Thank You for an Amazing 2015!

What a fantastic year it has been! Year 2015 is the hardest, challenging yet successful year for us as of today. You want to know why? Let me share with you our ups and downs (highlights) we faced this year and how we overcome it.   

1. Last January, we celebrated our panganay’s  1^st birthday at Lakambini Hall in Villamor Airbase, it was successful! We don’t care how much money we spent in her birthday ang importante is happy ang anak ko and when she grew up matutuwa syang makita yung mga photos and mapanood ang videos na we do all our best just to give her a party that every kids dream of.
   
2. On the same month we got a brand new car and we named it “Joaquin”. This is one of our dreams before and I’m happy to say that finally we have the guts to purchase our dream car. Well, I believe once you have kids na kailangan mo na talaga ng sasakyan especially kung mahilig kayong umalis alis. In our situation here in the Philippines na super hirap humanap ng taxi good luck pag uuwi ka sa dami ng mapipiling taxi drivers and of course yung safety ng mga anak mo. Well, thanks to Uber and Grab Car now.
   
3. Again, on the same month, we just found out that I’m pregnant with baby number 2. This was a BIG surprised to us, as in we didn’t expect that I will get pregnant in just span of 1 year after giving birth to Rhian. Our plan to have baby number 2 is when Rhian turns 5, pero napaaga si Lord ng bigay eh. Well, a baby is always a blessing from God so instead of worrying about the upcoming expenses, we thank the Lord for giving us another blessing.
   
4. Last March marks another milestone for Rhian as she experienced her first airplane ride, meaning our first ever out of town as a family. We had a short but memorable vacation at Sol Marina in Boracay. I’m happy that Rhian was able to experience the sand na kahit na super takot na takot sya nung una, nag enjoy naman sya eventually.
   
5. Last April, my previous company (Friendster Philippines Inc.) decided to shut down their business here in the Philippines so I became jobless for 6 months.  I worked here for almost 5 years and I’m so depressed for about 1 month knowing that I can’t help my husband in our expenses but on the good side I became a stay-at-home mom meaning more bonding with Rhian,  saw her milestones  and to take care of our baby bunso. (I’m 5 months pregnant that time so I decided not to look for job and wala naman tatangap sakin db kaya sa bahay lang ako all the time.)
   
6. This year, we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary with family. Three years down, forever to go… ♥  My husband gave me a big surprise, as in BIG. ♥
   
7. Another milestone for Rhian as she was able to experience her first movie date with us. Well, sorry until now hindi ko parin nasusulat yung first movie experience nya. Sorry naman, ako na ang taong busy. Hehe.
8. On August 20, one of the most memorable moments for me as I gave birth to our baby bunso. Read here for my wonderful birthing story.
   
9. One week after I gave birth to a healthy, bouncing and beautiful baby girl, I rushed to Emergency Room at MMC due to my increasing blood pressure. Can you imagine umabot ako ng 160/100 buti nalang that time nasa clinic ako ng OB ko for my weekly check-up since I complain about my severe headache and when she checked my BP, ayun ang taas. For almost 2 weeks, pabalik balik ako sa hospital for check-up to the point that I need to consult with Cardiologist for my bp monitoring. Sometimes kasi nahihilo ako and sumasakit ulo ko meaning tumataas na ulit ang BP ko (my normal bp is 120/80) but sometime it raise to 130/90 or sometimes 140/90. Ayoko ng ganon, nakakatakot. Now, I take my maintenance to control and normalized my BP. Thank God after 3 months of taking 5mg tablet, my cardio doctor gave a go signal to take it half tablet per day nalang. Hopefully on my next check-up which is on Feb 1^st week tangalin na yung maintenance ko.
10. We had a successful and intimate baptismal celebration for Rhaine. Even though we don’t have enough money to invite more guests, I’m so thankful that they understand us. Wala pa kong work that time and like what I told you, dumadaan kami sa financial crisis before dahil sa nawalan ako ng work then malaki yung nagastos namin nung nanganak ako so all the expenses salo lahat ni Ian. They told me na kaya naman ng asawa ko lahat ng gastos so I don’t need to worry or I don’t need a job, but mali sila kasi it’s not enough lalo na may mga binabayaran pa kaming utang and at the same time mas magastos na ngayon dahil 2 na ang anak namin.
    
11. This year, I got so many invites from Mommy Bloggers Philippines. I guess this is one of the perks of being a stay-at-home mom, na kahit na weekdays pwede kang pumunta sa events ng hindi na kinakailangan pang mag file ng leave. I also got many sponsored items for review and happy to say that I love my new job as a blogger. I mean, before kasi parang hindi ako masyadong nag seseryoso sa blogging industry, but lately when I found new friends through writing, mas lalo akong ginanahan magsulat na kahit na may mga bashers, wapakels na ko sa kanila. Now, my target on 2016 is to improve my blog site theme.
    
12. Rhian's another milestone as she had her first ever dental check up. Click here for more details.
    
13. Another dream came true this year as we finally decided to get our OWN House. Renting a house for almost 3 years is not a joke, imagine we spend Php 10k monthly na kahit kelan is hindi magiging sa amin. kaya pikit mata kami at lakasan ng loob na kumuha ng bahay. although ang turn over pa nya is on 2018 at least nakapag start na kami mag bayad ng dream home namin. Until now I can’t believe na we are going to be a homeowner soon, that’s why nagsusumikap kaming mag asawa sa trabaho para matustusan ang everyday expenses namin. Can you imagine how excited we are na pagandahin yung bahay namin? Ngayon pa nga lang eh tumitingin na kami sa pinterest ng mga designs eh, remember mabilis na panahon ngayon.  Well, we waited this for long time and now, this is it!
    
14. Two months after I gave birth to Rhaine, I decided to look for a new job. As I mentioned, we really need a lot of money para mabayaran yung mga utang namin during the months na wala akong work. This is one of the hardest decisions I made this year since I need to leave my bunso at home during the interview.  I just submit my resume online and wait for the call and guess what, I only spent less than 1 hour for my 4 interviews and viola I’m hired. God is so good talaga. Now, I’m here at ICCP working as Executive Secretary and so far ayos naman ako dito and hopefully, magtagal ako dito like sa Friendster.
15. We had our first ever FREE staycation as a family of four. Thanks to F1 Hotel Manila for inviting us and to my kumare Jen for including us in the list. Cheers for more staycation with family and friends. 
    
16. During my first two weeks at work, we faced another problem akala ko tapos na mga problema namin when I got hired pero hindi pa pala. our yaya (kasambahay) left us or should I say she chose to be with her new found boyfriend over us. I don’t want to go into detail as I want to protect my family. So for about 1 week we look for our new kasambahay but we failed so the fastest solution we made is to call my parents, salitan sila Mom and Dad ko sa pag absent para mabantayan si Bunso, hindi pa kasi ako pwedeng mag leave dahil bago lang ako and ubos narin leave ni Ian. After few days finally nakahanap narin kami ng 2^nd yaya, but again she decided to left us kasi namimiss naman nya yung ka live-in nya, on the other hand she recommend her mom. So for our 3^rd yaya is her Mom, I thought she will never leave us kasi okay sya mag alaga kay Rhaine but on the 3^rd time, she left us again at namimiss naman nya husband nya. Hayz. Dumating sa point na I want to resign just to be with my daughter, ako nalang mag aalaga sa kanila since super hirap maghanap ng yaya, but on the back of my mind, iniisip ko na need ko rin mag work for us para mabawasan yung mga utang namin. Every night I cry, super hirap on my part on which is my priority pero kasi pareho silang priority ko kasi para sa future nila yun. There are moments that I even asked God why he gave me/us this kind of problem, maybe because he wanted us to tests our faith and how strong are we in handling this kids of circumstances. Now we are still looking for yaya who will take care of my bunso while we are working. If you have any recommendations, just send me private message and I will truly appreciate it.

Looking back on all the trials that we encountered this year as well as all the blessings that we received, our 2015 was definitely an amazing year that is too beautiful for us to fully describe. I’m still thankful that we overcome it with hold hands and keep our faith to God that he’s building other plans for us which is better and in the right time. Now, looking forward for more adventure, blessings and happiness on this upcoming 2016.  Thank you 2015 and keep being awesome in 2016!

By the way, thank you my dear reader whom I consider one of my greatest inspirations, without you hindi dadami page views ko and I would not going to be able to keep writing. Thank you for spending your time reading on my writings, giving suggestions and comments but most of all, thank you for helping me to improve myself. Hindi man tayo personally na magkakakilala or nasa magkabilang panig tayo ng daigdig, you have a very special place in my heart. Promise!

And to my bashers, Thank you rin kasi dahil rin sa inyo dumadami page views ko. :p If you still don’t like my post on my blog, wala na kong magagawa, hintayin nyo nalang ulit mga post ko sa 2016. Hehe.

 Happy Holidays Guys!