Our Crystal Year

Thank you, dear God, for our 15th Wedding Anniversary today... 

Like I said,  the road may not be always perfect and smooth, but it is a blessing to have a marriage more beautiful than my wedding...  :)

An anniversary
is a time to celebrate

the joys of today,

the memories of yesterday,

and the hopes of tomorrow. 

Author Unknown

 

Gina's New Orthodontic Retainers

We are very happy because starting today, our Dancing Queen will be wearing a special kind of Orthodontic Retainers. Seems like only yesterday when we felt anxious and worried because she had to wear a Facemask to correct her upper and lower jaw bones...

Her diligence and patience in wearing the Facemask for (an ordeal of) 16 hours++ a day, over one year, and even taking a brief leave from school truly paid off. Praise God for this great, new development. :)

Here is a photo of our Dancing Queen, with her new mouth appliance ---

Just like her previous Facemask, this special Orthodontic Retainers is removable, but she will have to wear it for 24 hours, most especially when sleeping at night.  She may only remove it during mealtimes ---

Treatment, as advised by our Orthodontist, will last for 6 months, afterwhich another kind of intervention will take place.  We praise our awesome God for all the help He has provided; physically and emotionally for our daughter, and financially for us.

If you are a new visitor to this blog, you may want to read about our journey with our daughter's Facemask starting HERE. I'd like to encourage you too, that even if the process is difficult and long, surely with God's power, grace, and help, the race and goal will both be conquered and achieved. :)

Ah, Sovereign LORD,

you have made the heavens and the earth

by your great power and outstretched arm.

Nothing is too hard for you.

Jeremiah 32:17

Off With My Long Hair

I got a haircut a week ago, and let the stylist chop off almost an arm's length. I sort of feel sad because I miss my long tresses, and realized I should've left more than what was removed... :(

I like having long hair. Never mind that drying and fixing it takes several minutes (to an hour) everyday... For years, and ever since I could actually remember, I've always worn my hair long; so much so that it has become like my own, personal security blanket.

With my new short hair, everyday is a bad hair day. All because they flip like crazy every morning (sob!), and combing or brushing doesn't help. Suddenly my hair has developed a mind of its own, and decided not to obey me big time.

I can't wait to grow it again and promise myself I will never have it cut short like my photo here. I am all smiles there, but seriously, and deep inside, my heart is bleeding (oh yeah, that much sadness and disgust!)...

My dear long hair, oh how I miss and heart you so! (Lol!)

How can I control my life

when I can't control my hair?

Author Unknown

Dancing Queen's Container Garden

Dancing Queen and I finally set up her garden pots in the long garage.

She is ecstatic and very happy to grow her own vegetables and flowering plants.

Though we need to buy more pots to plant some more flower seeds that we have in excess.

All in all, we have 12 pots; nine of which are vegetable seeds which I helped DD plant this afternoon.

Once the veggies and flowers grow, Dancing Queen said she would harvest them and plant some more!

What a delight to see the work of her hands because when I was her age, I had little interest in planting.

I myself, am excited to see her vegetables and flowers grow! We plan to take more photos every week until the plants are all out to greet the sunshine! :)

The best place to seek God is in a garden.

You can dig for him there.

George Bernard Shaw 

Milkshake Turns Terrible 2!

Oh yes, our little furry baby of the house turns 2 today! Look at her now!

Still naughty and full of character...

But at the same time ever so sweet, charming, and nice! :)))

Happiness is a warm puppy.

Charles M. Schulz

We Now Have a Teenager in the House

Our little boy...



...is now a teenager.



Today is his big day, and we praise God for making us his earthly parents. Now that he is a teenager, we pray that he would continue to honor and glorify God with his strengths and talents.

Furthermore, we pray that like Jesus, he will grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man. Everyday is a blessing, and the best is yet to come! :)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5

Another Year of Life, Love, and Laughter

Thank you for another birthday. Which also means that like this entry's title, I am blessed with another year of life, love and laughter.

After today, I pray for another year to grow richer in knowledge and insight of every kind... That I will learn by experience what really matters... That on the day that I appear before God, He will welcome me as a flawless gift, a rich harvest of praise...

May the Lord bless me and keep me... May He shed His light upon me... May He look upon me kindly and give me peace...

Rejoice in the Lord always.
I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4

DS's 15th Piano Recital

A week after his sister's recital, this afternoon is Migs's time to shine. This is truly a memorable day for all of us because the piece he played is a very difficult one, and is normally played by adult music majors. Our son says it makes it more epic because he gets to play the piece before he bids goodbye to tweenhood.

He performed a piece by Russian composer, Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915), called "Etude in C# Minor, Op. 42 No. 5".

Here is the video as performed onstage by our soon-to-be teen...



In several days, Migs will turn 13 years old. We are excited as he enters a new phase in his life called adolescence. Praise and thank God for this blessing.

I always thank God for you
because of his grace given you
in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:4

DD's 1st Guitar Recital

We are so proud of our Dancing Queen. Eversince taking up music, she has committed to this new interest faithfully. Today is her Guitar Recital, and although she has learned it only for a few months, she performed well before a live audience.

Here she is, strumming a classical piece called, "Country Dance" by Italian composer, Ferdinand Carulli (1770-1841).



Praise be to our God for a great and successful recital day.

Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits...
Psalm 103:1-2

The Blessing of Friendship

Last Wednesday was an ugly day.
But today I found something that made me realize there is still something beautiful in the world.
I found out that I have a friend in the place I just left behind.
She may be found here: Soundbooth Solitude
Yep, I attached the permalink; just so you'd know what this entry is all about.
Oh and I love her.
We may have been together for only a short time, but we simply clicked.
Our time together wasn't gonna be the last - last Wednesday.
I never thought she truly regarded me that way.
So through this little space of mine I want to thank her.
God bless this lady.
I pray she goes a long way.
This is the first time in a far-off, far-reaching, lingering time, that I am reminded of what friendship is all about.
May she continue to touch the lives of others like she did today.
I will never forget her because she was the only one who thought of me as a good egg even if I am half-cracked.

The antidote for fifty enemies is one friend.
Aristotle

DD's Steps Dance Concert

Today at 6 p.m. was STEPS' 17th Summer Dance Workshop concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Dancing Queen and her group danced a Spanish Dolls number based on the Ballet classic, "Coppelia".

My MIL and BIL watched along with us. We ate a late but hearty dinner at the Aristocrat Restaurant after the show. It was a successful concert and we all thank the Lord for good weather and an equally good show. Dancing Queen did very well onstage. :)

The glory and honor is God's -- the giver and maker of talents in all of us.

When you are onstage
you are having an affair
with three thousand people
Gelsey Kirkland

DD's Steps Award

Praise the Lord for our Dancing Queen's efforts are recognized!



She received this year's "MOST IMPROVED AND HARDWORKING BALLET DANCER" award in STEPS's 17th Summer Dance Workshop 2011. And she is very happy and thrilled! So are we, and we are very proud of her. :)



Dancers are not great because of their talent...
They are great because of their passion
Unknown

DS's 14th Piano Recital

DS wowed the audience this afternoon as he played a four-hands piece with his teacher and mentor in the U.P. College of Music's Extension Program.

Migs played Hungarian Dance No. 8 in A Minor by Johannes Brahms, and a solo of Prelude in E Minor Op. 11 No. 9 by Alexander Scriabin. Praise God for a successful recital.



For heights and depths no words can reach,
music is the soul's own speech.
Unknown

Third Scholarship For Our DS

The road is getting straighter and clearer for our DS. Just a few minutes ago this afternoon, we received an unexpected but welcome blessing from this private school --- offering DS a scholarship for high school. They said DS scored 93 over 100 in his entrance exam, and got the highest test score in the history of student applicants who took the exam in the school. Yes, this is the 3rd scholarship offered to our DS, but we are ecstatic and excited as ever. Praise be to our God!

We are deciding where to put DS, but DH and I think it is best to try both, to help us decide where DS will fit in best. More updates to come next time. :)

Education is not preparation for life;
education is life itself.
John Dewey

Dancing Queen's New Best Friend

Dancing Queen has a new buddy. Meet TAYLOR STAGG -- her newest best friend. Taylor Swift is one of her favorite artists. Her guitar is a Stagg brand. Get it? :)



Glad to see my children are hooked to music. My other one, my DS, is a pianist who will be competing by the end of this year in a Piano competition sposored by NAMCYA or The National Music Competitions for Young Artists Foundation.

Someday, it would be my and DH's pride and joy to see both of them perform for the Lord. Either in dance (for Dancing Queen), or music (for DS). :)

There is nothing in the world
so much like prayer as music is.
William P. Merrill

Dancing Queen's Facemask Fifth Monthly Check-Up

Gearing up for more good news...

Dancing Queen's monthly check up this month tells us more that when we are truly diligent, persevering, and patient, we will get rewards in the end.



Gina will continue wearing her Facemask, but her mouth bands will remain as the Fox kind -- easier and softer bands that hurt less. Praise God for this, because the previous Impala kind is tougher to wear!



What we have to watch out for, is for her to wear it for 8 hours only, as extended wearing will pull out her jaw too far/much from what the doctor prescribed, and it is not definitely good for her jaw bones...



God is good and gracious. Dancing Queen is also a smart girl, she can even wear her Facemask all by herself, and note down the time in her blue tickler to record how long she's been wearing it. :)

'Til next month...

Surely your goodness and love
will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23:6

Dancing Queen's 9th Birthday

Yes, our little Dancing Queen is 9 years old today -- and it's Easter! Praise be to God for giving us a daughter who is sweet, kind, and obedient like Gina. We are the proud, happy parents of this darling daughter of ours.

Time flies so fast, because Gina is growing up fast, and she is turning out to be the lady we prayed for -- someone who loves and fears the Lord.

First thing in the morning, DH drove to pick up her favorite, Mango Tart from Conti's. We called-in the night before just to have this frozen cake reserved for us. It was one cake that she (we) loves very much, she (we) can eat it all week. We placed 9 pink candles on top which she blew after making a wish. :)



For this 9th birthday of hers, we gave her a Hello Kitty telephone for her room. Friends and clasmates from school call her often, so we thought of giving her this cute little gift. :)



We had a simple lunch with my in-laws, and then later in the afternoon, upon the Birthday Girl's request, we had the time of our lives singing our hearts out at Music 21 Plaza. We had so much fun singing in a private room with the videoke machine! Big Brother, Migs, had fun too --- eating. :)



Here are some endearing photos of the day ---

Hmmmmmmm.... What could this be...?



Excitedly opening the wrapper...



Busy hands...



What a sweet smile!



What a happy laugh!



A daughter is the happy memories of the past,
the joyful moments of the present,
and the hope and promise of the future.
Author Unknown