Count your Blessings - Happy New Year!

2013 was a great year. But it all could be better. Disasters here and there. Old job, new job. Great car, cranky car. Terrible two is true. There's just a lot more blessing we're looking forward to thanking the Lord for this new year.

So, how about we count some of the types of blessings we've encountered in 2013? Here goes...

Blessing of:

1. Answered prayers (An answer you like and the answer you don't like, are nevertheless BOTH answers!)

2. Answered prayers on Hold

3. Patience. 

4. Specific prayers (God wants you to be as specific as possible, He already knows what you need and what He'll give. He just wants to validate that you yourself knows those too - up to the last dot. The more specific you get, the better.)

5. Gratefulness. In e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. 

(Notice that I deliberately spelled it out.)

6. Walking in faith, by faith. (Don't pray and doubt -- you'll never get an answer that way.)

7. Faithful family. (Next to God, you don't have/want anyone else you'd rather be with than your family.)

8. Safety and protection.

9. Provision (all aspects of that!)

10. More occasions, chances, instances to pray. (I believe God just loves hearing our voice.)

There's my list of ten for this new year. 

Adiós 2013! Hóla 2014!

Dear Phoenix, It's 2012!

Dear Phoenix,

It's already 2012, almost your birthday!  :)

It has been an absolutely fulfilling 2011 for me and your Daddy. We have watched you grow up from this tiny baby who just squeals and cries when needed, to this tall, long-legged baby who now drools on everything, walks like she has no tomorrow and says "cat" even while looking at a dog.

You may have not noticed but there has been so much that happened last year. One was of course, you were born, then Mommy got assigned somewhere farther and left CIAD in good hands. Daddy also got a new job and I think is still enjoying it. :)  You now have more batchmates in church, you prefer Tita Brenda over the other people in the Nursery and your Tita Yanyan is already carrying your cousin even before your Tito Ken can open CupcaKen.

Your uncles and aunts are also doing better, even though Kaye is already spamming our FB accounts with her k-pop thingy. Kuya TJ now has a job, he doesn't want you calling him uncle, you know. Kuya Bryan gained more weight and is now back in Ipil, God knows why. Papa and Mamu, as they want to be called, are doing better also, they have been the most excited grandparents this Christmas since we went there for a vacation. (And they still despise your Daddy for printing "Lolo" and "Lola" on their shirts!)

You also met several ate's this year. One of which, the oldest, kinda pinched your arm and since then denied it. Two other ate's passed until you met your Ate Phebe, who is now taking care of you. You have been so behaved up until you discovered you can very well want something and cry if you can't get it. Ever since you wandered about the room and the sala and the kitchen of Papa and Mamu's house, you have been enjoying giving a full exercise to me, Mamu and now your Ate Phebe. You want to walk around too much, and sometimes even run (and crawl-run, if there's such a word!). You now almost always want to get out and look for cats, or dogs, roosters or chickens, and this was when you started saying "cat" and "dog", "shi-ehn" and "fin-esh". You learned to kiss your reflection when asked to "kiss Phoenix" but you won't kiss Mommy nor Daddy (which is frustrating by the way...) What else will you surprise us with, in the days to come? :)

So there, as I said, it was a lovely year, and hopefully, 2012 will be so much better!



Still waiting to hear you say our names,
Mommy and Daddy