We called everyone we knew, all the government agencies, anyone who can help, strangers. But no one could help, all the government agencies were deployed, all we can do was wait...and hope that they were still alive.

September 27 4:47pm, my sis-in-law got a message from them, they were alive! Thank God! But they were stuck in the 2nd floor of the apartment, cold, no food and no idea if help was coming. That gave us hope, they were alive. We will move heaven and earth to get to them even if we had to swim there ourselves.

And as if, our prayers were heard and now being answered help started coming. A lot of people from Facebook responded to my urgent request for help. People we didn't know volunteered help, provided contact nos. of people who could. The phone rang non-stop relatives offering help came in. But still we couldn't do anything. The water was too high, we needed sophisticated equipments to get to them. If only there were more rubber boats available, if only we could get there faster, if only help was sure to come. We couldn't do anything but wait. Wait for any good soul to tell us that they will get them not minding the danger. My sister had hypoglycemia, her grandma was sickly.

After waiting for almost 2 days already, finally a break! People from Red Cross and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are going to get them. It 12:30am September 27 Monday. Riding 1 of the 4 rubber boats deployed for the whole City of Pasig they came back to our waiting and longing arms. Rescued at last.

My sister's account of what happened brought goosebumps in my arms, people wailing at night in the dark asking for help, asking for food, but they couldn't do anything...the water was high, way past the one-storey roof. There were dead bodies, mothers who gave birth prematurely, sick people in respirators who lost their lives due to hypothermia and because there was no electricity the respirators could not work anymore. No words could describe the devastation, the agony, the loss that people felt. Still even as I write this people are still on top of roofs, people are still starving waiting and hoping for help, people have lost their loved ones, people have lost their means to live.

A lot of properties were lost and damaged, cars, gadgets and clothes lost all at once. But these are only material things. Maybe it's time we invested in something that cannot be damaged, something that won't be affected by the strongest typhoon or disaster ... love for God and our
fellowmen.

An eye-opener for me...a message so simple...enjoy life while there is still time.

Thank You

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:49:00 +0000

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Today I want to thank you Lord for giving me another year of life.

Thank you for my dad and mom who are always there to support me and love me and my family through thick and thin.

Thank you for my siblings, my brother and his family, my sister and her husband. I love them all.

Thank you for my husband, who constantly makes me feel that life is worth living, who always makes me smile and laugh. Whose craziness makes me forget the bad times. Whose love I would always cherish for the rest of my life.

Thank you for my lovely daughters Pia and Zoe whose mere existence brings me soooo much joy and happiness. They give me a reason to live each day and want to be the best mother they could ever wish for.

I also want to thank you for giving me so many friends whom I can count on, who I can laugh with and cry with and get crazy with. Friends who are there in the best and worst times of my life.

Again I thank you.

Begin Today

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:21:00 +0000

I find it ironic that I am turning another year older in the next few weeks and I cannot say that I have a fool-proof plan for my future. Something that every responsible adult should have before they charter the many oceans of life.

I sometimes live for today and am guilty of leaving tomorrow to God. Don't get me wrong, I am not totally irresponsible. I have life insurance policies, a pension plan, a good health care plan and a few investments. Nothing ludicrous but a little nest egg for my family in case I become permanently err unavailable. But one must also realize that when you leave tomorrow to God, that means you are in charge of what happens to you today.

Being in charge of today is a big responsibility, because what you do today affects future plans and future realities.

Each day I struggle to live my life to the full. But oftentimes I think I fail to make the most of it. Each working day I think I miss out on the most important moments of my kids life. I content myself into looking at their day from my nanny's recount and stories, from my mom's loving eyes and through my dad's adoring stories. I would call home to check if there are assignments to be done and school supplies to buy and if the kids had preferences for tomorrow's snacks. It was the only way I could be there for them during the day that I am working.

My five-year-old daughter now knows how to contact me at work and what time she would call. There are times when I wasn't able to answer her call because I was in a meeting she would leave messages in my answering machine...and I would feel guilty as hell. Some mornings she would be grumpy when I wake her up and hurry her to the bathroom to give her a bath, she would tell me "why are you always in a rush mommy?" - I wanted to tell her because I want so much to be the one to go to school with you and your sister. To wait for you when you get home and cook your lunch, do your homework and play with you after school...but I can't so I just have to content myself with the few minutes that I can kiss you and give you a bath and I can comb your hair and blow small kisses before I rush yet again to work.

Life is a series of compromises for me. I win some, I lose some. And for each moment that I spend away from my family I want to make sure that I spend it wisely. I count the seconds, the minutes the hours that I would go home and embrace my babies again. Here's something that I love to read whenever I have bad days. I keep it tucked away somewhere for me to read. Here goes:

If you woke up this morning
with more health than illness,
you are more blessed than the
million who won't survive the week.

If you have never experience
the danger of battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment,
the agony of torture or
the pangs of starvation,
you are ahead of 20 million people
around the world.

If you attend a church meeting
without fear of harassment,
arrest, torture, or death,
you are more blessed than almost
three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator,
clothes on your back, a roof over
your head and a place to sleep,
you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank,
in your wallet, and spare change
in a dish someplace, you are among
the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive,
you are very rare,
especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile
on your face and are truly thankful,
you are blessed because the majority can,
but most do not

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them
or even touch them on the shoulder,
you are blessed because you can
offer God's healing touch.

If you can read this,
you are more blessed than over
two billion people in the world
that cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in ways
you may never even know.

“love life, engage in it, give it all you've got. love it with a passion, because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it” ~ Maya Angelou.

In case we forget, we can always begin living today.

A Heart of Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:47:00 +0000

Today our former President Corazon C. Aquino was laid to rest. The country mourned the loss. After fighting for her life, the cancer won. Before she died she shared a most wonderful prayer. A prayer for a happy death. I remember my dad's elder sister who shared with me a similar prayer.

Prayer for a Happy Death
By Corazon Aquino

Almighty God, most merciful Father
You alone know the time
You alone know the hour
You alone know the moment
When I shall breathe my last.

So, remind me each day,
most loving Father
To be the best that I can be.
To be humble, to be kind,
To be patient, to be true.
To embrace what is good,
To reject what is evil,
To adore only You.

When the final moment does come
Let not my loved ones grieve for long.
Let them comfort each other
And let them know
how much happiness
They brought into my life.
Let them pray for me,
As I will continue to pray for them,
Hoping that they will always pray
for each other.

Let them know that they made possible
Whatever good I offered to our world.
And let them realize that our separation
Is just for a short while
As we prepare for our reunion in eternity.

Our Father in heaven,
You alone are my hope.
You alone are my salvation.
Thank you for your unconditional love, Amen.

This prayer was published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer last July 10, 2009.

I also want to share this beautiful song composed by M. Franciso SJ, it's called "Your Heart Today"

“Love comes to those who still hope even though they've been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they've been betrayed, to those who still love even though they've been hurt before.”

If I was 17 Again

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:45:00 +0000

It seems like ages ago when I wore my college uniform, I was in all white. I had a hard time keeping it that way as I made my way to the University, it always rained and my pencil-cut skirt seemed to manage to rip itself up to my booty. Good thing I have my mini sewing kit tucked away in my bag. I was the only girl in the last row and I'd hate it when the boys would snicker and made fun of me.

I also wondered how I was going to cram all those medical words and chemical equations in my tired head and keep up with my professors. Flunking is never an option. We started out as 46 students in our class and sometime before the last semester ended we were trimmed down to 32. Fourteen students either dropped out or was forced out. Getting good grades and not flunking my subjects were all that was on my mind - err and also how to rinse out all the chlorine and drying my long black hair after of swimming class --- aaarghh! that was probably one of the hardest part of college life. LOL!

And then there was Medical School. That was the ultimate goal. Boys were just not an option at that time, although there were a lot of good-looking medical students in my building. There just wasn't time for that. I could barely look up while I walked to my classes! My books were sooo darned heavy. All those subjects with "-ology" in the end. I had tons of those.

So today, I was thinking and looking back (one tends to do that a lot when one gets older I guess) - I wondered what would I tell myself if I had the chance to talk to "me". And I figured I had a lot of things to tell myself. I made a little list.

1. Relax - I was a little uptight at that age, I did not socialize a lot. Well partly because my dad was a little strict and secondly I was not so into it too. I was a little hard on myself then. I was always in a rush.

2. Listen to your mom and dad when they say that "Time is Gold". Procrastination in any stage in life is never good.

3. Don't be in a hurry all the time. Enjoy the moment and savor every little experience you get out of life. Who knows you might need to pick that memory out at a later time. I guess this happens when you don't get lesson no. 2.

4. Save, save, save. Save your allowance for important stuff. Something that could enhance your self-esteem. Avoid spending your money on non-essentials like make up or gadgets.

5. Don't be in a hurry to grow up. Your time will come. Enjoy the moment while someonelse is in charge of paying the bills. Growing up means more responsibilities and that includes paying bills. Being young and learning the ropes will build your character. Be friends with people who are independent, they have a lot of experiences to share.

6. Don't get credit cards. If you know how to spend your money wisely and you can live within your means, then for goodness sakes don't get that credit card. If your spending gets out of control - you could head to a financial meltdown in the future. Trust me steer clear.

7. Soak up all the wisdom the elders are imparting to you. Listen to dad's talk on choosing well whether he's talking about finding the right partner in life or choosing the right friends. He will also say "never giving up your ideals". And then there's mom's words on managing your time well and the wisdom of loving with all your heart but always leaving something for yourself "just-in-case".

8. Be confident. Don't be easily intimidated by other people. They are also afraid of new things just like you. They just know how to hide it better. Believe me I met a lot of people like this and they also have high positions in the corporate world.

9. Love yourself. Don't let others walk all over you. You have your own identity and your own special talents and gifts. Learn how to use it and it will serve you well. That hobby may make you a millionaire someday. Remember those who know their passion, never had to work a day in their lives.

10. Trust God and your family. They will love you unconditionally whether you have "unclear" skin, wavy hair, a fashion disaster or a social outcast. They will love you no-matter-what. And you know after all these - their love is all that matters.

We may not be able to turn back the clock and be 17 again but hey we were able to taste the elixir of life. It's our turn to guide that someone who is lost and finding themselves amongst crowd.

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~ Abraham Lincoln

What Matters Most

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:50:00 +0000

I wrote this post years ago about my wedding day and my dad. Because it's father's day I wanted to share it again.

Have you heard the song "what matters most" by Kenny Rankin? I love that song. I requested my dad to sing that song for me on my wedding day. I was so excited when he agreed, however when THE DAY came, he kinda chickened out. Instead a string quartet played the song while I was walking down the aisle. my eyes were so misty, i couldn't see a thing. in my mind, it was my dad who was singing for me.

I asked my dad why he backed out. He told me he felt so emotional that he couldn't even speak. the lyrics were simple, the message was clear. this song somehow depicts my farewell bid to my childhood. it was like saying, "mom and dad, the days that I spent with you had been sweet and unforgettable and now as I enter my new life I would like to thank you for the wonderful childhoold that i had, it will be the foundation i'll use to build my own family.

Thank you for showing me how to love unconditionally, that kind of love is very hard to come by. Thank you for teaching me that it did not matter that our lives were not so perfect as long as we were happy there was no problem greater than that. Thank you for letting me discover myself and teaching me to love the "me" that i found staring back in the mirror. Thank you for loving me in the good and bad times, just knowing you are there for me helped me become strong. thank you for being there for me as i learned to stand on my own and experience life. and thank you for opening my eyes to the world, letting me know that who I am and how I deal with other people will determine how happy and successful my life would be.

you both taught me it did not matter that loving someone could sometimes hurt so much you ached all over, what mattered was I was capable of loving - not all people have that gift. =) here's the lyrics of the song. hope you like it too

It's not how long we held each other's hand
What matters is how well we loved each other
It's not how far we travelled on our way
Of what we found to say
It's not the spring you see, but all the shades of green

It's not how long I held you in my arms
What matters is how sweet the years together
It's not how many summertimes we had to give to fall
The early morning smiles we tearfully recall
What matters most is that we loved at all.

It's not how many summertimes we had to give to fall
The early morning smiles we tearfully recall
What matters most is that we loved at all.

What matters most is that we loved at all.

I love you soooo much Dad - Happy Father's Day!

incidentally the picture in this post is not my wedding picture but that of my sister's. i love this picture. from left to right, that's my hubby, me, my mom, my sister, my dad and my brother. the flower girls are katrina and pia.

I would also like to say Happy Father's Day to hubby - the most wonderful dad to my precious daughters. Thank you for coming to my life.

Totally My Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:27:00 +0000

The other day my ten-year-old daughter Ysabel asked me. "Mom, is it okay if I blog just like you?" I didn't hesitate and told her "Sure! wanna do it now?"

My eldest daughter is into books and she loves to write too. I cannot even begin to tell you how much she loves books. Whenever we go out she would always ask me, "Mom, I did very well in my exam, will you buy me a book?" And just like that she has started her book collection. It's something her dad and I support with all our hearts.

During Christmas when most children would ask for toys, the latest gadgets my eldest daughter would tell her godmothers and godfathers that she would love it so much if they bought her books for Christmas. And she was wise too, she would ask her godparents and grandparents different books so she would be able to maximize her growing wish list. This way no books were bought twice! Attah girl!

Together we designed her blog. Of course it has to be pink and there has to be a ballerina there. She also wanted to showcase the books she already have. We are still in the process of designing and I was amazed at how well she has envisioned what her blog would look like. She wrote the contents of her blog, even her profile description. She was funny and funky at the same time. She asked for my help to check her grammar and how she wanted her post to look like. And I enjoyed helping her do it.

I wanted to encourage her to write because I think this is a place she can develop herself to her full potential.

So to my sweet daughter, mommy supports you all the way. Keep on writing love. If you want to check out her blog please don't hesitate here's the link Totally Me

No Boundaries

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Sun, 31 May 2009 11:03:00 +0000

One evening on the way home, hubby and I were having a discussion about relationships with people. We were talking about people who became close to us, became part of our daily lives and all of a sudden they say goodbye and we get hurt - almost betrayed. I told him maybe I shouldn't care so much, maybe I shouldn't be so attached, maybe if I don't get too close I'll survive. He says, I was going about this the wrong way. He said after all this time I still don't get it.

I get hurt because I always think in terms of forever.Well maybe he was right. I do tend to believe, well hope actually that good times...could last forever, I couldn't help it. Who wouldn't want something good to last a lifetime? Why couldn't it last a little while longer? That's why I fear death so much because that puts a period on my existence, on the existence of the people I love and care about. I remember my dad telling me I shouldn't fear it, one's existence does not end in death...if you loved the person deeply enough...then love transcends even in death. And he says death will come, that is certain. :( But until then there is only thing that stand between me and my happiness - ME. Because love has no boundaries.

I guess that was why I was particularly struck by a song written by Cara DioGuardi, its called No Boundaries. I loved the lyrics of the song so here I am sharing it with you.

seconds, hours, so many days
you know what you want but how long can you wait
every moment lasts forever
when you feel you've lost your way

and what if my chances were already gone
i started believing that i could be wrong
but you gave me one good reason
to fight and never walk away
so here i am still holding on

with every step you climb another mountain
every breath its harder to believe
you'll make it through the pain, weather the hurricanes
to get to that one place
when you think the road is going no where
just when you almost gave up on your dreams
they take you by the hand
and show you that you can
there are no boundaries

i fought to the limit to stand on the edge
what if today is as good as it gets
dont know where the future is heading
but nothing is gonna bring me down

I've jumped every bridge
I've run every line
I've risked being safe
i always knew why, i always knew why
so here i am still holding on

you can go higher
you can go deeper
there are no boundaries
above and beneath you
break every rule 'cause there is nothing between you and your dreams
there are no boundaries

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” ~ Mother Teresa

are you willing to take the risk? to LOVE without boundaries?

Before I was a Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Sat, 09 May 2009 03:11:00 +0000

Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom -
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into
bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom -
I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to
a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never
thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on - Pooped on - Spit on - Chewed on, or Peed on. I
had complete control of my mind and My thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or
give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got
gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I
never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the
hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I
never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love
being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't
know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that
bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make
sure all was okay.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never known The warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The
wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable
of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

Happy mother's day to my beloved mom, who always inspire me to be a good mom myself. I love you sooooo much. To all my mommy blogger friends - Happy mother's day to you all!

Touch and Go

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:24:00 +0000

Yesterday afternoon I went to my aunt's funeral. She's my mom's older sister. I remembered her as someone who was jolly, always cracking up jokes and taking me to places. I remembered how she always sided with me when I didn't want to have my long black hair cut during summer vacation. It's been a long time since I last saw her and it was sad that when I had to see her again it was at her funeral.

When I got to their place I felt really nostalgic, I remembered their place quite differently back then. I remembered it as a huge playground, where every nook and cranny was a magical place of make-believe. Now, my little playmates had kids like me, but their kids were older...their kids had kids of their own! I also saw my cousins, former playmates I seldom see anymore. And to my chagrin, I was informed just today - that I am now a grandma! Whoa! Good thing my grandson was sooooooo adorable that I forgave my niece for making me a very young grandma. Hehehe.

I was silent during the drive home, I couldn't help but think about the past and the present and how they are so intricately woven to how my future would be like. Life is so fragile, sometimes it's hard to hold on to it, it's always touch and go. I was sad to know that I wouldn't see my aunt anymore, but I was surprised at how strong her presence had been imprinted in my life; and somehow it comforted me to know that she will never really be gone nor forgotten in my heart.

Here's an old song by Rupert Holmes I heard on the radio the other day. A super dooper oldie. It tells how life couldn't last forever but promises that love could make it worth while. I'd like to share with you the lyrics.

Nobody said that
Life is always fair
Sometimes it clips your wings
While you're in mid-air
But there's a thread
Between your life and mine
And when you're losin' hope
This rope won't unwind

Hold on tight
'Cause life is touch and go
It's sink or swim
But never doubt
If you're out on a limb
I'll get the call
To break your fall
I'll never leave you
Even when life
Is touch and go
Or hit and run
We'll never break
If we take it as one
I'm here to stay,
I pray you know
I'll never touch
I'll never touch and go

Someday you'll find
There's nothin' in the night
That wasn't there before
You turned out the light
Straight from your mind
The monster 'neath your bed
The voices in the hall
They're all in your head

Hold on tight
'Cause life is touch and go
It's sink and swim
But never doubt
If you're out on a limb
I'll get the call
To break your fall
I'll never leave you
Even when life
Is touch and go
Or hit and run
We'll never break
If we take it as one
I'm here to stay,
I pray you know
I'll never touch
I'll never touch and go

When you feel lost
You're only spun around
Tumbled and tossed
But never run around
Life is a townful
Of strangers at best
I'll help you home
God help the rest

Hold on tight
'Cause life is touch and go
It's sink and swim
But never doubt
If you're out on a limb
I'll get the call
To break your fall
I'll never leave you
Even when life
Is touch and go
Or hit and run
We'll never break
If we take it as one
I'm here to stay,
I pray you know
I'll never touch
I'll never touch and go

Life is touch and go
It's sink or swim
But never doubt
If you're out on a limb
I'll get the call...

That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet. ~ Emily Dickinson

Breathe Again

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:52:00 +0000

The past few months have been terribly busy months for me. It feels totally wonderful having time to sit infront of my laptop and write something down. I missed Bloggerville soooo much. It's so good to breathe easily and not make life-altering decisions even for just a little while.

I have been in this constant tug-o-war between my work-life and family-life. I feel like I've been crossing too many bridges and shaking too many hands of late. The good news is I got a promotion! An unexpected prize for all the times I had to be away from my daughters. Another thing? It's summer time! My kids are now on vacation and that means beach time, swimming and travel! The crux though is, how do I squeeze in all these things in my busy life? Sigh.

Time magazine says the most important commodity today is "work". I am thankful that both hubby and I still have our work. I used to hate the corporate world, probably because I have this obscure picture of myself as a domesticated wife, raising my kids and running my home. Something I perceived as simple, do-able, easy. But then life has something else in store for me. I didn't know that I could juggle too! I was surprised to know that I could be a manager and be a mom at the same time and do good at both. The thing that I used to hate is now a challenge for me. I want to be good at it everyday. I have now shifted from mommy books to books about leadership. LOL! I am now friends with authors like Jack Welch, Warren Buffet, Stephen Covey, Robert Greene and of course John Maxwell.

My planner is my bestfriend, she manages both my work and my family life. Without her? I would be lost and clueless! If someone stole her, I'd pay the ransom instantly! Haha! I found it hard at first, I have met and dealt with some very hardened people but I have finally learned to adjust and not lose myself in the process. Some people could be very cruel. You could be friends today and enemies the next. You could be swallowed alive and not know it. Ahhh, enough about that. Today I promised myself to learn how to breath again. To enjoy this HOLY WEEK with my family doing simple stuff. Breathe in and out. That's my goal. Here's a quote that caught my eye today, hope you guys like it.

This is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it or use it for good.
What I do today is important, because
I am exchanging a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes,
this day will be gone forever,
leaving in its place something
that I have traded for it.
I want it to be gain, not loss;
good not evil; success not failure;
in order that I shall not regret
the price I paid for it. ~ author unknown

Breathe my friends and always make time for life.

Love Sweet Love

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Okay, it's just two days till Valentine's day and yes - I still wonder what hubby has in store for me on that day.

After all these years it's really sweet that he still comes up with some tricks up his sleeve during that day. And at the office, I am always the envy of the girls, married women too, because hubby always sends me the biggest bouquet of flowers. I would always blush a bright red color whenever the security guard would come over my table to deliver the flowers. The girls and even the boys would stand up and ogle. Some of my married colleagues would complain that their husbands aren't as sweet anymore.

My male colleagues would always wonder how hubby was able to buy the nice ones since they would always be sold out this time of the year. Hubby would say smugly, "it's because I planned ahead." Well you can't help but admire a man with a plan like that, can you?

Here's a re-post of a poem that hubby wrote for me way back when he attended a training workshop. They were asked to listen to a song and the song they were listening to evoked memories of me walking down the aisle and how he felt while he was waiting for me walk towards him to the altar.

Walking down the aisle
feels like a child getting a candy
the joy, the bliss, the happiness
is beyond what words can explain

Each second of waiting
seems like waiting for eternity
each step is like a loud clanging of bells

As the woman of your love and life comes near,
your heart pounds,

ready to explode

Like fireworks on New Year's Eve
the feeling flows
like a raging water
flowing from the heavens

To Hubby ~ I love you, for putting your hand into my heart and passing over all the foolish, weak things that you can’t help dimly seeing there, and for drawing out into the light all the beautiful belongings that no one else had looked quite so far enough to find ~Roy Croft

Happy Valentine's Day to my girls, my mom an dad, my brother and his family, my sister and hubby...and to all my lovely friends here in bloggerville! I wish you all LOVE sweeeeeet LOVE.

Do You Still Dream?

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:36:00 +0000

I woke up one morning and felt a little odd. I used to remember all of my dreams vividly, like I was watching a movie in my head and in technicolor! That morning I felt like I had a dreamless night, like my dream bucket was empty. Nothing spectacular, no splashing colors. It was a bit on the gray side. Like I was in a super massive black hole. Was I still dreaming? I asked myself and figured maybe I am. But what were they about? I don't remember anything.

Hmmmm. I mulled over it a little bit more as I was headed to the office. Usually, there was something I wanted to buy, or some place I wanted to go, or something I wanted to do. But that day? Nothing. Caput! And I couldn't say that I was breezing through life content with everything. Well, come to think of it, maybe I am content. But no, something was missing. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. The pull, the thrill...the passion? For a panic-stricken moment I thought, had I lost it? My dreams? Gone?!

Squishing my mind a bit more, I tried to think about something that I wanted so terribly right here, right now? Thinking still. Hmmmm....Shaking my head in frustration and chagrin - all I could come up with, was an utterly neurotic un-funny girlish answer, err Edward Cullen (the Twillight guy)?Huh! Rolling my eyes. What was that? I thought frustated. That was utterly uncreative of me. But you see, there was a sense of emptiness creeping up behind me.

Where was all the introspection? The deep answers to my life's purpose? Well, I guess I still know my purpose in life. And yup, I still have that whole list of valid reasons to wake up each morning tucket away in my brain, but - but...but what? It was faintly frustrating, like I was missing something but I don't know what it is yet. Acck! I guess I should let it go for awhile. Maybe it will dawn on me. I sure hope so. I remembered someone told me never ever stop dreaming. Is that what's happening? I ran out of dreams to dream?

In life, many thoughts are born in the course of a moment, an hour, a day. Some are dreams, some visions. Often, we are unable to distinguish between them. To some, they are the same; however, not all dreams are visions. Much energy is lost in fanciful dreams that never bear fruit. But visions are messages from the Great Spirit, each for a different purpose in life. Consequently, one person's vision may not be that of another. To have a vision, one must be prepared to receive it, and when it comes, to accept it. Thus when these inner urges become reality, only then can visions be fulfilled. The spiritual side of life knows everyone's heart and who to trust. How could a vision ever be given to someone to harbor if that person could not be trusted to carry it out. The message is simple: commitment precedes vision. ~ High Eagle

So tell me? Do you guys still dream? What do you guys dream about?

Begin.Grow.Flow

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:09:00 +0000

The new year started with a bang as usual. My family watched the fireworks display and welcomed the new year making our own noise in our bedroom verandah. It was drizzling so we were not able to stay outside so much. I had a terrible cold that day, my husband had a slight fever and my two daughters had cough. Haha! And you might think that a little thing like that would stop us from greeting the new year as loudly as we can. Not!

As usual I make a quick recap of the year that was and I could not help but smile, frown and feel sad at some events that took place in my life. It was the life I made, the life I am continuously weaving. What I am really surprised about is how much my daughters have grown and I am still amazed at how much they know when I start to compare my life as a child then.

With them around, now I have no control over my own stuff. As soon as I get home, my five-year-old would ask if she could tinker with my iPhone and my ten-year-old would ask permission to use my laptop. Whoa! There goes my short moments of err "away" time, I think groaning. Now I am forced to content myself to read. I call it invasion! They have dominated even my moments for a small recreation. And I guess, that's my bit about my lack of, err, new posts here. LOL! I frowned a little as I think about that. Should I have been sharing er make-up lessons with them? Aaacck! I am afraid I would probably disappoint them in that direction. Lipstick is the only make up I have in my bag and a colorless lip gloss which does not constitute much. And I somehow felt a bit satisfied that they would grow up like me, no frizz no frill type of gal. LOL!

I am also amazed at how much my eldest daughter loved to read. She devours books and craves them by the lot. She sometimes reads three books simultaneously and would you believe she has started to read the Twillight Saga as well! Hmmmm....now she's asking me to download audio books so she can listen to them in the iPod. I always think better that than something else. My little five-year-old is into drawing stuff and making up stories in her little notebook. She also plays some kids games online (don't worry with parental guidance) and I am amazed at how she can outplay me with the new games. I envy them with all the choices they have now. LOL!

I watch contently the little bubble of happiness that is my family. My husband who is always there, ever supportive and ever loving. My mom and dad, always there when I needed them, never stopping to love me and my family. My siblings and their kids all make my life simply worth living for.

This new year, I have vowed to make new beginnings, grow a little more (probably not vertically but in some aspects in my life), and go with the flow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all!

Happiness is an "inside job"

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:36:00 +0000

I am in a panic mode.

Christmas is a few days away and I am not ready to face it. All of a sudden, I felt like Mister Scrooge reincarnated. I was thinking all sorts of things. I love to go shopping but just thinking about the effort to wrap up all the gifts makes me feel so exhausted. The Christmas dinner, each year? I would search my cookbook and come up with holiday treats that I could do with the kids. Now I don't have any idea what to cook. I have no excuse, I am not prepared for it. I had no time. Aarrrgh!

I felt bad for the kids. I felt so much like a bad mom, too busy with the career and neglecting home. That's not how I envisioned my kids would see me. I am in a rut.

So yesterday, hubby and I, together with the kids and the nanny set out for a day of Christmas shopping. I know what you're thinking - christmas shopping with the kids?! What was I thinking about? Hehe. Well, that's me hitting two birds with one stone. I wanted to be with the kids...but I am pressed for time, I needed to go shopping otherwise no gift-giving on Christmas. Sigh. Good thing my nanny was there to help me out. So we set out to dive into hidden treasures for the "perfect" christmas gift.

Before we set out to go shopping, we had mass at the Greenbelt Chapel. I loved hearing mass there, it was solemn and condusive. The kids were having fun...I felt peace somehow. That night I received my perfect gift. A message from above.

The homily was very good. The priest said, "Happiness, is an inside job." That caught my attention. I listened intently as he says that during Christmas we, at some point, put on a facade that we are the "saviour" ready to save the world with our own version of "giving". We set out to paint our houses, spend so much on gifts - most of the time overspend, we lavish our houses with ornaments and we pretent that we have it all covered...we pretend that "this" was what Christmas was all about. He says that Christmas is not that at all.

He says, we should not put so much guilt and weight on our shoulders -just to please other people. That way, we lose the spirit...we lose the gift of giving because it becomes automatic to give in that way. Sometimes, we should allow ourselves to feel the happiness and let the spirit of Christmas overpower us. Because that was what He wanted us to experience. The joy that comes with the remembering His birth. During Christmas He wants us to feel like a child again, anticipating His coming, as he brings His gifts of love. I don't know why, but I felt relief.

This season, I think we should all learn to relax a bit and just enjoy the experience. Forget the things we have to do and accomplish. It all starts inside, that tingly feeling we get in our chest as our hearts burst with love and happiness. Let's make it happen, let LOVE come from the inside then out.

“There's more, much more, to Christmas than candlelight and cheer; It's the spirit of sweet friendship that brightens all year. It's thoughtfulness and kindness, It's hope reborn again, For peace, for understanding, And for goodwill to men!”

Merry Christmas to you my dear dear friends! I wish you all good things and blessings all year round.

My Secret Place

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:30:00 +0000

Some of us, if not all of us, at some point in our busy lives have secret places where we relax and decompress. A sacred place not for everyone to see. This place is quiet and soothing, surrounded with all things fresh and good. Well I went to that place today.

Today I took the day off, I have not done that for some time now and it felt good taking it slow for a change. After the kids went to school this morning, I grabbed the chance to go back to sleep. Snuggling back down into the warm covers felt soooooo good. When I woke up I had breakfast and then coffee. I went back to bed and did absolutely nothing. It was exhilarating.

I went to this secret place in my mind where everything was okay. I wanted to empty my mind somehow so I can fill it back up with new things. It seems to have been filled with soooo much work lately. Sometimes I am too tired to do anything and having the kids around takes away the tension. And of course hubby is always there to pep me up. But sometimes, you gotta go to a place where you get to be just yourself . No commitments, no decisions to be made, nothing just BE.

I guess it worked because I felt very relaxed. After awhile I opened the television and watched cooking shows. Haha, I really love doing that. My daughter always ask me why I watch Giada or Ina Garten and yet I don't really cook full course meals. Opppps, now don't get the wrong impression. You wonder now, who cooks for hubby and the kids? Haha, well I guess that's where my mom and nanny comes in. Well, I do cook occassionally, but mostly breakfast and dinner. I will not be able to do the things I do at work and get to play with the kids if I don't have a great support group - and I am blessed that I have them.

I really miss you guys, I hope to visit all of you very soon. In the meantime, I leave you something to ponder on. For those weary souls...read this and be comforted.

The Lord is my Shepherd = That's Relationship!

I shall not want = That's Supply!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters = That's Refreshment!

He restoreth my soul = That's Healing!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = That's Guidance!

For His name sake = That's Purpose!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of t he shadow of death = That's
Testing!

I will fear no evil = That's Protection!

For Thou art with me = That's Faithfulness!

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me = That's Discipline!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies =
That's Hope!

Thou annointes t my head with oil = That's Consecration!

My cup runneth over = That's Abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life =
That's Blessing !

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = That's Security!

Forever = That's Eternity!

Do not ask the Lord to Guide your Footsteps if you are not willing to move your Feet. Peace to all.

The Grass is Always Greener...

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:01:00 +0000

Do you often catch yourself thinking how some people are luckier than you, how they are well-off, how some of them had better opportunities, better jobs, better lives. We are always unconsciously comparing our lives with theirs. And often times we find ourselves lacking in something, one way or the other. And that feeling of inadequacy leads us to a place called dissatisfaction. And this dissatisfaction leads us to an unhappy life.

If we always thought that way we will never live up to it. There would always be something missing. Something lacking. And that, for me, is a total waste of our precious time. I am guilty of wanting, wishing and dreaming of better things for me and my family. But opposed to comparing our lives to others, hoping that our lives could be better is not bad...not bad at all. Did you know that how one feels and how one sees things in their life is all a matter of one's perspective?

Let me tell you a story about "Perspectives" I received on e-mail. I posted this years ago and up to now I still think it important. Always seeing the good side of life has it's pay off. So here it is.

One day a father and his rich family took his young son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, "How was the trip? "Very good, Dad!"
"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Yeah!" "And what did you learn?"

The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars.

Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon.

When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless. His son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are!"

Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude toward life, you've got everything!You can't buy any of these things. You can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing! Author Unknown

Allow me to finish the sentence in a different way..."The Grass is Always Greener .... when you toil and water it with passion and love.

always remember, Life is what you make it...

Happy weekend guys!

Offline Messages

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:12:00 +0000

These past few days I have been "offline" figuratively and literally from Bloggerville and boy how I miss you guys soooooo much. The net connection in our area has been down for three weeks now and I was almost going insane without it.

The funny thing, though, in these last three weeks I was surprised to notice that I have accomplished a lot of things outside the net. One, I get to sleep early...I guess for lack of better things to do. I get to have a lot of play time with the kids, brush their hair and then put them to bed. After that I get to lie down with a very good book or watch television or a new DVD. At first I was fidgety but as the days went by I got used to it. I survived!

Hubby and I started reading this book by Donald Trump, called Think Big and Kick Ass. What a title huh? It's Donald's version of The Secret. It was surprisingly a good book. His goal was simple enough...but everything he did was BIG! I got to reflect a little and tried to look at my life through Donald's eyes and boy I could almost hear him say, "Sweetie? When are you gonna start living that life you were always dreaming of?"

Hmmm, that got me thinking. What kind of life was I leading right now? Was this the dream life I thought a lot of when I was little? It's not that fabulous but it's not that bad either but is this as far as I was prepared to go? Somehow I felt a little inadequate. It seems like I had not exerted that much of an effort really to be good at my job. I felt like I just did what I was told to do. Do this report, train this people, talk to this client, attend this meeting, make sure everything is up and running. Those words sounded like commands given to a robot. And that robot was me. Did I make a difference in my people's lives? I hoped so.

A light seemed to have been turned on inside of me. I wanted to be good at my job. To be successful and for me to do that I got to love what I do and I have to become good at it. You guessed it right now I am driven. Each day I go to work wanting to change things for the better.

They say sometimes...you just have to take one more step to close the distance. Let's take it one step at a time.

Thanks guys! Hope to visit all of you very sooon.

Bring it on!

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:07:00 +0000

Did you ever have days when everything seemed to pale in comparison with what you were feeling inside? Perhaps you were having a terrible morning and somehow missed seeing how that little rosebud you have been watching for some time now has finally bloomed into a beautiful pink rose. Or how brilliantly dazzling blue the sky was and how the sun seemed to shine straight at you as if putting you in a stage with a spotlight. People were sending you smiles but you were sending it back with a huge frown of worry in your face.

I have had those days myself. And at the end of each one, I realize that things were not so bad, I often regret how I wasted those precious moments being upset. I will be celebrating my birthday in a few days and I looked back and saw my life has changed a lot since my last birthday.

Aside from being another year older, I have realized that I am more courageous now to meet life head on. Before I thought life is just around the corner...waiting...for me. I was wrong. Life does not wait for no one. It's a choice you make everyday. So today I am changing my blog title. Hope you agree with me when I now say...LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT.

Let me tell you a story of how someone's life changed because someone helped him see.

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

Sometimes the most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling! And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it!

John Maxwell once said, "Your attitude determines your altitude." Obviously he was on to something.

Happy weekend to all of you.

And now she's 5!

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:10:00 +0000

I look at my little girl and I couldn't believe my eyes. She's all grown up and has a mind of her own.

She likes to dress up and put on accessories. She loves the color pink.

She is sweet if she sets her mind to it and very very playful. She is very meticulous and likes to draw pictures and makes stories.You can never fool her, she knows what you're up to. Well her nanny knows only too well. LOL!

Happy birthday sweetheart! Mommy and daddy loves you very much and Ate Pia too!

Isn't it Ironic?

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:16:00 +0000

This is not your typical slow Sunday. I got to think about a lot of things today. Some of them pretty heavy stuff. I couldn't help but think that life is full of ironies. Just wanted to share with you a message I received this week. Read them very carefully.

Today we have bigger houses yet smaller families
More convenience, but less time

We Have More degrees, but less common sense
More knowledge, but less judgement

We have more experts, but more problems
More medicine, but less good health

We spend too recklessly
Laugh too little
Drive too fast
Get too angry too quickly
Stay up too late
Read too little
Watch TV too much
And are less considerate

We have multiplied our possessions, but have reduced our values
We talk too much, love too little and lie too often

We have learned how to make a living, but not a life
We have added years to life, but not life to years

We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers
Wider roads, but narrower viewpoints
We spend more, but have less
We buy more, yet enjoy it less
We have been all the way to the moon and back

But have trouble crossing the road to meet our neighbours.
We’ve conquered our outer space,

But not our inner space
We’ve split the atom
But not our prejudice

We write more, learn less,
plan more, but accomplish less
we have learned to rush, but not to wait,
we have higher incomes , but lower morals
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies
But have less personal communication

We are long on quantity,
But less in quality
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion
Tall men and short character

More leisure but less fun - more kinds of food - but less nutrition
Two incomes - but more divorce
nicer houses - but broken homes

That is why I propose, that as of today, you do not keep anything for special occasions, because every day you live is a special occasion.

Search for knowledge, read more.

Sit and admire the view without paying attention to your needs.

Spend more time with your family and friends , eat your favorite food and visit the places you love.

Life is moments of enjoyment and not just about surviving.
Drink from the finest crystal glass.

Do not save your best perfume or aftershave but use it every day.

Remove phrases like “one of these days“, “someday” and “not now” from your vocabulary
write that letter you thought of writing “one of these days “
Let’s tell our families and friends how much we love them.
Do not delay anything that adds laughter and joy to your life .
Every day , every hour , and every minute is special.
As you do not know if they will be your last.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "So much of our time is preparation, so much is routine, and so much retrospect, that the path of each man's genius contracts itself to a very few hours."

Being a mom I am sometimes stuck in routine and most of the time in preparation, definitely in retrospection...Mr. Emerson is right it's time to change the way we see life.

Dear Life

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:35:00 +0000

My two precious daughters got sick this week. You would think that nine years of motherhood would have prepared me for this but sadly, no, I was not.

It started with a simple fever on Monday evening. I was not worried then. I knew how to handle fever. Sponge baths, ice pack on the forehead, monitor the temperature, paracetamol every four hours. I have done it many times before. Tuesday morning, my little girl Zoe has a slight fever too. I wanted them both to stay home so the fever won't progress but my eldest daughter pleaded that she didn't want to miss anything in school. Sigh, I told the nanny to stay a little longer than usual in school to make sure that both are okay. I went to work but decided to take the afternoon off so that I could make sure that the kids are okay.

When I arrived home I was surprised to see my mom and my sister in our room fuzzing over my eldest. As I entered the room I noticed how my mom looked. She was panicking. She looks like this when she's worried. "What's her temp?", I asked. "105.8 F", my mom whispered. I was shocked! I quickly changed clothes and took my daughter to the bathroom and gave her a cold bath. My heart was beating fast. I was the calm one...but all of a sudden I was thrown aback. The whole time her temperature only went down to 105 F. Worried was too light a word to describe how I was feeling. I called hubby and told him we might have to bring both the kids to the hospital.

We stayed in the hospital overnight then. We were sent home when their temperatures got down to normal. Their blood tests were normal. However, the evening the next day my eldest had high fever again. My medical background told me I had to bring her back to make sure that it was not Dengue Fever . Waiting for the result was killing me. It was like waiting for my sentence to be served. I told hubby and my daughter that I wanted to go to the chapel. I prayed with all that I am worth. And told my daughter to do the same. She smiled at me, "I already prayed mom. He already heard us."

It amazed me how certain she sounded when she said that. I banked on her faith. And I was not disappointed. She was negative for Dengue Fever. I felt as if the large knife that pierced through my heart was suddenly removed and I could breath again. I kissed and cuddled them both through the night and held their hands while they slept. If anything happened to them, I would die.

I would give everything up in a split second, even my life, just so my children could live. I realized even more how precious each moment with them counts. If only I could keep them in my pocket and take them wherever I go each day, I would.

Here's a nice quote from an unknown author that really touched my heart. Hope you like it and remember life is too precious to waste on hate, anger and pride. Love life and it will love you back.

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good." ~ Author Unknown

Just Chillin'

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:30:00 +0000

It's amazes me how music could spice up a movie and give it emphasis somehow. Just imagine if movies didn't have OSTs (official sound tracks). Say the movie Friday the 13th or Jaws without those heart-stopping moments that were empasized by simple notes and music. Dull right? Everyday I listen to music and I imagine that each day a new soundtrack of my life is being played. And funny how the song "Just Another Manic Monday" seem to play by itself all week long! LOL! And how odd that when my boss calls out for me to go to her office, I seem to hear those two notes from the movie "Jaws" as I approach her office. "dum dum, dum dum". Like I was about to devoured by sharp teeth. hehe.

I couldn't possibly last a day without music. I have it in my ear as soon as I go mobile on my way to work. And when I arrive at my desk I have to have music while I start reading my mails and sign some documents.

These past few weeks have been terribly busy ones that I was not able to update my blog or visit my favorite blogs at all. Ever since school started for my kids I have been on my toes as early as 5:30 in the morning. My youngest is not a morning person so I have to break her in for the day. I wake her up with kisses and hugs. At first it was quite a struggle for both of us but lately she's starting to wake up on her own. I would be giving them both a bath, it's funny how our bath times have suddenly turned into sing-alongs. Hehe. We sing "I like to move it", a song from the movie Madagascar and the kids will start to laugh and actually move it. hehehe.

This weekend I just chilled here at home well almost. Saturday I attended my nephew's amazing first birthday party. It was the first time that I attended a kids party with a Starbucks booth, a dog show and two mimes mesmerizing the guests! It was something unforgettable to say the least. And the food, for the adults we had tasty adults food but the kids buffet table had gourmet kids food! Haha. There were chefs preparing different ice cream concoctions and dessert stuff. It changed my idea of a kiddie party for life! hehe.

And so today is Sunday, I slept in. Lingered over my breakfast, well brunch actually. And then had time to really drink my coffee. The song I am playing right now?

Wanna know what I love to listen to all the time? My kids' laughter, they're simply music to my ears. I can't seem to get enough of it. It's something I want to hear all day long. It somehow tells me they are happy being with me.

Have a fantastic Sunday everyone!

I Think We've Got Something Special

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:49:00 +0000

Infatuation is when you think he's as sexy as Robert Redford, as smart as Henry Kissinger, as noble as Ralph Nader, as funny as Woody Allen, and as athletic as Jimmy Conners. Love is when you realize that he's as sexy as Woody Allen, as smart as Jimmy Connors, as funny as Ralph Nader, as athletic as Henry Kissinger and nothing like Robert Redford - but you'll take him anyway. ~ Judith Viorst, Redbook, 1975

This quote maybe a little outdated but I found it funny and so very true. LOL! Well anyway, hubby and I bonded with some of his old high school buddies last week. One of his close friends got back from the US so the "barkada" (friends) decided to troop to their place to catch up on old times and talk about their new life in the US. And yes, to also take a peek at the two new additions to the family.

All these years (geez has it been 11 years already?!) and it seems like nothing much has changed. The men (there were six of them) would group together to talk shop or whatever it is that men talk about. Hehe. Which I found out, were not really quite as different to what we, women, talk about. LOL! And we, the wives, formerly the girlfriends, would also pull up chairs and huddle close together to talk about err this and that.

When we were younger, that was when hubby and I were still dating, the topics ranged mostly from what movies we watched, where we go on dates, beauty tips, love tips and so forth and so on. Then as the years went by, one by one each couple would get engaged and then we talk about "the proposal", compare engagement rings and re run "how he proposed" and of course talk about "the wedding plans". Then after the wedding, there were baptisms, first birthdays, seventh birthdays, Christmas parties and parties - just because.

From silly boyish and girlish dreams and talks I noticed that we all have grown so much more mature. Now we were talking about investments, travels, our kids' education, our kids tuition fees and school. I found it really endearing that we may walk or talk differently but deep inside we have not really changed a lot. I love the way hubby would always reach for my hand, entwine his fingers in mine whenever we stand close together and the way he would kiss it absent-mindedly as he talked. The way he would pass me by and rub my back and drink from my glass. The way he would always present me as his "ex-girlfriend" to everyone and when they would raise their brows he would say, "and now my wife" and make everyone laugh.

Comparing our lives with his friends, ours may not be as rich in travels, not as elaborate, not as complicated, but boy! it sure has lots of love and laughter! And you know I think we really got something special. :D

This post is for my sweet hubby:D No occassion...I just felt I needed to thank him for making me love life. Here's a funky love song by Usher...it's for all you hopeless romantics and cynics. Enjoy!

Now there's four of us holding hands...now that's really special don't you think?

Thanks to You

noreply@blogger.com (Sophiagurl) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:39:00 +0000

My dad with my mom.

"A real friend walks in, when the rest of the whole world walks out".

That's how I feel about my dad. For me he is one of the "bestest" friends anyone could ever hope for. He always had his own way of teaching us things and I could not even begin to tell you how many of my traits are somewhat replicas of his =). When I was just a little girl I remember waiting for his car to come in the driveway and I would be running to him because I know, like always, that he has something special for me.

He drove us to school from the time we were just toddlers up to the time I was in the university and up to the time I graduated. He waited, patiently, for me while I was on duty from the hospital, he drove through strong typhoons, storms, earthquakes and any calamity just to get to me. He and my mom waited in baited breath as I was taking my professional board exam and celebrated with me, like crazy, when I passed it! My gosh! He even drove me to my first job interview and waited until it was finished!

I love you dad sooooo so much! And thank you for always being there for me and my family. Here's a song I'd like to dedicate to you, a summary of my thoughts and feelings for you. I hope you like it. Mwah!

Thank you for teaching me how to love
Showing me what the world means
What I've been dreamin' of
And now I know, there is nothing that I could not do
Thanks to You

For teaching me how to feel
Showing me my emotions
Letting me know what's real
From what is not
What I've got is more that I'd ever hoped for
And a lot of what I hope for is
Thanks to you

No mountain, no valley
No time, no space
No heartache, no heartbreak
No fall from grace
Can't stop me from believing
That my love will pull me through
Thanks to You

There's no mountain, no valley
No time, no space
No heartache, no heartbreak
No fall from grace
Can't stop me from believing
That my love will see me through
Thanks to You
Thanks to You

For teaching me how to live
Putting things in perspective
Showing me how to give
And how to take
No mistake
We were put here together
And if I breakdown
Forgive me but it's true
That I am aching with the love I feel inside
Thanks to You
Thanks to you

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty." -- Unknown

P.S. Happy Father's Day also to my lovely husband. You're the greatest dad I could ever hope for to father my kids. I love you so much! And to my brother too.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL MY BLOG FRIENDS WHO ARE FATHERS!