Financial Harmony

It's Friday and I'm blogging! Hurrah!!!!!

I have so many things to write, there are so many things I want to write but for this entry, I will only be focusing on what hubby and I learnt just last weekend.

For starters, the tension between us has been building up the last two months when it came to my "need" to travel. It's a very long story and it would take ages for me to finish writing about it but to make the long story short, I was starting to get frustrated and annoyed because he just can't seem to understand where I am coming from. I am thankful I was able to let go off some steam when I had a chat with one of my friends, who like me, enjoys travelling. She gave some inputs but listening alone to my rants was more than enough. Among the things we both agreed on was for me to pray about it. And I did.

No, I did not pray that hubby would change his mind and agree with all my crazy plans...but I prayed for myself and for the ill feelings I was starting to have inside me. I and my friend had the chat Saturday, Sunday morning I felt I was ready to submit to what hubby wants provided I tell him all the reasons why I would like to travel. I knew where hubby is coming from especially being that he is the head of the family but I did not understand his reasons. All I wanted was for him to see and accept all my reasons as valid. I wanted him to understand where I am coming from. But I still waited and continued to pray. The answer came the next day. I was surprised to receive the answer that soon! While browsing through my Instagram account, I chanced upon a reflection for couples entitled: Financial Harmony by Gary Chapman.

Boom!

I e-mailed it to hubby.

The following morning while preparing for work, we both discussed about it. Hubby said his piece and I said mine. I guess I was already emotionally prepared  to hear what he had to say unlike the past couple weeks where every time he tries to explain his side what I just heard were interpreted as being negative. Killjoy. Discussing about it was a big relief but the best part of it all? Hubby ended our conversation with: "Okay, let's meet halfway."

Now I have come to terms to holding and waiting for what I want with no ill feelings whatsoever. Even if we will still be travelling I am not pushing the idea unlike before. I haven't started planning and I don't plan to :-) As they say, good things come to those who wait.

Happy weekend everyone!

Finding Something Good

I have been literally been staying on bed the past couple of days. "Inihiga ko talaga" because I have been barking like a mad dog  the past couple of days, coupled with blocked or sometimes runny nose, migraine and a few episodes of fever. Not happy, big time!

Well, I and the kids learned a good song from one of the cartoons we watched a month ago. The line goes "If something bad happens, turn it around, find something good!" That is what precisely what I am doing or what I have been doing to keep me sane.

What are the good that turned up after me getting sick?

I got to catch up on my reading.

I got to do a lot of play based learning I have been planning to do with Kuya Liam and Sam.

I got to have whole body massages from Papa A every night! It did help me get a good night's rest and sleep.

I got to see how my kids love me. Sam giving me a balloon before going to school and Kuya Liam writing a love letter for me.

I got to let go of my oc-ness some more, keeping my eyes closed with the mess at home and the chores at that. What do you know, hubby stepped up and took over! Kaya naman pala eh!

I got to pray and reflect more.

I got to realise a lot of things:

- I am thankful for my in laws. Ours is not a perfect and harmonious relationship everyday of our lives especially with the personality differences but I would like to give them credit because they have been a great help to us especially the past couple of days! I was telling my friend, I might be "dead" by now if  they were not around when I got sick. Not only when I got sick but during the time I started with my five week teaching block. Extra-- My MIL also knows there should only be one Queen in every home, so for that alone, I'm thankful. ;-)

-The gift of today. Yes, I am the type who loves to plan things ahead of time. But hey, I should slow down now and enjoy what the present has to present. The class I was handling taught me the real meaning of one day at a time. 

- I cannot go work full time again. With the pressure and stress that went with me taking over one class for five weeks was a big wake up call! Nope, in this kind of set-up, the many little things that needs to be done everyday, taking my time from my kids? No. I got to appreciate my being a casual more when I can easily turn down an offer over a more important family matter. I don't plan to miss out on special school events of my kids! Just let me get over with my accreditation and I'm all set to slow down. Three days a week is good for me. If there are teaching blocks, the longest I can take is two weeks. More than that? No.

 -Health is wealth. I think I need not expand on that.

Do you find yourself in a bad situation? Turn it around, find something good, you might be surprised of what you'll discover.

My Heart Bleeds

First, it's my first week of doing a temporary full time job and I'm glad I survived my first week. It was crazy! Tons of books to be marked, skipping meals, and bringing home work from school. Early to school, late to go home. It was impossible for me to really do iG and fb. Not at home as I try to help out on chores and catch up with the kids...and definitely not at work. Instead of catching up on fb I feel like writing and later, reading.

I'm happy my Kuya opens up to me. So I try my very best not to betray the trust he has given me. He's been sick for two days now and the past couple of days, naglalambing na. Why daw papa and me have dates, sammie and me have dates, but me and him have no dates....
Hmmmm .....remember the Mcdo commercial? I do! So tomorrow, I've set the day for a mama-kuya date. He is very excited! He kept on asking where we'll go :-)

But, over dinner, he also told me the story of one of his friends putting him into trouble. This kid supposedly gets Kuya's arms from behind slaps someone then goes to the teacher on duty, tells a lie that Liam hit someone. Teacher on duty calls Liam, reprimands him. Liam says the kid who actually did it is lying but teacher does not believe Liam :-(

I am worried and sad. I feel bad :-(

This incident was the last straw for that kid. I gave him lots of chances even if Liam kept on telling stories of him lying, saying rude words and a little bullying. I have no other choice but to ask Liam not to play and consider that silly kid a friend anymore. Of course, I had to process my decision to kuya, that friends, real friends, do not let and  put their friends into trouble, especially by lying.

I hope when Kuya goes back to school next week, he'll follow me, even if I'm not there. I'll hope that kid respects Liam when Liam avoids him.

As a mum my heart is bleeding. I am worried. I thought I've already toughened up my heart for things like these... but I guess I need to toughen it some more...all I can do is have faith that my son will be guided how to handle this silly kid. I think the kid senses, mabait si Liam.

Indeed, it's a crazy world out there!

The Last Week Off

Like what I mentioned in my previous blog, things have been really busy at work. Last week, I didn't plan to work the whole week but ended up teaching the same class from Monday to Friday. Not that I'm complaining but having no helpers around made things at home a little crazier and messier at that!

The weekend passed through really quickly. Didn't get the chance to catch up with house work since our weekend social calendar was also jam packed. With the arrival of my in-laws, the kids' swimming classes, visit to hubby's relatives and of course, our service.

I told Alvin I'm taking the whole week off since starting next week I don't know how  my life is going to be.

I needed this week off to catch up on housework.

I needed this week off to do errands for the family and friends.

I needed this week off to prepare the house and my in-laws for the next 7 weeks.

I needed this week to prepare myself in all aspects for the Herculean task I will be having at work starting Monday.

I needed this week off to spend time with my children.

The last reason takes the chunk of all the reasons why I said no to casual work/calls I received this week.

It was one of the best decisions I made because I can see that my kids were also happy with my decision.

Liam was probably happier because I had the chance to spend an entire morning during their Open Day at school. The priceless smile and hugs he gave me was more than enough to tell me he appreciates me for being there. He just doesn't know it but I was happier and prouder especially after seeing all the schoolwork he has been doing at school and after hearing all the good words his teacher has for him :-)

Obviously I was able to finish all my backlog because I was finally able to sit and write again, thanks to the help of my in-laws.... I plan to spend the next two days (weekends are fully booked again) just relaxing and reading my two books.

Everything Fell Into Place

Last week, my journey's focus was on prayer.

During the staff prayer session, the daily readings and up until the Gospel last Sunday, it all focused on prayer. The struggles to pray, how to pray, what to pray for.

God is really a generous God.

I realized through my reflections that yes, I have asked and I received. I sought and I found it.

To make the long story short, one of the my biggest prayer concerns was answered. Everything fell into place.

I am just humbled and amazed.

Thankful and grateful.

In Full Bloom

This is how I can describe the status of my career at present.

Another unexpected blessing came my way this afternoon. I accidentally cancelled the call because I was busy browsing my mobile. It was an unregistered number but I still decided to ring back as a courtesy to the caller.

To make the long conversation short I was given another opportunity to handle a class for two and a half weeks! I'll blog more on this later.

But aside from these opportunities, the comments and praises I have been receiving are just heart warming and inspiring.

Teachers who have planned absences actually request for me to handle their class! There was even one teacher who had an unplanned absence but still mentioned to the coordinator that she requested for me. Di ba nakakataba ng puso? I must be doing something right, right?

It is in times like these that I am affirmed that I chose to respond to the right vocation. That yes, I may not still be very well versed with the conversational language as an everyday thing, but inside the classroom I know I'm good. I know I'm good at what I do. I know that I teach well because of the talents and skills He has equipped me with. I know that this indeed is my calling. True enough, when you love what you do, it will reflect on the quality of your work.

I can only be thankful and grateful.

Tidbits on Parenting :-)

Yogies has a new way of informing us parents of the activities our kid/s did while under their care. They now e-mail it to us aside from the usual report posted on their board at school. Because of this, I get to read it ahead of time, even before I pick up Sam. I usually use their school activities as one of our points of conversation at night.

Yesterday, while giving her a bath, I told her that I saw that they learnt about the number 7 in school and that they chose a colour to paint their own number 7. This was how our conversation went:

Mama: I saw you had number seven today. Did you paint it?

Sam: Yes.

Mama: What colour did you choose?

Sam: Orange.

Mama: So, orange was your number?

Sam: (no break or pause) Orange is not a number!

Mama: (surprised but happy) Why, what is orange?

Sam: It's a colour! Funny Mama!

The other day, after she went to the toilet, I assisted her in putting on her panties:

Mama: O, come here na, put your leg here.

Sam: Yes, your majesty! (bowing to me before putting her leg on one of the holes)

I was just surprised because I think it was the first time I heard her use "majesty" on her own and in a correct context that it.

Truly, as soon as the kids hit 2, there's no stopping them from learning and using a lot of words! 

Last Monday, I attended a Staff Development Day in one of the schools I work for and we discussed about the different special learning needs/difficulties of students/kids. It was another opportunity for me to revisit my previous learnings being a Special Education major and to also update myself of the recent developments in the field. I am just thankful because admittedly, all these information I get are put to use not only inside my classroom but at home as well. I've been getting a lot of helpful tips and approaches waaaay back, and it did seem to work! :-) I shared the highlights of my day to hubby as he was eating dinner (isn't it awesome I get to share this kind of things with hubby?!) and I can't help but tell him that as I was listening to the speaker that day, I can't help but  be thankful that my kids are doing okay, especially after discussing the cases we had earlier that day. Fine, if before, I wanted my kids to be identified as "gifted" (yeah, right!) I am now VERY THANKFUL of what they have. Yes, they might not be super duper bright, but they're okay-- no special cases mentally even emotionally. They are coping, they are learning and they are enjoying. No red flags whatsoever. For that alone, I am very thankful.

Speaking of tips, I just wanted to share about one tip I heard (or was it read?) before...it's about kids being "stuck." Kids usually cry when they don't get what they want or we start losing it when we want them to do something and they don't follow us straight away. It now becomes a battle. The reason why they don't want to follow is not really because they want to test our patience or just wants to be stubborn. They are actually "stuck" on what they are doing and are not yet ready to move on to the next activity. We usually expect too much from our kids.If as adults, we can quickly change our focus and move on to the next activity, kids, especially toddlers are quite different. Sam is quite different from her Kuya in the sense that if she's doing something you cannot just interrupt her. Before, I used to get mad at her. Yes, big drama! But after reading this very helpful article, I tried it on her, and what do you know? It worked! It worked wonders. Example, we already need to leave the house and she is still busy playing in her room, I will tell her we need to go, she doesn't move or listen to me. Then I will tell her I'll give her 5 minutes and yes after that five minutes, she stands up by herself and is all set to go. The same thing happened when we're in the shops and she's playing with those kiddie rides. There was one occasion when I had to use the timer of my mobile because she really loved the Sesame St. ride. But still, no dramas. So when I see hubby being the one in-charge of Sammie and is slowly starting to lose it, I take over and give my Sam a time to get "unstucked." 

***

Liam brought home a note yesterday from his school about their forthcoming excursion. He is one very excited boy. Can't help but tell him the story when I was in elementary that there were times (a lot actually) when I was't able to join the excursion because we didn't have money to pay for it. I'd stay at home when almost all my classmates went on a field trip. As if it's not enough. everyone is expected to talk about it the following day, well, leaving me clueless. I remember in fifth grade, they went to Science Centrum. The following day, the teacher gave a quiz about the trip, without even considering people like me who were not able to join the trip :( I got of course a very low score on that quiz. Bagsak. And it wasn't good because I was running for honours. Anyway, I told Liam, Papa and I still need to discuss it because we need to see if we have money to pay for his excursion. Oh that look on his face! He's afraid of missing out the chance to ride on the bus and learning and being "independent" if ever we decide not to let him join. Of course, I was just testing him hehehe. But I just wanted to let him realize how lucky he is because we can now afford to let him join excursions like this.  

***

During our recent trip to Canberra/Snowy we chanced upon Australian National University and shared to Liam that it's one of the best universities in Australia and that we hope he and his sister gets to be accepted there when they go to Uni. We told them that Papa and Mama went into one of the best Uni schools in the Philippines -- one of the reasons why we have good jobs and we have a good life now. Liam was listening and trying to digest everything when Alvin suddenly told me:

Alvin: But Mama, when they go there, it means that they have to stay there while studying. They'll leave our home.

Me: Papa, isn't that our responsibility? We have to be ready for that day. We should ensure that our kids will have a good future, right? So if it means we have to let go of them, then by all means. We cannot just stop them from working for a good (or better) life in the future, right?

Alvin just kept quiet because we both know, I have a point. That time will come when both our kids will be ready to spread their wings and we cannot do anything about it, but just support them. Tough love...tough love indeed.

***

"They're growing up too fast, don't blink."