precious moments

Lovely Weekened

     It was a long weekend but definitely one of the most exciting weekend too. I worked last Saturday. I had the early shift ( thank God ) and I told Ryan that I will be driving around. Seldom in my life that I can get to ask him although I know he would say yes but sometimes I prefer to stay home but this time I told him I will go somewhere. He asked me where and I told him anywhere. I just want to be away while he is still at work. I left work at 3:45 p.m. and was out till 10:00 p.m. I thought Ryan will be mad but when I got home, he stood there by the powder room hiding, trying to scare me as I opened the door. I told him that I saw him. He was complaining because he can't get to bed. Our neighbors had a party and they were all so loud. Even worst was their music.

      Guess where I went ? Everywhere, I drove over 40 miles all together. That was how far I have gone. I went by the Lake and brought the Harry Potter book with me. I tried to read but I couldn't. The view was amazing and couldn't help but walk around enjoying the people fishing and boating. I was glad it wasn't that hot outside. Luckily, I met a very good friend from college (GSU) and we talked about how our lives are and how Ryan is. For a change I was out by myself. Wish I had my digital camera with me.

     For several times I had asked Ryan to come by the Lake with me but he always refused. All we do sometimes is drive around and then go home. He could not stand the heat. I remember he fainted one time with too much heat. I felt so free, relaxed and happy that I was able to explore all the places by myself. The lake closes at 8:00 and I decided to head out for a drive. Stop by Burger King as I was getting hungry and drive around. I love being out there and I enjoyed being free.

      To my friend ( I know your lurks here) thanks for the company. I appreciate it and yeah thanks for the compliment about my blog. I don't think I can pass as a writer. I have so many friends to recommend if your looking for a writer. Their blog are just nice and well organized. Ryan said hi too and hope you we meet up again real soon. We will tag him a long. *wink*

Bon Voyage !

     Night night guys !

For Resty

     Resty and I had a 7 years age gap. She is my younger sister and also the closest to me just like ging-ging and my two elder brothers. I am so proud of her, actually to all of them. We have gone this far despite of everything. Today she is celebrating her 21st birthday and soon will be graduating from engineering school. It may be hard here but it is all worth it. I know my sisters are also doing their best. To my sister Resty. Happy Birthday !!! You are always in our players and in our hearts. We maybe far but in thoughts we are near. Love you and miss you !!!

                                                               Love, manang in-in

My students

     How can I ever forget those faces. It's been 3 years since I've been a teacher but there are a lot of things that are hard to forget.

     Let me start from the very beginning. I may not be able to remember all their names but I surely remember their faces. Level 11 kids of 2000. I wonder where they are now. I was fresh from college so skinny and lacked confidence. The schedule load was given to me early that year. First draft was ok but to my dismay they changed it. I was to teach Political Science to Level 11 ( third year high school )who some are even older than me. I always had a hard time when it comes to their class. I always felt like they don't care on what I say or felt like they know better than me. Not all are bad though. When I am in their classroom, I just want to melt or be sick just for that hour. I don't know that was in that group that I really don't like. Maybe because they speak way better english than I do. Hahaha sad isn't it.

      Level 4 then now Level 11. Raleene and Red's batch. I was their adviser once. Among all the levels, they are my favorite group *opps*. Very down to earth although all of them are super yaman yet very kikay. I remember when we went to San Fernando to climb mountains and set-up a camp. The twin's yayas were so mad why we needed to do the hiking but hey it was part of the experience. Most of my students were so sheltered that I just need them to experience how it is to be outside. Most of them enjoyed it there. I did too. Not to mention, my grandma owns most of the place so I can get to visit her while we are up there. I know Raleene had an asthma attack after that trip but I hope she enjoyed it.

Level 8 before now probably Level 12. Meme's batch with Paopao and Mel. Plus Kaine, Joan, Andrew, Van-van and many more. I was their adviser twice. They were such an intelligent batch.

Level 3 before now level 10 now ( I think  ) Marc's batch. How can I ever forget them. With Rod , Misha and so on. They are the typical not that noisy and not that kikay group.

Then Kaoru and Sanvic's group. They used to be were so good with map reading.

Anyways, through the years, I have kept pictures of my students before and I want to share them to everybody.

Fieldtrips

Activities in and out the building.

       Do I look like a pretty devil ?

Outing

        Outing for us was swimming or just talking.

    I woke-up this morning and told myself, I am cleaning the house. Cleaning means, getting rid of all the boxes. I don't care where they are supposed to go but I am getting rid of them. We have around 8 boxes. It's full of Ryan's Chemistry and pharmateutical books. We have been in this house for almost 4 months but we still haven't put everything in their places.

     As I was digging through the boxes, there was one box full of letters and cards that Ryan sent me when I was in the Philippines. I remember last year that we filled my luggage up with the letters and cards that I left behind. When we arrived here from the Philippines, I didn't know where he put them away. I just want to leave them in Cebu but he insisted. He said it meant so much to him. I reminded him that we already have another 2 boxes full that I brought when I came here alone but again he insisted.

     I went through all the postcard he sent me of Chicago. I remember how happy I was everytime I get something from him. He always send me postcards. He said, he doesn't care if people can read them because what he wrote there was true. He is such a sweet guy I admit. Still is actually. As I dug through the cards, it inpired me to share some of them. I just love reading them again.

                            Selected Kilig Cards

(Cards)

I think I need

         to let you know

that you're someone very special to me.

You've really started something in me...

        feelings that I've never experienced before.

Getting to know you,

        seeing the world through your eyes,

has been one of the greatest pleasure of life.

You're someone who

        I feel so completely comfortable around,

someone who I can tell anything to

        and really be myself with.

It's hard to find a love like this...

        a sharing love, an honest love,

a love that is so rare, so beautiful.

I'm very lucky to have you in my life,

         and I never want to let you go.

                                    ~ S.W. Mellin

( card from the right )

I'll be Yours Forever

You alone hold the key to my heart.

With just a glance, a whisper, a kiss

You unlock something deep inside me

That i've never shared with anyone before.

You take this simple love I give You

And make me feel as through it is a treasure.

You alone hold the key to my heart,

and I want to keep it forever.

     FYI... the little envelope in the center of the second card has a little key, the key of his heart.

(cards1)

This is Love ...

As boundless

as the restless sea,

As timeless as eternity,

As endless as the stars above...

To all who find, this is love."

It constantly amazes me,

This special love we share,

The gentle ways, it draw us close

are gifts beyond compare,

As when our hearts are nearest,

I'm most certain that it's true~

There's nothing that can measure

all the love I feel for you.

(card from right)

One of my sweetest memories

is the memory of falling in love

with you.

With every look,

every smile,

every touch...

I fall in love

with you

all over again.

                          Ryan in a card

                              Thanksgiving Cards

(card from left)

My heart wants to say " Thank You " ...

... for every little blessing

it has felt because of you !

Happy Thanksgiving

(card from right)

God must have love me a lot--

He gave me you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

                                A Very Sad Card

(this was after Mom's death)

I hope time

is beginning

to give it's healing touch...

... I hope it helps a little

to know how very much

warm thoughts of you

are so often with me

no matter what.

                              Our Anniversary

Although

    you've heard me say

        "I love you"

    countless times before,

Each anniversary

         I mean it even more.

You're my lover,

       my best friend -

             you're all my dreams

                 come true.

Everything i'd ever want

        i've found

             in loving you.

Whatever life

      may bring our way,

           should we be rich or poor,

Day by day

     and year by year

        I'll love you

           more and more.

                           My All Time Favorite !!!

FYI... one of the things that I love when Ryan would send me cards before was when he underline words or phrase that has an impact to our relationship.

Look inside my heart

and you will find a secret place

reserved for you

and you alone...

Look inside my soul

and you will feel my love

washing in waves over every moment

of our sharing ...

Look inside my thoughts

and you will see silver stars

dancing our names

across the heavens.

Look inside my life

and you will know

that love had etched your name

on my very soul.

   ~ M.E. Miro

(card from right)

Your sould

have become part

of my soul,

your heart part of my heart,

your life

joined with mine...

...I love you.

                                    Halloween Card

We're far apart

in miles....

... but ever close

in smiles !

Happy Halloween

                                    Silly Card

(card from left)

Today I wrote you four letters.

(card from right)

If

I were

perfect,

you'd love me.

If

I were a

little

Less than

Perfect

you'd

love

me.

COOL.

* few of the many that Ryan sent me*

       

FYI...

     Ladies I had my phone disconnected last Tuesday. So to my constant phone buddies... Geri, Rhebs, Lanie, Rose, Roselle and to those I forgot to mention (OH yeah Grandma Neis). I decided to disconnect it because I don't really use it that often. It just sit in the glove box and we have to pay $37.00 a month. Call us cheap hahaha but $37.00  is already our electric and regular phone bill in a month. Although I enjoy talking with you guys but we need to be practical. If you want someone to chikka, I am so available. You know my home number. *wink* . I have a pre-paid one though which I have no idea what is the number. I can receive text messages though. I'll email you guys my new phone number after I figure it out.

He deserved it !

     We were supposed to go downtown to visit the Art Institute today but I changed my mind. I wanted us to just stay home. Besides, we have an appointment later on this afternoon to get Ryan's new car.

     Ryan had been visiting Van Drunen to check on cars. That was where he got his Saturn and where I got my Ford. He is not really a car fanatic. All he wanted was have a car that takes us from point A to point B. Lately, the Saturn has been acting up. Since we don't have the warranty on it anymore, we are afraid that it might break down anytime and we won't have money to fix it or may not be able to sell it. We have put on so much miles in that car. It has 78,000 on it for only 3 years. We have been to so many places since I have been here and we always use that car. Last winter, the anti-freeze leaked. We never had the chance to get it fixed. Just last week, we realized that CD player is not working. It simply spits the CD out. We tried cleaning it but to no avail. I like that car. If only I can drive stick but I can't. I guess it was time to get rid of it.

     Since March, Ryan had been keeping an eye of this one car in Van Drunen. Luckily, we know someone there that can knock $1,000.00 off the original price.  He would check everyday if someone bought it. For the past 2 months, he did this everyday. So when his car was acting strange lately, I called Ken, the guy that work in Van Drunen to fax me the information on this car. I asked him if he could hold it for Ryan for a couple of days. I just need to tell him and give him my blessing. Last Monday, he was checking the same car again and I sat on his lap ( we only have one chair here). I asked him," do you really want to get it ?". He looked at me and said, "yes". So I told him, "so why don't you get it? " . His eyes lit-up and said, " I'll call Ken". He was so so happy. I told him to go ahead. 

       Yesterday, we went to see Ken and had the Saturn appraised. Unfortunately, the Saturn did not have as much value because it was stick. They will have a hard time getting rid of it. It was OK, we just want to get rid of it before it break down on us. The new car that he will be getting still has all the warranty in it and road side assistance. We test drove it yesterday. He liked it. The things that I don't like were of course it's two door and very loud. The previous owner had put something else there that made the engine so loud. When I got in it the car I said, " if we use this car to Michigan, where will Ger sit ? ". He was afraid that I will change my mind. But it was OK. I even co-signed for him. We could have taken it home yesterday but Ryan wanted to keep the Saturn overnight.

     On our way out, Ryan asked me if I wanted to shop around. We walked for sometime and I saw a nice small car. We test drove it that day too. We are thinking of trading my Focus for that other car. We would still be paying the same amount every month anyway. I have conditions set prior to getting the cars. First would be, I want all my cross stitch framed and nothing changed about our plan of going back home next year. He said yes. At least, the money for the trip next year won't be affected. He has been a good husband and provider not only to me but to my family so I thought, why not.      

Nice !

Ger watch-out...

        We were in Indiana last Tuesday and Wednesday for a short vacation. As usual we stayed in our favorite Springhouse Inn . We got up early the next day for breakfast which was between 6:00 am - 10:00 am. On our way back to the room, Ryan grabbed a newspaper. He was going through it first and showed me the front page that surely caught my attention. Illinois teachers earn more, but more taxes go to salaries. It also stated that Illinois ranks seventh in the nation in average teacher salaries. $54,230 ? ( average atleast ) I never knew this before. Dad always tell me that teachers are paid really low in Illinois and it is not good for me. I believed him, but after seeing the figures hey, not bad. If the figures are correct I may reconsider although I have been trying to forget about it. What do you think?

                           Teachers Salary Chart

Spring House Inn - Indiana and Lake Michigan

   It's the time of the year again that we needed to go somewhere. Last year, around this time, we were in the Philippines. So the thought of that made me sad. We decided to go to Springhouse Inn again and climb Mount Baldy the next day. We really had fun and our room  was beautiful.

Before we settled down that night, we went out to Michigan City to eat dinner and stopped by Mt. Baldy. I was amazed to see people in their swimsuits climbing down from the mountain. I asked Ryan if you could take a swim in Lake Michigan and he said we can. Unfortunately, he was not able to bring any swimming trunks with him. I have my swimsuit ready because I was planning to take a swim in the hotel pool. Lake Michigan was far more inviting so I decided to pass the hotel pool.

       The next day, we got up early. We both know we need to be back in the house because Dad will be coming over later that day and I am determined to go swim in Lake Michigan. When we arrived in Indiana Dunes Parking Lot, Ryan was crabby. He doesn't want me to go swim while he will only be watching me. I told him that it was tough luck because he did not bring anything. He only have shorts. We climbed Mount Baldy and the sight up there was beautiful.

Lake Michigan is Beautiful.

      When we reached the bottom of the mountain, the more Ryan was crabby. He can't resist the fresh water. He said it was his first time to be in a beach here in the US. I seattled for soaking my feet in the water while Ryan patiently waited by the shore.

You think Ryan will just seattle down watching , I don't think so :o). He asked me if we could go back to the car and get his shorts. He really wants to swim. So we climbed the Mountain again and head back to the car. He changed there and went back to the mountain barefoot.

     It was fun being out in the sun for almost two hours. The down side though was we need to climb up and down the mountain again to reach the parking lot and Ryan doesn't have any clothes to change. He already soak his pants in the water and he was so wet. So to make him feel good, I didn't change either. We were both wet driving for over an hour in time for Dad's visit that day. Ryan is so tanned and so am I but it was worth it.

A machine made in heaven!

  I know most of you guys probably have this in your kitchen. It's the Lean Mean Fat Grilling Machine. It doesn't only separate the fats from the meat, it also saves me a lot of time cooking dinner. I usually spend so much time in the kitchen trying to figure out what's for dinner. Unfortunately, I am not like Lanie that is so talented when it comes to cooking. So this machine is like a savior. All I do is marinate the meat, heat the grilling machine and I have dinner ready.

Working hard or hardly working ?

It has always been our agreement that when it comes to cutting the grass, he is the guy. He won't even let me touch the lawn mover which is I am so glad. I took this picture inside the house without him knowing it.

Ryan was so annoyed with these plants that the previous owner used to have. They look nice but as soon as all the flowers bloom, the stem couldn't take the weight of the flowers.

So most of the time, you will see them on the ground. I don't know why Ryan can't stand them. So he dug a hole, got rid of the plants and cover it with dirt. He doesn't look too happy. It's been really warm outside. While I sit here comfy infront of the PC.

     We have the following flowers in the backyard. Actually, we are not sure what their names are.

I hope he is ok.

     Gilbert is staying with us for the weekend again and as usual we have to take him outside every two hours to answer his call of nature. It's a pain sometimes but I never thought, I would have a change of heart.

     We went shopping last Friday night. I was determined that I will get few ears of corn to cook. When we got home, I decided to cook it the next day ( Saturday ) because it was getting late and I was talking with Geri over the phone. The next day, I got up early and started boiling the corn. I love the smell as it always reminds me when I was back in Cebu. We have a cornfield and we always cook some. Anyways, when it was ready to eat, I happily took some to the living room and started eating them and threw the corn cobs in the trashcan in the kitchen. All of the sudden I heard a big clash from the kitchen and it was Gilbert who just tipped over the can and ate a big chunk of corn cob. It was too late when I got to him. He did not choke though but he hasn't been popping for the past couple of days. I am so worried. I really felt bad. We are not sure though if we need to take him to the Vet. We haven't tell Dad because I know I will be in trouble. :O(

Relaxing Tuesday

      Went to Target today and got some more stuff for the house. I was so excited when we bought the ice cream maker. Ryan is making the ice cream now while I am currently chatting with mama. I feel so relaxed today knowing that tomorrow is our day-off and we will be going to Brookfield Zoo.

       I have been trying to call papa lately. Been missing him so much. I will be uploading more pictures from our visit to the Museum of  Science and Industry. It's amazing how big is Ben now. I'll post the link later.

Just bored !!!

     When we were in Dad's house and whenever we feel bored. We always go somewhere. For a drive, stay in a hotel for a weekend, do camping, swim but now it seems impossible to do all those things. We work so much lately and been staying in the house all the time. I am the type of person that easily gets bored when I do things over and over again. There is no challenge, nothing exciting, nothing new.

      That is why we can't wait to be in Michigan for three days and two nights. Something different and fun.

      We were eating dinner last night when I asked Ryan where are the dishes that Lanie loaned to us when we went there last February. I was afraid I could not find it because some of our stuff are still in boxes. He said, it might be still in Dad's house. I told him, " we have to make sure to bring it back to her". Then he asked if Lanie asked for it and I told him no but atleast, we have dishes to bring back home again with food in it hahahahaha. Then I added, "I like Lanie", then he said, "I like her too.

    I can't wait to see Geri again and Lanie and the kids. We are really looking forward for this really short vacation. Well, it will be more of a vacation for me and Ger. We will be seating and talking in the backseat while Ryan is having fun driving hahahaha. This will atleast bring excitement back into our lives.