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Stolen shot by Jireh Joy Labrador

I miss being able to share my thoughts. I miss the feeling of writing for hours and hours, or randomly jotting down a little note from an unexpected insight I got -- then write about it. My blog drafts have already been piling up and I've been gathering up the motivation to actually finish and publish them. Other than that, I've been writing in my notebook about moments or people that truly changed my life in their own little ways. The cloud of the upcoming exam has been looming around the past few months... and when the day it dissipates finally comes, I'll be so happy to share my whole experience with you, among other things. For the meantime, I'll just be sharing a few snippets of what's happening from time to time.

I'll be joining my first real live review class later tonight! Right now I'm reading up and reviewing cause we'd probably be having a pre-test. My body also needs a nap cause I've been sleeping so late the past few days due to World Missions Conference preparations (We've been manually sewing our group's flags the past few days and I'm so happy that all 8 of them are finished yay) and my stupid compulsions to waste time on the internet (UGH. You always regret it later.) for hours and hours... plus my dad woke me up early this morning because we needed to go to the office early. Huhuhuhuhuhu. Okay, bye. I need to study and rest!!!! Just wanted to update everyone. :-)

Goodbye for now!!! xoxo

Life's Candid Moments

Time flies so fast! These photos were taken almost a year ago, and I've only gone through them again yesterday while I was cleaning out my files. Since some of them are "throwback" material already, I decided to post-process them in black and white to give them a sort of vintage feel. :) I really love these photos because they're candid (Most of the time I was too awkward so buti nalang the stolen shots turned out better than the ones were we posed!) Mak and I don't have a lot of photos together so it's really something special to have things like this to treasure. Having a small photo session can be such a great idea for a cheap but worth it date. In our case, Mak asked his sister and her friends to come and be our photographers. They did well! Hahaha!

Tell Me You Love Me in a Way I Would Understand

Our youth program in church today was themed around LOVE, with the title “When you fall inlove”. I didn’t get to join the ALI Lectures this year cause unfortunately my class ends very late at night during the weekdays. Of particular interest to me about our program was the discussion on the “Five Love Languages” which I think most of you know about, conceptualized by Gary Chapman. Your love language is basically how you would want your special other to express their love for you in a way that YOU would understand. This is not specifically limited to romantic relationships, but it goes out to everybody in your social context—whether it be your family, friends, neighbors, or just people you interact with from time-to-time.

The Five Love Languages are:

1. Words of Affirmation – People with this type of love language always want to hear verbal affirmations like “I love you” and compliments (e.g. “You look great today”) as often as they can. To them, actions don’t always speak louder than words. Word of caution: Watch your tongue! Criticisms will always be hard to forget.
2. Quality Time – Words do not hit the spot unlike pure quality time together. He/she wants your undivided attention. They enjoy hanging out and just living in the moment together.  Word of caution: Postponed dates, distractions, or the failure to listen can be particularly hurtful.
3. Receiving Gifts – People with this love language do not necessarily mean that they are materialistic. Rather, they feel loved when they see that the person who is giving the gift put effort and thoughtfulness in the gift. These are two important aspects for them in terms of “gift-giving”. Word of caution: Forgetting their birthday, anniversary, or just giving a gift (for the sake of it) will not make them understand the feelings you want to convey. It could be disastrous!
4. Physical Touch – If the first thing that came to your mind is what I thought you would think, then maybe you’re green-minded! (Jk!) Physical touch does not only translate to things that happen within the four walls of a married couple’s bedroom. It also means pats on the back, holding hands, and hugs. These are all ways that would make you feel genuinely loved and cared for. Word of caution: Barriers to communicating this type of love language is geographical access. Of course you wouldn’t be able to hug someone if you’re not physically there! However, your neglect and abuse would also be emotionally destructive.
5. Acts of Service – The last but not the least love language, is acts of service. (I personally think that Isaac had this type of love language, as he was willing to serve for Rebekah’s hand for 14 years of hard work!) If you feel the other person’s love and concern when they help you out with chores and your responsibilities, then most probably you have this type of love language! The words “let me do that for you” would sound music to your ears! Word of caution: laziness, broken commitments, and adding more burdens rather than easing it would convey that their feelings are not important to you.

Unearthed Secrets

Tada!

I was browsing through my Blogger Dashboard yesterday when I came across this drop-down menu under posts. I noticed that I had 82 imported posts (in the picture it's already 72 since I published some posts already) and I wondered why that could be. I thought that all of my previous blog posts from Multiply where already imported in my blog so it was really a surprise when I found out there were more!

If you're wondering why I have so many imported posts, let me tell you a story. Way back in high school, nung hindi pa uso ang Facebook, us DCHS students thrived in Multiply. It was a social media service that boasts of unlimited photo storage (my friends and I had thousands of pictures back then), blogging options, and a lot of different things you can share such as music and videos! It was a great site! 

I have always remembered myself blogging about my day, or blogging about my friends, or posting "surveys" which were very prominent in those years. Since Multiply sadly closed in 2013, I had to import everything inside my account somewhere else so I brought it here! Buti nalang may options ang Multiply to do that. It's always fun to read how I viewed things when I was just  a young teen! Matanda na talaga ako.

Day by day

Simple moments like this is what makes our relationship worth it by the day. As they say, "love is not always about the grand gestures"... it's the little things that count in the long run. I will always be thankful for each and every moment with you!

A love story

This is mine and Jon Mark's "relationship notebook" for about two years now. It's amazing how our relationship evolved into what it is today. I was reading through the pages of our journal a day ago and I realized that we have gone through a lot of different experiences together -- both up and down. Just as we are writing on our little love chronicle, we're both praying and ecstatic for what God will continue writing in our love story as well.  :-)

P.S. Our relationship is 39 months old today. xx

Year-enders: Imba girls

On the 26th, the imba girls (the name we "call" our highschool barkada) had our lunch reunion! It wasn't like last year where we had a sleepover. The time we had this year was so short and limited, but nonetheless enough to suffice catching up with each other's lives. We had lunch at TGI Fridays (last minute plan!) and good thing that we were all complete. Second time pa namin to na kumpleto kaming lahat ever since highschool.

All of us

Our side of the table

Their side of the table

Of course we had our traditional exchanging gifts which we started as a Valentine gift exchange but later on evolved to being a barkada Christmas tradition to make it more intimate and mainly because all of us were mostly back home for the holidays.

Barkada Selfie! (Aking face ang pinakamalaki dyan kasi ako naghawak sa camera)

please forgive my thumb here... weird ang form! pero dito lang din O.o

Conversations where mostly about our plans after college. 4/6 are graduating this March! We're definitely growing older, and hopefully wiser! It's so crazy how time flies so fast... I remember when we were just all highschool girls struggling through the typical teenage drama. Pathetic, but always and forever part of growing up. I love how we grew independently and in so much different ways. The good thing is that we haven't outgrown each other and still find the time and effort to be with each other's company. 

We plan to see each other again on the 30th... hope it pushes through! xoxo <3

To love at all.

Love isn't perfect. It isn't a fairytale or a scrapbook and it doesn't come easy.

Love is overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, fighting to be together,

holding on and never letting go. It is a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and 

impossible to live without. Love is work, but most of all, love is realizing 

that every hour, every minute, every second of it was worth it because you did it together.

-Tumblr

Love and life -- they both go together. Love makes life more meaningful, life makes it existentially possible for love to happen. Both are two beautiful things. With that, I will write about my lover, and my bestfriend.

Jon Mark and I initially knew each other back when I was in elementary and he was in high school. We have a three-year gap, just so you know. We weren't really friends, just a mere acquaintance. Of course we had different worlds back then, but I always admired him every time he sang in our church or during school activities. He was my little secret crush. I remember casually bringing him up during family conversations when I was much, much younger. Crush-crush lang, nothing serious back then. Years passed -- I went back to Davao because we had to transfer back-and-forth from Cebu every now and then so naturally, thoughts about my little crush faded away.

He was always known to his friends and my old schoolmates as playboy/chickboy/just someone who really didn't commit to anything or anyone. I vividly remember the day he called me one day when I was just a highschool senior. I didn't know who was calling... I asked, and he said that it was "Jon Mark". I knew it was him! Well duh, primarily because I was also in a relationship back then, I didn't give any care about his out-of-the-blue phone call.

Surprises in Cafe Caw

Hello, I've been really busy lately with internship, thesis, and school. It was such a breath of fresh air when Ken and I planned a date in another cute coffee shop called Cafe Caw! Actually this is the second branch located in Lahug... the first one was also cute, but was more quaint compared to this new one. 

Here's pics of one time my Mak and I hung out in the Cafe Caw Talamban branch:

                                           

Similar with the first branch, Cafe Caw Lahug had the same pastel, cute, Asian coffee shop theme. However, the new one boasts a bigger space and a wider menu range. Ken and I ordered something called 'waffle surprise' basically because it sounded delicious and because usually waffle servings can easily cater two. 

Saw this post in Facebook, and I would like to share it with you guys cause it's so beautiful.

‎"If you love someone, ask him for nothing. Don’t hold him from his destiny. Don’t keep him from going off in search of his own answers. Don’t ask him for commitment. You will know commitment is real when it is something given willingly, and not as something obligatory. Don’t ask him for promises. If you are patient, if you have faith, you will know in your heart when the right time for promises has come. And when that time arrives, then you will see that you have both lost nothing by setting each other free, and have instead gained a richer, fuller life, a wealth of experiences, and a stronger certainty of your desires.

But should he not return to you, then life hasn’t cheated you because no promises were broken. Your bitterness will not last long, and you will feel thankful and blessed that at the very least, this beautiful soul has colored your life, that knowing him has already made life infinitely more meaningful.

By setting a person free, you run a risk of him not returning. But always remember that you found him beautiful precisely because he was free. People are like sunlight. You can feel their warmth, and their glow, but you can’t hold them in your hand and keep them with you forever. People choose to stay. But a choice is made more meaningful when it is made despite so many other options."

Christmas 2012

Ahhh, Christmas back home. It has been 5 years since. Our flight was in the morning of December 24, and the ride going to Davao was a little bit bumpy cause there were a lot of turbulence (i think). On landing, my mom, Nic2 and my cousin were feeling so bad because they felt nauseous! So much negative energy around me, shoo away! Anyway, we stopped by our house in emily, and from the looks of it, matagal tagal na rin since I've last seen it! 3 years, baby! It looks as if no one really took care of it, and it's really worn down. Haaay, so much memories there.

We headed to my lolo's house for lunch with the whole family! Everyone was there which made it cozier for the heart (teehee). Sitting at the table, I realized that I'm a bit too old to hang out with the kiddos... or maybe I'm not, it's just that they've grown up as well. :( The three musketeers a.k.a Mico, Patrick, and Kyla have entered the world of adolescence and there's that all too familiar behavior of a teen in confusion. Dale, on the other hand, is showing his happy and social self again, which is nice. He showed us a picture of his girlfriend too! :)) Of course, what would be a great family gathering if the babies weren't there? Ethan was just his jolly, cute and little self--- I can't get enough of him! If only I can be with him forever and he wouldn't grow up. (Separation anxiety and fixation right here) Justin has his own 2-year old world, complete with tantrums here and there, and the occasional laugh he gives that makes us laugh too. Joshua and Justin finally finally are in "good terms" with each other, since before they usually fight over things. I love my cousins so much! Anyway, here's a sneak peek of our little lunch get-together:

Lolo cooked crabs and pochero (his apos' favorite) Happy tummy!

Nothing beats food cooked by lolo :)

Wait... here's a pseudo-family pic during Kyla's birthday :>

Christmas tree at my lolo's house! Look at all the gifts! They're mostly Justin and Ethan's, and Josh's so MEHHH HAHAHAHAHAHA

This is our little noche buena: spaghetti, shrimp, and bulalo! :))

After dinner, we had a family devotional led by our tito Iman. There, we talked about the blessings and trials the family has encountered during the year 2012, and how much we are thankful for God's grace. Although some parts were awkward cause I don't usually hear my other titos open up like that, but it was heart-warming and now I get a bigger perspective on how God touches our lives, especially in our family. There were tears shed too, but all is well in the family. :)

Here's my tito reading the Christmas story again in Luke 2

On December 27, my barkada met up. After three years, we're complete! (FYI: We haven't been complete since highschool graduation)! Sabot was 1 pm at our favorite studio but people arrived at around 3pm! Crazyyyy! As always, Jemma is the early bird cause she had her solo pictures taken, which she says she does every after 2 years. Janine was still fresh from Kidapawan when she arrived and Joy was just in Chimes looking around (that's why she was late zzzz). Photo sessions with the gang contain the same fun and laughter we had in highschool. Still crazy!

Some of our pictures:

 

 A candid photo of us laughing (I love this so much, looks so chika!):

With everything wrapped up in the studio, we went to Victoria Plaza (it continues to exist) and decided to shop for groceries and ingredients for the crazy sleepover we plan to have. Ingredients on our list: spaghetti sauce, ground pork, sago, condensed milk, evap, among others. We waited for Janine cause she went home to pack her stuff up :)))) After the mall, we decided to go straight to Joy's house to cook dindin. As usual, our head honchos in the kitchen is Joy and Jemma, the two powerful best buddies! They made me taste-tester which I suck at cause I eat anything they feed me! I can't differentiate much on taste.... *self pity* Food was greaaaaaaaaaat! Conversations over the table were all mixed up, you had to turn your head from one side to the other to listen to everything that's been going on! Talk about crazy!! Even if we study at different places, it all goes back to highschool, its people, and its drama (not much on the drama, but news of people!)

Adobo by Joy and Jemma

We then headed to Ken's crib to have our "party" and "exchanging gift". 

Here's a picture of us with our gifts from our manitas :D

  Notice the headbands? Christmas gift ko yan to errbody! 

In the midst of our conversation circle is Cheezy, bars of chocolate, our phones, Jemma's wifi thing, and Picnik

 We played a game of "truth or truth" and it came out with lots of shocking revelations which I'm not gonna tell you about hehehehe. Anyway that pink phone on the book is the dial, and that's Jemma's reaction (EPIC!)

Conversations went on till 2am, but Jemma and I were passed out at about 12am. I woke up at around 2 am though cause their voices were really loud and Ken said something funny :))) it was not long till I dozed off to sleep. 

Here's a picture of us asleep till the bright hours of morning. Photo courtesy of
Clarisse Honorario. We all look so tired!

I spent the rest of my days at my Tita Mimi's house, of course hanging out with the babies... thus not much photos. 

On 2 days of my vacation, I went to the beach with two different bunches of people: First, with my titos and my cousins (I was photographer that day hence no photos of myself). I basically did "bantay" duty cause I didn't really bathe in the sea. I don't like being in the water. :(

Pat2, Josh, and Kyla making a mermaid

The other time, I was in Paradise with my mom's close friends, my tita, my cousins, and Minnie!

(Paradise)

Em, JL (goodness he's tall), and me!

We also visited my great-grandma's house. She has lots of pictures of my dad and my titos when they were little! It was my first time seeing them that small, and they were shocked to know that they had pictures that survived!

A picture with my great grandma + the babies

My mom and Lola awing

December 31, 2012: At my Lola Libby's house, with my girl cousins and niece :D

Ola, here's a pic of me and ken having dinner at Jbee bajada before she leaves Davao the next day! Always so fulfilling and special talking about things with your best friend, cause no matter what she'll accept you for who you are. :D

This post is very long and obviously I got lazy at the end part, but yeah. Christmas 2012 is the best Christmas ever! :))))