I can't believe that it's been weeks...almost two months since I last wrote a blog! Can you blame me? No, blame it all on the hormones! Yes, I initially thought that this pregnancy would be totally different from my first one. As they say, each pregnancy is different. I kept a positive attitude about it and tried hard to remain happy. But the hormones are just so stubborn! Come my 5th week, it slowly caused havoc in my life! The past weeks has just been chaotic! Hard and terrible. Routines changes, activities changed, diets changed. Everything changed. Well,except for the fact that I am still heavy with my second child. On my 8th week, I thought I already had enough, but not, all the discomforts peaked up until my 11th week! Can't eat well. I was eating the bad foods and drinking the bad drinks (in moderation) or else I'd die of starvation. I lost weight. I didn't get to drink the vitamins I needed to drink because I just end up throwing up. Goodness, how did I survive all those days?
I survived because I have a very loving and caring husband who took the role of both the Dad and Mum of the household. When he comes home from work, he is in charge of everything! From the cooking to the cleaning to taking care of my little one, who is not so little anymore. And what about the time he is at work? Well, I have to thank my parents (who by God's grace was here in Sydney for a vacation during the past two months) who helped me with everything.
I am now on my 14th week and there are still days that I feel the bug and all the discomforts again, especially at night. But I think I'm on my way to recovery. I see myself doing some of the usual stuff every now and then...I get to work twice or thrice a week...do some household chores, eat (but this is still a challenge for me though), play with my son, do some things on my own. Slowly, I'm becoming normal again. Thank God. Now, I will try to enjoy this second trimester and not think of all the discomforts the third trimester might bring. Hopefully, in the coming days, I can finally and truly say, I'm back!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Fishing!
Yesterday was Easter Monday holiday and we went on a long drive to have a picnic and try out fishing for the first time. My cousin and my uncle has been telling us for the longest time that fishing can be quite addicting. It is one very relaxing activity where you find yourself in one with nature.
So I was really looking forward to this fishing experience. Of course, we didn't have any equipment with us yet. We had to borrow from my other friends and my uncle. I was actually surprised that they actually don't use worms anymore as bait for the fishes. What they used yesterday were chicken breasts with sardines sauce. So it was not really yucky to put the bait. Next, the equipment should really ba handled with care. If you break the rod (which are quite fragile)you are losing big bucks quickly. They are a bit expensive. The third thing that I have observed was that the size of the hooks matter. When some of the rods used bigger hooks, my uncle advised us that we should change it. If the hooks are too big we are going to have a harder time to catch our first fish. And lastly, we cannot just fish whenever we feel like it. We actually need a license to fish and we can't bring some types of fish or fishes which are too small. You can have spot-checked anytime. You have to follow the rules or you'll find yourself paying a lot of big fines. At the end of the dy we were able to bring home 6 fishes only. Most of the fishes that we caught were actually too small or prohibited so we ended up putting them back into the lake.
We had a wonderful time waiting for our bait to move a bit and retrieve the fish we have caught! Of course there were times when we were a bit impatient and ended up retrieving nothing. It was a relaxing and an enjoyable experience! This first time experience actually made us more excited to the next fishing trip we will have. Hopefully, next time, more fishes will be caught!
So I was really looking forward to this fishing experience. Of course, we didn't have any equipment with us yet. We had to borrow from my other friends and my uncle. I was actually surprised that they actually don't use worms anymore as bait for the fishes. What they used yesterday were chicken breasts with sardines sauce. So it was not really yucky to put the bait. Next, the equipment should really ba handled with care. If you break the rod (which are quite fragile)you are losing big bucks quickly. They are a bit expensive. The third thing that I have observed was that the size of the hooks matter. When some of the rods used bigger hooks, my uncle advised us that we should change it. If the hooks are too big we are going to have a harder time to catch our first fish. And lastly, we cannot just fish whenever we feel like it. We actually need a license to fish and we can't bring some types of fish or fishes which are too small. You can have spot-checked anytime. You have to follow the rules or you'll find yourself paying a lot of big fines. At the end of the dy we were able to bring home 6 fishes only. Most of the fishes that we caught were actually too small or prohibited so we ended up putting them back into the lake.
We had a wonderful time waiting for our bait to move a bit and retrieve the fish we have caught! Of course there were times when we were a bit impatient and ended up retrieving nothing. It was a relaxing and an enjoyable experience! This first time experience actually made us more excited to the next fishing trip we will have. Hopefully, next time, more fishes will be caught!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
School Holidays!
Yipee! My two-week school term holidays is here! I welcome it with much glee! I guess having to work more frequently the last two weeks made me savor this break. This break is definitely a much-needed break for me, considering that I am starting to feel the pregnancy symptoms again!
So what is in store for me for the next two weeks? Well, for one, my parents will be coming over from Manila and will be staying for the next two months here in Sydney. Their visit means more travels during the weekends for our family with my brother and sister's families. Aside from being busy with our parents' visit I will be busy doing my back log for the house chores I have missed doing while I was working the past two weeks. These include - mowing, laundry, ironing, and cleaning of the house. The last one will take most of my time because it entails 1001 things (or more. It's just those small things put together that eats up all the time. The funny thing is, at the end of the day, you'd realize you'd be doing more the next day. You would not really run out of things to do when you're at home. May it be cleaning and organizing the cupboards or cabinets. Sorting the clothes, sorting the files, sorting the baby stuff, oh the list will be endless!
Since it's the school holidays by nephew and my niece will most probably stay with me and my son the entire day. So that's a baby-sitting job for me as well. No worries because they are a bit older already than my little tot so it's not so hard to take care of them whenever they are around. But we might go out every now and then to go to shops that offer kids' activities during the school holidays.
Cooking and shopping? Well, I think we still have to empty our freezer of left-overs before we start going to the shops again to buy some more food to eat and cook at that.
Readings. I promised myself that 2 weeks before I have my next meeting with my REd group, I should be done with my presentation. But up to now, thanks to nausea and acid reflux, I really haven't had the chance to sit down and read and concentrate on my studies. I need to be always two steps ahead because of my condition. I would also want to brush up on my reading on blogging.
Surfing the net.Facebook. Friendster. Multiply. Inquirer. Philstar. Job -hunting. Blogging.Computer addict? Maybe :)
Sleep and takes lot of rest. My body is telling me to and with my condition, I just can't ignore it.
There, I am pretty sure this school will not be a boring one! Busy days ahead for me!
So what is in store for me for the next two weeks? Well, for one, my parents will be coming over from Manila and will be staying for the next two months here in Sydney. Their visit means more travels during the weekends for our family with my brother and sister's families. Aside from being busy with our parents' visit I will be busy doing my back log for the house chores I have missed doing while I was working the past two weeks. These include - mowing, laundry, ironing, and cleaning of the house. The last one will take most of my time because it entails 1001 things (or more. It's just those small things put together that eats up all the time. The funny thing is, at the end of the day, you'd realize you'd be doing more the next day. You would not really run out of things to do when you're at home. May it be cleaning and organizing the cupboards or cabinets. Sorting the clothes, sorting the files, sorting the baby stuff, oh the list will be endless!
Since it's the school holidays by nephew and my niece will most probably stay with me and my son the entire day. So that's a baby-sitting job for me as well. No worries because they are a bit older already than my little tot so it's not so hard to take care of them whenever they are around. But we might go out every now and then to go to shops that offer kids' activities during the school holidays.
Cooking and shopping? Well, I think we still have to empty our freezer of left-overs before we start going to the shops again to buy some more food to eat and cook at that.
Readings. I promised myself that 2 weeks before I have my next meeting with my REd group, I should be done with my presentation. But up to now, thanks to nausea and acid reflux, I really haven't had the chance to sit down and read and concentrate on my studies. I need to be always two steps ahead because of my condition. I would also want to brush up on my reading on blogging.
Surfing the net.Facebook. Friendster. Multiply. Inquirer. Philstar. Job -hunting. Blogging.Computer addict? Maybe :)
Sleep and takes lot of rest. My body is telling me to and with my condition, I just can't ignore it.
There, I am pretty sure this school will not be a boring one! Busy days ahead for me!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Working Holy Week
It is actually not my first time to spend Holy Week here in Sydney. But last year, I was still too excited to see the differences on how we celebrate back in Manila since we just arrived here. Of course, there were the more obvious differences like people here are not so "in to in" like we Filipinos are. They don't have the "pabasa", a Filipino tradition where the elderly usually recall the Passion of the Christ by singing it from start to finish, continuously. They also don't have the Way of the Cross that goes around the entire neighborhood or community. They don't have Visita Iglesia. They don't have Pinetensya, where people with masked faces hit their backs with wooden sticks until they bleed as a sign of them asking for forgiveness.
This year was a bit different for me. For one, I didn't expect that I would be having a working holy week. As what I have posted in the FB status, I am not at all used to working during the holy week, but I am not complaining that I am. After all, these casual works are still His blessings. It was bit tiring. But more than that I was actually missing the practices that we had back in Manila. Then it made think, this set-up, working during holy week, is actually a good way to show what your priorities are. In Manila, you didn't have any choice because everyone is in Holy weeek mode. Everyone is quiet, reflecting, praying. You can't go out to the malls because most often than not, it will be closed. But here, you have all the reason to miss out on those activities because this is only one of the very few long weekends that you get to enjoy here (unlike in Manila, where there is a humngous amount of long weekends!). So people here, really grab that opportunity to go out and travel or unwind. I made me think that you can actually easily go with the flow if you don't have Him as a priority.
I don't want to sound like a self-righteous person but I believe that Holy Week is not something you spend on travels or parties. I believe that each one of us should allot a special time this week to reflect and to pray. This is just once a year! As I've said, I can't blame the people here.
Now, I got a little off track there, but going back, I was surprised to see myself working from Holy Tuesday to Holy Thursday knowing that in the past, I used to spend those days in Church already. Oh well, things change. It was a good thing though that even if I was working, I was still able to do some reflection through the student presentations that I witnessed in St. Andrew's Primary School in Marayong. Just watching the kids and listening to the songs really gave me goosebumps.
My holy week is still not done but work is. I am relieved. I am thankful and I pretty sure, sooner or later I'll get used to working during the Holy Week.
This year was a bit different for me. For one, I didn't expect that I would be having a working holy week. As what I have posted in the FB status, I am not at all used to working during the holy week, but I am not complaining that I am. After all, these casual works are still His blessings. It was bit tiring. But more than that I was actually missing the practices that we had back in Manila. Then it made think, this set-up, working during holy week, is actually a good way to show what your priorities are. In Manila, you didn't have any choice because everyone is in Holy weeek mode. Everyone is quiet, reflecting, praying. You can't go out to the malls because most often than not, it will be closed. But here, you have all the reason to miss out on those activities because this is only one of the very few long weekends that you get to enjoy here (unlike in Manila, where there is a humngous amount of long weekends!). So people here, really grab that opportunity to go out and travel or unwind. I made me think that you can actually easily go with the flow if you don't have Him as a priority.
I don't want to sound like a self-righteous person but I believe that Holy Week is not something you spend on travels or parties. I believe that each one of us should allot a special time this week to reflect and to pray. This is just once a year! As I've said, I can't blame the people here.
Now, I got a little off track there, but going back, I was surprised to see myself working from Holy Tuesday to Holy Thursday knowing that in the past, I used to spend those days in Church already. Oh well, things change. It was a good thing though that even if I was working, I was still able to do some reflection through the student presentations that I witnessed in St. Andrew's Primary School in Marayong. Just watching the kids and listening to the songs really gave me goosebumps.
My holy week is still not done but work is. I am relieved. I am thankful and I pretty sure, sooner or later I'll get used to working during the Holy Week.
Monday, March 29, 2010
My Toddler and His Diet
I have seen and heard how my former co-teachers in Ateneo raised their concerns regarding their young children not eating well, missing out on those much-needed nutrients. Who would think that in a few years' time I would also have concerns regarding my son's diet.
I find myself sometimes feeling guilty whenever my son takes in more formula than solid food. He is now 2 years and 3 months and old and I think by this time, the formula should only be supplemental. But there are days when he just prefers to drink milk and more milk than take in real food. I feel bad whenever he does and I feel helpless.
Right now, my husband and I are trying out different tactics on how we can encourage him to eat with us and eat nutritious food. There are days when he eats a lot, and we feel that we have been successful. But there are days when we feel that we're back to square one.
I don't know what to do. I don't even know if this is just a stage and is very much normal for kids his age. Well, if it is, I hope that he gets over this stage soon. Real soon.
I think the most that I can do now is to continue to provide him with delicious and nutritious food at home. We are not giving up yet. Just like his swimming lessons, I think it's too early to give up. I'll continue to ask for advice from friends and continue to research on how to solve this dilemma, permanently.
I find myself sometimes feeling guilty whenever my son takes in more formula than solid food. He is now 2 years and 3 months and old and I think by this time, the formula should only be supplemental. But there are days when he just prefers to drink milk and more milk than take in real food. I feel bad whenever he does and I feel helpless.
Right now, my husband and I are trying out different tactics on how we can encourage him to eat with us and eat nutritious food. There are days when he eats a lot, and we feel that we have been successful. But there are days when we feel that we're back to square one.
I don't know what to do. I don't even know if this is just a stage and is very much normal for kids his age. Well, if it is, I hope that he gets over this stage soon. Real soon.
I think the most that I can do now is to continue to provide him with delicious and nutritious food at home. We are not giving up yet. Just like his swimming lessons, I think it's too early to give up. I'll continue to ask for advice from friends and continue to research on how to solve this dilemma, permanently.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Trust in God
Time and again, when we are faced with life's difficulties, family or friends have always told us to trust in God. Yes. But the truth of the matter is, it is easier said than done.
Doing my second module for my RE course allowed me to cross paths with this poem by Teilhard de Chardin. It was the first time I encountered it and I just wanted to share it with you, hoping that it will stir something inside you. I was insipired when I read it knowing how it feels and seeing myself in the scenario where the poet might be coming from.
So here it is. May the Spirit lead you.
TRUST IN GOD
"Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are, quite naturally,
impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown,
something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing
through some stages of instability...
and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you.
Your ideas mature gradually;
let them grow, let them shape themselves,
without undue haste.
Don't try to force them on, as though you could be today
what time (that is to say, grace and circumstances acting
on your own goodwill) will make tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming
wihtin you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of your believing that God's hand is
leading you, and of your accepting the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete."
Doing my second module for my RE course allowed me to cross paths with this poem by Teilhard de Chardin. It was the first time I encountered it and I just wanted to share it with you, hoping that it will stir something inside you. I was insipired when I read it knowing how it feels and seeing myself in the scenario where the poet might be coming from.
So here it is. May the Spirit lead you.
TRUST IN GOD
"Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are, quite naturally,
impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown,
something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing
through some stages of instability...
and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you.
Your ideas mature gradually;
let them grow, let them shape themselves,
without undue haste.
Don't try to force them on, as though you could be today
what time (that is to say, grace and circumstances acting
on your own goodwill) will make tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming
wihtin you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of your believing that God's hand is
leading you, and of your accepting the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete."
Thursday, March 25, 2010
When It Rains It Pours!
As the famous saying goes, "when it rains, it really pours!" Indeed, blessing after another blessing and I can't just have enough of thank yous.
A day after it was confirmed that I am expecting again and heavy with my second child, my hubby got his permanency papers with Goodman Fielder. Of course we are sooo thankful! That is one big blessing! Even if there was no change in the pay, allowing him to be a permanent employee gave us a big sigh of relief. At least now, his work is more secure and he gets to enjoy the company benefits. I am sure the Lord has good plans for him in the future. In due time, he will get to use all the talents and skills the Lord has given him maybe with the same company or maybe in a different company. Let's wait and see.
Next, Tuesday night I got an unexpected call from a new school asking if I still do casual work. Of course I was delighted to get the call. We were praying for it, remember? To make the story short, I got a casual work yesterday and just before I went home from work, they booked me for three more days! I am also excited for the next term because as one teacher told me yesterday, it is really quietish during the first term for casuals, but come second term, I better get ready! In addition to this, I met and was able to talk to anFilipina teacher in that school, a permanent teacher for 12 years already, who gave me tips on the tricks of the trade. She was so accomodating that I was just storming the heavens with thank yous after our chat during lunch time. I know I can learn more with her in our next meetings. I loved it too when we talked in our native tongue! Oh how I missed talking with workmates in Tagalog! She is more than willing to show me samples of her work and teach me how assessment of students here are done. She also gave me hope when she said that once that school has tapped you as a casual, they will be calling you already more often. Oh just what I really needed! God's work? Definitely.
Yesterday, after work, I went to my Orientation for my Religious Ed and just before the day ended one of my groupmates offered to show her work for her accreditation with the Institute of Teachers next time we meet. I don't even know how that topic started but I was sure glad to have a reference with me already so I know what I'll be working on for my accreditation. Hopefully, it will make things easy for me.
Oh I forgot to mention, that this morning, there was another casual call. It was just unfortunate that I was torn again between being a mum and a homemaker today over being a teacher. Well, by now you know which won. Yes, being a mum and a homemaker won. Yes, I might have lost another 300 bucks for today, but I know that time spent with family is never wasted.
When these things happened one after another, I remembered the book I was just re-reading a few weeks ago -- the Prayer of Jabez. I think that it is indeed true. But to sum it all, I know that these events and these people are all part of God's plan for me and my family. And I am just glad and happy that they are.
A day after it was confirmed that I am expecting again and heavy with my second child, my hubby got his permanency papers with Goodman Fielder. Of course we are sooo thankful! That is one big blessing! Even if there was no change in the pay, allowing him to be a permanent employee gave us a big sigh of relief. At least now, his work is more secure and he gets to enjoy the company benefits. I am sure the Lord has good plans for him in the future. In due time, he will get to use all the talents and skills the Lord has given him maybe with the same company or maybe in a different company. Let's wait and see.
Next, Tuesday night I got an unexpected call from a new school asking if I still do casual work. Of course I was delighted to get the call. We were praying for it, remember? To make the story short, I got a casual work yesterday and just before I went home from work, they booked me for three more days! I am also excited for the next term because as one teacher told me yesterday, it is really quietish during the first term for casuals, but come second term, I better get ready! In addition to this, I met and was able to talk to anFilipina teacher in that school, a permanent teacher for 12 years already, who gave me tips on the tricks of the trade. She was so accomodating that I was just storming the heavens with thank yous after our chat during lunch time. I know I can learn more with her in our next meetings. I loved it too when we talked in our native tongue! Oh how I missed talking with workmates in Tagalog! She is more than willing to show me samples of her work and teach me how assessment of students here are done. She also gave me hope when she said that once that school has tapped you as a casual, they will be calling you already more often. Oh just what I really needed! God's work? Definitely.
Yesterday, after work, I went to my Orientation for my Religious Ed and just before the day ended one of my groupmates offered to show her work for her accreditation with the Institute of Teachers next time we meet. I don't even know how that topic started but I was sure glad to have a reference with me already so I know what I'll be working on for my accreditation. Hopefully, it will make things easy for me.
Oh I forgot to mention, that this morning, there was another casual call. It was just unfortunate that I was torn again between being a mum and a homemaker today over being a teacher. Well, by now you know which won. Yes, being a mum and a homemaker won. Yes, I might have lost another 300 bucks for today, but I know that time spent with family is never wasted.
When these things happened one after another, I remembered the book I was just re-reading a few weeks ago -- the Prayer of Jabez. I think that it is indeed true. But to sum it all, I know that these events and these people are all part of God's plan for me and my family. And I am just glad and happy that they are.
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