..from Riyadh with Love..

They sliced her tummy twice. The first time was when she delivered a breech presentation, single footling baby girl (the foot came first before the head). The second time around was with another delivery of another baby girl  where she was caught in between life and death. She suffered pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy disorder wherein the pregnant woman has an uncontrollable high blood pressure. And so  at 23, she was ligated.

This story took place 25 years ago. I,  was the first born and she, my mother, was the laborer.  When I was still a student and was exposed to Operating Room, there I saw how a surgeon is slicing a woman's abdomen. Layer by layer until the scalpel reached the uterus. And again, cutting it layer by layer, spreading it with the use of heavy metal retractors until the subject is safely delivered. I just can't imagine that my mother had been through it not just once but twice!

Tomorrow, my laborer will be celebrating her 48th. For the past years of toiling, raising us as a single parent, she never   complained how difficult life was. She has a very sunny disposition in life even in the midst of trials, in the midst of loneliness being far away from us, in times where she don't know to whom to cling to whenever the tuition fees are due, in times when she wanted to take good care of us whenever we are sick but helpless as she was caring for other people to earn for a living, in times when only our voice and pictures are her source of strength to go in life, and the many times she forgotten her own happiness in the name of her two daughters.   Often, she would say that she was a lucky mother for having us as her kids. The fact is pretty obvious=) But the hidden truth is that we are the ones lucky for having her as our mom. 

I lied when I said " I love you Ma". Because the truth is that I love her so much that I will do anything to make her feel that she was indeed a lucky mother.
We are just praying that she may have more years to live and always in good shape to compensate for the lost time. We are who we are because of her and we will be forever in debt to our mother.

As to this writing, my sister and I will be sending her a dozen of roses. It's been a very long while she has ever received flowers..and well, this was our first to give.

.From Riyadh with love,  Happy Birthday Mom! 

The sweetest mom and the sweetest sister!

..shaken..

I opened the fridge and found the orange-carrot juice I bought last night. Because I was too lazy to cook a meal, I took a piece of banana and cheese sandwich. I emptied the semi-cold juice to my ice-contained glass and had a two or three gulped. It tasted good. Just imagine me with hand on hip while the other hand holding a cold glass standing like a girl in a commercial saying a crispy "ahh" after being quenched by a known to lose weight fruit drink. The only difference is that I'm not wearing a two piece=). After sometime of savoring the drink, I noticed a formed sediments at the bottom of  the container. I shook it and only then did I realized that I had a two or three gulped of juice which could have tasted best if I just have it shaken.

We all want to have a good taste of life. A good job, good relationships, good investments..and all the goodness life can offer. But in the very essence of wanting to have what is "good", we are always on a run..in a hurry to meet those thirst for goals. We forgot that God does not want to give us what is good. In fact, He does not even want to give us what is better. He always wants to give us what is best. What to do? 

Allow Him to shake you! There could have been sediments of gifts, potentials, strengths and talents that He wanted to bring out on you. But of course, being shaken could absolutely hurt. It will bring forth pains here and there. But after a while of shaking, we noticed that we become "even". You become the person He wanted you to be- a right blend to face your battles..and even if sometimes you cannot win them all, you know that you always have the Hands of the One who knows where to shake you right..and will continue shaking you to move forward to contest another battle in life.

shaken? nah, it's God bringing out the best mixture in you!

..diapers and bottle milk for singles..

Growing babies at Grace To Be Born..see you soon sweethearts!

With the dropped-dead schedule I have for this month, I apologized to my few avid readers for less entries. I have so many stories to share but then my job won't allow me an ample time to share all of them.  Since today is the day I waited after weeks of agonizing working hours, let me convince you that you are blessed as I am.

I recently learned about one of the ministries I dream of visiting from the moment I'll be back home. Since I am a lover of life and a lover of kids, it caught my attention that I often have recurrent dreams hugging a kid and playing with them. Grace To Be Born, is a foundation  sheltering pregnant mothers out of wed lock thus giving them an option instead of opting to abortion. Abortion by its definition is getting rid of a developing fetus by force like the use of  an instrument to extract life out of someone's life or by discreet way of taking prohibited medicines. There are many cases of reports about babies found in  garbage bins or toilet bowls. This too alarmed me after watching a show about a mother who deliberately practiced abortion 3 times a year!! If ever abortion was prevented, child abandonment would be the consequential act.

Grace To Be Born encourages mothers who are in emotional crisis  to pro-life act by giving them alternatives. They are being accepted in the shelter without questions asked, no monetary agreement or conditions. 

I said you are bless upon reading this article firstly because you had been given a chance to live a life. Not everyone being conceived are born. Lucky you! Secondly, because I believed in the innate goodness of man, I believe that you will do some act of kindness after reading this. They need you. Both of them. The grace is about to be born. Be a part of their journey.!

"For you created my innermost being, You knit me together in my mother's womb..
I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made"..Psalm 139: 13-14


P.S. As to this writing, I already bought a piece of formula milk bottle..and hope I can shop for more!! diapers are absolutely for singles also!=)

Their Current Needs:

Diapers (Newborn, S, M and L)

Bonna Formula Milk for 0-6 month-old babies

Feeding Bottles

Old Maternity or Baby dresses

Mittens and Booties

          Toiletries for:

MOTHERS -  tissue paper, soap, shampoo, toothpasts, toothbrush, adult diapers, sanitary napkins

BABIES - baby shampoo and soap, baby lotion, powder, baby oil, cotton, alcohol, etc.

Food and other Household Items

(i.e. sugar, biscuits, rice, dishwashing liquid, powdered or bar detergents, cleaning agents, etc.)

For your benevolent donations, you can visit this site: http://gracetobeborn.i.ph

.. waves ..

It's undoubtedly summer once again. The sun's rays are enjoying stretching amongst the vast sand that turned into    golden to crimson hue. Back in the Philippines, it's the season of tanning lotions, wide brim hats, beach invasions and the oh lala swimwears here and there. 

I have rested for a while on this site, and I just so missed being here..in my hideout, in my electronic diary..Just as the summer's heat is scorching our skin, I was also scorched by a prevailing circumstance. Since I am a great lover of bodies of water but then only a sea of  sands exist here, all I can do is just to think of a good peaceful beach. Imagining those waves that had traveled hundred miles and pacifies upon hitting the shorelines, I think of a surfer.

..his patience to wait for a good wave....the endurance to sustain the sun's heat....the growing injuries in every attempt..and the good formed-shape after all the blows..

..and while my tides and waves are high, Iwill remember  a surfer's picture..

 ..afterall, no one surf's on a calm sea..