Flat card and tag are gifts from Odette.  Thanks, Odette!

My blog is 3 years old today!  Wiiii!  I won’t bore you with the details of how it all started.  Hee hee.  Let’s just get right on with the partying.  Here, grab some brownies…

…and some cookies, too!

Come on, you look fine!  You’ll burn off the calories later!  :)  There are drinks in the cooler so just help yourselves.

How about we play a game?  Of course there are prizes.  I’ve got a few here waiting to be given away.  But they’re not quite finished yet so you can’t take a peek.  They’re not much really, but still, they make a nice present. ;)

First, a little backgrounder on the prizes.  My crafty friend, Odette, had a snail mail project at her site not too long ago.  She loves to write, and I mean with her hand, so she asked her readers if they wanted to receive mail via the old fashioned way.  So I told Odette I wanted one. :D  A week or two after, I got this in the mail…

…with this beautifully wrapped surprise inside.

Gorgeous flatcards with envelopes!  One even had my initial W and another with my cyber name printed on the cards! 

Let me not forget the note from Odette!  She truly is one talented and creative beauty!

Receiving these really brightened up my day.  It felt so good to receive mail the old fashioned way and with a surprise to boot!  So, I wish to do the same. :)  Kinda like a paying it forward type of thing.  I hope to brighten up the day of a number of people.  The world can use some smiling faces! :) 

Here are the no-brainer rules:

This game is open to everybody.  That would be my 3 regular visitors and you, too.  Hee hee! :)  All you have to do is answer this question (that you alone can answer!) via this entry’s comment box:

When you first came to visit this site, which from among my 196 entries do you remember landing on?

Do you even remember?  It’s ok if you don’t.  You can always try bluffing your way to an answer.  Hahaha! 

The game will be open until Friday next week, 06 June, 11:59pm Central Standard Time.  I will pick 10 (feeling makakasampu!) lucky visitors.  Actually, there can be more.  Nahihiya lang ako magbigay ng mataas na number. Nyahahaha!  For now, let’s set the number at 10.  For all you know, everyone might end up getting a prize after all.
It’s all upto you if you want to continue on with a snail mail project of your own after you receive your give-aways.  If you do, it would make me really happy if you let me in on it, too. :)  Mababaw lang kasi talaga ang kaligayahan ko!
With that, I thank you for keeping me company for the last three years.  I hope you continue to put up with me in the years to come.
God bless and cheers!

ps:  Thanks, Meeya, for letting me borrow this question and answer idea from one of your earlier entries.  Mmmwah! 

Mabuhay!  Ang tema ng litratong Pinoy para sa araw na ito ay “Ihip ng Hangin”.  Gustuhin ko mang kumuha ng litrato ng mga sailboats, hanggliders at kung anu-ano pang nakakamanghang bagay na nililipad ng hangin ay di na kakayanin ng aking powers kapangyarihan.  Kaya minabuti ko na lamang na bumaling sa subok ko na noon pa man sa kahit na ano pa mang tema…ang aking anak na si Abby.  Hahaha!  (Stage-nanay talaga, o!)
Pinaupo ko lang si Abby sa sofabed, pinahawak ng isang pirasong papel at itinutok ang bintilador sa kaniya.  Huwag kayong mag-alala, siniguro kong hindi basa ng pawis ang likod niya kaya hindi siya sisipunin. :D  At ang mga ito ang kinalabasan…

Ang saya ano? 

Hindi naman sa pagbubuhat ng sarling bangko…pero mukhang pangbillboard diba?  Hahaha!

Nakailang kuha rin kami ng litrato. Pero itong dalawang ito ang paborito ko. May isa pa akong lahok para sa LP DITO.

I was supposed to tell you about our Memorial Day Weekend yesterday.  I promised, remember?  Hee hee.  I’m usually good at keeping promises, except when it comes to blog updates. *blushes*  I have a very valid excuse though!  I spent a good amount of time yesterday replying to emails, talking on the phone with friends and just basking in the joy brought about by an unexpected outpouring of love, support and prayers from relatives, friends and readers of this blog…all because of my Monday entry.

Instead of replying to the comments left on that entry one by one, I thought it would be a greater expression of gratitude if I post a Thank You entry instead…

Not very long ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of making friends via the internet, in the same way I would finding a life partner on-line. :D  But look at what this so-called blogosphere brought me!  A treasure throve of friends whom I shall cherish forever!  While it’s true that some people come to visit and leave a comment a few times (or maybe ask for a link and never to be heard from again. Ehem!), a good number have turned out to be very dear friends - friends for keeps - and a lot of them I have not even met in person yet. 

The comments that were left on my previous entry and the emails and phone calls I received  felt like a big hug…warm, comforting and loving,  as if to confirm what I believe and know to be true, that in God’s grace, everything will be alright.  

Thank you, Abby, for the prayers.  I hope my positivity continues to “infect” you.  Yes, no room for negativities!
Thank you, Feng, for sharing the story of Nico’s miraculous healing.  God is indeed good, all the time!
Thank you, Joy, for the tight hug and the prayers. :)   

Thank you, Keith, for reminding me about Tita Agnes’ healing and for the prayers.  You’re right, cancer is curable and our mothers are indeed matapang (could it be because they share the name Emilia?). 
Thank you, Pinky, for the hugs, prayers and words of comfort.
Thank you, Gracie, for the big hug and prayers.  I’m glad my entries leave you feeling cheerful and optimistic.  I’m making it my mission to continue writing entries of the “feel good” nature. :) 

Thank you, Bet, for not feeling sorry.  That’s the last thing anybody wants.  Thank you for the thoughtful words and prayers and for the mega extra dose of positivity.
Thank you, Sofia, for “de-lurking” yourself, the warm wishes and the prayers.
Thank you, Meeya, for the many hugs, positive thoughts and prayers. :) 

Thank you, Aileen and Kathy, for your prayers and hearwarming email.
Thank you, Jeric, for comforting us with an overseas call.
Thank you, Nell, for cheering me up with a phone call and for the beautiful prayer for healing you posted in your blog.
I have saved extra special thanks for two people…

Odette, thank you for the prayers and the words of comfort.  I’m so thankful we found each other!  It doesn’t feel like we only met recently.  Most of all, I thank you for bringing your Ninang Elmira to my Mom and me!  I was only able to put two and two together this morning and it was my Mom who made me realize that you and the Elmira who left a comment were related.
Tita Elmira, (yes, I’ll be calling you Tita from now on! ), thank you, THANK YOU, for the comments and the emails, for sharing your very own experiences and for offering to be my Mom’s co-patient.  We take you up on your offer.  You are truly heaven sent and we thank God for you.

To all of you who said prayers for my Mom and our family, our sincerest and most heartfelt thanks.:)

You are all such wonderful blessings and you are all proofs of God’s goodness.  We pray that God keep you in His loving care and protection always.  Hugs to you all. *hugs*   

ps:  As for the Memorial Day Weekend entry, it will have to wait.  We’re celebrating something here tomorrow and I’m inviting you to celebrate with me.  Curious?  :P   

I was going to password protect this post but nah.  If one or two can pick up something from this entry, I’ll be truly happy.

Remember my entry, Prayers for Mommy, where  I asked that you whisper a short prayer for my Mom who was then undergoing a series of tests at the Medical City?  In another entry about another one of our packed weekends, I managed to slip this line in: “It was just before we left the restaurant when we received the biggest best news ever, and that is that my Mom’s well and healthy and will live to be a hundred years old…maybe more!”

The truth is, the news we received wasn’t exactly “the biggest best news ever“.  On the contrary, It was one of the worst I ever received in my lifetime.  You see, my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  And it was during that dinner with my visiting cousin that the news was broken to us.  The line that ended up on my blog, the one I quoted above, was the news I would have preferred we had received.  Let’s just say it was my way of manipulating working with the Law of Attraction. ;)  And besides, my Mom didn’t want to spread the news just yet.  We wanted to avoid having people think about the worst, and talking about her being sick.  The last thing we wanted was attracting more sickness and negativity.  I understand if this sounds a little too weird for you.
I was devastated, to say the least.  This is the sort of thing that happens to other people, not to my loved ones, least of all my very own mother.  It was that kind of a moment for me.  It didn’t help too that I was thousands of miles away.  The funny thing is, it was my Mom who needed the least comforting.  She took the news well because deep in her heart she knew she IS well and that everything will be ok.  She was worried more about me than about herself.  I drew so much comfort from talking with my Mom during those first few days (even upto now!) and hearing her say that I shouldn’t worry about her because she is ok and well. 

If my Mom were anybody else, she would have probably withdrawn from the world, gave up, got depressed and got worse faster than anyone can say chemo.  It’s amazing how she received the diagnosis with grace and remained strong and courageous for herself and for everyone else.  This doesn’t surprise me at all because all throughout her life, my Mom has made good of the stinky cards that life too often dealt her.  Too often, if I may say so myself.  But with faith as steadfast as hers, my Mom knows as do all of us, that God will come through for us with another one of His miracles like He always does.  In fact, everyday, God gives us one little miracle to hold on to.  Case in point, only one breast is affected and has thankfully not spread.  Also, all the results of my Mom’s recent medical tests have been very favorable. 

While cancer has mostly negative undertones than it has positive, I can enumerate a host of good that has come out of it.  Since my Mom’s diagnosis in December, all of her friends now know that she has the dreaded “C”.  And the shower of prayers, love and support she receives everyday is just overwhelming.   It is true what they say, you know, that it is during trying times that we realize who our true friends are.  And I’m glad my Mom has plenty.  Our bond as a family has become stronger and tighter than ever and our faith, greater.  We now try to observe a healthier lifestyle, which is primarily why I no longer eat beef and pork (unless left without a choice…which is fairly rarely). 

I, for one, have become the poster girl for positive thinking.  Now you understand why I choose to look at things in a positive light.  I have become more aware of blessings that we receive everyday and have made it a practice to literally count them.  I no longer rant about the most trivial of things, except maybe Abby’s precociousness. :D  And while I have no intention of imposing these things upon you, I would suggest you give them a try.  Think of it this way, the more you think of what went wrong during the day, the more you’re turning yourself into a magnet who might just attract more things going the way you don’t want them to. :D  So the next time the pair of shoes you want to buy isn’t available in your size or when you’re stuck in traffic or when you didn’t get what you thought you wanted, just take a deep breath and be thankful for what you already have…like perfect health. ;)  There’s just too much going on in this world to be ranting about the littlest things.  But hey, that’s just me. 

I admit it’s tough to remain positive in the face of something so negative.  I’ve had plenty of Sisa moments, when I cry then I stop then I try to think happy thoughts only to end up crying again.  I do allow myself to have a good cry.  But I don’t let it drag on ’til kingdom come. :)  Prayer is my best ally during these moments.  And after a good chat with God, I am fine once again.

As I heave a sigh of relief for finally being able to tell you about this, er, little thing, a prayer of thanksgiving for my Mom’s upcoming 100% wellness will be a great treasure I shall cherish forever.  I thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart and on my Mom’s behalf.
Tomorrow, I’ll tell you about our fun weekend.  Promise.  But if you can’t wait, you can take a peek here and here.
God bless you all and have a great week!
PS:  To my friends from whom I’ve kept this all this time, thank you for your understanding. :D  Love you all.  Mmmmwah!

Mabuhay!  Para sa temang “tubig” humugot ako ng mga larawang naipakita ko na DITO.  Sa katunayan, may isa pa ngang photo meme na pawang mga larawan din ng katubigan ang aking ipinakita…DITO naman iyon.

O siya, wala nang paliguy-ligoy pa.  Hindi na ako magpapakamakata ha.  Iiwan ko na lamang ang bagay na iyan sa iba pang mga kasali sa LP. :D 

Tubig.  Ang anyo at tunog ng malumanay na pag-agos ng tubig ay may kakayahang magpakalma.  Tulad nito.  Ngunti teka…may papalapit…

Naku ang bata…naghugas ng kamay sa fountain!

Hala sige!  Nagpakawili pang talaga!

Tsk tsk tsk!  Nasaan ba ang ina ng batang ito at hinayaan na lang mag-isa.  Malamang nagkuha pa ng litrato imbis na pigilan ang anak!

E, lalo namang nasaan na ang ina ng batang ito?  Ininom pa ang tubig!

Ang mga larawang ito ay kuha sa San Antonio Botanical Garden noong nakaraang Enero.

Isa pang lahok sa LP DITO.