happy birthday pa, happy mother's day ma

it's my father's birthday today and it's also mother's day! :) my father is not feeling well, though. asthma attack because my parents both started unpacking yesterday. you wouldn't believe how many humongous boxes there are in this house. just looking at them stresses me out already. i wonder how we can unpack all those things!

so i just came home from my cousins'. i was supposed to stay for a day and a night there but hanging out with my cousins and aunt is always fun so i decided to stay a day more with my sister. i missed Amidala! i made a mango shake. finally made up my mind to slice them mangoes and drop them into the blender with ice and little sugar and water Fruitas or Big Chill style. i can't believe i pay 50 bucks for a small cup of fruit shake when i'm at the mall. then again when i crave, i really crave. i've been addicted to melon shake and mango shake since last week. must be the dry throat caused by extreme heat of summer. i can't wait till summer bids us farewell.

i'll be cutting my internet/computer hours from now on. what mitchie and paulo shared about too much computer disturbed me. oh well. lets see how this will go.

our heroes

ever actually stopped and thought of how lucky we are to have parents? people who sacrifice for us... people who put their needs last just to meet our needs and make us feel safe. last friday Mrs. Gomez (my practicum supervisor) sat with us around the conference table for a good two hours. our conversation was both intellectually stimulated and thought provoking in such a way that we discussed current political issues until we discussed parents and their sacrifices.

Mrs. Gomez is a mother herself and she said that being a parent, it is true what they say about "parent instinct". children may be silent about their worries or the things they do but parents know. now aren't we all disappointed? just as we thought we could get away... we find out that parents know? hehe. there also comes a point in a parent's life when he/she put his/her needs before their children.

after the discussion, i couldn't help but think about my parents-- how many sacrifices did they make for my sister and i? where do they get the wisdom of parenting? when i think of having a child of my own, the thought of the growth and personality of the child depending entirely on me and my parenting skills scare me to death. who wouldn't be scared? what if somewhere along the way you take a wrong turn and end up bringing up a child in a totally wrong way?

i salute all parents for knowing what they do and actually doing a great job at it. five stars or even more for my parents for showing me the world and teaching me how to stand up each time i fall. they never pressure me to do the things i don't want to and although i haven't been such a perfect daughter lately (hey! i have shortcomings you know..), they still try to understand me. i apologize to my mother if sometimes it seems like i don't appreciate her telling me what to do. i'm sure she just wants to teach me lessons that i shouldn't forget until i become a mother myself. last night i thanked her for being such a great mother. i said although she's makulit and that i may show that i don't appreciate her teaching me what to do, i still appreciate all of that 100% and more. she said, "someday you'll be a makulit and great mom yourself. i love you!". that just made me smile! there may be times when i tell myself i don't want to be a neat-freak like her, i know in many ways i want to be just like her when i become a mother. i want to be there for my family all the way and give my 100%. my mother makes this family feel safe and that makes a world of a difference along with her unconditional love.

as for my father, he has always been the family guy. i have no memory of him not being around. he doesn't have vices. he quit drinking a long time ago and he quit smoking before my sister and i became teenagers. i saw him struggle to quit smoking. when asked why he went through the tough stage of quitting, he said my sister and i were growing up and he didn't want us to pick up smoking from him. that was a sacrifice. oftentimes, he'd also think of his family first before himself. he's a great father and last night when i greeted him a happy birthday when the clock struck 12am, i told him i want nothing more but for him to take of himself because he's not getting any younger. that means more excercise and eating healthy! i love my father for his hilarious corny jokes, his sentimental side, and his ability to listen to my sister and i before reacting. i am the daddy's girl and although there may be times i complain endlessly about not growing in the eyes of my father, i love being the daddy's girl.

having parents like my parents makes me secure that i just might be a good parent to my children because i have great teachers! lucky me :)

Happy Birthday Papa and Happy Mother's Day to your Mama!