happy holidays

sorry i've been in hiatus these past few months. so many things happened and whenever i think about blogging, i feel so tamad to type away.

i've been busy with the iPray CLP (trying hard to be a responsible facilitator, it's no work in the park), finalizing requirements for my new job (yey! answered prayer!), intimacy weekend mission, playing shrink to mommy who terrible misses daddy, christmas parties almost every night, and the list goes on.

also, i've been doing a lot of retrospection lately on how i spent 2009 & how it's treated me.

it's been a combination of highs and low blows for me.

when daddy earl asked us to rate our 2008 during our last household last december '08, i gave it a perfect 10. there were both good positive and negative sides to it. i came out of it stronger and hopefully wiser. what i remembered about it though was that i promised myself to "open my heart" in the coming year. i knew God was cooking up something grand for me for 2009.

first up, i had a brand new relationship. it's one of those romantic relationships i didn't search far and wide for. but God thought i was ready for it and maybe this is the one He'd want me to have. for long term? i don't know yet.

i was also able to attend the sfc international conference in cebu. it was one life-changing experience. imagine a pack of over 7,000 delegates from all over the country (even worldwide) who gathered to celebrate the True Icon. i'm looking forward to more powerful sharings though. and this 2010, we're conquering davao! woohoo!

in september, i was able to serve in the iPray CLP. inspite of my personal struggles coz of dad's condition, i was adamant to serve. i've always looked forward to spending my friday nights at the makati stock exchange penthouse to listen to powerful talks and moving sharings and exchange sharings with my group. i was able to meet new wonderful people and the bond with old friends became stronger. what made it even more special was the fact that jen & ahyen also stepped up. service was doubly exciting because i was doing it with them. it entails hard work and a heart of a servant to do the job right, but i know that we will be good household leaders because we learned from the best. go MaVErick!

last november, i signed up with the philippine national bank as their new product manager come january 2010. it's a job i've been wanting to have for the longest time. admittedly though, i'm anxious about the new job. it's something new for me, but i am open to anything, bitchy boss and all. and, yes, it's an answered prayer.

on the other side of the spectrum, what highlighted my year was the demise of the number 1 man in my life, my daddy. dad succumbed to heart failure that he's been battling for the past 3 years. i remember how his health dropped tremendously from the onset of his illness until the last few moments of his life. it was hard for me to see him get weaker by the day. i will always remember the bright smile he would paint his lips with everytime i kiss him goodbye in the morning. i missed him on my birthday (he went 5 days before my birthday), and now i'm aching for him this christmas. i will probably ache for him more as the years pass, but for now, i take comfort in the fact that he's at peace now in heaven. pain-free.

3 weeks after dad's passing, it was my favorite tito who passed away. yes, another death in the family. what broke my heart was when i saw mom break down the way she did that day. he was there for mom the moment dad passed on. little did we know that he'd go a few weeks after as well. it was doubly hard for us.

inspite of my losses, there have been people in my life that made me realize that i was never alone. i received a million and one hugs, comforting words and prayers from family and friends. they're mainly the reason why i was able to keep my head up the water.

i am looking forward to the year ahead. i know it will be a better year for me. my fervent prayer, however, is that God grant mommy impeccable health as i want her to live long enough to cry with me tears of joy as she gives my hand in marriage and stay strong enough to play with her grandkids.

happy christmas, everyone! let us not forget the real reason & meaning behind the holiday season, and totoong "star ng pasko."

ode to tickled pink

It’s one of my good friends’ birthday today. She goes by a lot of moniker: Cha, Chachi, Chachikibuta, and, er, Czarmel. But to me she’ll always be friendship. Yes, we’ve learned to call each other “friendship” over the years, no matter how bakya it may sound. For me, she really epitomizes what friendship is all about – giving, understanding, sacrificing, loving beyond borders.

Let me tell you about how our friendship started.

Well, as early as 5th grade (gee, that was many moons ago!), we were already classmates. We belong in the same row as we were alphabetically arranged by surname – she, Cruz, and me, del Rosario. For some strange reason, perhaps we being childish and all, we started “fighting.” I really can’t quite recall what started it, but what we’re sure of is that pareho kaming maldita at such a young age!

And then we met again in sophomore year. This time, we’ve formed allies with the rest of the girls whom we know we’ll be friends with for a long time. There was me, Cha, Mikhai, Janice, Aissa, Oss, Tatinne, Cathy (oh, no, I think I missed someone). We would always hang out to our house in Paco to swap stories, pig out on junk food and to basically bum around. We all shared stories about our crushes (si Jay!!!) and we would mock some of our classmates and teachers (mean girls forevah!).

Sad to say, some went their separate ways, yet some remained loyal to the group.

When we reached college, we seldom, if at all, saw each other.

And then we graduated.

We started fulfilling our fantasies to climb up the corporate ladder (until now, it still is a fantasy as we aren’t so high and mighty…yet. We want world domination!).

One day, someone invited everyone for some catching up.

It didn’t end there.

We were seeing more and more of each other since then.

I found myself praying and saying thanks to The Man for uniting us again. The challenges we had to face this time are far cry from what we used to battle way back.

Now, we have to wage war against career, family, money, relationships and a whole lot more.

When I was struggling with issues of the heart (you know what, looking back, I find everything so funny. I cringe all the time!), my girls were always there. We were always together every single day. We would drown ourselves with coffee, food, shopping and we would always laugh our hearts out.

Of course, within a group, there will always be little cliques.

In ours, Cha is my clique.

She was sooooo patient in listening to all my rants about life. Ang nakakatawa, we experience almost the same things at the exact same time. That’s why I’m overly thankful for having her in my life. She never passes judgment on me, she even spoils me rotten (in a good way ha?). She says all the right things when I need to hear them. I believe that its God’s way of saying that He is just beside me all the time Chachi as just an instrument. What do you know, she is even my prayer partner. We never fail to say our St. Jude novenas every Thursday.

Since today is a Thursday, and it is your birthday, I pray that you be given impeccable health, bless you with a happy love life really soon, a kick-ass career and may all your prayers be answered. You know you are in my prayers.

Thank you, friendship, for everything. Happy birthday!

I love you ng bonggang bongga!!! ;-)