He Says Im Weird

Dean says I'm weird but he means it in jest. He says I'm amusingly weird actually. Some of the things that I do are typical Pinoy routines or habits. And because they're unusual to him, he thinks it's weird. Some are my personal habits or actuations that I dont think I can ever shake off my system and for this I can say maybe I really am weird, or should I say, different. Here are some of the weird things about me according to my husband:

1. I have tons of black undies. This started when I decided to wear only black underwear when I have my period. I just got tired of washing stained underwear. It would have been easy if I could find my favorite laundry soap Perla somewhere in America so I can make babad. Since then, I kinda became fascinated with black or dark colored undies.

2. I can step out of the house with wet hair. Many times, I leave the house to go to church or to the store with my hair which he describes as "still dripping wet." I told him that I did this all the time in the Philippines. I went to work with wet hair and it's ok, at least people knew I take shower everyday!

3. I cant leave the house without taking shower first. This annoys him actually especially when we're in a hurry and I'd say "let me take a quick shower first." This is because I dont like putting on clean clothes if my body is not clean. I dont necessarily have to wash my hair each time. The important thing is I've washed up. And when I say quick I really mean quick, like 3-5 minutes and no hair wash.

4. I still use tabo when I do my most sacred thing in the bathroom. Until now, he's still amazed by this fact and wondering how I manage to do it without wetting the floor, lol! I told him, "why dont you watch me one time so you'll find out and maybe learn to do it too." At least I'm environment-friendly. Those "paperwork" costs a lot of trees.

5. I use walis tambo and walis tingting . I bought these brooms in Florida. The first time Dean saw the broomstick, he jokingly asked, "are you gonna ride that?" Ginawa pa akong witch. And he thought I wont take them with me when we moved to South Carolina. Well, sorry na lang, they're my reliable helpers when I clean the house.

6. Newly washed clothes linger on the couch or chair. I'm so bad with this, I admit. After I do laundry, I take the dried clothes to the living room so I can watch TV while folding them up. And I dont know why, those piles of clothes stay there for like 1-2 days. Sometimes Dean hollers for a shirt or whatever and I'd say, it's in the living room. Then he goes, "did we move our dresser to the living room?" Uhm, not really.

7. I wash dishes as I go along. Meaning, I dont do it the American way where they fill up one sink with warm water and soap, put all the dirty dishes and utensils in there, and so on and so forth. What I do is pour dishwashing soap in a bowl, add some water, dunk the scrub, and work on the dirty dishes and rinse them. We do have a dishwasher which I very seldom use because I'm never satisfied with the result.

8. I only use the plate warmer (heated dry on) function of our dishwasher. This is actually connected to no.8. After rinsing the dishes clean, I put them in the dishwasher. It's not to make them super duper clean by washing them again using the machine. See, I have a small kitchen and to put a tray for dishes on the counter would just clutter up more the area which I dont like. So, why not use the plate warmer function of the dishwasher? The good thing about it, since they are heated, I'm assured of cleaner and more sanitized dishes.

9. I cover and leave food on the table. This is a big no-no to Dean and he gets upset when he sees food left on the table for hours. He said Americans dont do this because they believe it takes only a few minutes for bacteria to grow in the food and spoil it. I told him this is what we do in the Philippines. Unless it's visibly spoiled or smells like it, it's still ok to eat it, lol! I still leave covered food on the table but only my food, NOT HIS or else, magtago na ako.

10. I mute the TV when the scene gets scary. I like suspense thriller movies and watching it with Dean is a problem sometimes. Dean likes his TV REALLY loud so imagine when suddenly he doesnt hear anything just when story gets interesting because I turned the volume off. This is because the music and sound effects being played are the ones that make it really scary. What he does is he grabs the remote before I could mute it and I just have to cover my ears.



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Thanks for the Prayers

My friend Tess Parkyn shared with me a great news she received yesterday. She has been feeling weird for the past few weeks and I kept telling her she could be infanticipating. Finally, her doctor confirmed that she is pregnant. What a blessing indeed. Congrats to the Parkyns! And Tess, thank you for the friendship and for the prayers.

I got a text message from my father and knowing what I'd been through he shared this passage from Habakkuk 3:17-18 ... "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Thank you Tay for the prayers and the encouragement. They really help a lot!

Here's another uplifting song that I've been singing lately. This song is so real to me and I just praise and thank God for everyone who on some nights had me in their hearts and prayed for me. I pray that the Lord bless you all immeasurably.

Somebody's Praying Me Through

Pressing over me like a big blue sky

I know someone has me on their heart tonight

That’s why I know it’s gonna be alright

‘Cause somebody’s praying me through

Somebody’s praying me through

It may be my Mother, it might be my Dad

Or an old friend I’ve forgot I had

But whoever it is I’m so glad that

Somebody’s praying me through

Somebody’s praying me through

Through the tears, through the rain

Through the sorrow, through the pain

It keeps bringing me through

Over and over again

So when you’re drowning in a sea of hurt

And it feels like life couldn’t get any worse

There’s a blessing waiting to push back the curse

Cause somebody’s praying you through

‘Somebody’s praying you through

Someone got down on their knees and prayed for me

Somebody’s, somebody’s praying you through

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Lunch at School

For the first time I joined my kids for lunch yesterday at their new school here in South Carolina and witnessed how things are done during lunch time. Students go to the cafeteria by grade level. Each level is alloted 25 minutes which covers lining up to get their food, eating and lining up again to hand their trays and left overs back to the counter for cleaning.

The teachers have red and green plastic cups on the table. When students are eating you see the red cup over the green cup which means they are not allowed to talk. It was nice to see most of the kids "respecting" the cups. They just kept on eating not saying a word. Some tried to get away with whispers and some managed to communicate using body language. I guess the purpose of the cup method is for the kids to be able to finish their food before the next batch of students are ready to take over their tables. Once their done the cups are switched around and the kids can talk as they place their mess in the trays and get ready to leave.

I've always known that each class have designated table cleaners for the week. My kids' school in Florida does the same thing so I wasnt surprised to see some kids carrying wash cloths, brooms and mops as soon as their classmates left the tables. And they worked fast too! What a good training ground for kids who are expected to help around in their respective homes.

From the cafeteria, the kids stay in their lines until they're back to their classrooms. Some head to the playground for 15-minute recess.

I tried to take pictures of my kids at the cafeteria but they strongly told me not to. "Please Mom, don't embarrass us." So I didnt insist. I walked with my daughter as her class went back to their room. I saw her Social Studies project about the Cheyenne Indians hanging on the wall in the hall way and accross from it is the poster she made for the Junior Beagle, the school newspaper in which she's one of the writers.

For lunch I opted to buy food from the school cafeteria. I had a cup of sweet corn, pizza sticks and salsa, cinnamon roll and a bottle of choco milk. Unfortunately one of these has caused me to constantly pass gas the whole afternoon 'til bedtime. But it was a good 45 minutes that I spent with my kids. I enjoyed it more than they did.

Bouncing Back

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Yes, I'm back. Medyo dumaan lang sa isang depressing phase which caused me to hide inside my shell for quite a while. I just can't help it. I tend to clam up when something's bothering me so bad. I shut the world out. I'm just thankful that I have my family who gives me moral support. Thanks to my husband's patience, understanding and encouragement. And to my kids ... although they were not fully aware of what I was going through, they're actually always my main reason to keep going. And my Mama who I texted yards and yards of messages which conveyed my whining and groaning. She usually gets pissed when I succomb to depression because as she says, it only shows I don't have faith in the Lord. But I guess, being too far away, she knew that I really just wanted someone to listen. Her encouraging words and prayers were enough to lift me up.

It's just ironic that when someone comes to me to share his/her pain, I'm able to give sound spiritual advice and encouragement but handling my own problem is so hard. My own medicine doesnt work for me. I get so weak and easily fall. Someone has to help me get up. A friend told me that probably I was just over-reacting to my problems. Making a mountain out of a mole hill. Well, on some situations she could be right.

But depression is good, I embrace it with passion. I know it's sounds like I'm contradicting myself. What I mean is for me it's spiritually enriching. When my spirit is down and weak, and I feel like there's no light at the end of the tunnel, there's really no one to run to but God. It is during times like this that I'm humbled once again and reminded of how gracious He has always been to me. I try to count my blessings but they're countless. I cry when I think about my past travails and how God marvelously carried me through. He's faithfulness is awesome. And it's a shame how easily I break into pieces when He tries my faith. I should know better. If God cares for the sparrows and the lilies of the field, how much more for me who He created in the image of Himself?

So whatever comes my way it should be well with my soul ...

When peace, like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend

Even so, it is well with my soul.

(It Is Well With My Soul by Horatio Gates Spafford)

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