Happy Birthday to my Dad!

Today, I remember my Dad.  As he would’ve turned 85 years old!

Time really heals all wounds.  But I am finding that there will still be times when it hurts really bad because I miss him so much! It hasn’t been a year so it’s still fresh but God’s abundant grace and mercy have been truly my anchor.  Jesus Christ is my rock and my redeemer.  And continues to give me peace and comfort because He is in control.

“In whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?” Job 12.10

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it abundantly.”  John 10.10

I continue to look to Christ as I miss my Dad.  And know He has made everything beautiful in its time.

My Father

I’m speechless.  I was ready to blog about my Dad for Father’s Day.  But all I can say is I miss him.  It’s only been about 5 months since we said goodbye to the most loving, thoughtful, caring, strong, giving, talented, handsome father with the biggest heart  ❤

He will always be alive in my heart ❤

Celebrating you on Father’s Day, Dad!  🙂

Father’s Day

I’m speechless.  I was ready to blog about my Dad for Father’s Day.  But all I can say is I miss him.  It’s only been about 5 months since we said goodbye to the most loving, thoughtful, caring, strong, giving, talented, handsome father with the biggest heart  ❤

He will always be alive in my heart ❤

Celebrating you on Father’s Day, Dad!  🙂

Celebrating My Mother!

My Mother continues to be an inspiration to me as she has showed me for so many years what it looks like to sacrificially give of myself to my children.   I think of her often when I feel inadequate as a mother and I am reminded of her strength, determination, focus, hard working and caring ways to us as she happily cared for all of us and nurtured us growing up.

Happy Mother’s Day my dear mother!  Your children loves you soooo much!  I love you!  ❤

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And a Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there…enjoy!  😀

65 Years Strong

Today my parents have been married for 65 years.

Though my Dad passed away 3 months ago, their marriage continues to be alive in our hearts. There is not a day I don’t think of my parents as an example of showing unconditional love to each other.

Their marriage was far from perfect yet filled with so much hope and love which they truly exemplified in their lives.

Marriage is a commitment which pictures God’s grace and mercy.  And they believe in that truth and lived it out.  Thankful to have personally witnessed it in their lives.  Because they followed the original design of marriage, they have been blessed above and beyond!  And their children continue to benefit from their blessings as we personally see it being passed down from generation to generation.

Through good times and bad times, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.  My parents truly showed me and my siblings how our marriage vows should be lived out.

So thankful and blessed to have them in our lives.  Happy 65 years together Mom and Dad!  ❤

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Unconditional Love

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things; believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.”  1 Corinthians 13.4-8

This beautiful couple showed me and my siblings how it looks like to love one another.  Unconditionally.

Today, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day, and knowing what it’s all about, I can’t help but think of my parents who were more than just attracted to each other.  As they grew in their marriage, they learned to go beyond feelings and took the next step of loving each other unconditionally.  They learned how to think of each other and serve one another.  There is no such thing as a perfect marriage as we all get selfish.

But year after year, I witnessed their marriage beautifully blossom.  Especially, sometime after my Dad had a severe stroke. Whereas Dad had always been the provider and leader of the home, now he needed my mom to care for him in every way (big and small).  Man, did my mom step it up.  It was then I personally saw the diamond of God’s love shining in their marriage from a whole new angle.  As they both learned to continue to show unconditional love to each other.

Their new “norm” could’ve broken their marriage.  Instead, it made their marriage stronger and continued to grow for 64 years!  Despite the difficulty of my Dad having to recover from his stroke, my Mom and Dad were a picture of unconditional love between a husband and a wife.   What a beautiful display of God’s love and common grace to all men and women!

In sickness and in health, till death do us part.  They truly lived it.  My hope and prayer is to emulate their example in my marriage.  So blessed and thankful for my parents as I have lived to see what  true romantic Valentines really look like!

 

 

Dahil Sa Iyo

My Dad loved to sing.  And I mean he really loooooved to sing!  He would sing to my Mom when he came home from work, he would sing at home, he would sing in the kitchen, in the living room, in our bedrooms, and even outside.  He would even make up a song that didn’t make any sense, but these songs had my dad’s love and warmth written all over them.  And he didn’t care if people would hear and notice him.  He was more concerned that we heard him.

A song I remember that my Dad always sang to my Mom is “Dahil Sa Iyo” translated to English “Because of You.”  A Filipino love song very recognized by most Filipinos.  I still clearly remember growing up that my Dad always cared for my Mom.  One way I remember this is that we would get in so much trouble when we gave my Mom a hard time.  That show “Wait Till Your Father Gets Home” comes to mind  ;-D

And other ways he would show it was by always singing to my Mom, showing affection by hugging her and kissing her, even in front of us!  I remember getting all yucked out about it back then, but loving it so much when I got older.

So, I dedicate this song to my Dad as I know he most likely was ready to sing this song to my Mom this Saturday on Valentine’s Day if he were still alive.  And he would sing it even if it was not Valentine’s Day.  Regardless, we continue to hear him sing this song as we will forever hear and feel it in our hearts.

We love you and miss you so much Dad!  ❤

My Beautiful Mom

My Beautiful Mom

Words can’t fully describe how much I appreciate my Mother. She is a big reason why I am who I am today. She displays so much of what a mother should be. And I continue to hope and pray I can emulate her example.

And am so thankful this picture of my Mom was preserved. It is such a beautiful picture of her back in her teenage years! I love how elegant and beautiful pictures were taken back then…

Happy Mother’s Day to ALL the beautiful Moms!

My One and Only

PicCollage I am so thankful to slowly but surely be able to get back to my role as a Mom.  I soooo miss it!  Fibro took over for many years and I feel like I missed out on so much. Including being a Mom.

So, as my condition is being reversed and I am getting my quality of life back, I am able to do MORE including Mommy stuff.  I was able to help out my daughter prepare for her prom night and it was so much FUN!

But how in the world did she get to be so much taller than me?  Even without her heels?  She has grown to be such a beautiful young lady.  Am thankful for the opportunity to nurture and raise my little girl who is now taller than me.

Love her to the moon and back!  And even beyond! ❤