Thank you sa mga nakaalala ng birthday ko! Sa mga friends kong nag text pa talaga at nag greet. Hindi ko talaga expected na maraming mag tetext sakin. Ngayong year lang na to ako hindi nag handa. Feeling ko kase ang tanda ko na. At sempre, si Lanna nalang pinaghahandaan ko. Siguro 3 or 4 years straight na ata akong naghahanda... all out tugtugan, inuman at swimming party sa Fort Wilhelmina in Bacoor Cavite (Thanks Winston!) Parang every year nalang ganon... andun kami hehehe! Naisip ko this year pahinga muna... Gusto ko muna simple dinner lang with my family. So ganon na nga nangyari kahapon. Nag dinner kami sa Teriyaki Boy @ The Block. Mga 5:30pm palang nasa SM nakami with hubby and Lanna at nag iikot nakami. Grabeh sobrang nakakatuwa makitang nag e-enjoy si Lanna.


Kompleto kami kahapon... dumating rin sila Ardey, wabs at Amandine. Si Sar lang wala hehe... (HI SAR! Thanks sa boots!). I recieved a nice gift from Ardey and 1 box of Xenical from misiaoh. Mukang pinapapayat talaga ako db. Anyway, after the dinner... nag ikot-ikot pa kami dun. Umuwi kami around 9pm na. Then pagdating namin sa house, umalis uli kami ni hubby. Pumunta kami sa old-time tambayan namin nung mga friends ko sa previous work. Dumating kase from Saudi yung isang friend namin. Nakakatuwa lang kase all these years, may contact pa rin kami sa isa't isa. We were planning to go Tagaytay and Batangas... pero I dunno kung sure na kase iba-iba nga kami ng schedules na ngayon. Nakauwi na kami around 2am. Yon lang po nangyari nung birthday ko....

Pictires *here*

After office yesterday, me and my other office mates went to a small breakfast at my office mate's pad in Makati. It was her son, Yvan, first birthday. We got there around 9AM. The food was great... busog! We talked office chismiss hehehe! and went home around 11AM. When I got home around 1PM, I didn't went to sleep... instead, Lanna and I played some of her toys, kilitian at habulan. She got tired and went to sleep... I fell asleep too but it was a 1 and half hour nap. I woke and saw Lanna was already playing and walking around the room. I went downstairs and prepared chicken for dinner. Hubby arrived, and we talked. After I cooked dinner, I was feeling very very tired and was already seeing white spots all over the place. I think it's because of lack of sleep. I took a hot bath, thinking that I would get better. After the hot bath, we ate dinner and I'm was feeling a headache coming. After dinner, the headache was worst! My sister gave me meds, then I went to bed. Lanna was still playing around... she always comes to me and kiss me on the lips then off she goes again... sweet huh? she always does that. And then I fell asleep.... ZZzzzzzzzzz... I woke up 2AM, and saw that everybody was already sleeping... I was already feeling much better. I saw Lanna sleeping beside me. I kissed her on the cheeks and went back to sleep.

It's not bad to work and enjoy/appreciate the things around you... but don't forget to take care of yourself.... Love yourself and feel good about it.

Sleep.

Oh yeah..... It's my birthday today...

Last sunday (Feb. 18) we all went to a lunch out at Via Mare... Nanlibre kase yung sister ko hehehe. Sempre wala na naman akong tulog. I arrived home from work around 8pm then slept a little. We attended mass around 12 noon and after that alis na agad. Kumain na kami agad ng lunch then nag ikot sa Mall. I want to buy a pair of sandals or kahit anong shoes pang office. But there I was holding a pair of bootz again. Haay! Gusto ko talaga ng boots. Anyway, my sister bought a pair of sandals, pero ako wala na namang nabili. I can't make up my mind kase! So habang namimili kami sa dept store, hubby said iikot lang daw sila ni Lanna... Yon pala pumunta ang mag-ama sa mga kiddie arcade/rides. Okay naman. Nagpagupit pa nga pala si Amandine ng hair... You should her now... sobrang cute! Then nung napagod na kami mag ikot, umuwi na kami agad... may gagawin pa kase sila ate. Pagdating namin, natulog muna ako mga 1 hour... we ate dinner tapos sumabay kila ate papasok...

See pictures *here*

Speaking of boots... I LOVE BOOTS!!! I use to go to ukay-ukay in Cubao para mag hanap ng boots. Sa ukay-ukay kase wala kang kapareho. I use to have 3-4 pair of boots. Since nasira na yung iba... at yung mga maliit na... I only have one pair left.. yan yung favorite ko. Color maroon, flat, velcro lock-type. Niloloko nga ako sa dati kong work, pang snow daw. But who cares?! At least nagagamit ko sya at wala akong kapareho. Anyway, my mom saw me holding a pair of boots again sa dept store... she told me, my sister left a pair... binigay daw sa kanya ng friend nya kase daw malaki ang size at hindi rin daw kasya sa kanya kase malaki rin yung size. When we got home, tinanong ko agad... and there it was... bagong bago pa... NINE WEST 2 inch knee-high black leather boots. Parang tinadhana talaga kami mag sama ng boots na yon, kase kasyang-kasya sakin =) I'm sooo happy! hehehe! Kaya Sar... Thank you sa boots! Regalo mo nalang sakin to sa birthday ko! hahaha...

~ On the way to the airport.. she never took off these shades... ~

~ Maybe she thought it looks good on her. ~

~ This was taken when we had lunch at Yellow Cab in Macapagal. ~

~ She's doing the "Blow the Candle" trick... ~

"Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, love never fails."

-1 Cor 13:4-8

My sister bought Kenny Rogers chicken... I bought drinks and Ice cream... We had simple a dinner at home celebrating heart's day.

We all woke up early that morning, ate breakfast, fixed things etc. Around 11am there were people already waiting outside. We ate early lunch and talked to the visitors. We all got dressed around 12pm and took our last pictures there. The funeral service arrived also and waited outside. When it's time to go, I waited outside. I chose to walk with my sister, while hubby, yaya and baby rode inside the van... mainit kase at nakatulog na si Lanna. We attended mass and after that ardey did her speech. After the mass, we all convoyed to the cementary, accompanied by policeman with motorcycles. It was hot that day but it was a peaceful day. I saw people again crying... We all said our last goodbyes. I never saw my mom cried, until that day went she said "Thank You for Everything" to Papang. I remembered since we were kids, we always say "Thank you Papang"... then I cried again. I said to myself, it's time let him go. He is in a happy place right now with Mamang. What made me say that? because all throughout the wake until the day of the internment, I never felt his presence anymore. I only knew that he is in heaven looking down on us.

We stayed there until everyone else left. We had our last look at the site and left as well. When we got home, we all looked at the living room.. it was empty. I found myself looking for him and saying "Buenas Papang!"... hehehe We always say that to him whenever we enter. Anyway, I felt tired and sleepy. We went upstairs to the bedroom, talked a little more and took a nap. We went to chowking for dinner. Tinatamad na kase kami mag luto ng food hehehe.

When we got home, I can't believe it was over... I can't believe my 5-day leave was over! hehehe Parang ang bilis lang =) But I'm gald that everything went well.

"Thank You for Everything Papang..."

Last February 4, 2007, we had dinner prepared for our sister's depedida. Spag and of course.. pizza. We all went downstairs, shut off the lights, lite up the candles and played the song, "Leaving on a jet plane". We called sar to come down but she won't... pano narinig nya kase yung song... She finally went down, kase sinabi namin, nagugutom nakami! Lame excuse huh?! She was surprised to see the preparation we did in just short notice. Complete with trap pa hehe! Hindi ko na papakita yung trap kase wrong spelling yung "bon voyage" hehehe... pero hindi naman halata pag tinagnan mo hehehe.. anyway, we ate dinner and gave her our simple gift...

May pasok nga ako nyan kaya nag madali nalang ako mag bihis... pero bago ako umalis, nag picture taking pa kami.


February 7, 2007 - Webnesday --->> We all went to the airport para ihatid si sar. But before that, we went to Yellow Cab to have lunch (sempre pizza na naman db). Parang ang ganda ng hair ko dito sa picture na to db!


I hate goodbyes talaga... parang naiiyak ako na hindi... masaya ako na malungkot... basta mixed emotions. Parang ang bilis ng phasing sa airport nho? Pag nasa arrival ka, dapat pag sundo mo sa balik-bayan alis na agad... at pag nasa departure naman, pag hatid mo, dapat alis na agad. Kaya naman ang bilis lang ng goodbyes namin.... Kaya nung nandun nakami, wala naman akong magawa kundi tumingin-tingin lang habang karga si Lanna... I waited my turn to hug my sister, then we said goodbye na.



See more pictures *here*


After this, we all went to MOA and waited out. Hinintay kase namin yung text at call ni sar, confirming that she's inside the boarding area. Okay naman... Around 4:30pm, hubby and I went to Equitable-PCI para sunduin ang Papang sa work. The rest of them went to Las Piñas kase bday ni wabs. So ang plano is susunduin namin ang Papang then i hahatid sa bahay. Tapos ihahatid ako ni hubby sa work tapos susunduin nya sila papa/mama sa las piñas...

Dumating kami sa office around 5:30pm. I was surprised to see that Papang is already ready to go home. Usually kase mga around 6 or 7pm pa yon mag aaya kase marami daw trabaho. Upon seeing Papang, napansin ko na he's already weak and tired. I decided to call sar sa celfone para makausap nya ang Papang... 6pm pa naman ang boarding so we have 30 minutes pa. I smiled when Papang took the fone and talked to sar. He was happy. But after the phone call, I can see again the he was tired. We went straight to the elevator and the guard assisted us to the van. Dumating kami sa bahay around 6:30pm. Hubby assisted Papang to his seat in the living room, ang Papang gave his approval that he is okay. So we went inside our house... I fixed a few things, brushed my teeth and washed my face. I saw the time was 6:45pm... I asked hubby if we can go, so I can catch a 2-hour sleep in the office.

On the way, papasie called and asked kung pede daw ako mag absent... I asked why? He said, I have to go back and check Papang's condition. Unfortunately, na-traffic pa kami pauwi. I took us 45 minutes! I was silent inside the van. Pagdating sa bahay, dinala na daw ang Papang sa hospital. I'm feeling a little frustrated, disappointed and confused... iniisip ko tuloy, sana hindi nalang muna kami umalis etc. Pagdating ko sa emergency entrance, I saw my cousin crying... We're too late. Papang was gone. We hurried inside, and saw my uncle beside the bed. From a far, there lay what looks like a body covered in green cloth. My cousin exposed whats inside and said, while crying, "wala na si Papang"... I quickly took a step back, grasp for air, held my face and burst into tears. I was not prepared to see what I saw that moment... My dearest papang is gone. We already knew that anytime this would happen becuase we can all see that he is already weak. After a few minutes, i re-gain my composure and called my papa on the fone. I confirmed what happen, but it was very hard for me speak especially with a heavy chest. Papa said, pauwi na sila at nasa edsa na. Looking again, I became still and speechless. Hubby held my hand and convinced me to go near the bed and say goodbye... I can't. I asked him to give me moment to be alone.

On that very moment, I can only think of good memories of him. He was a good man.... a great man. He was very good on what he does. He never fails to teach and give us everything we need. Not to mention the shopping galore in COD. Life is short. But he already lived his life to the fullest. He never had doubts in lending a helping hand without expecting anything in return. Even in his last breath, he choose to go to the office and work.

Papa and the rest, came around 9pm. I heard more crying from my sisters. My ate even held his hand, touched his chest and face... hindi ko kaya yon! They immediately made arrangements with the funeral service. I called the office, advising that I cannot make it because of what happen. After taking Papang, we all went home and talked of what happened. My tita said, pag alis daw namin that evening... they assisted Papang to his chair inside his room. After he was seated, he became heavy. Ganon lang.... He just waited until he was home... in his room... in his favorite chair. His passing was very peaceful, just like Mamang.

We prayed the rosary and went to bed around 1am. My sister in abroad, still doesnt know the news. We all decided not to tell her. The news might upset her that she might not do good in her interview. Pretending to be happy while talking to her was hard. I was very happy for her but feeling very sad inside.

I woke up the next day, feeling a little headache becuase of lack of sleep... I felt my eyes were big because of crying the night before. The funeral service arrived at 10am. They arranged carpet, curtains and lights... I waited patiently. I want to see papang. I decided to walk outside... there I saw an L300 ambulance with a casket inside. They placed the casket in the middle of the living room. When they opened the coffin, we all hurried to look. Again, I burst into tears. He looked as if peacefully sleeping with his amerikana. I took a seat at the corner of the room looking at the casket, crying again. It feels good after I cried everything out.

We were visited by a lot of relatives, friends, collegues and people whom he helped during his days. I am very lucky and proud to have him as a grandfather. He was the salutatorian in his class when he gradurated Accounting in Jose Rizal and ranked 3rd placer in the CPA board exams. He was friends with the late Go Kim Pah and was one of the co-founder of Equitable Bank. He served the Go family for 56 long years. I can't imagine myself working that long...

We love you Papang...



Interment will be on February 11, 2007 - 3pm at Himlayang Pilipino.

The zitros has been solid and together for so many years... We always make sure we're all present in every reunion, family gathering or just small talk/bonding at home. Change is the only thing constant in this world... I've read that on the pink soda bill board in Edsa, which makes me think it's time to go and change direction, I guess. What I'm saying is that... my sister broke the news yesterday that she's leaving for Dubai... her flight is this coming tuesday... already! At first, it was okay really... good career opportunity and all that. But later that night, I kept thinking that I'm gonna miss my sister... I can't imagine she'll be going there this soon and we'll be seeing her in a year or so... well, I guess it's time to go and I'm sure you have big plans ahead. Always remember that zitros is always here waiting for you. We love you... Congratulations! Sarabeth B. Ortiz, CPA, CISA.

I hate goodbyes...