The LOVE of My Life, Happy Father's Day!

What is a Dad?

A dad is someone who

wants to catch you before you fall

but instead picks you up,

brushes you off,

and lets you try again.

A dad is someone who

wants to keep you from making mistakes

but instead lets you find your own way,

even though his heart breaks in silence

when you get hurt.

A dad is someone who

holds you when you cry,

scolds you when you break the rules,

shines with pride when you succeed,

and has faith in you even when you fail…

Happy Father's Day to the man of my heart, the father of my kids, the love of my life, and to the one and only man I love to bits and pieces. I'm more than blessed and grateful to be sharing life, love and parenthood with you. So glad you are here with me in this fun and crazy ride. I only can't imagine anyone who's a more loving, more caring and sweeter husband than you. You are so much more than just a “husband”. You're a partner in life whom I value so much more than you could ever know. You're the LOVE that I'll always and forever need. I know you just can't live without me (and the kids)..haha.. And I want you to know I just can't live without you too, my love. Since you came into my life, I can't imagine how life will be without you in it. We have been more than a husband and a wife, we've been each other's heart beat and each other's mind.

Thank you so much palangga for all the ways you go above and beyond each single day for our family. I, PJ and Bien are so lucky to have you in spite of the tantrums, and mood swings which most of the time you do have..Hahaha..We are grateful to have you in our lives. You make us happy.

Happy Father's Day to my Macho, Gwapo, Fabulous, Amazing, and Super Sexy Hubby! Hahahaha! I love you Mi Amore! We love you Daddy Procie!

Lots of love, hugs, kisses and cuddles,

Mommy Ahyee, Kuya PJ and Baby Bien

Motherhood is a Blessing from God

I am My Sons' Super Mom!

Not all superheroes wear capes! I'm a mother, what's your superpower?

I may not be perfect, but every time I look at my two adorable yet so naughty boys, I know I got something in my life PERFECTLY RIGHT! As quoted by Elder M. Russel Ballard: There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply.

I'm a Proud Housewife and a Work-at-Home Mom!

PJ fell asleep on the laptop.

He was so eager for me to finish, but fell asleep. Poor little child!

Any work-at-home mothers will know that it's difficult to be taken seriously. Most men think we're not really devoted to our job. For all the narrow-minded men out there, let me tell you this: We, mothers, who work from home put in a 12-hour shift or so caring for small children and then work long into the night. We work when we can, in a sudden flurry, in fits and starts, because it leaves us with no choice. We work at weekends. We work in the evenings until the break of dawn. We work at nap time. And more often than not, we work while baby sitting a crying child on our knee. We try to get up before the children wake up, so we can squeeze in an extra hour, though we just had slept. We rarely get lunch breaks on time, and what supposedly be drank hot; we take it cold. We work because we must – whether for financial reason; or we need to keep up a career so that when the children grow up, we have left something for ourselves; or we need the stimulation; or for all these reasons.

I never thought of becoming a housewife. I had always seen myself working, until I gave birth to my second child, my entire outlook on life changed. I saw the difference between a working-mom from being a work-at-home mom, and between a breast-fed child from not. My first child, PJ, was just 3 months old when I had to get back to work and was nearly 4 months when I stopped breastfeeding him. I could clearly remember how he had gotten sick most of the time, like every 2-3 months we had to go to his doctor to have him checked. And it was costly. Nevertheless, as soon as I started staying at home, PJ, who was about one and a half year old that time, had never been to the doctor up to now. He is turning three next month. Of course, there are times he was sick, but because I am home, I know how to manage his illness that there is no need to bring him to his pedia. Cough, colds and high-fever never failed to pay him a visit every time he was teething. It was a suffering for both of us. Thank God, his teeth are complete now. My second son, the youngest, Bien, was rarely sick. He went to the doctor twice only on his entire existence. He is, by the way, one and five months old. Oh, the benefits of breast milk! I tell you it is highly exceptional and simply incomparable! Teething was not a problem for Bien and I, and I hope it will never be one until he gets his set of teeth complete.

Parents at home, may they be men or women, who work while looking after their tykes, should be appreciated for running businesses from home or for working virtually at home in whatever area they have picked out. Not disdained or discriminated against. To be described as just as a housewife who is earning a pin money while the husband does the actual providing disparages everything women have fought for. I didn't like the way I was treated when I traded my briefcase for my diaper bag. And just like a shot, I felt to be a humdrum, or that's what my parents made me feel. So, here's a shout-out to all homemakers, it is okay to be home, and if you are going to do it, do it proudly!

After being on both sides of the fence, this I can tell you, being a full-time homemaker as well as a full-time work-at-home mom is the hardest job there is in this freaking universe. There is nothing more important than your family. If you are lucky enough to be home, embrace it!

A Mother of Proverbs

 It is good to remember all the ways that our mothers have taught us. The woman in this proverb brings practical knowledge in the affairs of day to day life. From learning to tie shoes to empathizing with discouragement from a hard day, the role of this woman blesses her children for the rest of their lives. Whether your earthly mother fits this bill or not, the mother of proverbs stands as an example to help us navigate the opportunities and challenges of life.

Proverbs 31:28-29

by Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org

In a recent survey of what makes marriages last, one of the main factors was that each participant had a higher opinion of their spouse than the spouse did of themselves. This was part of the goal of the writer of the proverbs 31 woman. A woman could read this passage and wither under the comparison, but to look at our mothers and wives through the lens of the writer is to stand and bless them. This Mother’s Day lift up the woman who has no equal, for there may be many virtuous and capable women, but she surpasses them all! Happy Mother’s Day!

A Mother's Day Dilemma: Kids or Work?

Being on a hiatus for I guess two months blanked my mind on what to post on this blog. I've been very busy with household chores and child-rearing ever since the kids' nanny and our household help left us. The latter without any notice. So it gave me no choice but to work around the house while sacrificing the little joys of my heart. One of them was blogging. And the other one is work. But few days ago, an answered prayer arrived in our house and there were two of them. Oh! How God could be so right on time. And that means I'm back on track and soon enough I'll be working. Am I really ready to work after five long months of me and the kids alone? The past five months have been a roller-coaster-mommy-stage for me. Throwback 2011, three months after giving birth to my eldest son, I left him on the nanny's care cause I gotta return to my job. It was terribly painful but what pained me more was that the nanny knew better what my child wanted and what every single act he did meant. Worse, he was sick almost every month. I just don't want to repeat the same mistakes again. That's why when I gave birth to my second son I finally decided to be a stay at home working mom. And yes, it did work! But to tell you it could be one of the most difficult jobs a person can have. Anyway, I'll talk about that soon. Getting back, being with my two awesome tykes for the past five months, made me knew them deeper. I love how I get to take care of them every single second of the day. A job I so simply enjoy doing. So much more if I get paid. Haha! I don't mind the eye bags, the sleepless nights (since I gave birth to Bien the nights have always been sleepless and to think he's more than a year older now) and the empty pockets both left and right. I may have stopped earning but the time I get to spend with them while seeing them grow right in front of my eyes is absolutely priceless. Just a thought, if only all the working moms can quit their jobs and spend their time on their kids, they will all do so. I did. I took a risk. Though I know it won't last. I don't know how many more weeks are left for me to spend all my time to my two precious gifts. This is making me sad already. I'd better stop now.

Even so, I won't end this post without an answer to my own question: Am I really ready to work? No, but I have to. I love my kids so much that only God knows how much I am willing to sacrifice everything for them. And because I wasn't born rich I gotta work my ass off so I can start saving for their future and give them the life they more than deserve. So much so, if I want to send them to the best school there is in this city, then I better start earning now.

I just realized that I didn't have a topic until I started blabbing. It's past midnight yet today is the day for us mothers (let our husband and kids spoil us..hahaha!) so before I doze off here's a shout out for all of us mothers and that includes even the single daddies: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!