"I Won Mom!"

It has been 2 weeks since my eldest received a game board from his grandpa. It was the Snakes And Ladders that I and my 2 brothers used to play with when we were younger. Although the colors on board were bit faded, Lolo Tatay (that's how my eldest call his grandpa) preferred to simply purchase new tokens and dice for replacements rather than buying a new one. He wanted to instill the value of "valuing valuable possessions" by example to my eldest that's why.

Simple as it was, my boy's so excited to learn the game and play with daddy and I (well, with my youngest on my lap) for practice. Knowing that Lolo Tatay would drop by next weekend (or us to his place), he wanted to show him that he already mastered the game rules when they play together.

On their first game, my kid was so confident to win. He seem befriended with the dice! He took advantage of the ladders for about three times and Lolo Tatay never landed on any ladder through out the game. Unfortunately, on my son's supposedly "for the win" turn, he landed on the 98th square -- where he was "bitten" by the snake, and went back on the 78th space. So upset, my 4 year old did not finish the game and cried.

Lolo Tatay pacified him, and patiently explained that it was just a game. That sometimes, he may win, sometimes he wont. The important thing was that he played fair, and enjoyed as well. Lolo Tatay added that if he would agree to play again with him and this time with daddy, each win will enable him a "ticket" to choose between an "arcade pass" for a play in an arcade on next weekend, or a "toy store pass" for a chance to choose a toy he wanted on next weekend, provided it's a hundred pesos or less. If he lose but manage to stay on the game and reach the end of the board, he would still be allowed for a "food pass " -- a chance to choose ice cream or chocolate bar or chips to eat for merienda.

While I was in the kitchen preparing our meryenda, I heard him shouting with joy while heading my way.

"I won mom!"

I excitedly asked him, "So what did you choose son, the arcade or the toy store pass?"

"I won a food pass mom! I want a chocolate bar! Can I have 2? One's for baby brother. If he can already play, I'll tell him to finish the game first before I will give him his food pass."

I saw the happiness in my son's eyes. And truly, that glimpse brought so much joy to my heart as well. I knew, more than the "pass", he learned a very valuable lesson of life and living. He may not know the deeper price he had gained from the game for now, but in time, he would.

Before going home, I hugged my father a little tighter than I used to. Just to convey my warm thank you for being a wonderful dad to me and my brothers, and a loving Lolo Tatay to my kids. And of course, a kiss on the chicks to end the precious day...

I love you Tatay... We Love you so dearly...

My 360 Degree Turn...

Yes, I was into a lot of things lately -- so much that I needed time to think, to pause, to heal.

So as much as I wanted to visit and "sit" with you my fellow moms -- here in our little hub, I decided not to -- until I could.

I wanted to remain truthful in every single word I keyed in. And being in a stressful situation then, I decided to face the inevitable, then I'll get back in time to share my lessons and recollections. And here I am now! So so sooo happy to be back.

Here are some that I wanted to share...

• I realize how our life has been beautifully crafted by our Almightly. He has given us so much joy -- enough not to dwell on the gray ones.

• I realize that truly there is sunshine after the rain. Our family is our most valuable and most effecient umbrella, and their love and care are our blanket.

• Every problem has a lot of solutions. Every person has his own way and pace. Let him/her solve it his/her own way. What matters is facing any trial with positive outlook, solve it and not dwell on it, then move forward.

• We are the drivers of our own cars. Our Dear Lord entrusted to us our own vehicle, and He gave us the gift of wisdom on how to take good care of it. So once in a while, we have to re-fuel our car, constantly check its engine to ensure its efficiency, clean it (or even detail it if necessary), and ensure that it maintains its great shape so we can be in our destination on time.

I hope, I am still welcome in our little sacred hub, my fellow moms. For you are all my treasures and you simply touch my heart in different ways.

Looking forward to share with you again. Take good care of you!

with much love,
momzeebitz

P.S.

My special thanks to my fellow moms who continuously touched my heart by sharing their thoughts despite my "absence"...

Mom of Four (oneprettymother.blogspot.com)

Tey (mydaysinmymind.blogspot.com)

Farrah (wifeandmomeof3.net)

blessedmom (noahandkaeden.blogspot.com)

Spaceofgrace (homemakerslibrary.blogspot.com/)

How Much Do I Love Thee...

I wrote this poem straight from my heart -- just a written expression of my love for my two wonderful boys. Someday, i wish they will have a glimpse of this post, so they would know how much I love them and how much happiness and color they have brought in my life…


The first time I saw you,
my heart was filled with so much joy.
I felt so blessed that God gave you to me.
You were His very special Gift that completed me...
When I held you close to mine,
It seemed that your heart beats with mine...
From that very moment,
I committed myself to love you,
to take care of you,
to protect you -- until my last breath...

Remember when you had your first step?
I guided you until you gained your balance.
At times that you fell but I didn't pick you up,
I wanted you to learn standing by your own.
I wanted you to grow up strong, dependable, and responsible...
But remember –-
when you stumbled so hard and couldn't stand by yourself,
I never wasted any second to carry you back home.
Because I love you... I love you... I love you...

Remember when you had your first day in school?
I took you to your second home but only stayed for awhile.
I wanted you to learn adopting new things by your own.
I wanted you to grow up with confidence,
To create friendships, to discover new things...
But remember –-
when you had hard times to comprehend with these things,
I never wasted any moment to explore each with you.
I will never, ever get tired to guide and guard you.
Because I love you... I love you... I love you...

Time will pass and you’ll see a wider world.
Yes, I will let you fall in love.
I'll let you shed a tear too...
I want you to learn from life.
For feeling pain will teach you giving more importance to laughter.
I want you to discover God's wonders to deepen your faith...
But remember –-
If there’ll be times that you can't hold your tears back,
I will wipe each drop for you.
I will embrace you so tight
To let you feel how special you are.

And if at some point, you’ll be in your deepest hour,
And you’ll need me to be with you…
Just to stay by you...
I'll never ever hesitate…

Just like when you’re still a baby,
I'll hold you next to mine,
I'll embrace you with all my love,
I'll let you feel how happy I am to have you
Because you are God's gift to me,
And that you completed me...

And I will kiss your forehead and tell you,
how very proud I am to have you...

I'll never leave your side –-
Until my last breathe...
Even beyond…

Because I love you…I love you... I love you...

A Teary and Very Happy Mommy...

Since I started posting, a lot made suggestions that I might as well consider changing my Profile Image. Yes, I know they just wanted it to be more appealing and personal. If I may share the story behind the picture, and express how important and personal it is to me...

My eldest is 4 years old and a preschooler. A lovable, smart, and "naughty" young boy, who sometimes drives me crazy yet inspires and energizes me every single moment of my life. For the first 2 months of his schooling, I would always ask him "How's school? What did you do in class?" and he would constantly respond "Nothing much mom?", "We just sang mom", "I can't remember mom", "Seat works mom", "Writing mom" and so on...

At times, I would ask his teachers how is he in school, and they would tell me that my son is doing well and always participates in recitations.

And then came their first quarter evaluation and grading card distribution. He was one of the Top 5 students. When his teacher handed in his grading card, she told me to open it for she had inserted something which my son has made during one of their art sessions...

There I saw a rose -- cut and pasted, and colored red by my son, with few words under it that says... "I love mom"

I love you much much more Son... more than you'll ever know and imagine...

A MotheR's LovE

Before we even became moms to our own children, we were only once a child of our respective mothers.

Years back, have we, even just for a moment, ever thought of how much we have loved by our moms and how much they have done for us?!

Had we reminded ourselves then, that inside her womb, she carried us, she nourished us? That on the day she gave birth, she lay on deathbed, grimacing in pain and with superhuman courage and endurance, delivered us into this world?

And even though we were breathing on our own, somehow having the independence, we’re never really truly apart from her. She continued to pamper us with care, and encompassed us with her warmth and understanding.

Day in and day out, she toiled to help us be strong in all aspects of life and somehow attained the totality of being a righteous individual.

A mother’s love is a parasol in the pouring rain, a warm blanket on a cold, chilly night, or a soothing cool breeze in a hot and humid afternoon. A mother is always there to lend a helping hand.

When we soar to greater heights and take hold of our dreams, wouldn’t our mom be there to rejoice with us? But when we lose our grip and stumble, wouldn’t she be always ready to break our fall? And when we were down and sad, wouldn’t she be the first to shed a tear? All thru her life, she is there for us with her un-relentless counsel and support.

BUT,
AGAIN, have we ever stopped for a while, and looked her in the eye, and whisper to her, that we appreciate her love, and that we do LOVE her also?

If not, I guess it’s never too late…

In fact, we are even blessed that we can do a lot of ways to do so…

WE are MOMs now after all…

A Simple Pause Can Make A Difference

There comes a point in our lives that we need a pause from all that’s happening; from all that we do in routine; from all that we encompasses as days go by. Being a mother and a homemaker is not an easy responsibility after all.

As moms, we touch our kid’s lives, trying our best to give them all that they need to have a better life. We guide them to become the most passionate and good-hearted person that they can be. We nourish them with much love and affection to grow up with passion and positive outlook towards life and their journey.

As homemakers, we make sure that everything in the family is in order. We are trying everyday to be the superwoman that we could be. We organize things in such a way that every member of the family would be in their utmost comfort. We make sure to make each day a healthy and happy day for everyone around us.

But, what if there comes a point when we feel that every thing we do seem not good enough? As if, our day is not much of a typical day without any stress in it? As if we feel that we are not giving the best shot in all our duties and that not all are into its proper places?

At times like these, we need to pause for a while -- just a pause -- to recharge ourselves of all the emotions and feelings that we are trying to convey to others. Just a very short break to think only of ourselves, and nothing else. We can’t give something that we don’t have. And we can’t touch other’s lives by not touching our own.

Our heart beats to its finest when we don’t rush doing things but instead, moving on with life with calmness and moderate phase. Our muscles function to its best as well when we don’t push so hard on things even beyond what it can actually capable of.

There are times when we best enjoy life by embracing it as it is. Sometimes, it's better to have a sit with your hubby and kids, make sharing time together, have a blast of laughter over shallow things, or play crazy game with wacky themes as a family, than trying so hard to make a difference in this world – thinking the "how"s and the "must"s of life, then getting back on realities and finding ourselves saddened once again on how the world became chaotic, or thinking whether or not our children in the next years to come can still breath (or would even know by experience the definition of) a single fresh air.

Amidst all that's happening, life in general is still the most beautiful journey of all. It is still a special gift from the Creator that we received. It's still the greatest novel and the best-selling book of all time. There are still so much blank pages to fill in -- Let's be the best author that we can be, and make each page heart-warming and enjoyable to read.

A Crossroad: Make Your Choice

Why can't someone be pessimistic when things get worse not because people can't do anything about it but rather some are doing something to worsen it? And how can't he be cynical when somewhere along the line, situations laid on the table are solidifying facts of how things really work... To what should someone base his judgment? To where should people cling their values? To whom should a person pattern his perspective? Most may say, "DUH! who cares?!"

This isn't naive years anymore, when all seem so easy and living is as simple as strolling in the park... This isn't a baby's routine either, wherein a bottle of milk can pacify hunger, or a diaper change can soothe irritation. The fact that people live in this world means having to equip themselves with steel armor to survive. Even the basic needs like water and air have lost its purity due to mankind's cruelty. The world, given as supposedly free human residence, has turned into a very huge waste container. Too bad, there are still unborn generations who will about to reside on this haven. Apparently, this is not heaven -- not yet.

Whether or not to continue the risk of losing all that has freely given to mankind depends on each individual's choice. A choice to continue its destruction or to begin its rehabilitation. Whether or not to possess positivism in thought and in deed also depends on one's freewill. A choice to be righteous or to greed. A choice to be humane or to be cruel. A choice between heaven and hell...

If not for a person's sincere and genuine effort to stay upright beyond every evil encounter; If not for his conscious effort to uphold the truth amidst one's worldly being; If not for his firmness to his positive grounds despite every compulsive instinct... who can possibly be godly?

No one is perfect and it may be impossible to undo what has done. But there is still hope to make this world a better place to live and to be better individuals... As long as people have the freewill to decide, as long as there are still options to choose from, as long as people still breath, making things better is not too late...

FoR aLL the AmazingLy WondeRfuL MoMs...

Before we even became moms to our own children, we were once the child of our own respective mothers.

Years back, have we, even just for a moment, ever thought of how much we have loved by our moms and how much they have done for us?!

Had we reminded ourselves then, that inside her womb, she carried us, she nourished us? That on the day she gave birth, she lay on deathbed, grimacing in pain and with superhuman courage and endurance, delivered us into this world?

And even though we were breathing on our own, somehow having the independence, we’re never really truly apart from her. She continued to pamper us with care, and encompassed us with her warmth and understanding. Day in and day out, she toiled to help us be strong in all aspects of life and somehow attained the totality of being a righteous individual.

A mother’s love is a parasol in the pouring rain, a warm blanket on a cold, chilly night, or a soothing cool breeze in a hot and humid afternoon.

A mother is always there to lend a helping hand.

When we soar to greater heights and take hold of our dreams, wouldn’t our mom be there to rejoice with us?

But when we lose our grip and stumble, wouldn’t she be always ready to break our fall?

And when we were down and sad, wouldn’t she be the first to shed a tear?

All thru her life, she is there for us with her un-relentless counsel and support.

BUT, AGAIN, have we ever stopped for a while, and looked her in the eye, and whisper to her, that we appreciate her love, and that we do LOVE her also?

If not, I guess it’s never too late…

We may not repay nor will equal the love she has given, but we can always appreciate and treasure it. Let us immortalize our mother’s love in our hearts…

In fact, we are even blessed that we can do a lot of ways to do so…

WE are MOMs now after all…