Vito's cold gets me down

Vito is nursing a cold since yesterday. I think this is by far the worst cold he ever had. Last night, he had a hard time getting a good night sleep. He was really uncomfortable. I don't know if the air conditioner aggravates his cold but I turned it off last night 'coz I surmised that it just blocked his nostrils even more. It was a difficult night, really. I did not know what to do. I wanted to cry. He was so irritable. He does not even want to drink milk or any liquid.

Around 12 MN, he woke up and he would not lie down. If I try to make him lie down, he would cry. He just wanted to sit down. But his eyes were already failing him and the sight was just so hard for me to witness. I placed two large pillows for him to recline on. And there he lay with his broken smile and glassy tears. It was just heart-wrenching.

During these times, I just wish hubby's with me. But he's not and worse is that they're now on a faroff island where there's no signal so I'm completely devoid of moral support. But I have no choice. I have to be strong. I hope tonight Vito will have a better night. God, I pray that Vito's cold would soon go away.

Any tips on how to relieve a child with a cold?

Kids are so cute

I saw this entertaining video a while ago while researching some work-related stuff. This video really made my day. It's really funny. And I just realized, I'm going to miss my present job when my family moves to Los Baños. Aaaargh! Bittersweet life.

Anyway, this video is an interview of Johnny Depp in Japan (re: Pirates of the Carribean 3). Aside from Johnny Depp's lovable personality, check out these oh-so-talented kids. So Japanice! Just click on the image to launch the video.

Happy Father's Day, hubby!

Last week, I mentioned in one of my posts that hubby will not be with us on Father's Day. It killed my excitement over the occasion and all but I decided to just make the most out of it, in spite of the distance that separates us. To hubby, this is for you.

You are a great person beyond words can express. I'm glad that we have each other and that we have Vito.

I also bought three rare diecast hotwheels cars at ebay for hubby.

I didn't buy the aquarium truck with the butanding that we saw at a mall before he left for their hydrological survey. Hehe. Vito often stares at his dad's collection, which will soon be his, and I don't want him to imbibe that hunting whales is good. Hahaha. Am I exaggerating now? I'm sure hubby will laugh at me as soon as he gets to read this. But that will be a while.

I hope he will like what I bought for him.

My prayer: "Lord, please keep my husband in good health and safe from harm, accidents, and evil deeds. This I ask, through Christ, our Savior. Amen."

A Letter to Dad

Dearest Dad,

It's been six years since I last saw you, since I last held your hand. I don't know if you would be pleased with who I have chosen to become. After graduating from college with honors as I promised to you I would, I got a high paying job - one that I was certain you would approve of. At that time, I knew that you would have been very proud of me.

Then, I got married in barely a year after graduation, had a child and had been switching jobs since then. I moved from one job to another in search for better circumstances. Those choices I had to make as a young parent, who like you, dreams big for my child/ren. At this point, I already don't know if you would still be proud of me.

I don't know what happened to me in those years without you. I lost the highly competitive and achievement-oriented person that I am. My dreams for myself have become blurry probably because I am constantly trying to prove myself to others that I made the right choices. But at the back of my head, I am constantly thinking that if you were still here, you would probably be against my life choices because since I got to the thinking age, you already made your point: "Angel, you will take your masters degree after graduation or take up law. You'll get married at 28." But I got it all mixed up. Will you still be proud of me?

Dad, I am still far from the person you imagined me of becoming. I know that I broke your heart when I got married. I am your princess. The baby you cradled lovingly in your arms. Your partner when selling our farm produce, knocking on our neighbor's houses and convincing them to buy. Your little girl who watched Battle of the Brains and aswered the questions with you. Your constant kakwentuhan in the living room. Your confidant. Your friend.

Will you still be proud of me?

I know I will never hear your answer. But dad, I know that you will be proud me because I am a good wife and a doting mother. I share my potentials to others. I have a pure heart. And I still put your name with mine - Maria Angela N. Flores-Abad.

You're my first love, dad and even if God has called you to paradise and now that I have my own family, the way I feel for you has not changed. Not even one bit. I just wish hubby and son met you: my first love.

Dad, I wish I held you longer the last time we were together. I wish I bearhugged you as if I was a three-year-old. I wish I memorized each minute detail about you had I known it was the last time I would ever see you. I wish I got to tell you just how much I love you...

I love you sooo much... I miss you, as always. Happy Father's Day!

Your princess,

Angel

Photo Hunt: Hair

I have an earlier post that corresponds with our theme for this week. Here's my hair entry for this week. Please do check it out! Thanks!

Welcome back to school

This week, millions of students went back to school carrying their innocent dreams and trying to weave a bright future ahead of them.

I was one of them many times in the past but I was one of the lucky few who had better circumstances. I was sent to an excellent primary school - these years being the most relevant as it introduces the rudiments of learning. In high school, I was privileged to become a science scholar. Again, thanks to my formative years. Then, I attended a state university to get my bachelor's degree. All was breezy in the first years but when dad died, I had a taste of what was called "financial" difficulty. Yet, I knew right then and there that what I was experiencing was just a speck of the hardships that a myriad of students are currently facing each day.

Today, I recall to mind all the students who, at some point, had to leave school to help their family earn a living. According to the IBON Foundation, around two million children drooped out of school last schoolyear (2005-2006) due to poor economic condition in the country.

IBON said majority of these children might have been forced to leave school to earn a living, noting that in 2006 some 2.5 million children aged five to 17 were working either to augment family income or simply to survive. [abs-cbnnews.com]

Although Sec. Neri's statement (on the release of the 1st Quarter National Accounts) last month mentioned that there had been 6.9% growth in the country's gross domestic product, it is quite evident that a lot still has to be done especially in the education sector to salvage the dreams of young Filipinos.

Poor economic conditions is just one of the many problems being faced by the education sector. With the widening teacher-student ratio, lack of classrooms and textbooks, the problem even becomes more complicated. I was surprised to see these teacher-student ratio figures from the latest factsheet of DepEd: as of SY 2005-2006, the teacher-student ratio in elementary ran at about 1:35 - 1:36 depending on the grade level and 1:36-1:42 in high school (at various levels). I know for a fact that these figures don't match. I've visited a local school near the university I attended and hey, it was a 1:60 ratio. Worse is that children of different grade levels were cramped in one room. I don't know. I think I just need to know the facts as they are. I tried to look at the National Statistics Office website only to find some of the latest data as old as 1994. It just saddens me.

Neri's statement further revealed, "We will continually improve the quality of human resources, hence we are spending more on education." This made me happy. Somehow, hope glimmered in my heart. With Sec. Lapus steady headship of the Department of Education plus support from other groups and organizations (See: Australia supports RP education plan), I really think that there is a bright future that await our children as opposed to previous years.

But this problem is a multifaceted one that needs a multisectoral approach. It will definitely take time to repair the system. But, hey, count my efforts in.

How well do you remember people?

While I was reading one of Dimaks' recent posts, my interest in taking the psychological tests at the BBC UK website was revived. Today, I took the Face Memory test.

Face Memory Test
Are you too tired to remember? 'Executive skills' such as memory are the first to go when you're tired. See how you score.

I used to work for Full Circle Communications, a public relations company headed by Amylyn de Quiros, Public Relations Society of the Philippines president. At FCC, one of the things I learned was the value of remembering faces of people. Knowing and recognizing people and personalities is a vital asset in PR. I was surprised to find out that I still have the skill.


Maybe you have the skill too! Find out now.

Missing my husband

I did not want to get all cheesy today in spite of the fact that I am beginning to miss hubby. So, instead of sending the usual clingy and needy messages to my husband, I decided to make it a little funny-slash-corny. Probably, you've received a message similar to this one before but here's my version:

If love was a leaf, I'd give you a forest;
If love was water, I'd give you the ocean;
If love was a car, I'd give you a BMW;
If love was a fish, I'd give you a butanding (whale shark)...

So, why a butanding? The butanding (Rhincodon typus) is the largest living fish species. Whale sharks often visit the coasts of Bicol and since my husband is there right now, it just seems like a perfect match.

Yeah, it's corny. But that was the only way for me to release this blue feeling that I am having.

Before he left, we were at a toy store looking at some diecast cars and trucks (for his collection) and we saw a truck, which I thought was kind of odd because it had a butanding in it. Being the environmentalist that I am, I told him, "Not that one, dad. It's not environmental. This is Japan-made. And Japan and whales are just not a good pair. You know for a fact that Japan has been whaling since the 1800s." He said, "It's an aquarium truck, dear. That's why the butanding's there."
We ended laughing and I just held him close. I do really miss him. *sigh*

Photo Hunt 61: Shoes

Sorry this came late again. It was a busy weekend for me. Anyway, just want to share my photo. The two men in my life. Two different sizes. Two different shoes. One love. One heart. One joy. I love them so much! Miss you, hubby. Vito, don't grow too fast. Much love.

Companies Pay You to Have Kids

Japan, one of the countries with the lowest birth rates, is pressuring its people to go forth and multiply.

Faced by an aging population and young Japanese families who feel that raising kids is expensive and will only deter their career goals, the corporate world of Japan is now offering 'baby bonuses' to their employees due to the insistent push from the Japanese government. The more babies, the heftier the amount of cash that you are sure to receive. Sharp, Panasonic and Canon are just some of the many popular employers who are giving this incentive to reverse record-low birthrates.

The average birthrate for a Japanese woman was 1.38 children in 1998, a record low for Japan and one of the world's lowest. The government worries that the declining birthrate and rapidly aging population will stem economic growth, because there will be fewer workers to support the growing ranks of the elderly.

The population is 126 million. But demographers estimate that the number will fall, to 105 million, by 2050, with the median age expected to increase, from 41 to 49. The proportion of the population 65 or older is expected to increase, to 32 percent from 17. NYtimes.com, May 2000

Softbank, which is touted as Japan's most family-friendly company offers $400 USD for a first child up to $40,000 USD for a fifth. They also give each child a mobile phone and pays for all the phone bills. Neat, ei?

Hmmm... Baby bonuses. That's a breakthrough in the corporate world! Now, I think that's what they call comprehensive compensation and benefits package. An adorable baby plus incentives is just heaven.

What are your thoughts on this?

Learn more about this initiative at ABCnews.

Tagged: 7 songs

I was checking my Technorati ranking and found out that teacher Julie has tagged me two weeks ago. What can I say? Better late than never. In this tag, you have to name seven songs that you're currently listening to and tag seven other people.

I love music of different sorts. I am kind of a lyrics and instruments person. Those two musical elements attract me to a song. My husband and I both play the guitar and we like to explore and attempt to play various songs: from slow songs to alternative. Hubby plays rock (I can't keep up, though). I pluck strings than strum them. Vito at an early age is familiar with the guitar too.



Anyway, here are the seven songs on my playlist:

• 1. Simple Things (Jim Brickmann) - My song for hubby
  
• 2. Call me when you're sober (Evanescence)- I like the instruments and the musicality of the song.
  
• 3. Here without you (3 Doors Down) - Love these lines:

• A hundred days had made me older since the last time that I've saw your pretty face A thousand lights had made me colder and I don’t think I can look at this the same

• 4. Jesus take the wheel (Carrie Underwood) - I love Carrie from AI and these lyrics:
  

• Fifty miles to go and she was runnin' low
  On faith and gasoline
  It'd been a long hard year

• 5. The Distance (Evan and Jaron) - From the soundtrack of the movie Serendipity
  
• 6. Angel (Sarah Mclachlan) - it's my song!
  
• 7. Stay with You (The Goo Goo Dolls) - the instruments and these lyrics:
  

• I'll stay with you
  The walls will fall before we do
  Take my hand now
  We'll run forever
  I can feel the storm inside you
  I'll stay with you
  

Now, I'm tagging: Karlo, Mitch, Dimaks, Silky, Bong, Tiffany,and Rexy. Guys, I hope you do this meme too if you have the time. Thanks and hit the notes right!

Father's Day without Hubby

My husband is leaving tomorrow for a hydrological survey in Benham Rise, somewhere in the western Philippine basin. Now, you might be wondering what hubby dear's occupation is. He works for the government's mapping agency. And as always, I feel like a child suffering from separation anxiety. The worst was when Vito was just a week old and hubby had to leave for surveying in Palawan. I had tearful nights, I remember vividly.

This time around, I do not know how I would feel in the coming days, especially on our supposedly first Father's Day celebration with Vito. *Sigh* The sacrifices we have to endure for our family...

"Everything's different now. Different from the time we were still acquaintances, friends, and bf-gf. Now, we carry our dreams, not just for us but for our family too. We'll get there in God's time and with God's grace, love. I just know it. For now, I guess I just have to be patient and wait for the day when you're back in my arms again. Have a safe trip, hottie. May God protect you from harm, accidents and evil deeds. Only God could love you more than I do."

Pictures of our younger days:

Photo Collage by Dundoo

My song for my husband:

Simple Things
(Arranged by: Jim Brickman)

Hey, time won't wait
Life goes by
Every day's a brand new sky
Every tear
Comes to dry
All that really matters in this crazy world
Is you and I together, baby
Just remember

The first leaves off the tree
The way you look at me
A thousand chiming church bells ring
The simple things are free
The sun, the moon, the stars
The beating of two hearts
How I love the simple things
The simple things just are

So here we go
Let's just dance
Teach my soul to take this chance
Put my heart
In your hands
Out of all the moments that we leave behind
Turn around and tell me baby
We'll remember

The thunder and the rain
The way you say my name
After all the clouds go by
The simple things remain
The sun, the moon, the stars
The beating of two hearts
How I love the simple things
The simple things just are

Oh, the ocean and the sky
The way we feel tonight
I know that it's the love that brings
The simple things to life
The sun, the moon, the stars
The beating of two hearts
I love the way the simple things
The simple things just are
I love the way the simple things
The simple things just are
The simple things just are
The simple things
Just are