Dili. February 24, 2010. (This is a late post!)

My 3 year old son Tim is down with a sore throat. Yet despite his illness, he continues to be a source of joy (albeit many times, frustration too!), inspiration and amazement for us all!

After taking his antibiotics earlier this evening, Tim ended up throwing up everything he had eaten and drunk for dinner.  LITERALLY EVERYTHING. In the panic that ensued, Anthony ended up bringing Tim to the bathroom to be cleaned up, and I started trying to clean up the mess on the bed, on the floor trailing to the bathroom. In my panic, and here, PLEASE FORGIVE ME, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS and PEOPLE everywhere, I didn’t keep an eye on almost 8 month old Rysse who was lying on the bed.

WRONG MOVE MAMA!

A few seconds later, I turned around to see Rysse falling off the bed. Correction, she had already fallen! I screamed and rushed to grab her, which made her all the more startled and scared and hurt, and she started screaming and crying. Her Papa opened the bathroom door and asked what had happened and between sobs, I explained to him what had transpired. Soon, Tim came out of the bathroom with Anthony, all cleaned up. I was still holding Rysse, trying to calm her down.

Tim:       What happened to Rysse, Mama?

Me:        She fell down po Kuya, because I was trying to clean your suka (vomit).

Tim:       I’m sorry po Mama. It’s my fault.

Me:        It’s not your fault. It’s Mama’s.

Tim:       No, it’s mine. Because I made suka (vomited). Wait po Mama. I’m going to pray for Babagirl (our nickname for Rysse).

He then proceeds to kneel in front of the little altar in our room, makes the sign of the cross and prays:

Tim:       Lord, please help Babagirl. Amen.

And despite my heart breaking because I was guilty of negligence, I offered up a prayer of gratitude to the Lord, for reminding me that despite my imperfections as a mom, I must be doing something right.

(By God’s grace and thanks to her guardian angels, Rysse seems none worse for wear after her fall. Lucky for us too, that she landed on one of the soft footrugs on the floor beside our bed. Thank You, thank You, thank You Lord!)

To Tim and Rysse: Mama’s Confession of Guilt and Prayer of Gratitude

I know at times I fail to show you

Just how precious you are to me

There are times when I do not do

All that I should to make you happy

There are times when I lose my patience

Raise my voice and lift my hand in anger

When your endless chatter to me seems like nonsense

Though I know I should treat you better

For all the times in the past and still to come

When I should have been a better mom

I ask for your forgiveness

For you I only want the best

The best that God and the world has to offer

I thank the Lord at all times for you both

Papa and Mama’s beloved son and daughter

I will always wonder what I did to deserve you

Despite my wicked youth and imperfections

God decided to bless our union with you

Each of you sent to us from heaven

And so today I will offer up my thanksgiving

To the Lord the ruler of everything

For you, my children, my precious little ones

Together we will serve till His Kingdom comes.

I love you both very much!

Ah what joy it is to be a Mom!

Despite the stress that comes with parenthood, and motherhood, in particular, there are no words to describe how truly, wonderfully blessed I feel to be a mom.

A mom to two amazing, wonderful angels: almost 41 month old Tim, and almost 8 month old Rysse, whom I am blessed to raise with loving hubby Anthony (aka “Bebs” LOL)

It seems ages ago when I was a young, carefree single lady with all the time in the world and all the fearless dreams in her heart (which included setting up a free physiotherapy clinic for kids, and becoming a saint by dying in the mission field). At that time, I truly felt that the world was my oyster. I could do anything, be anything, try anything.

Fast forward to the present.

I am a wife. I am a mom of two. I am on mission for my Catholic charismatic community. I (along with my dear hubby) have started two small businesses on the side.

And along with these responsibilities comes stress. But not the I-can’t-take-it-anymore-I’m-going-to-kill-myself kind of stress. But the more sweet kind. The stress that leaves you feeling blessed.

The kind of stress you feel when at the end of a long day, you still feel blessed despite the fact that your kids (and most of the time your hubby too!) are fast asleep and yet you can’t join them because you still have work to do (in my case, translation, translation, translation). (Or blogs to update. hahaha. Must keep my fans/followers updated! hahaha) You feel blessed because you know that your work and efforts will be a blessing to your family and to your community.

The kind of stress you feel when at the end of a power struggle with your 3-year old kid about brushing his teeth and preparing for bed, he looks at you and says in a whimpering voice “I love you, Mama, please don’t be angry with me.” You feel blessed (and a bit ashamed) because this little boy loves you even if you don’t deserve it.

Living with this kind of stress leaves one no choice but to rejoice and give thanks at all times. After all, who am I to complain when all around me there are people who don’t have a roof over their heads, food on their tables, clean clothes on their back and water for their daily needs? Who am I to complain when I am blessed to have a husband who happily cooks for us so I don’t have to, when I have someone who helps with the laundry and the housecleaning, when I have access to airconditioning in the hot, hot, hot place which we call home for now?

Indeed, I AM BLESSED TO BE STRESSED. Life is a great adventure, and the One who created me out of love will ensure that I will never be alone!

Join me as I journey on this road called life. Ride along with me as I juggle my daily tasks and tackle the obstacles that life will throw in my way. All of these are just adventures in our life, which help us get to our Final Destination: Home.

P.S. Welcome to the birth of my second blog, which will focus more on the joys and sorrows, ups and downs, of parenting, breastfeeding, and being a sort-of-work-at-home-mom, among other things. (You can check out my first “baby” here)

March 4, 2010

3.20am Dili Time

Ah what joy it is to be a Mom!

Despite the stress that comes with parenthood, and motherhood, in particular, there are no words to describe how truly, wonderfully blessed I feel to be a mom.

A mom to two amazing, wonderful angels: almost 41 month old Tim, and almost 8 month old Rysse, whom I am blessed to raise with loving hubby Anthony (aka “Bebs” LOL)

It seems ages ago when I was a young, carefree single lady with all the time in the world and all the fearless dreams in her heart (which included setting up a free physiotherapy clinic for kids, and becoming a saint by dying in the mission field). At that time, I truly felt that the world was my oyster. I could do anything, be anything, try anything.

Fast forward to the present.

I am a wife. I am a mom of two. I am on mission for my Catholic charismatic community. I (along with my dear hubby) have started two small businesses on the side.

And along with these responsibilities comes stress. But not the I-can’t-take-it-anymore-I’m-going-to-kill-myself kind of stress. But the more sweet kind. The stress that leaves you feeling blessed.

The kind of stress you feel when at the end of a long day, you still feel blessed despite the fact that your kids (and most of the time your hubby too!) are fast asleep and yet you can’t join them because you still have work to do (in my case, translation, translation, translation). (Or blogs to update. hahaha. Must keep my fans/followers updated! hahaha) You feel blessed because you know that your work and efforts will be a blessing to your family and to your community.

The kind of stress you feel when at the end of a power struggle with your 3-year old kid about brushing his teeth and preparing for bed, he looks at you and says in a whimpering voice “I love you, Mama, please don’t be angry with me.” You feel blessed (and a bit ashamed) because this little boy loves you even if you don’t deserve it.

Living with this kind of stress leaves one no choice but to rejoice and give thanks at all times. After all, who am I to complain when all around me there are people who don’t have a roof over their heads, food on their tables, clean clothes on their back and water for their daily needs? Who am I to complain when I am blessed to have a husband who happily cooks for us so I don’t have to, when I have someone who helps with the laundry and the housecleaning, when I have access to airconditioning in the hot, hot, hot place which we call home for now?

Indeed, I AM BLESSED TO BE STRESSED. Life is a great adventure, and the One who created me out of love will ensure that I will never be alone!

Join me as I journey on this road called life. Ride along with me as I juggle my daily tasks and tackle the obstacles that life will throw in my way. All of these are just adventures in our life, which help us get to our Final Destination: Home.

P.S. Welcome to the birth of my second blog, which will focus more on the joys and sorrows, ups and downs, of parenting, breastfeeding, and being a sort-of-work-at-home-mom, among other things. (You can check out my first “baby” here)

March 4, 2010

3.20am Dili Time

Ah what joy it is to be a Mom!

Despite the stress that comes with parenthood, and motherhood, in particular, there are no words to describe how truly, wonderfully blessed I feel to be a mom.

A mom to two amazing, wonderful angels: almost 41 month old Tim, and almost 8 month old Rysse, whom I am blessed to raise with loving hubby Anthony (aka “Bebs” LOL)

It seems ages ago when I was a young, carefree single lady with all the time in the world and all the fearless dreams in her heart (which included setting up a free physiotherapy clinic for kids, and becoming a saint by dying in the mission field). At that time, I truly felt that the world was my oyster. I could do anything, be anything, try anything.

Fast forward to the present.

I am a wife. I am a mom of two. I am on mission for my Catholic charismatic community. I (along with my dear hubby) have started two small businesses on the side.

And along with these responsibilities comes stress. But not the I-can’t-take-it-anymore-I’m-going-to-kill-myself kind of stress. But the more sweet kind. The stress that leaves you feeling blessed.

The kind of stress you feel when at the end of a long day, you still feel blessed despite the fact that your kids (and most of the time your hubby too!) are fast asleep and yet you can’t join them because you still have work to do (in my case, translation, translation, translation). (Or blogs to update. hahaha. Must keep my fans/followers updated! hahaha) You feel blessed because you know that your work and efforts will be a blessing to your family and to your community.

The kind of stress you feel when at the end of a power struggle with your 3-year old kid about brushing his teeth and preparing for bed, he looks at you and says in a whimpering voice “I love you, Mama, please don’t be angry with me.” You feel blessed (and a bit ashamed) because this little boy loves you even if you don’t deserve it.

Living with this kind of stress leaves one no choice but to rejoice and give thanks at all times. After all, who am I to complain when all around me there are people who don’t have a roof over their heads, food on their tables, clean clothes on their back and water for their daily needs? Who am I to complain when I am blessed to have a husband who happily cooks for us so I don’t have to, when I have someone who helps with the laundry and the housecleaning, when I have access to airconditioning in the hot, hot, hot place which we call home for now?

Indeed, I AM BLESSED TO BE STRESSED. Life is a great adventure, and the One who created me out of love will ensure that I will never be alone!

Join me as I journey on this road called life. Ride along with me as I juggle my daily tasks and tackle the obstacles that life will throw in my way. All of these are just adventures in our life, which help us get to our Final Destination: Home.

P.S. Welcome to the birth of my second blog, which will focus more on the joys and sorrows, ups and downs, of parenting, breastfeeding, and being a sort-of-work-at-home-mom, among other things. (You can check out my first “baby” here)

March 4, 2010

3.20am Dili Time

Ah what joy it is to be a Mom!

Despite the stress that comes with parenthood, and motherhood, in particular, there are no words to describe how truly, wonderfully blessed I feel to be a mom.

A mom to two amazing, wonderful angels: almost 41 month old Tim, and almost 8 month old Rysse.

It seems ages ago when I was a young, carefree single lady with all the time in the world and all the fearless dreams in her heart (which included setting up a free physiotherapy clinic for kids, and becoming a saint by dying in the mission field). At that time, I truly felt that the world was my oyster. I could do anything, be anything, try anything.

Fast forward to the present.

I am a wife. I am a mom of two. I am on mission for my Catholic charismatic community. I (along with my dear hubby) have started two small businesses on the side.

And along with these responsibilities comes stress. But not the I-can’t-take-it-anymore-I’m-going-to-kill-myself kind of stress. But the more sweet kind. The stress that leaves you feeling blessed.

The kind of stress you feel when at the end of a long day, you still feel blessed despite the fact that your kids (and most of the time your hubby too!) are fast asleep and yet you can’t join them because you still have work to do (in my case, translation, translation, translation). Or blogs to update. You feel blessed because you know that your work will be a blessing to your family and to your community.

The kind of stress you feel when at the end of a power struggle with your 3-year old kid about brushing his teeth and preparing for bed, he looks at you and says

The birth of my second blog (You can check out my first “baby” here)