In a Race that Matters

"Mommy, karga me." (Mommy, carry me). "Mom, please make my milk", " mom, please remog (remove)my diapo (diaper)" "Mom, I want sunny-side up and hotdogs." "Mom, I want to watch Spogsbob and Dora. " Mom, what is a mirage?" "Mommy, o, away naman ako ni Kuya!" (My brother's starting a fight again)"No more fighting ha?, just loving, loving." Two pairs of sun-kissed hands tugging at my sauce-stained apron, two pairs of curious eyes,accompanied at times with creased brows , a pair of voices talking at the same time, vying for attention... It has been barely a month since I declared my independence from public service but I have come to the conclusion with nary a doubt nor an ounce of hesitation that nothing beats being a 24/7 mom in terms of workload. At the office,only my brain and fingertips are at work.And yup,I can still manage to look fresh and do a li'l chit-chat there). Now, I begin to wonder w...

Today marks the first day of my one year sabbatical leave from government service. I am officially off the hook as far as the eight-to-five shackles are concerned. On the other hand, I feel kinda at a loss as to what I need to do first with the domestic concerns that have long been waiting to pounce on me, like a pup poised to welcome a returning master from a long trip. Well, the homebody in me has been itching to do the house spin and stretch both the physical and mental physique. Another year is fast approaching and I need to unload the cramped quarters with unnecessary stuff for other hands that might have use for them. The review for my TESOL final exam is a top priority, too, otherwise I'll be knocked down by mundane, less important concerns. I now have ample time to blog. I have no more reason not to jog. I will assist hubby dear with the paper works in his businesses. And of course, keep a focused eye on my kids' homeschool program! (Isn't it the primary reason fo...

The battle that began in the cosmic arena rages in a believer's heart (mine in particular). For more than a decade, I have had countless inner struggles between the natural, old self and the spiritual, reborn man in me. I may have done such a fine job of looking together-- cool,calm and collected. Outwardly, I have managed to keep a tight rein on my deadly tongue, rebuked a fellow believer for some off-the-track dealings, turned a little preachy here and there and proclaimed all was well and good in my own sweet world. But in the dark of night, under my pungent blanket (thanks to my younger son's nightly response to the call of nature), the battle rages and overwhelms-like a breathtaking, action-packed movie scene that leaves me on the edge of my seat, ambivalent whether to sit still or take flight. Alone and uncovered before my maker,I finally feel the weight of this raging drama. I am no spectator. I am on center stage and my heart is the battle field. Forces from all ...

" We're together again, just praising the Lord we're together again in one accord Something good is going to happen, something good is in store We're together again just praising the Lord.." This was our theme song during the early 90s in the UPLB Navs -- a campus Christian ministry anchored on the mission of knowing Christ and Making Him Known. I was a nerve-wracked kiddo fresh from the province and an easy prey to opportunists lurking in the university when I found the Navs by chance (nope, it was Divine intervention.) On a rainy afternoon sometime in July 1991,infront of CEC building at UPLB, I chanced upon two cute(?) but promdi-looking (read: sheepish) guys on their way to attend a fellowship (I later learned they were Joey O and Kuya Rico P.) At that time, I was waiting for a friend who invited me to attend the Victory Christian Fellowship in the same building. I asked the two guys (there was nothing suspicious about them. They in fact looked as nai...

Sometimes you can't help but rub on your children your own passions (or should I say,frustrations and unfulfilled dreams). Growing up, I had a thing for the arts -- acting, public speaking and writing. I would have ventured into dancing and singing as well had I not learned early on that I had gawky moves and my singing voice only sounded good inside a 2x2 square-meter john. Well, my acting landed me top recognition in 1988 during the talent night competition of the National Secondary Schools Press Conference in Malaybalay, Bukidnon. I competed with representatives from all regions and Region V (the one I represented) stole the night at that time. That was twenty years ago. I was a fifteener raring to show my 'brilliant' ideas in English Editorial Writing. Nope, I didn't land a spot in that tilt. What I brought home was the top honors in the talent show! I was afraid I would be swarmed with movie offers after I got off the stage. Thank goodness I still managed to bl...

Just last week, I, along with other members of our cooperative came face to face with the investigator who went on a fishing expedition in our institute prompted by a letter-request from an ambitious, griping officer. The one-sided report of this grammatically-challenged, claiming to be infallible snoop became the basis of our agency head to issue a cease-and-desist order in the operations of our coop. The run-of-the-mill report caused the spur-of-the-moment decision causing undue injury to the entire organization my husband and I helped build up in its infancy stage. Lessons learned? I am not lawyer (I could have been one had I pursued my collegiate studies at UNC where I traded intellectual swords with brilliant minds, chanting “Excelsior! “) but you don’t have to be one to identify a true-blue Perry Mason. If you want to be a laughing stock of an investigator, take the following pieces of advice:  Be emotionally involved in the case. Do not detach yourself from what you a...

Last Saturday, Rovik surprised dad and me when he informed us that he already organized the kiddie members of his Sunday School for a swimming class. We were even more surprised when just a few minutes later, the kids started to arrive complete with their back packs and 'baon', all set to go swimming. Caught flatfooted, Jing and I decided to go to Walter to buy a pack of spaghetti and some food stuff as instant baon to feed the kids after swimming. We brought the kids to Laguna Hotspring at around 2pm.Gosh, the boys scampered right away and jumped into the pool without bothering to change into their swimming gears.The girlie girls-- Kayla and KC, however, changed into their swimsuits and put on borrowed floaters before they frolicked. My boys, Rovik and Orvik who are both permanent fixtures in the pool (that the owner decided to just let them swim for free day in and day out) had a blast as well. Rovik showed his fine form doing the strokes he likes best --Breast stroke...