My Life Through Pictures
When the kids woke up, we had our Egg hunting. We prepared it the night before and so happy that somehow they like it. Xavier didn’t fully understand it yet but I know eventually he will.
In the afternoon, we attended Mass.
Then went to Eastwood to have our dinner.
Here is Xavier having tantrums.
While we were waiting for our food.
It was a great long weekend. 
We just stayed in the house most of the time.
Spending quality time with the family is what matters most in this Holy Week.
Holy Week
I never go out on Holy Week except on Maundy Thursday for visiting churches. On Good Friday, I just stay at home and mostly just stay in the room and be quiet. This is my moment of reflection. I need to reassess my life. A moment that I should look back about my life and see if I am living my life’s purpose. I need to see if I am still align with my life’s purpose. If somehow I feel that I am not on a right path, I should do things to improve myself.
I don’t usually go for a vacation on Holy Week, because I can go on a vacation whenever I want and in this moment I just want to stay away from the crowd and just contemplate.
In the past years of my life, I’ve been through a lot both ups and downs. Happy and sad moments. That’s normal. That’s life. I realized that whatever we’ve been through we have to be ready. We should not wish for an easy life, yet we have to pray that God will give us strength to face whatever life brings us.
Living the Moment – yes, I learn to live in a moment and this somehow helps my depression. Yes, I had that and thankful that somehow I overcome it. It’s not easy to have depression, some people don’t understand it but it is the hardest to handle. But you need to get up from it. You don’t need other people to help you get through it. You alone can save yourself. You need to find out the ways on how to improve yourself, if you hit the bottom you need to get up, you don’t need to be okay everyday but at least try. Don’t overthink. Just live in the moment.
Happiness – my life is not perfect but yet I choose to be happy. I don’t depend my happiness to any material things. If I see my kids and people around me healthy and safe then I am happy. If I know that I fulfill my obligation to my team then that makes me happy. If the business struggles yet we make something to make it grow then that makes me happy. That’s what really matters. Material things don’t control my happiness. I know when to let go of the things or people that can make me unhappy. I am not attached to any material things I owned.
Forgiveness – The true essense of holy week is forgiveness and love. I can easily give love. I have enough love to share. But forgiveness is hard to give. I don’t force myself to forgive if I’m not ready. I don’t pretend to be okay if I am not. But forgiveness is important so you can also live a peaceful life. Most of the time I forgive others silently and just keep them away from my life. Forgiving is not necessary mean that you let them comeback to your life and give them a freedom to hurt you again. That’s not how it goes. You know in your heart that you’ve forgiven them and that’s it. Just be at peace with yourself coz’ that matters most.
Focus – this is my ultimate goal this year. So many distractions along the way but I need to remind myself of my goal. I don’t need distractions affect my goals. So I don’t give sweat on other people’s drama because I have too much on my plate. The goal is never let anyone kill your dreams specially if they don’t even help you reach your own. So think of things that can inspires you and that can help yourself to grow. Get rid of toxic people.
March 30, 2018
Good Friday
I don’t usually go out on Good Friday.
We just stay at home.
I just read books and stay in the room.
I am with the kids. They were also busy watching about Holy Week on TV.
Xavier is currently studying about Solar System that’s why he’s using the tablet.
It is also time for fasting, so no meat and we just had bilo bilo and paksiw the whole day. Most of us just stay in the house. No travel, no going out for fun. Just stay in the house and be quiet and do some reflections.
We also visited Manila Cathedral and believe me, it was my first time.
I don’t go often in Manila Area since it was so traffic to go there and I really don’t go there unless necessary.
So I decided to visit Intramuros but I never got a chanced to see the beauty of Intramuros since it was already dark.
The beautiful Manila Cathedral
We stayed a little longer then went back home which was a challenged since most of the road going back to Antipolo was closed.
It was a great journey and I feel blessed for all that’s happening in my life right now. I am so thankful!
March 29, 2018
Maundy Thursday
We decided to visit Regina in Tanay.
It was our first time.
During Holy Week I make sure to visit new churches that we’ve never been. So this time we went to Regina that is around 2 hour drive from our place.
It is located in Tanay, so near from our place. But since it was holiday there were traffic everywhere that made our travel time longer.
A kiss from Gareth
Family Picture
The View
April 2, 2015 (Holy Thursday)
I heard so much about it and finally I got a chance to visit Our Lady of Manaoag.
Our Lady of Manaoag, who is invoked as patroness of the sick, the helpless and the needy,[1] is celebrated on two feast days: the third Wednesday after Easter, and the first Sunday of October (as Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary).
– Source: Wikipedia
The statue of Our Lady of Manaoag is a 17th-century ivory image of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus enshrined at the high altar of the Basilica. It was brought to the Philippines from Spain via the Manila galleon from Acapulco, Viceroyalty of New Mexico, in the early 17th century by the priest Juan de San Jacinto.
Documents dating back to 1610 attest that a middle-aged farmer walking home heard a mysterious female voice. He looked around and saw on a cloud-veiled treetop an apparition of the Virgin Mary, holding a rosary in her right hand and the Child Jesus in her left arm, all amidst a heavenly glow. Mary told the farmer where she wanted her church to be built, and a chapel was built on the hilltop site of the apparition, forming the nucleus of the present town.
Our Lady of the Rosary is depicted in other countries with similar attributes, with the accoutrements and style of the vestments varying across cultures. The Manaoag image is distinct from other statues in its sculpture and regalia, particularly its crown.
A pilgrim replica of the image also exists, and is toured around parishes in the Philippines for veneration.
Source: Wikipedia
We stayed inside the church for a while to say our prayers. I feel so good inside. There are lots of devotees and yet the church still remain the cool temperature. It’s different from the other churches I visited. In Manaoag Church, I can stay longer inside and though there are lot of people, it was never crowded.
Then we go out to have some souvenirs and light candles.
My Mother in Law and Sister
With Hubby and MIL
We arrived home around 11pm. It was a long drive and I was so tired and I go directly to our room and sleep.
The next day I woke up with full of energy and feeling refresh. I feel differently… I feel at peace in my heart. I know something miracle happens, I just can’t point it out.
I believe that miracle happens everyday… Let us just keep the Faith!
Yes, I was so down a while ago but I manage to stand up and prepare food that is assigned for me to do. Oh well, it’s a good thing because I am really obliged to move my ass.
Anyway, here’s the colorful Easter Eggs I created.
This is the first time I created something like this and I just checked pinterest for it and I am so glad that I made it right.
That is the tiramisu. The taste is more buttery so we need to redo it. I hope hubby can make it.
Anyway, I had fun creating it all and I decided to start baking soon. hmm what do you think? I don’t really consider myself as a good cook but maybe, I can be good if I practice more. Wish me luck!
Yesterday, we had our Visita Iglesia. It was so different because this is the first time without Ayumi. We went to a church where she was baptized and when we got hungry we decided to drop by at Jollibee, same place where she celebrated her 2nd birthday.
All the Firsts without her is really hard but I choose to experience those pain again so that I can start to move on. It’s hard but I have no choice but to face it. There will be a lot of firsts later but I am welcoming it and I hope that the right time will come that I can face everything with a smile because I know that she is helping me to get through all the pain.
