Dear Lord,

We acknowledge that You are our mighty God. The earth is indeed filled with Your goodness, and words aren’t enough to express our gratefulness unto You.

I come to You as a mother. And I am now aware that a mother’s love is boundless, timeless, and selfless.

I thank You for giving me Mama Mary, Your own mother. Her genuine love for You is inspiring. She followed Your ways, not hers. She gave her trust to You, completely and without question.

I thank You for giving my own Mommy Luz. She is the wind beneath my wings. Her support and care to me and my sister, even extending it to my own family, is admirable. We may argue about a lot of things but the love is there. I pray that You bless her and grant her with a long, happy life. May we make more time with her as her children and always remember how it is to be young, helpless, and dependent of our mother. And may we replicate exactly, or even more, how much of a mother she is to us.

I thank You for the blessing of making me a mother of my own. It is such a wonderful thing and I only realized it until I became one. Please turn my envy into admiration, procrastination into productivity, whining into winning, and mommy pride into more mommy pride! I am such a stage mother this early in the game. I am confident that my daughter will be the person she ought to be, even though she’s makulit, malikot, and maingay.

I thank You and Our Lady of La Leche for allowing me to breastfeed. It’s the most important gift I have given my daughter for the past two years. And I was able to share some milk with babies we don’t know, even if it’s only how many bags. That is in itself a testament that mothers CAN produce enough, and in some cases, MORE than ENOUGH breastmilk. This coupled with sacrifice, dedication, and support.

I pray for my husband. He’s my hero in every sense of the word. May he be more patient to me and our daughter. Grant him good health always.

Thank You for giving us a loving community of family and friends, near and far, who support our family in more ways than one. Thank You for the provisions of a stable job for us both (and jobs that we love doing), security in our small condo unit we call Schatzihaus, the new helper, healthyummy foods, extra gadgets, more than enough budget for expenses. Thank You for those little treats!

We shall continue to give honor and praise to You, dearest Lord. Amen.

Lola Mila loves you!

Lolo Frankie loves you!

Nonna loves you!

Tita playmate loves you!

Mommy and Daddy love you!

To the charming, smart, little girl who drives our everyday life crazy but fun, who’s addicted to Hello Kiity, Elmo, and iPad Photobooth, happy birthday!

We pray for your good health, safety, and happiness as you journey through life. Mommy and Daddy are here for you, always and in all ways.

Gott segne dich, mein Schatz!

Mommy and Daddy 🙂

I first knew Ate Rina in college. As a voice freshman, and a clueless one at that, I look up to the soprano voice majors at that time. She was a diligent one, that’s why we look up to her. Her being friendly also endeared her to many. She used to sing with the Ateneo College Glee Club before she focused on being a solo performer.

Fast forward to today, she has blossomed into one of the good young Filipino sopranos. She’s been active in performing ever since college, and was fortunate to study abroad to home to further hone her craft.

She has performed before at the CCP but not in a solo engagement. She returns to the CCP stage next Wednesday, August 29, 7:30PM at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino for her Recital Debut. Assisting her on the piano is one of the best accompanist, my piano teacher in college and a Principal Sponsor for our wedding, Augusto Espino.

Full Press Release is on this site: http://culturalcenter.gov.ph/page.php?page_id=596

She will also give a Voice Masterclass on Thursday August 30, Saturday September 1 and Tuesday September 4. There are still slots available for August 30 and the 31st will open if we fill up the 30th. So sign up now! Or come as an observer. It will be really interesting to watch how she will work with the budding singers of today.

Ya, I know. I remained a chorister but still an opera singer by heart.

~ Touringkitty

Well, technically, there won’t be a party unlike last year’s McDonald’s birthday bash, which she truly enjoyed. But I figured, I can still give her a simple party at home.

So this weekend (and hope this colds don’t progress), I will attempt to DIY party decorations at home, put up the same tarpaulin we used last year (good thing I didn’t put any number or date, so we can use it like forever!), and cook Aria’s favorite foods – pansit (which she calls spaghetti), dory fish (which she sooo loves), cookies, and have a special cake made for her. I’ll set the party on the next holiday before her birthday.

I’m set on doing Hello Kitty as theme. The kid adores the cat, haha. So time to order cupcakes from my cousin who prepared the cupcake decorating activity last year. She did Hello Kitty toppers before so this one’s easy peasy for her.

Now should I invite her playground friends? I think so. But this has to be discussed with the husband.

It will be a simple party for the little girl. Something to celebrate two years of her life in this crazy world. It has been fun so far. And we can’t wait for more adventures to come her way.

~ Touringkitty