I Love You, Mommy!

Dear Mommy,

Please do not cry. And do not be afraid either. I am sure the doctors would do a good job on you. Soon that mass on your chest will  be out, and you can breathe again normally.

I already called on the Blessed Mother to tuck you warm and safe. And of course you know very well that whatever we ask of Mama Mary is granted, because God does not say no to His own Mother.

Mommy, I cried, too, when I learned a few hours ago that you would have to go under the knife. That is really scary. And of course I got afraid. But after praying the Holy Rosary and begging our Holy Mother to make you well, I am not so afraid anymore.

I love you, mommy!

Your daughter,

Eileen

PS: Promised to perform acts of mortification every time, and say the rosary every day, so you would recover fast. Love you again.

Hamon, Queso de Bola, Bibingka at Puto Bumbong

Di tulad ng dati, hindi na kami mahilig kumain. Dati-rati’y palaging puno ng kung anu-anong masasarap na pagkain ang aming refrigerator sa tuwing sasapit ang araw ng Pasko. Talaga namang may mga tsolalete’t kendi, mansanas at ubas, at fruit salad pa nga, na kung sa tutuusin, wala pang sino mang nakakagawa ng timpla ko, at lahat din ay nagsasabing pinkamasarap ang fruit salad ko. Simple lang yon, sa totoo lang, at siyempre, recipe ni mommy.

Pero ngayon, hay, wala ng puyatan para magdikdik ng mani at binusang bigas para sa karekare. At wala na ring relleno o morcon o embotido o mechado, arroz valenciana o potato salad, na siya rin specialty ko, ha ha!

Kasi nga, hiwa-hiwalay na rin kaming mag-anak, at yung mga kamag-anak na malapit, and dami rin nilang commitment na mahirap talagang maghanap ng isang araw na libre ang lahat. Kaya nga, sa tuwing araw ng Pasko, simple lang kaming mag-iina, nagsisimba at kapagdaka’y nagdadala ng aguinaldo at carbonara sa mga kapamilya’t kaibigan. Tapos, nananatiling tahimik sa loob ng tahanan, nagpapasalamat sa pagsilang ng Mesiyas.

Pero nung isang araw, napatigil kami sa may simbahan dahil maraming nagtitinda ng bibingka at puto bumbong. Ang bango ng amoy ng bibingkang nakabalot sa dahon ng saging at niluluto sa uling. Yon ang amoy ng Pasko! Kaya siyembre, nag-order na rin kami ng tig-isang balot ng bibingka at puto bumbong. Masarap, siyempre, lalo na’t may konting niyog at mantikilya.

At nung isang gabi, may dala naman si Jean na hamon at queso de bola.  Aguinaldo daw ng pinagtratrabuhan niya. Ha ha, matagal na rin naman kaming di bumibili ng hamon at queso de bola. Kaya’t tinikman namin ng kaunti, ibinalot sa pita bread. Wow, lasang Pasko nga.

Maraming bagay, lalo na’t sa pagkain, ang nagpapagunita sa atin ng Pasko. Pero sana’y, sa pagsapit nito, maalaala natin ang tunay na diwa nito, ang pagsilang ng ating Diyos. Kapagdaka’y ipagdasal natin ang ating mga mahal sa buhay, na sana ay mapanatili sila sa mabuting kalagayan, masaya at matahimik. Walang dasal na hindi ipinagkakaloob ang Sanggol na si Jesus.

 

22

I am not a believer of numerology albeit sometimes my interest is perked up by certain details that are probably important, like for example, why the Bible is numbered, as in chapters and verses.  I thought before that that was probably to facilitate reading and studying, for the Bible indeed is a long anthology of books that spanned thousands of years. But then again, the Bible code was discovered, all through technology, and now we know that the longest and the shortest chapters of the Bible are presented side by side, and exactly at the middle of the entire book!  If that wouldn’t raise curiosity, I do not know what would. So, I started giving numbers a thought.

That is such a long premise. What I only wanted to tell is about the number 22. I dreamt about that number over a decade ago, when my life was at the rocks. I had, of course, wondered what it meant. If the number had been a 7 or a 9, I would have easily understood what my dream was about. But 22? So, I simply left it at that, sometimes telling my elder daughter that if we have to bet in a lotto, which we do not, I would put that number because it is my lucky number. My daughter, since then, considered the 2 her lucky number, too.

Recently though, someone dear to my heart invited me to watch a boxing bout. When he handed me my ticket, I saw that I was on Seat # 22.

Grand Slam!

Woooaw, this December is one to remember.   We had a grand slam, all in the family!

#1 The PMHS or Pre-medical Honors Society copped the coveted College of Science Carolfest competition. And, of course, that is Tish’s handiwork. She taught all the eight voices for the songs.  The voices were distinct. The blend was solid. The judges heard it!

#2 The CIEM or Circle of Industrial Engineering Majors took all the rest of the Engineering orgs by surprise.  When in the past couple of years the artistry and creativity in dance had been dismissed down the side light because of the more popular hip-hop synchronization, under Tami’s direction and choreography, the INDAKAN had just upgraded to a new level.

Music and dance. That’s Tish and Tami, from the Leyva family!

Ang yabang ko noh?  Pagbigyan ninyo na lang po. Paminsanminsan lang ito! 🙂

It’s nice to see my snow icicles on my screen again.

I had been feeling so low lately. Sometimes, I just had to yield to that feeling of helplessness because I couldn’t alter what is.  I just hang on to that trust and faith that love conquers all. And so I believe. And then I wait.

When I saw my snow flakes showering my monitor this morning, I felt cheered up a bit. This wordpress snow icicles come only in the seasons of Advent and Christmas, so four weeks and eight days… Hmmm, miracles happen this time of the year. I know there would be one magical moment for me, too, and that will last a lifetime.

It’s nice to see my snow icicles on my screen again.

It is December once again.

What do you know, it is that time of year once again when everyone is rushing for parties here and there, buying gifts for Kris Kringle, fund raising through Christmas caroling, sending greetings across the seas through cell phones, and whatever program everyone can set in a school, and office, in the neighborhood or the community, or simply, in one’s family.

Well, for me, tradition calls that I wait for my girls at the Carillon as they join the Lantern parade at the UP Oval on the very last day of the academic calendar for this year.  I do  not get to view all the lanterns but being with families on such a night, strangers though they may be, is good enough for me. At least I know that people are happy.  I love watching people  during the Lantern Parade, because they do not mind the inconvenience and simply enjoy the event. And when you see them like that, you just can’t help but love them… and what is it they say, when you love other people then you have seen the face of God!  ’tis easy to find God  actually. You just have to look.

So, that will be one event I will be looking forward to in a fortnight, plus of course the Oblation Run at the AS, which, with the major television networks setting up huge gadgets in the past years, had really been a difficult task to see the objective of why young girls and gays overcrowd the AS Steps. Sigh!

Before that though, my daughter is gearing up for the Carol Fest of the College of Science, tomorrow, seven o’clock, at the Amphitheater. Tish hopes they get the top prize as they did the other year.  And yes, watch out for the ROCKHOUNDS, the only org that does not follow any of the contest rules and gets away with it.

A lovely December, every0ne!  Why not? It’s Christmastime!