A thousand arm bouquets!

Last Sunday, May 12, 2012,  many countries  worldwide celebrated Mother's Day.  As soon as I opened my laptop, I have read the blog written for me by my daughter Rein.  It was such a very touching write-up that it almost brought me into tears.

 

Rein's blog for me on Mother's Day

 

A few minutes later, we headed off to the church. As part of the Mother's Day celebration, all the mothers in the church were given a long-stemmed red rose coupled with a plain cupcake or mamon as it is more popularly known. .  There were some hilarious games ( e.g. knock, knock ) and special numbers dedicated to all the mothers.  The simple celebration was capped by a short but meaningful prayer for all the mothers by the church elder.

 

All the mothers in the church received a long-stemmed rose from the

Young Christian Movers (YCM)

 

 

All the mothers at Lealtad Church on Mother's Day

 

After the worship service,  I got some gifts from my sisters.  They, in return, got their gifts also from their children .  Three of my sisters got lovely arm bouquets with sweet and touching  dedications.  Reacting naturally,  I envied them, wishing that my children were also around to give me such a lovely token, too.

 

Sweets from my sweet sisters . . .

 

 

the arm bouquet for Bengga from the Arciaga children

 

 

and their very touching dedication

 

On my way home, I was still visualizing the very nice arm bouquets  given to my sisters by their children.  As I tried to imagine my children giving me also an arm bouquet, it made me reflect on my experiences during the recent past few days.

 

The arm bouquets given by my nieces and nephews to their moms

 

 

It was a hot afternoon when my daughter called up.  She told me that she has booked us in the newest hotel in the area for two main events - a birthday gift to her dad and a pre-mother's day celebration.

Oh, I'm so sorry.  I easily forgot !  We had already an advanced celebration of the Mother's Day!  haha

 

The frontage of the hotel

 

 

The hotel logo

 

 

Vain shots taken at our hotel room

 

 

 

In one of the corners of the hotel with my favorite pose

 

 

Dinner at the hotel with our "son" JV

  

 

A new discovery - real crispy seafood noodles

  

 

Specialty salad - green mango strips with iceberg lettuce, salted eggs , onions and tomatoes with french salad dressing

 

 

another " must try " recipe - kani with ripe mango salad

 

 

lechon kawali 

 

 

my first time to try this Seafood Mongos

 

 

sizzling bangus

 

 

fresh fruit platter

  

 

fresh buko juice

  

 

 Olive Tree

  

 

At the UMAMI - the Japanese Resto  of D'Hotel & Suites

 

 

At the bar -  Olive Tree

 

 

A very simple Filipino breakfast

 

 

a pose at the buffet table

 

 

 

 

at The Boulevard

  

Indeed, we were treated like a King and Queen at D'Hotel & Suites with all expenses paid. 

Thank you, Joe and Rein , for the very nice surprise.  The experiences we had was worth a thousand arm bouquets especially at the time when even a cent counts a lot !



 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mother's Day

I believe that we should know the reason behind in every celebration.  We celebrate Christmas not simply because we personally wanted to celebrate it but because we believe that it is important for us to remember the birth of our Saviour.  So with the New Year's, Valentine's Day, the Lenten Season, and all the other legal holidays that we commemmorate.

Yesterday, May 12, 2013, my wall was flooded with so many greetings for the Mother's Day celebration.  .  I myself prepared a short video in honor of my mother which according to my daughter Rein brought her into tears.   But have you ever wondered why we are celebrating Mother's Day?

According to  May 11 of Our Daily Bread for 2013,  the observance  of Mother's Day in the United  States  may be traced back from the efforts of two women to bring  peace and reconciliation during the time of anguish in the 18th century.   In 1870, Julia Ward Howe called for an International Mother's Day to unite and oppose in all its forms the raging wars at the time.  A few years later, Anna Reeves Jarvis began her annual Mother's Friendship Day in an effort to reunite families and neighbors alienated by the war.

Now, every second Sunday of the month of May, a lot of countries worldwide celebrate Mother's Day .  Usually on this day in the Philippines,  all the malls are jampacked and all the food chains are  fully booked.  Flowers, chocolates and cakes sell  out like  hotcakes and beautifully wrapped up as gifts for moms.  Gift checks for beauty salons and spas run out of stock even a few days before Mom's Big Day.  Greetings flow endlessly through text messages and poems.  Status and profiles in FBs are being changed in honor of our dear mothers.

With my sisters who are now all mothers
(L-R Bengga,  Citas, Banjie, Beth and Fler )

 

The Church prayed for all the Mothers on Mother's Day

                                                       

 

A floral bouquet from Arciaga kids for Bengga

 

Arm bouquets for my sisters from their children

 

 

Chocolates from my sisters Bengga & Citas

 

Chocolates for favorite moms

While there is nothing wrong with all the manners and ways we celebrate Mother's Day, we should never forget the reason(s)  why it is being celebrated.  More important than our dates at the mall, bouquets of  flowers, boxes of chocolates and  fancy cakes is the PEACE that a mother instills at home, in her community, and in her country at large.   No amount of good food and beautiful flowers can take the place of a  peaceful home. With peace comes along compassion, forgiveness  and  RECONCILIATION.  A mother should never allow fractured relationships at home to last for days or even for hours .  As the peacemaker and reconciliator, she should make an effort to allow  forgiveness and reconciliation reign in her home.  As to how many times we should forgive our brothers who have sinned against us, Jesus said "seventy times seven" in Matthew 18:22

Now that Mother's Day is over for a day in 2013, I wish that all the mothers would be able to maintain a peaceful home where forgiveness and reconciliation abound for 364 days until I make another wish for the next Mother's Day in 2014.

 

Our First Few Days in London

At last, I finally made it !  After so many months of waiting, I had the chance to write my next travel blog .  Again I would say, it's always better to be late than never.  Hahaha

We arrived at the Heathrow Airport in London on August 5, 2011  at about 8:00 in the morning.  Since it's our first time,  we were so conscious about the immigration interview.  It was my turn alone but it came out to be a group interview.  There was only one question asked by the immigration officer:  "What will you do here in UK? " .  Straight to the point, I  said  " My daughter is getting married a few weeks from now and I am attending her wedding ceremonies. "  Without any further questions, the Black Lady stamped my passport.  And the rest of the Philippine Team followed.  The same question was asked. 

Joe and Rein  were never in sight outside the Heathrow Airport so we were a bit jittery and we started calling them up ! hahaha.   After a few minutes of walking around the airport, we saw that tall  handsome guy, his hair well-fixed with gel and that petite smart lady, both in their widest grin.  " Yeheeey!  They're here! "

We took the subway train in  going to Fairbridge Road, London Borough of Islington  for  almost an hour from the airport.  The flat has three levels and is quite big enough to accommodate several students and of course, us .  

 

Fairbridge Road signboard
 

 

The Fairbridge Road

 

 

 

 

A jump shot for my sister Bengga

 

During my stay there ( for almost a month ), I did not see any house with its own garage in London.  All the cars were on the street.  Good enough, their streets are wide so that even the biggest garbage truck can easily pass through.

 

 

Are you ready to drive the car, Sir?

 

 

Our lounge at the flat in Fairbridge

 

 

Our hang-out in the flat

 

 

Just a few minutes walk from our flat is the Fairbridge Park  .  This is one thing I've been missing there.    The park is very big and clean,  so lustrous green and refreshing and it is  complete with all the health facilities that you can find in a private gym.   They have all the courts ( I mean, basketball, tennis, etc. ) and have a big oval , too,  where you can walk ,  jog or run. You can have your daily exercises without any hassle and for as long as you want to.  At least, even if they are paying high taxes, they can enjoy simple but important things such as these for FREE .

 

                                                                                   

 

An early morning jog by Rein and Bengga

 

 

 

Enjoying the sun at the park

 

 

 

Rein is dying to lose some pounds before the wedding

 

 

 

I really miss this !

 

 

 

GO Bengga GO !

 

 

 

When we left, nobody's at the park anymore. 

 

                                      

 

 

As we walked back home, my sister Bengga did not forget to pose for a picture under this tree.  We've got a lot of those leaves at SM Malls  except that they're all plastic.  These ones are real.

 

I hope you enjoy your travel with me in our first few days in London.  See you again in my next travel blog . . . still around London.

 

Just click on the photos for bigger and better viewing.  Thank you !

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For better or for worse

Not everyone is blessed with certain abilities connected to numbers and words.  In fact, these people are very seldom. Much more, it is  not common  to be talented and yet still endowed  with certain character traits like patience,  diligence, creativity, innovativeness and resourcefulness.

In its rarety, I feel so blessed to have someone in my life whom I have characterized above.  She is very good in numbers and equally very good in words.  For a number of years, she has taught so many students in our school how to deal with numbers easily.  And in the same manner, she has taught so many students to convert the English language into mathematical sentences and vice versa.  She has written a lot of valedictory speeches, scripts for various school programs, poems both in English and Filipino, and many more.  She does not read and write only.  She sings and plays the piano as well.  She composes lyrics for some songs. And voila... she did all these things with no sweat at all!

Launching of the CWMM Theme Song the lyrics of which was composed by Beth Hugo

Even  in my lowest moments in life, she's always with me.  She's beside me to comfort, to advise and bring me to places with ease and confidence.

In one of our early morning walks in Jabez Campsite

my taller twin sister Beth in Baguio City

What else can I ask for to have a sister like you?

T. Bhet to so many students and co-teachers, Chopet to her sisters and brother, Tita Bhet to her nieces and nephews, just simply Bhet to her so many friends,  happy, happy birthday to you!!  As we celebrate the Labor Day today, May 1,   I sincerely hope and pray that your days ahead be filled with joy and gladness, blessings and most of all, with good health and HAPPINESS!   Cheers to many, many more birthdays to come!

In one of our artistic escapades  ( Beth Hugo, far left )

Wig Christmas Party ( Beth Hugo, far right )

Beth Hugo, in lighter  blue blouse, in one of the bonding moments with her sisters

Beth Hugo,  standing third from right, is one of the faculty nembers of Queensville School