Cotabato-Cebu-Manila

Lucas and I went to Cebu on October 29, 2009 to attend the wedding of Charisse Lao and Vicente Osmena on October 30, 2009. We were billeted at the Marriott Hotel. It was nice place to stay, very conveniently located near Ayala Mall and the Terraces and the Golf Sport's Club Center where the wedding reception was held. The wedding ceremony was officiated at the Redemptorist Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Cathedral and the reception at the Sport's Club grandballroom.
It was a nice break for Lucas and me to be in Cebu. The prenuptial dinner at Cafe Ecila which was own and operated by the bride's family was well prepared and very sumptuous. I even compared the prenuptial dinner to be more delicious than those of the wedding reception, except I was not able to eat the lamb shop which was served late during the reception.
I got to meet some familiar faces during the prenuptial. Special mention were Mr. Ceres and Mrs. Rose Chua formerly from Cotabato City who are now residents of Canada yet they still continue to operate their spare parts business in Cagayan de Oro. Meeting them, made me  proposed to be their guests in Cagayan de Oro next summer. Hope it will materialize hehehe
Next day after the wedding October 31. Our flight to Manila at noon took off on schedule despite Manila being hit the night before by typhoon Santi. We arrived at Manila airport in quite a chaotic state though. There were many flights arriving almost at the same time and so many passengers that ground logistics were not efficient enough. There were no carts available and ground personnel didn't know how to guide the confused arriving passengers. Anyway we were able to get our luggage after long wait and Emil, Martha and Marion were at the airport to fetch us home.
It was oh so nice to be home with the children. Tom and Angel carved each a pumpkin. They carved them so nice and with the candles lighted inside, their jack-o-lanterns looked really festive. We brought the jack-o-lanterns to Brooklyn where Helen was celebrating her 60th birthday. The Ledesma siblings and families were almost complete. We had fun eating and talking. I loved the sushi platters best although the roast ducks were really nice also and the big platter of bihon guisado and cakes and ice cream. It was a really nice party.
But unlike previous year, this year I did not go with them to the cemetery due to my peristent coughing and itchy throat. I sent my candles for Papa and Mama through them and I went home to rest and sleep for the night. Tom and Angel went with the Ledesma though to visit the graveyards and pray for the holy souls of relatives and friends.

Oct. 28, 2009

Lucas and I went to visit the graveyards of his parents this morning. We went ahead of the Nov. 1 All Saints Day schedule because we will not be in Cotabato on that particular day. We will be going to Cebu to attend the wedding of goddaughter Charisse Lao, the daughter of Edgar Lao who is both our compadre and business associate.
This morning I had candles lighted, incense burned, flowers placed and rosary recited for the holy souls of my parents in-law, as well as my parents, Tyler David and all the holy souls of our relatives and friends. May their holy souls rest in peace with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Garden Wedding in Davao

Sick

I was sick for days. I was so scared that it might be the H1N1 virus and I was so scared of giving it to my husband Lucas. I stayed home and took home care medication but what I learned from Roy during one of his several trips from Manila to USA was a great help. From him I found out that flanax is more effective than biogesic for treatment of flu. I took the medicine with care though. I used only half a dose and it did good. I might have gotten the virus from Davao last week. Do take care of yourself everybody.

Typhoon Pepeng

Typhoon Pepeng came back the second/third time and wrecked havoc on northern Luzon. Seeing all those pictures and clippings from newspapers and television made my heart ached with sorrow. I also get infuriated when oftentimes I hear some experts say to the effect "We will pull through because we are Filipinos and we are a resilient people." But now-a-days I am not proud to be resilient. Instead of being resilient why can't we be sated or satiated people. Why do we have to keep on suffering again and again because of the short sightedness, greed, corruption, inefficiency and complacency of our leaders. Why can't we be progressive, abundant, advanced, acclaimed and full-filled instead. What's wrong with us?!

A Peaceful Sunday

Typhoon Pepeng hit Cagayan yesterday and left the Philippines today. I am thankful that it had spared populous metro manila from a horrendous second disaster. Maybe the prayers for divine mercy from the still suffering multitude were heard. I was one of the throng who went to last Friday's afternoon Sacred Heart novena mass to ask for mercy. Coincidentally it was also the feast of the guardian angels. That day, I texted and requested my children to pray the guardian angel's prayer for their own protection. I was kind of scared. It was maybe due to the several calamities that have struck Southeast Asia these past few weeks. But now that the typhoon has passed us, let us not forget to still be alert, careful and prayerful. I don't care if I am going to sound irrelevant but October is the month of the holy rosary. I am sure, the Lord will have mercy on us. Be good everyone.