Of all the days, why today?!

We're going out today to my OB appointment at 1:45 PM.   I just don't feel like going out because of how cold it is outside.  I cannot believe that on Tuesday and yesterday, the temperature was up in the 60s.  But, just in time for my appointment, it went drastically down to freezing!  And, on top of that, of all the days this week, today is the coldest. Gotta love the weather here!

And, oh, let's not forget the wind, of course.  It's started to get windy outside.  I don't have any idea how cold it is now, and I don't even want to know!

Well, it's almost 9:30 now, I better start getting ready.  I still have 3 kids to bundle up, and getting them ready usually takes me almost an hour.  I'd say, 10-15 minutes each.  It's always like this every winter because I always make sure they stay warm while we're outside, so I put layers of clothes on them.

I hope my appointment won't take too long, so we'd still have enough time to get a haircut.  Better hit two birds with one stone, right?  We'll be out anyways, might as well do it now since we never got to do it last Sunday because of how cold and snowy it was outside.

So, I'll be back later.  Time to get going.  And, freeze - not!  (Hehehe)..

Race for the Cure

Last year, I thought about joining a 5K Race for the Cure just within our area.  It's an annual fundraising event to help every woman with her struggle with breast cancer until they find a cure.  It also helps promotes breast cancer awareness.  All of the money raised will be donated to organizations that provide assistance for breast cancer patients with low-income.  The money will help them with medical assistance such as screening, diagnostic breast health services, and access to treatment.  My mother underwent breast surgery a long time ago, and that's one of the reasons I wanted to join the race.  Thanks be to God, it wasn't malignant, and the surgery cured it!  But, it could have led into something serious, if it wasn't taken care of like it was supposed to.

I still feel sad that I didn't get to join the race.  It was too late when I found out about it.  The registration was over when I went on their website.  I was so looking forward to it, that it broke my heart when I found out there was no way I could join anymore.  My husband told me to look for other race events.  I did, but none like the Race for the Cure.

I wanted to be a part of something small, yet could make a big difference in someone else's life.  I also wanted to earn a shirt, or, if they even have anything like promotional frisbees they give you at the end of the race that had the pink ribbon printed on it with the logo that said, "Race for the Cure.  You know, just something to hold on to and remind me of something most people won't even dare to think about doing for others.  That I can at least tell myself later on in life, I helped made a difference.  I would have loved to wear that shirt around, not to show off, but to let others know I also support the fight against breast cancer.  I think, every woman should.  It is something we must be aware of.  Cancer is no joke!  That's why I have high respect for those who are in constant battle with the disease, and are still staying strong in spite of all the pain they have to endure.

May God bless them!

I know it's not too late for me to feel sad about not being able to make it last year.  I still have plenty of time to do it.  And that's one promise I intend to keep when we come back from my husband's sea duty.  I just don't know if there's anything like this in that place.  If there is, I will look it up and see if I'd be able to join.

I told my husband that if I'll ever join marathon events, I will start from something like the Race for the Cure.  Not only is it better for a beginner like me, I also will get the chance to be a part of an event that is meant to save other people's lives.  To me, that's even better than winning a medal in the end.  To see a smile on the face of even at least one of the breast cancer patients would be more than enough for me, as a prize.

Memory Lane: Our Malaysia Vacation

When my husband got deployed in 2008 for almost 7 months, we were blessed to be given the chance to see each other halfway through the deployment.  When he found out they were going to have a stopover in Malaysia for a couple of days, my husband immediately talked to me and asked me if I want to fly to Kuala Lumpur to see him even just for 3 days.  Of course, why would I say no?  I haven't seen him for almost four months that time, and we both missed each other, so I said yes.  I had school that week, so I had to write an excuse letter.  I left Sunday, so technically, I was only absent from my classes for two days.

Anyway, we talked about the trip through e-mails, and the next day, he bought me a round trip ticket.  He said, that was one of his birthday gifts for me.  And since I will be arriving at the hotel before him, he arranged a hotel transportation for me to get picked up from the airport.  When everything was ready, that Sunday, after attending church service, I went home to grab my stuff, and headed back out to go to the airport.  I believe, my flight didn't leave until past 7 at night.

At the airport, I started feeling anxious, excited, and nervous.  It was my first out-of-the-country trip, and I was all by myself.  I was worried that I might not be able to get into Malaysia because the immigration might not grant me VISA.  I was praying that everything will turn out just fine.  That all I wanted was to be with my husband.

Thanks be to God, everything went well.  When I arrived in Malaysia, the immigration officer only asked me one question, "How long do you intend to stay here?"  I answered, "Three days."  Then, she stamped my passport and told me I was good to go.  I let out a huge sigh of relief.  I felt bad, though, because the other lady I was with on the same flight, got held at the airport.  I asked her why before I had to tell her I needed to go because the car was waiting for me outside.  She told me, they thought they found something in her suitcase through the x-ray scanner.  But she assured me that there was nothing, so she'd be out there soon enough.  I said goodbye to her, and proceeded on my way out.  Good thing, the driver had a piece of paper with my complete name on it, that's why I was able to find him right away.  He was an Indian national, and he was very kind.  I remember his name still - Nabeel.

The drive from the airport to the hotel in Kuala Lumpur almost took 2 and a half hours.  So, by the time I got there, I was so dead tired.  I checked in, went to our room, and passed out.  The next thing I know, I was awaken by a phone call, asking for my identification, and if I was in the right room.  I kind of felt nervous because I didn't what was going on.  My husband wasn't there yet.  Then, the hotel receptionist said that they will send someone over to verify my information.  I got scared.  I wanted to cry, but I held back.  I knew in my heart I didn't do anything stupid for me to get in trouble.

When I heard the doorbell, I slowly walked my way to the door and looked to check who was outside, through the peephole.  To my surprise, nobody was there, so I slowly opened the door, leaving the safety lock, just in case.  I almost passed out when out of nowhere, my husband showed up!  It was him all along, playing prank on me.  He made the receptionist call our room just to see how I'd react.  Heavens, I almost wanted to kick his cute butt for doing such thing.   But, the minute he held me in his arms, I felt at peace.  I couldn't contain the happiness and love I felt at that very exact moment.  We held each other tightly, and he gave me kiss.

For Souvenir Purposes Only

I already started sorting out things in the basement that we'll probably get rid off.  Until now, I still cannot believe how much stuff my husband owns.  It's like, every time I go downstairs, I always find something new. And we've been here for almost 3 years now!

A few days ago, I was going through his stuff that were in the plastic drawer downstairs, when I found two xikar lighters that were buried underneath a pile of photos and things he bought while he was on deployment.  Well, those were new to me.  I haven't seen them before, and neither do I have any clue why my husband would have something like that.  I looked at the lighters carefully, and noticed that they each has been engraved differently with something that, I believe, has to do with the place where he might have gotten them from.  Regardless, I took both of them and showed him when he got home.  I asked him why he has cigar lighters when he doesn't even smoke.

His initial reaction puzzled me.  The look in his eyes was more of "What's that?", and "Where did you find those?"  I knew it.  He forgot about them, like his other things that he had no idea he had with him all along.  I handed him the items and he told me he got those from a country as souvenir items.  He said, he hasn't seen anything like them before, that's why he bought them.  But, because he went straight to the Philippines to visit me right after that deployment, he had to ship his other stuff back to the States, and he never really went through any them again.  That's why he hardly remembers everything he actually bought.

The lighters were still in their original box when I found them, and they haven't been used.  I asked him what he wanted me to do with them, and he told me it was all up to me.  But, because I know he bought them as souvenir, I decided to put them back where I got them from.  I don't know if he'll be able to find the same ones again, so better yet, hold on to them for now.  I'll let him decide on what to do with them.  After all, those are his stuff.

Just to clarify something, my husband doesn't smoke at all.  Like me, he's also allergic to cigarette smoke.  And honestly, the lighter, especially the gray one, has a really neat design, that's why he bought them.  I think even people who don't smoke would probably get it, like what my husband did - as a souvenir.  I might have done the same thing, too.  I even have bought some things before that I didn't use, haven't used, and will never use.  I did it anyway because I liked the design and their uniqueness.

You wouldn't believe what other things my husband got!  He even bought a bamboo thing that's used to clean your ear, from Japan.  It's still in its packaging, and I doubt he'll even want to do anything with it.  Like the other stuff he bought, he just got it for souvenir purposes only.

From My Husband...

He wrote this for me almost 5 years ago, while he was in deployment... 

image not mine

For my darling wife,

I wanted to write you something on my laptop so that I had more time to write to you. I have been counting down the days mahal and even as slow as some of them have been going, the thought of knowing that they are counting down makes me feel so good inside. I know things have definitely been tough on us during these times. It was your first deployment as a wife and mine with the team. I have definitely seen some great and also some tragic things my wife. Your letters and words of encouragement though have helped me tough these days out and always bring a smile to my face. Knowing that you love me like you do mahal is the greatest thing in the world. I can’t thank you enough for the love you give me and the strength you bring out of me. Without you Kirsti there would be no me. I can’t ever imagine living a life where you are not in it. To ever go back to that life I would much rather not exist in this world. You make me so happy mahal and it is that happiness and love that coarse through my veins letting me know that I am alive. I have never in my life felt so alive and so in love. I really thought I knew what love was before but I had no idea. I replay so many thoughts in my mind sweetpea that I feel like I am running a movie marathon about us in my head!! To think sometimes that you doubt yourself as a wife and a woman are hard to believe. Yet that is why we have our husbands and wives. In those times when we feel like we are nothing in this world, that we can’t be loved, our beloved ensures that we are everything to them. That they are the world that revolves around them providing light where there was once darkness. They love us unconditionally, through all our habits, our simplistic rituals, our love of tomato, peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches, they love us.

It is me mahal and you that share our love with one another. Loving each other more day by day, year by year. It will be our first anniversary together, the happiest day of my life. The day that I married my best friend, my soul mate, my wife K.A.C.. That day was the first of many victories and battles that we face in front of us mahal. I will always stand beside you my love. No matter the fight I will be there to be your shield and your spear if you should so need it. No matter the cost I would gladly give my life in defense of yours. As your husband I promised you that we will build a home of love and respect. Our children will be given all the love that they will ever need in this world. I love you so much sweetie that I just can’t wait to embrace you in my arms again and give you such a great big kiss. I miss you so much and everyday I grow closer to holding you. Being able to see you in Malaysia was the greatest thing that has happened on this, and actually any deployment in my career. I am so grateful that things worked out and I was able to see my wife. It is great how God can work things out mahal and He has been doing that since day one with you and I. I know that we didn’t meet by a weird occurrence mahal, we met because it was our fate that was laid before us by God. He gave us the first big step and now it is up to us to continue the walk, hand in hand my baby.

I love you with all my heart and I will always love you. I will always be there for you and don’t ever think that you never have someone to turn to. I LOVE YOU MY DARLING WIFE!

Your Husband Forever through Eternity,

J.D.C.

The Best Solution I Can Think Of

The big window in our living room either has a crack, or an opening on its side, because it feels like it's leaking air.  We've noticed it during the first winter since we moved in.  No matter how high we turned the heater, the living room stayed cool.  It barely got warm.  My husband was the one who actually suspected that there might be something wrong with either the door or windows, so he checked all of them.  That's when he felt cold air coming in from a small crack on the lower right side of the window.  It's actually the seal that's supposed to trap in cold or hot air inside the house, that cracked open.  I believe he informed the owner of the house, but I don't know if he heard anything back from them.  As a remedy, my husband bought a silicone window caulk, and he sealed the area where he felt the air coming in.  It worked, all right. But, it didn't last that long, so he had to re-apply the caulk every couple of weeks.  No wonder why our electricity bill was high.  We were basically heating the entire block without us knowing it!

I think the best solution would be a complete window replacement.  If we only live within Virginia Beach area, replacement windows virginia beach would be perfect to call for help.  That big glass looks old anyway.  Or, to save the owner some money, he can salvage the glass and just fix the siding to stop air inside the house from going out, and the air outside from coming in.  In that way, it'll save us money as well because we won't have to run the AC all day during summertime, and the heater during winter.

Our lease is already almost over, and we're close to moving out, too.  But that window was never taken care of.  We heard last year that the owners of the house actually plan on doing some renovations, and I think they're just waiting for us to leave before they start the construction.  And we understand why they wanted to wait.  I think they just didn't want us to deal with all the noise and clutter, once they start working on the house.  They also know that we have 3 small kids, so I think, they took that into consideration as well.  So, regardless of them not fixing the window, we're still grateful to them for being such nice landlords.  Oh, did I mention that the owner of this house is my husband's friend?  Yes, they're buddies, and the owner is in the Navy, too.  That's how they met.

We kind of hope we'd be able to at least see how the house would look like after it gets renovated.  But unfortunately, that won't be happening anymore.  And with that being said, I actually have fallen in love with this little house.  It may be is an older house, its got lots of work that needs to be done to it, but all in all, I like living here.  I just like the feel of the entire house - it feels so homey.  And I will definitely miss being here once we move.

Will Be Back Later..It's Sleep Time..

It's already almost 4 in the morning.  Time for me to get some sleep.   I'm sure my husband won't be happy with me once he noticed me just getting into bed right now.  He doesn't like me staying up so late.

I should have been asleep already.  But, I decided to prepare food for him to take to work so I don't have to worry about it later.  With me not feeling too well right now, I doubt if I'd wake up early enough to get his food ready.  That's why I did it ahead of time.

When I got done, I suddenly felt hungry, so I ate a small snack (salad and grilled tilapia) just to fill my tummy.  And now, I'm blogging while waiting for the food to digest.  I know I shouldn't have done that, but I couldn't go to sleep feeling hungry, either.

I can already see myself sleeping in till 10 in the morning.  Well, sometimes, I don't get out of bed till my kids are up (they're usually already up by 8:30).  I catch up on some sleep whenever I can because taking naps during the day is almost impossible.  My husband wakes up early, and I wake up, too.  And I stay up after that.  It's very rare for me to be able to go back to sleep in the morning, and then wake up in a couple of hours.  Once I'm up, I stay up. 

I'll just finish one more post, then I'm off to bed.  I'll see you later on today.

Hope you all had a great weekend!  Goodnight, folks!!

The Firefighter Boots

Kade, our second child, can be so funny sometimes.  He's only 2, and he's really talking a lot now.  You'd be amazed on how good he's at when it comes to identifying objects.  The only thing funny about him is, naming footwear.  Whatever he learned from watching their kiddie shows, he associates them pretty much with everything that looks similar to what he has seen.

Take for instance, his Papa's JOE ROCKET BOOTS, he calls them "Firefighter boots".

One afternoon, when my husband got home from doing errands and was taking off his boots (the kids and I were at the table having snack), Kade saw him and said, "Look, those are Papa's Firefighter boots!"  We didn't get what he was talking about, till he said it again, this time, pointing at his father's pair of boots.  The way he said it actually made us laugh.  Not in a making-fun-of-him way, but because it sounded so innocent and cute.  Sometimes, he'd even call his Papa, a Firefighter, just because of those boots.  Anything that looks like boots, to him, they are the same. 

They have watched this episode on Barney, where they took the kids to a fire station to meet Firefighters and learn about their job, and I'm guessing, that's where he got it from.  No matter how many times we sit there and correct him, he'd insist that they are what he calls the Firefighter boots.  We gave up!  (Hehehe)  For now, we'll let him be.  Anyway, he's not saying it wrong.  We know that he'll learn eventually.

Cancelled Today's Plan

We were supposed to go out today, get the kids and I a haircut, then, do grocery shopping.  But it started snowing, so I decided to do it some other time because I haven't been feeling good since last night.  I was hoping it won't snow today because I'm worried that if I go out in the cold right now, I might end up feeling worse.  And that's the last thing I want to happen right now.  Also, we both thought it wouldn't be good to take the kids out, either.  It was just too cold for them.  We agreed to get the haircut this week, if ever hubby gets off work early, or, on Thursday after my OB appointment.  It's actually even better to go and do it on a weekday because most people will be at work.

Anyway, I took this photo just a few minutes after it started snowing.  This wasn't how it really looked like once it started coming down.  And this is why I chose not to go out.

snowing pretty heavily...

I just hope it really won't get too cold on Thursday, though I read on the forecast that the lowest temperature will be -2 degree Fahrenheit.  Of all the days this week, Thursday will be the coldest so far.  Perfect timing for my check-up!  What a way to joke, Mother Nature?!  Thanks a lot!  (Hehehe...)

For Coin Collectors

My husband is a big coin collector.  But, he collects military coins, especially the ones for the Navy.  He's got a lot that he already needs to get another coin holder to accommodate everything he owns.  Whenever he finds something new, he buys it.  It doesn't matter if he has to put a bid on it and wait till the very last minute to make sure he'll get it, he will sit there and do it.

I wish I could have taken a photo of his coin collection.  Too bad, he already brought them to work a couple of months ago.  He said, he wanted to finally place them where they should have been a long time ago - in his office.  He told me that he isn't the only one collecting military coins at his workplace.  Even his Master Chief does.  And another reason he took them to work was, he wanted to show them to his workmates, so they, too can have an idea on what coins they still don't have, so they can get them.  In return, they also would tell him if they found something new, or they showed him their coins, and if there were any that my husband still doesn't have, they told him where they got theirs from.  Nice way of sharing, eh?

Anyway, when I saw this gold coin, I showed it to him and asked him if it's something he'd be interested in.  He said, the coin looks cool, but it's something that he won't collect himself, unless we have the money for it.  I agree with him.  People who can afford, collect stuff like this.  And, if you happen to know someone who loves collecting coins, they may be able to buy this american eagle gold coin here.  I'm sure, this will be a great addition to their collection.

Pharmacy Issues

I'm not going to hold back my disappointment right now with the pharmacy where I get my birth control pills from.  Since we got transferred to them a year ago because our insurance stopped covering the previous pharmacy, I've dealt with calling them almost every month just to get my refill.  It's not supposed to be that way, especially when we've already told them so many times to put me on automatic refill, and they agreed - every time.  My husband even personally talked to one of their Pharmacists in November last year, and told her to fix the issue where I don't have to call them every time because I always get the "Your prescription couldn't be refilled without your Doctor's authorization" on the phone whenever I call to get my prescription.  Are you kidding me?  For a year now, it's been the same thing!

Today, I called again to get my refill, and guess what?  Darn right, I got the same thing - cannot be refilled without your Doctor's blah blah blah!  And the funny thing was, when I called them last month and had to deal with the same thing, I told the Pharmacist again, for the hundredth time, to please, put me on automatic refill, and she said yes, she'll take care of it.  Well, looks like nobody even cared to do their job right.  Because here I am again, dealing with the same issue.  And what upset me more was, even after I told the lady, I only had one pill left and I don't get seen by my OB until this Thursday, she insisted that I cannot get my refill without authorization from my doctor.  That I have to wait till Monday, skipping one pill for Sunday, then, I can get my pills after they called my OB.  I knew it.  I should have called ahead of time.  I had the feeling that they probably just lied to me again about the whole refill thing, but because the lady said that she'd fix everything the last time I called them, so I won't have to worry about calling them again, I thought she actually finally took care of it.  But, I was so wrong!  And, yes, I'm going to call them out on this one.  They basically lied to me again!  You don't sit there and tell somebody something and then, you turn around and do exactly the opposite.  To me, that's lying.  I just can't believe they'll let their costumers deal with something like this over and over and over again.

I never encountered the same problem with the previous pharmacy.  We only gave them my prescription once, and they took care of the rest.  Every month, when I called to get my refill, it was ready.  Not once did they tell me I cannot get my pills refilled, unless I have my Doctor's authorization.  They have the best service ever!  I wish we never had to transfer to a different pharmacy.

My husband got so pissed when I told him about the problem, especially because he actually talked to their Pharmacist in person about the same issue, when he went there to pick up my pills last November.  He told me that we will go there tomorrow, and he will talk to them again.  And if they say no, then, we'll inform TriCare and let them know the type of service they're giving us.  It's not fair.  No costumer deserves such thing.  

This will be the last time I'll be nice to them.  Next month, if they tell me the same reason again, they definitely will deal with me this time!  It's not a threat.  That's a promise!

Just ridiculous, I must say!

Because It's Almost Valentine's Day

Have you already thought of what you're getting for your special one on this coming Valentine's Day?  I'm sure you've probably came up with a lot of ideas, but have you decided on what you'll give them? 

This Valentine's Day, I'm not going to lie, finding a perfect gift for my husband has never been this easy!  The minute I thought about getting him something as a present since I never got to give him anything on Christmas, I knew what I will get him.  And, what better way to shop without him ever knowing about it?  Online.  That's why I'm so thankful I came across madisonavemall.com and found this really cute leather passport holder and travel organizer at a price I can afford!

When I saw this organizer, I knew it would be the perfect for him.  My husband will be deployed when we move to his new duty station, and something like this would definitely come in handy for him.  He can also store important cards in it, or even photos of the family, and anything he wants to use it for.  The size is perfect as well.  Not too big, not too small.  Just right for him because I know he cannot take a lot of stuff with him except for the ones he absolutely needs.

I'm pretty sure he has other organizers he's had before, but I haven't seen them and the ones he's using now are way too big.  They're more of a file holder.  I'm sure he will love this!

My initial plan was to actually get him a new wallet.  The walled he has now looks like it badly needs a replacement.  But when I saw this, I changed my mind.  This one is better.  He can actually make use of this more than a wallet.  I'll just have to start saving money again to get him a new wallet.  That's what I'll do then.  Save more so I can buy him another gift, this time, for his birthday.

The "Old" Songs Are the Best

The other day, while I was watching videos on YouTube, I found this one song that was so popular when I was a kid.  I played it, and childhood memories came flashing back.  After listening to the song, I started remembering more and more songs that I used to dance to every time I heard them playing on the radio.  I listened to them one by one.  And, that's when an idea popped into my head.

I went to our bedroom, grabbed my iPod, hooked it to the laptop and started deleting "new" songs I had on there that I never really listen to anymore.  I went online and looked for the "old" songs, and luckily, I found all that I searched for.  I downloaded them, and transferred them to my iPod.  I'm just so happy that I can finally listen to them anytime I want now!

I actually cannot believe I would go back to listening to the songs from 80s and early 90s.  Even my husband was surprised about it.  When he listened to the song that was playing on my iPod, he laughed.  He wasn't making fun of me, though.  He was joking about how I know the song when I wasn't even around yet when they came out, or I was still too small.  He was like, "Do you even know who sang the song?"  Then, when I replied, "No!  But, I'm sure you do because you're old", he stopped.  And, we both started laughing.

I don't know if it's just me, but I love the old songs more than the hit songs nowadays.  To me, there's more feelings to them compared to the type of music we all listen to today.  Most of the songs we have in the present, create noise.  Most of the singers sing because they can sing.  They don't sing from the heart, thus, you don't feel the connection between you and their songs anymore.  It's very rare to find one who still does. That's why, when I want to listen to music, especially love songs, I listen to songs by England Dan, Chris Norman, Barry Manilow, David Pomeranz, David Foster, Peter Cetera, to name a few.  I feel their music.  They convey truer feelings than the love songs I hear these days.

I am picky when it comes to music genre, particularly the type of songs I want to listen to.  If there's something I didn't like today, don't expect me to like it anytime soon.  Maybe even forever.  And if there's a song I fell in love with, expect to find me listening to it over and over again.  And I don't stop until I memorize every line of the song, by heart.

You'd be surprised that I know more songs from the 80s than songs that are supposedly from "my generation".  I just don't like them that much, plain and simple.

Are you, in any way, like me when it comes to music?

I Miss My College Days!

Sometimes, when I look at my old photos taken when I was still in college, I couldn't help but miss those days.  I know I used to say back then, "I wish I'm already done with school so I don't have to wake up early or stay up late anymore, worry about exams, quiz, and getting good grades."  But now, I miss school!  I actually miss being a student!

I took up Medical Technology for 2 years, then, I changed my course to Nursing.  It wasn't really my choice, but I had to.  But in the long run, I started loving it.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Though giving up Medical Technology broke my heart, I actually am thankful now that I did.  I had no idea I would fall in love with Nursing till I actually realized, it's what I have been wanting to do all along.

The only thing I don't miss that much - wearing our women and mens scrubs every time we had to do community service.  We would even joke around about how we actually looked more like "street vendors" than student Nurses.  Of course, we weren't serious at all.  It was all just a joke.

(night duty..tired and sleepy..hehehe)

I miss this group! I wonder where they are now...

I miss having to wake up with something to look forward to in school!  I miss spending breaks with my friends, having snack with them, or just chit-chatting while waiting for our Professor to be back!  I miss a lot of things that I used to do as a student!  I miss those carefree days!  And above all, I miss the friends I've made during those times.  I am grateful for the ones I still am in contact with till now! But, I wish I could find the others that I haven't talked to in a long time.  It's sad that I can't remember all their names anymore.  I tried searching for them on social networking sites, but I couldn't find them.  I just hope that we'll get to reconnect one of these days.  I just want to see how they've been and to let them know that I haven't forgotten about them.  Well, I might have forgotten some of their names or last name, but not the memories I've had with them.  They were my friends, and they always will be my friends.

Re-entry Permit or Citizenship?

Due to me not being a US Citizen yet, I am required to apply for a re-entry permit before leaving the US for me to be able to come back without any problems.  The permit costs $445 and is valid for two years only, and then, I'll have to apply again for another one because we'll be living overseas for three years.  If we end up choosing this option, applying twice will cost us $890 in the end.  Whereas, the fee for applying for citizenship will only cost $680.  That's way cheaper!  My only concern now is, I honestly don't think I'm that ready yet to give up my Filipino citizenship.

I have heard that I can apply for dual citizen later on, if I want to.  I really haven't read about that yet, but if in case I can, I probably will give it a shot.  I kind of want to try it now, but because we have limited time, I don't know if we'll be able to get the whole process done before we transfer.   I just don't feel like dealing with a lot of things right now.  I think we pretty much have enough going on already.

I already talked to my husband about this issue.  He also asked me to read more about applying for dual citizen because as far as we know, once I give up my Filipino citizenship, I will lose all my rights to like buy properties back home.  As a matter of fact, I have a land that is under my name, and if I'm no longer a Filipino citizen, I'm afraid I might not be able to do anything with it anymore.  But like said, I really don't know a lot about what I'll lose as far as my rights being a Filipino, if I changed my citizenship to US.  

While others feel so excited about becoming an American citizen, call me a hypocrite, but I am not.  It's not that I don't want to.  I love the US!  It's my second home now and my husband is in the military.  But, I love being a Filipino, first and foremost.  I guess I'm just not that ready yet.  But of course, for my family, I would do anything.

If getting the re-entry permit didn't have to cost that much, I'd probably would go for it.  And, if changing citizenship didn't mean I have to lose my rights being a Filipino, I'd choose that in a heartbeat.

So, you see my dilemma here?  I am confused as well...(sigh)

Kia's Amazing Talent

My cousin, Kia (daughter of my Mama's younger brother), plays electric guitar really good.  I honestly admire her skill when it comes to that.  You see, I play guitar, too, but not as good as she is when it comes to playing rock or alternative music.  She's just so good at it without her even trying.  Anyway, you can see for yourself.  That's why I decided to just post a video of her playing her electric guitar.

 

You've watched the video already?  What can you say?  She's good, isn't she?

Listening to the sound quality of her music, I'm sure she did buy pro tools only that she used along with her guitar.  I mean, those aren't the really cheap musical tools you can find, but are worth your money as far as quality and durability are concerned.  I have watched her other videos, but so far, this one is my favorite.

Kia has a lot of amazing talents, and she's smart, too.  Not to mention how pretty she is as well.  She even did modeling when she was a kid.  I think she only stopped when her family moved to Dubai, where they stayed and studied till she graduated from high school.  Now, she's back in the Philippines and she's attending De La Salle University.  I just don't know what course she's taking up.  I'm pretty sure she told me before, I just forgot.  I will have to ask her again about that. (Hehehe)

Back to Using Facial Moisturizer

When I got pregnant, I stopped using beauty products completely.  Well, except for the mildest facial wash available.  I know that there are beauty products that are safely made for pregnant women to use, but I opted to stop anyway.  My first reason was, I hated their scent.  I never had any problems with morning sickness, but when I smelled something I didn't like, I got sick.

Another thing was, being pregnant with boys, I don't know if there's any scientific explanation to that, I never really liked any girly stuff that much.  It only changed when I got pregnant with our 3rd child, our (youngest) baby girl.

Even before we found out what our baby's gender was, I already had the feeling that we were having a girl.  With the first two boys, I hardly noticed girl's stuff.  I would only go for something I need every day.  But with our baby girl, I felt like I had a complete 360 degree turn.  I suddenly got interested in girl things even as small as colored hairpins.  I remember asking my husband to get me a liquid eyeliner, when I was 4 months pregnant.  He got me one, but I never used it.  I just loved the feeling of owning one.  The next thing I "craved" for, curling iron.  Well, I am using it now.  But during my entire pregnancy, I think I only opened the box twice, and it wasn't even until my husband reminded me that I got one, and that I should use it.  The only thing that my pregnancies with the boys and the girl have in common - I never used beauty products.

I have a very sensitive skin.  Thankfully, my face doesn't breakout!  My problem when I stopped using facial cream, during winter, or every time it gets cold, my face would peel.  We all know that our skin goes through a natural peeling process all the day.  But, excessive and visible peeling aren't considered normal.  It may be caused by a skin condition, sunburn, or really dry skin, like mine.  Moisturizer, obviously, keeps our face looking fresh, soft, and radiant.  When I stopped using it, my face became dry.  I hated looking at my face peeling off.  It made me feel so uncomfortable.  (I honestly don't know why I stopped using moisturizer for that long, but I'm glad I got back to applying facial cream again!)

It's only been two days since I started using facial cream again (twice a day), and I already have felt and seen the big improvement.  Wow, I almost forgot how it feels like to have a face that's moisturized and radiant-looking!  I should have started using it again right after I gave birth.  What in the universe was I thinking?!  I'm just glad my face didn't get ruined completely! (Hahaha)

I now know that I can live without make-up, but not without facial moisturizer.  Never will I neglect my face like that, ever again! 

Another Marathon Event in June

My husband loves running a lot! Actually, he had joined so many marathon events in the past 8 years, I think. Since I got here in 2009, he already participated in 7 marathon races, 3 of which were almost 200 miles in distance.  The last long-distance race he joined last year along with eleven other Chiefs in the Navy was, a 200-mile relay.  It was a 2-day event that started from one state to another.

You won't believe, but when our youngest was born back in 2011, he was actually doing one of the relays at the time.  Our neighbor, Connie, was the one who drove me to the hospital when my water broke at 5:30 in the morning.  Good thing was, when I called my husband to let him know that I was about to go to the hospital, his team was already within the area, about 20 minutes away, so he was able to make it.  I was taken to the hospital without him, and by the time he got there, I was already in labor.  He was dead tired, but he still made it.  I'd say, he got there just a little past 7 in the morning, and our baby Princess was born two and a half hours later.  That's why, when the race was done and they got one extra medal that was supposed to be for the other runner that didn't finish the whole race, they gave it to our little girl.  Sometimes, we even call her, "The Marathon Baby".  Thanks to the other guy who took over my husband's last leg because he never went back to finish the race with the other guys.  But, he still got his medal because they knew he never meant to not finish it on purpose.  He even jokes around about making his little girl "pay" later on in life, for not letting him finish the entire race.  (Hehehe)

This coming June, my husband will run the same relay again - for the last time while we're here in this state.  As you all know, we're close to PCSing, and he won't be able to do this for the next 3 years.  This relay is actually a popular one and its got a lot of great sponsors, which made me wonder if whether triangle direct also supports events like this.

My husband and his other team members (they made him their team leader) received these really cool medals, and they're like a set you only get to complete if you finished the entire race.  I mean, you won't get the other medals, unless you join the next relay.  I really don't know a lot on how it works.  But, as far as I know, my husband joined two different races to get the medal he's been wanting.

I wish we all could go this time.  He told me how beautiful the view was, and how much he wished we could've been there during those other times he ran the race.  I really want to go and be there at the finish line to show him support, and of course, to cheer him on even at the last few meters.  And, I also want to experience and see for myself how it really goes.  I am thinking of joining marathon events when we come back here.  If only the kids were a little bigger, I would have joined one already.

Oh, well, there's always a perfect timing for everything, right?  I just have to wait.

Memory Lane: Old Town San Diego

Today, while taking a break from making phone call after phone call, I decided to go through some of our old photos.  I honestly don't know what has gotten into me, I just wanted to look at them again, and reminisce.  That's when I came up with this "Memory Lane" idea.  I'm thinking of doing this every Monday on this blog.  But this week, I'll start today.  What I'll do is, I'll go through our old photos, post some here, and share a little bit of the story behind each of them.  Isn't it good to have those memories to look back on, and smile about?

I'm all about time-traveling.  And my time machine?  Photos.

taken on June 14, 2009

For my first Memory Lane photo, I chose our first photo together here in the US.  This was taken in Old Town San Diego when my husband took me there.  I was already 7 months pregnant with our oldest in this photo. He took me out to show me around San Diego because at the time, I just got here.  It was a good way for me to walk around as well, and I had a great time!  We also ate at a Mexican Restaurant there, and after that, we went to a candy store and we bought a lot of candies!  Of course, I didn't get to eat as much as I wanted to, because he didn't allow me.  For the whole time I've been pregnant with our 3 kids, he was a "sugar-nazi".  I couldn't eat sweets every time he was around.  The only times I was able to really eat whatever I want, when he was at work.  But, whenever I had cravings, he went and bought them for me.  I was into cakes and cupcakes, and anything sweet, so I baked a lot while pregnant.

Anyway, when I look at this photo, I cannot help but compare how easy it was then for us to go to places because we didn't have babies yet.  I remember, my husband would take me out for a drive every time he'd come home early from work.  He would send me a message ahead of time, so I can have enough time to get ready before he'd get home.  Those were the times when we were still able to go out on "dates".  Now, I cannot even remember how a movie theater looks like anymore!  Seriously.  It's been that long.  I miss our bonding moments, just the two of us.  And, I think it won't be anytime soon that we'll get to do those things again.

I just miss "us", that's all! =(

Got Sidetracked... (for the love of guitar)

Guess what I just found online while I was supposed to "look for stuff for the kids"?!  I know, I know, I did get sidetracked and I admit it.  Hey, can you really blame me?  Guitars are so drawn to me, and every time I see something nice, especially a piece I haven't seen before, my eyes drool. (Hehehe)

Anyway, I'm talking about this exciting fernandes nomad electric guitar that I came across earlier today while looking for some stuff for the kids.  My husband asked me if I can look for a magnetic dry erase board for them because the boys often fight over the only one we have right now.  I did look for it, all right.  But when I heard our little girl playing with their toy drum in their bedroom, my attention got diverted to musical instruments.  But of course, as expected, I went and searched something for me first.  You know, just to kind of "look around" to see if there's something new.

When I saw this guitar, I was kind of like, "What?!  This is new".  And the name pretty much says a lot about it.  Indeed, such an exciting and really cool guitar to own.  If only I can afford one right now, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.  I can imagine myself playing with it and just having a blast!  I bet, a guitar like that can make such a beautiful sound.  But, looking at it, I might just keep it as a collection.  Well, I can play with it once in a while, if I own one.  But, I think I won't be using it as much, so to always keep in good condition.

When I start having my own income, I plan on setting aside a certain amount of money to buy musical instruments, every paycheck.  It's been my dream to introduce music to our kids and actually see them play instruments of their choice.  They can choose.  I won't sit there and force them to learn how to play something that they're not interested in at all.  It will only be a waste of their time.  But I will make sure, these kids will love music.

I know I got sidetracked and totally forgot what I've been asked to do.  I will definitely do it before I go to sleep.  I don't want my butt handed to me, if he found out I didn't do what he asked me to.  (Hehehe)  I will just use the app on my iPad so I can be in bed at the same time while searching for that dry erase board.  Oh, before I forget, I also need to look for toddler briefs (underwear).  I have been putting it off, and it's time to purchase them for our big guy (our oldest, Kai).  I hope I can find a good deal on what I'm looking for.  I don't want to get ripped off this time!

Staying Up Because of My Sick Baby =(

Here in a few, I'm going to get some sleep.  I only decided to stay up because our oldest is sick right now.   He's had fever since yesterday, and I'm monitoring him every hour.  I'm just thankful to God that after he took his medicine, he went to sleep.  I was actually afraid that tonight was going to be a long and hard one because last night, before dinner, he threw up.  No wonder why he was telling me yesterday while we were at the table having lunch, "Mama, I feel really tired.  My face is hot."  I reached out my hand to feel his forehead, and he really was hot.  I hurriedly grabbed the thermometer, took his temperature, and was shocked to see that it read, 103.2 degree Fahrenheit!  I didn't waste any time.  I grabbed their children's Tylenol, gave it to him, and I took him back to their bedroom.  No less than 5 minutes, I went to check on him, he was out.  His cheeks were so flushed, and that worried me.  I gave him sponge bath, changed his clothes, applied vapor rub on his chest, and made sure he was dry and comfortable.  I left the room after taking care of him, so he could rest.  But even then, I still kept thinking what else I needed to do.  In times like that, I honestly believe that no matter what I've learned from my Nursing course, sometimes, when it comes to taking care of your own sick child, it seems like everything is not good enough.  That you would do whatever it takes to make them feel better right away.

Thanks be to God, after taking his second dose of medicine, and after he threw up (due to his high temperature) and rested, he started playing with his younger siblings again!  He wasn't back to his normal self yet, but the sight of him moving around and talking, gave me such a relief.

He also didn't get to eat with us at dinner tonight.  I actually missed him!  We always eat meals together.  I had to feed him last because I waited for the medicine to take effect first, so he won't throw up again.  I asked him what he wanted to eat, and he told me oatmeal.  So, I made him oatmeal mixed with milk, and gladly, he ate it all up!  Good thing, too, my husband was still at work at the time, so I asked him to buy more Tylenol, vapor rub, and baby oil on his way home.  And because I told him that Kai threw up, he also went ahead and bought Pediatric Electrolyte for him to drink and rehydrate himself.

I gave my baby boy his last dose of medicine for the night at 11:30.  I initially planned on giving him Tylenol every 4 hours, that's why I'm staying up.  But when I checked him just a few minutes ago, his temperature went down, so I might just let him sleep for now and allow his body to rest and recuperate.

Now, it's my turn to hit the hay.  I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep, but I'll try.

I'm praying that my little boy will get better in the morning, and for the other two little monsters to not get sick.

What to Bring...and What "Not" to Bring...

Since the day my husband confirmed that we actually are PCSing (Permanent Change of Station) overseas, there's never been a day that went by where I haven't sat, looked around our house, and thought to myself "What are the things that we can take with us, and what can we leave behind?"

I remember asking my husband this question, and he told me that there might be a limit to what we can take with us.  I think he mentioned about weight.  He said that there's a certain weight allowed for household goods, so we really need to figure out the most important ones to take with us.  With that being said, I honestly am torn in between taking stuff we would love to have with us, and those we absolutely need.  As far as house decor, I really am not worried about them.  I think it's even better if we don't take any of it because, for sure, we'll end up buying stuff when we get there.  I actually want us to start with barely having things in the house, so when it's time for us to come back, we'd only pack the ones we bought while we were there, and we don't have to worry about shipping so many things back home.  I can already see the many good stuff we can buy from there.  But of course, there are certain things that I still would like to take with us, only if we can.

Hubby already said we will take our electronics.  As far as how many of the electronics we have that he plans on taking with us, that, I don't know.  But, I think our TVs are going.  We have 3 televisions at home; one in the living room, one in our bedroom, and the last one, in our boys' room.  If we end up taking all 3, then, we might need a third TV stand.  We only have two right now, that's why I'm hoping we could find flat panel tv stands for sale that are affordable, before we need to pack.  I like the stand, shown in the photo above, for the boys' room.  I like it because we can mount it to the wall, thus, allowing more space for other things that need to go in their room as well.  We have wall mount for their TV, so we can still use that and have it actually rest on something sturdy at the same time.  It will add more support to it.  I still love the idea of having the TV mounted to the wall because it won't be easy for them to pull it down, just in case.  You know how kids can be.  And, prevention is still better than cure.

We really still haven't sat down and talked about this whole "household goods" matter, so I still don't have a lot of ideas as far as what we're taking and what we think we can put in storage for the whole time we're away.  But, here soon, I know we're going to talk about it.  I think he just hasn't brought it up yet because he still got a lot of other more important things to take care of right now.  I guess what I can do is, make my own list of things that we might take and show it to him.  He can just cross out the ones he thinks won't be necessary, and add the ones that are important.  It won't be much, but that will help him somehow.  I hope!

Got A New Dentist for The Family

Due to us transferring overseas, a lot of medical stuff need to be done before we leave.  One of them is, dental.  Our kids' Dentist stopped taking TriCare since December of 2011, so today, I had to  make phone calls for us to get them a new Dentist, and for me as well since I'll be needing it, too.

My husband was the one who searched for Dentists while he was at work yesterday.  We live off base and we go to civilian doctors, so he looked for ones within our area.  When he came home, he gave me a piece of paper where he wrote down two dental clinics and told me I needed to call them to see if they take TriCare.  And also, to find out if we still need a referral from the kids' Pediatrician.  So, that's what I did today. 

I called one and I was informed that they do take TriCare, but they're not within the system that covers everything (expenses) as far as dental is concerned.  It's like, they only cover a certain amount, and the rest would have to come out of our own pocket.  I was kind of let down because that clinic has a female Pediatric Dentist, and we wanted a female one for the kids.  But, things like that can happen, so I just let it go.

Before calling the second dental clinic, I said a little prayer.  I asked God to please, give this one to us so we don't need to worry about looking for other Dentists anymore.  We just want to have this taken care of, that's all.  And, thankfully, when I called and asked the lady if they take TriCare, she said that they do.  I let out a sigh of relief.  One thing knocked down from the things we still need to get done.

I'm thankful we found a new Dentist for us!

For the dental, the last thing I need to do is, call and set up an appointment for me and the kids.  My husband doesn't need it because he does all of his medical at the hospital on base.  Only family members can be seen by civilian health practitioners by choice.  After dental, I think physical check-up is next (wellness check-up for the kids).  I have to ask him about that later.

This, sure, isn't fun at all!  Appointments here and there, and we've only just begun the whole process.  But, looking at the brighter side, I know in my heart, that after all this, something great is waiting for us on the other side of the world.  I trust in God's plans for this family.  He has something special in store for us, that's for sure! =)

Audio Books: A Better Alternative for Me

For those who have eye problem like me but enjoy reading a lot, there are times when we wish we didn't have to read using our eyes, especially when we're already tired and just want to close our eyes and take a break.  The thing that's stopping us is, we find it hard to put the book down at all.

I love to read, but because of my eye problem, I have hard time reading without feeling dizzy and nauseous after awhile.  I cannot last long like I used to.  It saddens me, of course, but I just have to deal with it now.

I know I can never give up reading, that's for sure!  No matter what, I'll find ways for me to still be able to enjoy good books/novels.  That's why I'm so glad to have found this  free audio books online download.  Indeed, this is a better alternative for those who love to read, but have eyesight problems like I do.  I have a Kindle, but I hardly use it because it hurts my eyes from reading for too long.  At least, with this audio book, I can just download it and listen while it's being read to me.

I'm also glad to know that I can play this with any MP3 player!  But, I'm not sure if I can download it to an iPod.  I still have to try it out.  If it works, I would love to get this Living With Honor book as my first ever audio book.  Being married to an active duty service member, this will help me understand more what it's like being in the  military, from their side of the story.  I'm sure this will open my eyes to a lot of things about the real life of soldiers who already had put their lives on the line, and survived it.

Another reason that I want to read this book is, I just don't want to be called a "Military Wife" only because I am married to a service member.  I want to be that Military Wife that I know my husband can be proud of at the same time.  I want to learn things as well, understand the military better, and know the necessary things I need to do without being told most of the time.  I need to, especially that on his next duty station, he'll be gone most of the time due to deployment.  If I don't know what really is going on, then, how am I suppose to understand him?  How am I suppose to stay strong for the family?  I will have nobody but myself to really rely on while he's away.  That's why I'm into educating myself more and more about the life that we have being a military family, because I know that this definitely will help me in the long run.

What about you?  Would you even consider reading a book like this even if you're not a member of a military family?

Another Crazy Thought

Relax, it's nothing serious. (Hahaha).  I'm just talking about getting another haircut here in a couple of weeks.  I actually have been thinking for like months now on whether I'd go for it or not.  I'm talking about adding bangs to my bob hairstyle.  The last time I had bangs was when I was still in grade school.  I remember hating that short hairstyle that my Mama picked for me.  But it's funny now how I love my hair being short.

Trust me, though, it was also a tough decision to have my long hair cut short.  My husband loves my hair being long, that's why I had to really make sure he'd be okay with me getting a real short haircut.  I know he wouldn't mind anyway, but I still wanted to let him know.

When I finally got the bob haircut, he admitted that he liked the cute style, but not my hair being short.  I told him it's temporary.  I just want to enjoy having short hair right now, then, I'll grow it long again.

The thing is, I like short hair now because it's so easy to maintain.  It doesn't take so much of my time when getting around because I don't need to style it the way I used to when my hair was longer.  Styling my hair before usually took me at least 10-20 minutes.  And with 3 kids, that wasn't helping at all.  That's the main reason I decided to cut my hair.

Anyway, I searched for haircut/bangs ideas on the internet, and found these really cute photos of celebrities and their hairstyles.  I mean, cute haircut.  (Hehehe.)

I still can't decided which one to go for.  I think I should ask my husband, too.  And, whether he likes it or not, I'm still going to give this a shot.  The worst case scenario - I'll end up hating it and would never do it again.  But, at least I tried, right?

Style #1

Style #2

Style #3

I also searched about how often should we get a haircut.  I just wanted to know since I only had my last haircut a month ago.  And, I found this answer for me because I have short hair...

Short Hair
Short hair, especially if you want to keep your short style, will need a haircut more frequently in order to remain fresh. If you have short hair, you already know that it appears to be grown out quickly.

Short hair should be trimmed every 4 to 8 weeks to keep the shape of your haircut fresh. As previously mentioned, if you are trying to grow your hair out, you will want to consider haircuts every 6 to 12 weeks.


source:
http://womenshair.about.com/od/haircutsstyles/a/haircutfrequency.htm

I plan on doing this probably before or after Valentine's Day.  I'll see if I can have this as a gift.  (Hehehe.)  My hair grows fast, so 8 weeks would be just right for me to get another haircut.  I hope he says yes!