Home is Where the Heart Is

When people ask me of my descent, I always answer with pride that I am from the best place in the entire Philippine archipelago – Davao City. Then I would give a litany of my self-compiled reasons why my claim to such fame for the city that has become my home and could give the Department of Tourism people a run for their money. But I am not a true-blue Dabawenya. Unlike others who can trace their roots to one place, my family are just migrants to this great city. I was born in Zamboanga City but my father’s work as a banker took us to Durian-burg in 1985. And I was not always a Davao fan. It took a good amount of separation and isolation to gain a different perspective. This is my "Walay Kaparehas" story.

A Letter for Tony

Dear Dad,

This is my mandatory blog post for you on Fathers' Day. I know you will not understand what a blog post is so let's reserve it for another time. But allow me to get sentimental with this letter and tell you things which I'd like to believe you already know - only this time the rest of the blogosphere is reading. Again, I'll explain what that word means when you're feeling techie.

Dad and Ina-Tay on her 33rd birthday

A love letter to Mummy

Dear Mum,

Let me tell you again that you are one of life's greatest blessings to me - and I mean every word that I just typed. Thank you for being the prayerful mother that you are. Quite frankly, I can't imagine where I or Ton-ton will be without your prayers for our success and protection. Sorry that sometimes I fall short of sugar coating things and I say it upfront. I'm sorry because I was hard-headed and didn't listen when you told me to steer clear of the man who eventually became Leia's dad. I'm sorry for the many times I failed you because I thought I knew what I was doing only to realize the folly of my actions too late. I'm sorry that I have to make the difficult decision to work away from home and be far from you and Leia, sorry that you have to do the cooking again (NOTE: Mum and I refuse to allow the helps to cook; my brother and I got our discriminating palates from Mum).

Ina-Tay, Mummy and Leia

Ina-Tay and discipline

"For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" - Hebrews 12:11 (ESV)

Image from the web

Birds and the bees 2013 version

I recently stumbled on this photo on my FB personal page. As a mommy blogger, I just found it downright funny. I shared it and immediately some friends thought so too. I think it is the tech age's version of the classic birds and the bees story when kids start getting curious how babies are made.

I tried to look back and remember what my folks' response was to me when I asked them this dreaded question. I can't remember anything! I believe I was already in elementary when I began understanding reproduction and became enlightened. Now that my daughter is three, she is becoming more and more inquisitive until one night, while I was putting her to sleep, she asked me, "Mama, saan galing ang babies"? Believe me, it beats the work of an alarm clock because after I heard her question, my brain immediately went to fifth gear. Yikes, heaven help me come up with a respectable answer - pronto!

An open letter to a new blogger

"ate lany, lookie! I have a blog na din! role model man gud tika  good example. HAHA. pero bitaw ui, it's to pass the time, and to help me improve sa akong pagsulat... nagbutang ko ug link sa imong blog didto sa akong blogroll :))" 

http://medicalschoolroadtrip.blogspot.com/

This was a message I received a few minutes ago from my cousin Karla or Mae-mae as we fondly call her. Immediately I started crying because I was so overwhelmed that I inspired her to make her own blog. She even called me her role model. *tears* Oh Mae...