12.26.2010
12.25.2010
11.29.2010
happy birthday ma :)
it's my mom's birthday today in the philippines. i must admit i'm hoping our relationship could be better. the distance has really taken its toll on us in terms of communication. i often wish i could do more for her and be there more for her but i can't. the years are really rolling by and i guess we now realize that i really will be here and she really will be there and that's that. but here's to you ma, and i'll see you as soon as possible. :x
----
we've been staying here at gary's sister's house too long. they've been so gracious and generous to us and i can only hope we'll be able to return the favor one way or another. thankfully, we're getting our own place this friday and we're moving in this saturday. last black friday, we went cra-zy buying all the stuff we need for the new house. we're soooo excited! :D
11.20.2010
11.19.2010
i like all angelos :)
here's angelo, gary's nephew. a shoutout to my angelo back home, who's also so grown up now :)
11.18.2010
11.11.2010
11.08.2010
the BIG move
the third quarter of 2010 has just been so crazy for me and gary. at the same time i had the unfortunate miscarriage in october, gary was clearing out of the army. talk about stress! now, after nearly two years of residing in el paso,tx we're starting over--yet again--in a new city.
as i type this, our house is in chaos. i just took a break from filling boxes with books and files while gary's in the parking lot prepping my car for the long drive to our new home in rosenberg, texas. we shipped his car yesterday and had his sister pick it up this morning. we're renting a trailer which we'll hook up to the accord so we can haul our stuff. not that we have a lot to bring, but i guess the whole process of moving could be draining for just about anyone.
we decided to self-move, instead of having the army do the moving for us, that way there's more flexibility with the date and the manner of transfer. we'll finally say goodbye to el paso on the 14th, a day after the pacquaio-margarito fight. gary and i never really adored el paso because of its desert-like look and feel but leaving a place, no matter how lackluster, can stir up memories and memories can stir up some serious separation anxiety.
nevertheless, we are very excited to live in rosenberg, which is a few minutes from houston. we both crave for a more liveable city with places to explore, opportunities to grab and most especially, relatives to bond with. gary's sister and her husband have been so good to us, assisting us in every way possible when we were there last halloween preparing for the big move. his two nieces and two nephews are really good kids who are just so adorable. makes me miss my angelo and chay and chok in the philippines.
we won't be settling in our new place however until december 4, our mov-in date, so we have to stay again at gary's sister's house, which is like 5 minutes away. how or where we're gonna fit all the household goods in ate loulou's house without disrupting her home escapes me right now.
the fountains of rosenberg
this christmas will be the first christmas gary and i will spend in our own house as a married couple. it should've been last year, but i was in the philippines while he toiled in iraq during the holidays. we're just both so thankful we're past that stage and we can now both lead civilian lives together.
as i type this, our house is in chaos. i just took a break from filling boxes with books and files while gary's in the parking lot prepping my car for the long drive to our new home in rosenberg, texas. we shipped his car yesterday and had his sister pick it up this morning. we're renting a trailer which we'll hook up to the accord so we can haul our stuff. not that we have a lot to bring, but i guess the whole process of moving could be draining for just about anyone.
we decided to self-move, instead of having the army do the moving for us, that way there's more flexibility with the date and the manner of transfer. we'll finally say goodbye to el paso on the 14th, a day after the pacquaio-margarito fight. gary and i never really adored el paso because of its desert-like look and feel but leaving a place, no matter how lackluster, can stir up memories and memories can stir up some serious separation anxiety.
nevertheless, we are very excited to live in rosenberg, which is a few minutes from houston. we both crave for a more liveable city with places to explore, opportunities to grab and most especially, relatives to bond with. gary's sister and her husband have been so good to us, assisting us in every way possible when we were there last halloween preparing for the big move. his two nieces and two nephews are really good kids who are just so adorable. makes me miss my angelo and chay and chok in the philippines.
we won't be settling in our new place however until december 4, our mov-in date, so we have to stay again at gary's sister's house, which is like 5 minutes away. how or where we're gonna fit all the household goods in ate loulou's house without disrupting her home escapes me right now.
the fountains of rosenberg
this christmas will be the first christmas gary and i will spend in our own house as a married couple. it should've been last year, but i was in the philippines while he toiled in iraq during the holidays. we're just both so thankful we're past that stage and we can now both lead civilian lives together.
10.31.2010
trick or treat! :)
my pumpkin pie :D
manuel the devil, angelo the ninja, uncle gary the scary pumpkin and auntie ina the she-devil
trick or treating in rosenberg
with gary's sister loulou, and daughters wella and cyndee
10.20.2010
sad news
there are things i'd rather not write about, but i feel like i owe this one to myself.
last saturday, gary and i lost our baby even before we were fully aware we had the chance to be daddy and mommy. funny how i blogged about wanting to be able to say a baby's on the way a few weeks back and i didn't know i was already pregnant back then.
so here's what happened.
we're wanting a baby, but not really trying. trying meaning keeping track of the calendar, BBT thermometer, supplements--nothing like that. we're excited to have our little one--it has been a while, but there's no conscious effort to conceive. anyway, i was delayed for two weeks and gary has been telling me to take a pregnancy test, just to see. i didn't wanna preempt anything so i refused to buy even a home pregnancy kit.
last friday, i suddenly had some spotting. very mild, so i still thought my period was just on its way. you can't blame me, i didn't feel anything different. i wasn't dizzy, no cramping, no swelling. well gary would tease me now and then about my appetite, but i've always been takaw despite being skinny. it was weird though that everyday, my menstruation wouldn't come. when the spotting happened, i finally bought a home pregnancy test. i snuck into the restroom while gary was watching tv, did my thing and got the surprise of my life: instead of just one line, a clear cross formed in the test kit.
now i kinda imagined this before and i always wanted some sort of creative way to let the husband know he's gonna be a dad. but i realized when you're put in that overwhelming situation, you just throw creativity out the window.
"i think i'm pregnant," i told him bluntly, standing by the tv. a little disoriented, he went straight to the restroom to see for himself.
"are you sure you read the instructions right?" he said. i nodded, already crying uncontrollably. he swept me in a big, big hug and said, "yes, i'm gonna be a daddy!"
he wasted no time taking me to the william beaumont army hospital. i was still doubtful whether i was pregnant because like i said, i didn't feel pregnant at all. it was a really long wait to be seen by a healthcare provider, and being there on a friday afternoon, there were tons of people in line too.
gary was unstoppable. he was already planning this and that and all i could do was say, "please wait until they tell us we're pregnant!" a few hours later, i was given a urine test. a few hours more, a doctor finally met us in our hospital room. he said the test came out negative, and my heart just sunk from there.
"there are times when the pregnancy is too early to be detected in tests like these," the doctor said. "i suggest you just wait a few more days or weeks, if your period comes then you're not pregnant, if it doesn't then get another test."
now the husband wasn't pleased by all these. walking into the car he said, "i don't trust that test. it wasn't even a blood test given to you. let's buy another brand of pregnancy test and see." the power of instinct.
we dropped by the pharmacy, got a box of ept and tested again. it didn't even take a minute before the positive sign registered on the stick. this of course left us even more confused.
are these home pregnancy tests credible? the hubby had a funny solution. he tested his urine :P
well of course it turned out negative! by this time though, i was already in a lot of pain. i take this chance to tell everyone who cares to know how utterly lucky i am to have my husband. gary's just wonderful. i can tell he was as scared as i was but he tried to remain cheerful and supportive. he bought me medicine, prepared a hot compress, embraced me, prepared food for me, and stayed up the whole night to watch over me.
the hard part was figuring out what to do. do i take midol? because the test turned out negative, i could just be having my period. do i just endure the pain (which was nothing i ever experienced before in a menstrual period i tell you)? because i tested positive twice and i could be pregnant and taking medicine could be bad for the baby. gary just lulled me and watched me sleep off my pain.
i woke up in the morning soaked in blood and i just freaked out. we both knew something was wrong, and went back to the hospital. the nurse who attended to me first said it was so weird that instead of a blood test, i was given the urine test. she said this time they were getting a blood sample to see once and for all.
i went into a hospital room where a different doctor performed a pelvic exam on me. she said i was doing ok, but the blood test result will be given to me later. the longest five minutes of my life. she came back with an older doctor and i just knew i couldn't handle what was to come on my own. i asked permission to get gary first, who was in the waiting area. when we got there, we braced ourselves for the news.
"you are pregnant. but with the bleeding that has already started and your low levels, it is very unlikely that the baby will come through. this is a very common occurence, and you have nothing to blame yourselves for."
now i already knew this. and we were kinda prepared for the news too, having had that negative test result and having dealt with the disappointment already. but hearing it the way the doctors said it, and suddenly realizing this is a baby--our baby--we're talking about, i just suddenly cried silly in front of everyone.
"oh honey you'll have a baby soon," the older doctor said as they excused themselves and left me and gary to comfort each other. when i was able to compose myself, the nurse came in with some instructions. i need to have a check up and request for an HCG test again just to monitor my levels. we also need to watch out for extended bleeding, chills and fever.
four days now and the bleeding has significantly decreased although clotting is still visible.
i could run everything through my mind and say i should've done this, i could've done that. i mean, i should've tested a lot earlier, been more careful, ate better, slept earlier, what have you. i should've believed i was pregnant when i tested positive so then we could've monitored everything more closely. i could've had the chance to really start a family with gary, channel all our love and attention to a baby that's his and mine alone. but at the end of the day, gary and i just know this much: it's not time yet. call this a rehearsal. at least now we know more about the things we should and should not do.
more than the baby we lost, the real center of the story is my husband. this time, more than ever, is when i realize what they mean when they say you and your spouse are one. i was scared as hell, but seeing him made everything better. knowing my aches are his and that i have someone who will carry this with me no matter what makes me feel complete in more ways than one. i just love him so much, and after everything i've put him through, i just know he loves me so much too.
so we move on from here.
last saturday, gary and i lost our baby even before we were fully aware we had the chance to be daddy and mommy. funny how i blogged about wanting to be able to say a baby's on the way a few weeks back and i didn't know i was already pregnant back then.
so here's what happened.
we're wanting a baby, but not really trying. trying meaning keeping track of the calendar, BBT thermometer, supplements--nothing like that. we're excited to have our little one--it has been a while, but there's no conscious effort to conceive. anyway, i was delayed for two weeks and gary has been telling me to take a pregnancy test, just to see. i didn't wanna preempt anything so i refused to buy even a home pregnancy kit.
last friday, i suddenly had some spotting. very mild, so i still thought my period was just on its way. you can't blame me, i didn't feel anything different. i wasn't dizzy, no cramping, no swelling. well gary would tease me now and then about my appetite, but i've always been takaw despite being skinny. it was weird though that everyday, my menstruation wouldn't come. when the spotting happened, i finally bought a home pregnancy test. i snuck into the restroom while gary was watching tv, did my thing and got the surprise of my life: instead of just one line, a clear cross formed in the test kit.
now i kinda imagined this before and i always wanted some sort of creative way to let the husband know he's gonna be a dad. but i realized when you're put in that overwhelming situation, you just throw creativity out the window.
"i think i'm pregnant," i told him bluntly, standing by the tv. a little disoriented, he went straight to the restroom to see for himself.
"are you sure you read the instructions right?" he said. i nodded, already crying uncontrollably. he swept me in a big, big hug and said, "yes, i'm gonna be a daddy!"
he wasted no time taking me to the william beaumont army hospital. i was still doubtful whether i was pregnant because like i said, i didn't feel pregnant at all. it was a really long wait to be seen by a healthcare provider, and being there on a friday afternoon, there were tons of people in line too.
gary was unstoppable. he was already planning this and that and all i could do was say, "please wait until they tell us we're pregnant!" a few hours later, i was given a urine test. a few hours more, a doctor finally met us in our hospital room. he said the test came out negative, and my heart just sunk from there.
"there are times when the pregnancy is too early to be detected in tests like these," the doctor said. "i suggest you just wait a few more days or weeks, if your period comes then you're not pregnant, if it doesn't then get another test."
now the husband wasn't pleased by all these. walking into the car he said, "i don't trust that test. it wasn't even a blood test given to you. let's buy another brand of pregnancy test and see." the power of instinct.
we dropped by the pharmacy, got a box of ept and tested again. it didn't even take a minute before the positive sign registered on the stick. this of course left us even more confused.
are these home pregnancy tests credible? the hubby had a funny solution. he tested his urine :P
well of course it turned out negative! by this time though, i was already in a lot of pain. i take this chance to tell everyone who cares to know how utterly lucky i am to have my husband. gary's just wonderful. i can tell he was as scared as i was but he tried to remain cheerful and supportive. he bought me medicine, prepared a hot compress, embraced me, prepared food for me, and stayed up the whole night to watch over me.
the hard part was figuring out what to do. do i take midol? because the test turned out negative, i could just be having my period. do i just endure the pain (which was nothing i ever experienced before in a menstrual period i tell you)? because i tested positive twice and i could be pregnant and taking medicine could be bad for the baby. gary just lulled me and watched me sleep off my pain.
i woke up in the morning soaked in blood and i just freaked out. we both knew something was wrong, and went back to the hospital. the nurse who attended to me first said it was so weird that instead of a blood test, i was given the urine test. she said this time they were getting a blood sample to see once and for all.
i went into a hospital room where a different doctor performed a pelvic exam on me. she said i was doing ok, but the blood test result will be given to me later. the longest five minutes of my life. she came back with an older doctor and i just knew i couldn't handle what was to come on my own. i asked permission to get gary first, who was in the waiting area. when we got there, we braced ourselves for the news.
"you are pregnant. but with the bleeding that has already started and your low levels, it is very unlikely that the baby will come through. this is a very common occurence, and you have nothing to blame yourselves for."
now i already knew this. and we were kinda prepared for the news too, having had that negative test result and having dealt with the disappointment already. but hearing it the way the doctors said it, and suddenly realizing this is a baby--our baby--we're talking about, i just suddenly cried silly in front of everyone.
"oh honey you'll have a baby soon," the older doctor said as they excused themselves and left me and gary to comfort each other. when i was able to compose myself, the nurse came in with some instructions. i need to have a check up and request for an HCG test again just to monitor my levels. we also need to watch out for extended bleeding, chills and fever.
four days now and the bleeding has significantly decreased although clotting is still visible.
i could run everything through my mind and say i should've done this, i could've done that. i mean, i should've tested a lot earlier, been more careful, ate better, slept earlier, what have you. i should've believed i was pregnant when i tested positive so then we could've monitored everything more closely. i could've had the chance to really start a family with gary, channel all our love and attention to a baby that's his and mine alone. but at the end of the day, gary and i just know this much: it's not time yet. call this a rehearsal. at least now we know more about the things we should and should not do.
more than the baby we lost, the real center of the story is my husband. this time, more than ever, is when i realize what they mean when they say you and your spouse are one. i was scared as hell, but seeing him made everything better. knowing my aches are his and that i have someone who will carry this with me no matter what makes me feel complete in more ways than one. i just love him so much, and after everything i've put him through, i just know he loves me so much too.
so we move on from here.
10.06.2010
it didn't work out
we got him his own space. we got him food. we got him a name. but after only two days, we had to let the puppy go. it just wouldn't work out. i'm too scared to come close to mclovin' (yeah, we named him after the guy from superbad--gary and i love that no-brainer movie :P) so he wouldn't be taken care of when gary's gone for work. plus he's too demanding. this being manifested most by his incessant noise that drove us crazy in such short a time. i think the hubby realized having a dog isn't as great as he thought it would be. so yeah, we're back to just the two of us and we kinda like it this way. for now.
10.03.2010
something new
there's a new addition to our family.
and god i wish i could say it's a baby! baby like human baby, gary-ina spawn, mini me or mini gary. but it's just our new baby dog. anyone close to me knows i don't like man's so-called best friend. i'm not a hater, i really like them in pictures... :P it's just i'm terrified by dogs. big time. but the husband wants a doggie around the house, and i guess this is what you call marital compromise, so i'm still trying to get over my fear of dogs. yes, even a puppy. i still scream when he walks towards me and i hate how my heart races even when i know he's not going to bite or anything.
the husband actually got two terriers but we had to give away our new puppy's sister because we can't handle them together. we've yet to name him. gary's giving me the honor, but i kinda wanna wait to see what kind of personality he has so he can get a name that fits him. right now he's just a sad dog. doesn't bark,doesn't run, doesn't eat. i can tell gary's amused, as i type this, the new partners are out somewhere in the compound walking. i never expected i'd say yes to staying in a house with a dog but i'll live.
he's as suspicious of me as i am of him. lol
and god i wish i could say it's a baby! baby like human baby, gary-ina spawn, mini me or mini gary. but it's just our new baby dog. anyone close to me knows i don't like man's so-called best friend. i'm not a hater, i really like them in pictures... :P it's just i'm terrified by dogs. big time. but the husband wants a doggie around the house, and i guess this is what you call marital compromise, so i'm still trying to get over my fear of dogs. yes, even a puppy. i still scream when he walks towards me and i hate how my heart races even when i know he's not going to bite or anything.
the husband actually got two terriers but we had to give away our new puppy's sister because we can't handle them together. we've yet to name him. gary's giving me the honor, but i kinda wanna wait to see what kind of personality he has so he can get a name that fits him. right now he's just a sad dog. doesn't bark,doesn't run, doesn't eat. i can tell gary's amused, as i type this, the new partners are out somewhere in the compound walking. i never expected i'd say yes to staying in a house with a dog but i'll live.
he's as suspicious of me as i am of him. lol
9.10.2010
my bridal march
i captured my favorite part of our wedding video so i can upload it here. windows moviemaker is acting up on me, so this clip is longer than it should be. i hope the husband doesn't check on this blog anytime soon...i want us to see the whole thing together when i get back to the states this wednesday. too bad the resolution suffered from all the trimming and converting. but here it is, you guys enjoy ;)
9.05.2010
7.23.2010
fickle, fickle
without even a week with me, my white corolla practice car is history. the husband sneaked out the car yesterday, sold it, and bought me a white honda accord today. can't be happier. the car is pretty sweet for somebody like me who doesn't know sh*t about driving :)
here's a familiar sight: gary cleaning my car. hehe
my new baby after a shower
sorry...had to take the customary owner shot. LOL
here's a familiar sight: gary cleaning my car. hehe
my new baby after a shower
sorry...had to take the customary owner shot. LOL
7.19.2010
catching up
as you may have noticed, no real pictures lately, which is ironic since gary and i each have our own camera. the funny thing is that gary's usb connector for his sony cybershot is missing, while my cannon uses disposable batteries which we never seem to remember to buy. so. i tested our lg chocolate phones and sent these shots to my verizon album online. worked like a charm, but the photos aren't as clear as i'd hope. here, date night at red lobster.
the hubby bought me a practice car, a white corolla. it's still in good shape, and more importantly, it's automatic. his civic is 5-speed, and knowing how bad i did at driver's ed in the philippines, a brake, a clutch and a gas pedal could be too much for me. LOL i can only stare at it, i've yet to get my driver's permit. haha
the hubby bought me a practice car, a white corolla. it's still in good shape, and more importantly, it's automatic. his civic is 5-speed, and knowing how bad i did at driver's ed in the philippines, a brake, a clutch and a gas pedal could be too much for me. LOL i can only stare at it, i've yet to get my driver's permit. haha
7.12.2010
we got life to do
in between date nights and house chores, gary and i are starting to realize that we're headed for some major changes in a few months.
first of all, gary's getting out of the army. he has until january next year because he's under stop loss, but it could be sooner since the rest of his brigade's coming back from iraq next week. he just needs to take their weapons in (he's the armorer) and clear by then. i see he's really weary of his job too, and as i said before, i'm wanting a normal civilian life for us.
the catch here is, he'll be under transition after he's out of service. he needs to get a new job. and well, it's really important that i get a job too before he finishes his contract, just to keep things running smooth.
right now, i'm torn between two job prospects, the first one in marketing is a sure thing, but is not something i look forward to doing because it's an entirely different field. it's financially helpful for sure, but half of me wants to wait and see what happens with the grant writer position that i tested for. i asked the human resource department about my application and i'm said to be scheduled for interview next week. crossing my fingers.
in a few hours i'm taking my test for a driving permit. i don't wanna take it yet, but the husband's hurrying to get me behind the wheel. he's also scouting for an automatic practice car (we have a 5-speed car right now). i always had a fantasy of driving a beat-up red pick up truck, and when i told gary that, he was pretty amused by the idea too. he's been looking for vintage trucks for days, but today the husband suddenly said he's worried about how i'll control such a big vehicle. so. i think i'll end up with a car after all. of course this whole driving thing is crucial if i'm working soon. i already took driving lessons while in the philippines, but ran out of time to get me an internatioanal driving license. now i have to go through the whole texas dmv process.
first of all, gary's getting out of the army. he has until january next year because he's under stop loss, but it could be sooner since the rest of his brigade's coming back from iraq next week. he just needs to take their weapons in (he's the armorer) and clear by then. i see he's really weary of his job too, and as i said before, i'm wanting a normal civilian life for us.
the catch here is, he'll be under transition after he's out of service. he needs to get a new job. and well, it's really important that i get a job too before he finishes his contract, just to keep things running smooth.
right now, i'm torn between two job prospects, the first one in marketing is a sure thing, but is not something i look forward to doing because it's an entirely different field. it's financially helpful for sure, but half of me wants to wait and see what happens with the grant writer position that i tested for. i asked the human resource department about my application and i'm said to be scheduled for interview next week. crossing my fingers.
in a few hours i'm taking my test for a driving permit. i don't wanna take it yet, but the husband's hurrying to get me behind the wheel. he's also scouting for an automatic practice car (we have a 5-speed car right now). i always had a fantasy of driving a beat-up red pick up truck, and when i told gary that, he was pretty amused by the idea too. he's been looking for vintage trucks for days, but today the husband suddenly said he's worried about how i'll control such a big vehicle. so. i think i'll end up with a car after all. of course this whole driving thing is crucial if i'm working soon. i already took driving lessons while in the philippines, but ran out of time to get me an internatioanal driving license. now i have to go through the whole texas dmv process.
6.29.2010
how to lose reality and alienate your husband (pasintabi kay Toby Young)
check what time it is in the philippines.
turn on your laptop.
search for live streaming sites.
hook up your headset.
be transported to another time and place (read: philippine time and, well, philippines).
watch news about noynoy waking up. noynoy eating breakfast. noynoy being dressed by liz uy. noynoy getting in the car. noynoy in malacañang. noynoy with gma. noynoy sitting onstage. noynoy watching charice. christian bautista. apo hiking society getting out of retirement for another gig. ogie alcasid. regine velasquez. the madrigal singers. noel cabangon. noynoy taking his oath. noynoy giving his speech. noynoy walking out of the venue.
realize you've been glued to the monitor for five hours non-stop.
look at your starving husband who not only missed dinner but has taken to talking to the walls thanks to your prolonged mental and emotional absence.
6.23.2010
stage husband
so proud!
never in my life did i expect to get me a stage husband. but i like it. a lot :) i went to my first job test today, not an interview, just a test, and gary looked like a doting dad ready to drop his baby daughter off to 1st day of kindergarten.
i'm finally starting my job search, and this one was for a grant writer position downtown. as you may know, i battle with insomnia most nights, and the husband was adamant about making me sleep early last night so i could get enough rest for my test. i had to stop myself from laughing because he was serious about it.
in the morning he was a human stopwatch, telling me how much time i got left to eat and shower. i watched him watch me try out my wardrobe and when i was done with my make up, oh my gosh, the proud daddy took pictures. LOL maybe he missed seeing me in my office clothes. it has been a while.
i mean, the last time i went job hunting was five years ago, right after college, when i got my job in the senate. so naturally, i was a bit nervous. i could see gary was amused when i was quiet in the car. he kept on telling me 'you're gonna get this,' and when he saw that wasn't exactly the encouragement i was looking for, he tried 'there are many other jobs out there even if this one turns out to be not for you.'
we got to the company building 15 minutes early, and he sat there with me while i waited to be called. when i finished in about an hour, he was still there, smiling and asking me how everything went.
i have a stage mom, i have a stage husband, i'm made. LOL
6.17.2010
new everything!
as a little girl i always loved june and december. june meant the start of the school year, and december meant christmas. no, i didn't look forward to going back to school. i did get very excited however about getting new stuff for school. and then there's new shoes and clothes and toys for christmas of course.
i think this is something i wasn't able to outgrow. matter of fact, i love shopping. no matter how big or small the purchase, getting something new has a way of uplifting my mood. on this note, in just two weeks, gary and i never had more new things in our lives. it was no joke starting over, but i'm loving the fresh start.
we got to el paso the same day; him from iraq (i didn't make it to his homecoming! sadddd...) and me from santa clara, the day after arriving from the philippines. it was a leap of faith for me to come to el paso because as everyone knows, we gave up everything before gary got deployed to iraq--the car, the apartment, the pans and pots, the tv, what have you--and he wanted me to wait until he gets us an apartment so then i didn't have to have a hard time. i just trusted my instinct and flew in anyway.
so yeah. for a week, we stayed at the hotel and took the cab while we searched for a new apartment and a new car. saying that was hard would be the understatement of the year. we literally spent an arm and a leg going around el paso, aimlessly searching for these essentials. under the el paso heat. we're on three digits this month because it's still summer, and the scorching weather is just unbelievable. i worry about skin cancer, i kid you not!
so after a week of losing sleep, money and more, we finally found a new home. it's pretty close to our previous place but i really like this one for so many reasons. there are more trees in our new compound than in any other spot in the city. it's close to everything, like our place before, only this time it's even closer to gary's work, which is very important.
the one-bedroom apartment is just the perfect size for me and my husband. this means it's cozier and easier to clean up, thank you very much :P the bedroom already has a headboard, which matches the rest of the woodwork in the kitchen and the living room. i'm still in the process of putting everything together, so no pictures yet, but i'm splashing red, orange, and brown--autumn colors--all over the place. like i said, we gave up everything last november, so we bought new plates, a new couch, a new tv set(this 42" plasma is my new best friend), a new dvd player, a new shower curtain, new everything!
the hubby is pretty happy with his new red honda, although he gives me his non-chalant face and says the car is "ok lang" lol our new phones on the other hand are just plain eye-candies. they are soooooo hard to use. touch screen technology needs some serious tweaking. i always end up dialing a number by accident, and even texting becomes such a chore.
but beyond these new things, it's really the new life i'm looking forward to. gary is getting out of the service in a few months, and we're both in search of new careers. uncertainty lies ahead, but as it is always the case with me and gary, we always pull through :)
i think this is something i wasn't able to outgrow. matter of fact, i love shopping. no matter how big or small the purchase, getting something new has a way of uplifting my mood. on this note, in just two weeks, gary and i never had more new things in our lives. it was no joke starting over, but i'm loving the fresh start.
we got to el paso the same day; him from iraq (i didn't make it to his homecoming! sadddd...) and me from santa clara, the day after arriving from the philippines. it was a leap of faith for me to come to el paso because as everyone knows, we gave up everything before gary got deployed to iraq--the car, the apartment, the pans and pots, the tv, what have you--and he wanted me to wait until he gets us an apartment so then i didn't have to have a hard time. i just trusted my instinct and flew in anyway.
so yeah. for a week, we stayed at the hotel and took the cab while we searched for a new apartment and a new car. saying that was hard would be the understatement of the year. we literally spent an arm and a leg going around el paso, aimlessly searching for these essentials. under the el paso heat. we're on three digits this month because it's still summer, and the scorching weather is just unbelievable. i worry about skin cancer, i kid you not!
so after a week of losing sleep, money and more, we finally found a new home. it's pretty close to our previous place but i really like this one for so many reasons. there are more trees in our new compound than in any other spot in the city. it's close to everything, like our place before, only this time it's even closer to gary's work, which is very important.
the one-bedroom apartment is just the perfect size for me and my husband. this means it's cozier and easier to clean up, thank you very much :P the bedroom already has a headboard, which matches the rest of the woodwork in the kitchen and the living room. i'm still in the process of putting everything together, so no pictures yet, but i'm splashing red, orange, and brown--autumn colors--all over the place. like i said, we gave up everything last november, so we bought new plates, a new couch, a new tv set(this 42" plasma is my new best friend), a new dvd player, a new shower curtain, new everything!
the hubby is pretty happy with his new red honda, although he gives me his non-chalant face and says the car is "ok lang" lol our new phones on the other hand are just plain eye-candies. they are soooooo hard to use. touch screen technology needs some serious tweaking. i always end up dialing a number by accident, and even texting becomes such a chore.
but beyond these new things, it's really the new life i'm looking forward to. gary is getting out of the service in a few months, and we're both in search of new careers. uncertainty lies ahead, but as it is always the case with me and gary, we always pull through :)
6.04.2010
airports, flights and jetlag
i'm finally back here in the states after seven months of stay in the philippines. i arrived here at gary's parents' home in santa clara late last night. his brother jeng and wife glenda picked me up with their little girl annber at the san francisco airport. it was a long trip with a stop over in hong kong.
the hong kong international airport is insane. i had to ride a train and walk a mile to get to my gate. good thing it's easy to spot the pinoys, and like a herd, we just went wherever the others went. i got through immigration pretty quick and the luggage retrieval went pretty fast too. except for the enormous weight of the two luggages i brought, i was okay.
i am jet lagging sooooooooo bad. this didn't happen to me the first time i came here but now it hit me hard. i didn't sleep at all on the plane and last night i was up the whole time. needless to say, i've been nursing a major headache the whole day. plus my entire body's aching too...try carrying around bags that weigh close to 21 kilos each and you'll know what i mean. there are no friendly kuyas who will lift your stuff for you for a price of a pack of yosi. but i managed.
my mom, ate beng and the kids and my two titas dropped me off at NAIA. my brother met up with us at mall of asia. i have to hand it to him, and if he's reading this then all the better, he left his work for a few hours just to send me off. i miss my baby nephew chok. i took care of him everyday and he is just the most adorable baby everrrrrr. last night while i was in bed, the neighbor's baby cried and my instinct was to call out chok. except it's not chok. :(
on a lighter note, the husband's almost here too. we've been racing our way here. we left the same day, him out of iraq and me out of the philippines. gary called my mom to say he was in kuwait while i was waiting for boarding at NAIA. we haven't heard from each other since then, i assume he's been moving around, but i got a call from the fort bliss people this afternoon asking if i'm going to his homecoming, which is at 1:45pm tomorrow.
gary and i already talked about this extensively. i was insisting on going to el paso ahead so then i can just take a cab, stay in a hotel and meet him when his army plane lands at biggs airfield. the husband was insisting that i wait until he lands before i fly to el paso so then he doesn't have to worry about where i'm staying, how i'm carrying around my luggages and how i'm getting a taxi.
the hardheaded side of me was trying to make a way to get to el paso tonight but as luck would have it, the flight tonight gets there too late and costs too much, twice more than what i paid for flying tomorrow actually. so yeah, gary will have no welcoming party tomorrow, instead he's picking me up at the el paso airport at 4pm. this is pretty much what we agreed on the last time we talked, except that gary has no idea right now about my flight. i really hope he gets a chance to call as soon as he lands so then there's no mix up. i don't wanna stay at the airport, not sure if he knows i'm there or not. i have no cellphone yet because we gave up everything when gary got deployed and i left for the philippines in november so the only chance he'll be there is if he calls home and gets to talk to nanay or debra.
it still disappoints me that i can't be there at gary's homecoming. i always pictured waiting there as he lands, taking pictures, running towards each other. in slowmo. like in the movies. ewwww. LOL no i just wanted to witness how he lands and comes home. oh well. at least we get to see each other right away. i hope :P
the hong kong international airport is insane. i had to ride a train and walk a mile to get to my gate. good thing it's easy to spot the pinoys, and like a herd, we just went wherever the others went. i got through immigration pretty quick and the luggage retrieval went pretty fast too. except for the enormous weight of the two luggages i brought, i was okay.
i am jet lagging sooooooooo bad. this didn't happen to me the first time i came here but now it hit me hard. i didn't sleep at all on the plane and last night i was up the whole time. needless to say, i've been nursing a major headache the whole day. plus my entire body's aching too...try carrying around bags that weigh close to 21 kilos each and you'll know what i mean. there are no friendly kuyas who will lift your stuff for you for a price of a pack of yosi. but i managed.
my mom, ate beng and the kids and my two titas dropped me off at NAIA. my brother met up with us at mall of asia. i have to hand it to him, and if he's reading this then all the better, he left his work for a few hours just to send me off. i miss my baby nephew chok. i took care of him everyday and he is just the most adorable baby everrrrrr. last night while i was in bed, the neighbor's baby cried and my instinct was to call out chok. except it's not chok. :(
on a lighter note, the husband's almost here too. we've been racing our way here. we left the same day, him out of iraq and me out of the philippines. gary called my mom to say he was in kuwait while i was waiting for boarding at NAIA. we haven't heard from each other since then, i assume he's been moving around, but i got a call from the fort bliss people this afternoon asking if i'm going to his homecoming, which is at 1:45pm tomorrow.
gary and i already talked about this extensively. i was insisting on going to el paso ahead so then i can just take a cab, stay in a hotel and meet him when his army plane lands at biggs airfield. the husband was insisting that i wait until he lands before i fly to el paso so then he doesn't have to worry about where i'm staying, how i'm carrying around my luggages and how i'm getting a taxi.
the hardheaded side of me was trying to make a way to get to el paso tonight but as luck would have it, the flight tonight gets there too late and costs too much, twice more than what i paid for flying tomorrow actually. so yeah, gary will have no welcoming party tomorrow, instead he's picking me up at the el paso airport at 4pm. this is pretty much what we agreed on the last time we talked, except that gary has no idea right now about my flight. i really hope he gets a chance to call as soon as he lands so then there's no mix up. i don't wanna stay at the airport, not sure if he knows i'm there or not. i have no cellphone yet because we gave up everything when gary got deployed and i left for the philippines in november so the only chance he'll be there is if he calls home and gets to talk to nanay or debra.
it still disappoints me that i can't be there at gary's homecoming. i always pictured waiting there as he lands, taking pictures, running towards each other. in slowmo. like in the movies. ewwww. LOL no i just wanted to witness how he lands and comes home. oh well. at least we get to see each other right away. i hope :P
4.16.2010
4.15.2010
the official photos are in! :D
my mom and i went to nice print photography's office in shaw yesterday and finally got the raw photos from the wedding. they gave us three CDs, i left another CD containing songs for the video, and then they told me to choose 150 pictures for the albums and one for the blowup picture, all to be sent via LBC. as mentioned before, it'll take months before we get to watch our wedding on DVD and see hard copies of our pictures.
aaaaaaaanyway, here are some of my favorite shots. nice print gave me like over four thousand digital pictures and i literally spent the whole day sorting everything. i just got all the really nice ones then practically killed myself trying to limit everything to 150. i'm almost done, but now i gotta get me some cheap CDs so i can give everyone (and i mean everyone; i don't know anyone who hasn't asked for a copy)a CD.
gary's yet to see the photos because he has a convoy today to doria. he's now stationed in his mother base, fob warrior, by the way. he gets his own room, his own internet connection, and there's burger king over there i think, so it's a relief he gets some of the comforts he's missed for months now.
rings and bouquet
awww :P
already nervous as hell here
the bridal march
saying "i do"
the st. peter of verona parish church
isa pang awwww :D
bottoms up! :)
me and my hubby
aaaaaaaanyway, here are some of my favorite shots. nice print gave me like over four thousand digital pictures and i literally spent the whole day sorting everything. i just got all the really nice ones then practically killed myself trying to limit everything to 150. i'm almost done, but now i gotta get me some cheap CDs so i can give everyone (and i mean everyone; i don't know anyone who hasn't asked for a copy)a CD.
gary's yet to see the photos because he has a convoy today to doria. he's now stationed in his mother base, fob warrior, by the way. he gets his own room, his own internet connection, and there's burger king over there i think, so it's a relief he gets some of the comforts he's missed for months now.
rings and bouquet
awww :P
already nervous as hell here
the bridal march
saying "i do"
the st. peter of verona parish church
isa pang awwww :D
bottoms up! :)
me and my hubby
4.11.2010
the hangover
the countdown on my blog says it's been twenty days since the wedding, but gary and i spent another night chatting while looking at our wedding pictures. we just can't get over it! :P this week, the plan is to go to manila to pick up our raw photos, choose 150 shots for the albums, and leave our choice of songs for the wedding video. the albums and the edited video won't get to us until after three months (and i'll probably be back in the states by then) but what choice do we have, really.
i miss my husband. from the day he got to the philippines up to the day he left, we were always too busy. the only time we had that quiet moment for ourselves was when we passed by the subic boardwalk after going to our couturier. we didn't have a camera with us so we went back with my niece chay and nephew gelo, and gary's sister debra a few days after.
we also didn't have time for a honeymoon. gary left for iraq last march 26. so to make up for that, (and because a trip has always been planned after gary leaves the army this november) guess what we're planning!!! yay yay yay! we're going backpacking in europe! :D :D :D gary and i always wanted to travel, and we want to do everything together before we start a family and be busy with our jobs. gary deserves a break for working so hard in a warzone, and he's really excited about this trip. it's something to look forward to for us both, keep our minds off the frustration of being apart for months.
the next thing to think of is getting schengen visas. i already got one before when i went to germany and france but it expired already. gary being a US citizen doesn't need one, i read somewhere. or i don't really know. either way, i'm gonna have to go get one for myself because i still hold a philippine passport. but yeah. right now i'm looking through backpacking sites, where to go, what to do, where to stay (the cheaper the better syempre). i know i've been to paris already but i want gary to see it too, and i want to be there with him. sigh. okay, okay, too much daydreaming na. for now, i'm just gonna cross my fingers. hehe
4.05.2010
happy birthday doc!
when things get messy and you just don't want to be sad anymore, it feels good to be surrounded by lifetime friends who know you inside out. our doctor friend ate gay called me, ate nelly, avon and ate may for merienda last saturday (her birthday was easter sunday). we haven't done this in more than a year. ate nelly cooked (tried!:P) spaghetti, i brought ice cream (better safe than sorry), avon helped doc gay out with her really yummy siomai and ate may took care of the grill. i ate too much. again. but yeah, who cares?!
ang mga boss
birthday girl
putting the cam's timer on works :P
the shirt is a gift from my mom. my brothers got theirs too: masamang impluwensya and sunog-baga. our mother loves us dearly :)
nakikigulo lang sa pag-iihaw :P
ang mga boss
birthday girl
putting the cam's timer on works :P
the shirt is a gift from my mom. my brothers got theirs too: masamang impluwensya and sunog-baga. our mother loves us dearly :)
nakikigulo lang sa pag-iihaw :P
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