These words struck me today. Amidst the perceived troubles and difficulties associated with a current development in the family/work front~ all, I believe, is for the good and will become better in the long run. Besides, God will not forsake those who love Him and strive to follow Him.

To my dear blogger friend Ai from Poland, thank you so much for the awards and kind words you've written about me. I feel so humbled and blessed to have found good friends like you in the online world. Your blog post literally came in as a "cheer up" sign for me since I was feeling down this week. And because of your nice gift to me, I am certainly coping and starting to smile again. Ai, you are an angel!

Thank you so much, Ai! Take care and God bless you and your family always.

We recently had an issue at home that has been a real downer especially for me. I hate to blog about the details but it definitely has left me so SAD (and partly guilty) for three days now.

With all these challenges in life, I realize that:

1) Ang hirap pala talaga ng walang nanay at ang hirap maging "nanay". So for those who still have moms, cherish them while they are still alive!

2) The world is not perfect and no one is perfect.

3) You don't have to blame yourself for failures beyond your control (that's quoting my husband). As long as you have tried your best, then the rest should be left to God.

4) You cannot control the freedom of others. People can do certain things for reasons they alone know why. You can only hope that they will realize the wrongness of their actions...soon and by the grace of God.

5) God has a reason for everything. OMNIA IN BONUM (Everything is for the good). And although I would and maybe could have done something to prevent the "thing" from happening, it's really out of my hands.

***

They tell me - "This is for the best. Learn to let go! Worrying too much is bad for the baby." But really, it's just so hard for me. I still feel so sorry and sad that "it" had to happen (and if only I could miraculously make F. understand the things he has to realize for himself...)

Sorry if I talk in generalities here. I just need to let it out in some way otherwise my heart will burst. Anyway, I'm just so glad that during times like these, my hubby is always there to calm me, be my best friend and be my support. For that alone, I still feel so blessed.

I just spent a whole day of testing at the hospital yesterday to determine my baby's biophysical score and non-stress test results.

It was so good to know that the baby is at its best health (very active and growing according to term) and that it's 100% confirmed to be a baby boy!

What's not so "pleasant" to learn is that I currently have a low-lying placenta that is almost indicative that I might be bound for a repeat CS instead of a VBAC. Although this is all fine with me, my OB suggested that we schedule the CS as early as my 37 or 38th week. This means I might be giving birth in August and not September (hwaaat?!). This is more apt daw to avoid having me running to the hospital for an emergency CS when I start to labor (which nobody could really predict when will happen). Having to wait for labor to set in daw is like risking having uncontrolled bleeding which can be a result of my low placenta position. She told us further that since I am already at my third trimester, it may already be unlikely for my placenta to be pushed up (the placenta needs to be at least 5 cm away from the cervix to be cleared for vaginal delivery).

Oh. Oh. Oh. I told the doc that I still preferred to give birth close to my due date. And so we settled for Sept. 5 barring any unforeseen labor occurence.

Now I have to quicken my pace in the office and in turning over my work to my officemates so I could give birth earlier just in case.

Feeling lost? Well, I just changed my template, that's why!

Saddened that my other blog (H-E) has lost its long-time luster (no thanks to G), I felt that I needed to make a change today. I started out by erasing my old template for my domain and replacing it with something new and fresh!

How do you like it now?

I was fixing a bulk of papers around the house and found this very old piece which I still remember as my sister's winning oration speech back when she was in elementary. It brought back good memories of our school days.

So, anyway, I'd like to dedicate this oratical piece to my one and only sis:

Dirty Hands by John P. Delaney S.J.

I’m proud of my dirty hands. Yes, they are dirty. And they are rough and knobby and calloused. And I’m proud of the dirt and the knobs and the callouses. I didn’t get them that way by playing bridge or drinking afternoon tea out of dainty cups, or playing the well-advertised Good Samaritan at charity balls.

I got them that way by working with them, and I’m proud of the work and the dirt. Why shouldn’t I feel proud of the work they do – these dirty hands of mine?

My hands are the hands of plumbers, of truckdrivers and street cleaners; of carpenters; engineers, machinists and workers in steel. They are not pretty hands, they are dirty and knobby and calloused. But they are strong hands, hands that make so much that the world must have or die.

Someday, I think, the world should go down on its knees and kiss all the dirty hands of the working world, as in the days long past, armored knights would kiss the hands of ladies fair. I’m proud of my dirty hands. The world has kissed such hands. The world will always kiss such hands. Men and women put reverent lips to the hands of Him who held the hammer and the saw and the plane. His weren’t pretty hands either when they chopped trees, dragged rough lumber, and wielded carpenter’s tools. They were workingman’s hands – strong, capable proud hands. And weren’t pretty hands when the executioners got through them. They were torn right clean through by ugly nails, and the blood was running from them, and the edges of the wounds were raw and dirty and swollen; and the joints were crooked and the fingers were horribly bent in a mute appeal for love.

They weren’t pretty hands then, but, O God, they were beautiful – those hands of the Savior. I’m proud of those dirty hands, hands of my Savior, hands of God.

And I’m proud of my hands too, dirty hands, like the hands of my Savior, the Hands of my God!

My pictures are so random so please bear with me.

Taken at the Ocean Adventure in Subic last May 13, 2009 --- the Sea Lion Marine Patrol Show:

And lastly, taken at the Ark of Avilon near Tiendesitas on Zoe's 2nd birthday - September 09, 2008: