Pieces of Me

It’s great when you have God in your life.

I love the fact that when good things happen in my life, 1. I know who to attribute it to—to my God. There’s no one else in heaven and on earth as powerful as Him who can make good things happen. Not only that but 2. when you have God in your life, you become more sensitive of your blessings, the good things coming to you and are happening around you. That spirit of sensitivity God has given you makes you discover and be aware of these things that non God-led people normally can’t.

When you know that you are blessed and are constantly aware of the great things in your life, wouldn’t you be naturally happy, content and grateful? Happiness, contentment and gratefulness make life more meaningful and abundant, don’t you agree?

I totally do.

Here’s a blessing that perfectly substantiates my point.

Yesterday, Clint and I went together for my ultrasound. Jaden, Ayana and my mother-in-law were planning on going too but due to recent health risks brought by the swine flu pandemic, my ob-gyn facility were limiting guest(s) to one person per expecting mom–most often, expecting dad only. 

Since we already have a boy and a girl, it didn’t matter what our 3^rd baby will be.  We just really want to know mainly if our baby is healthy.

Baby’s hands reaching, (Enlarge)		It’s a boy!,(Enlarge)		Baby’s tiny feet, (Enlarge)

What a treat it was for Clint and I to have witnessed our baby reaching for his other hand and touching his fingers. (See Photo 1)  

We are having a boy! And baby is healthy! Praise God!!!

And to my surprise, I am farther along than we all thought. My new estimated due date is October 4^th (earlier in Oct. than later as previously determined—Oct 21). That means I could potentially give birth in  September considering both my prior deliveries were a week earlier. 

We’re ecstatic to share this news with you.

Many thanks to all of you our family and friends praying with us for a healthy baby and pregnancy. So far, so good.

God is our protector. Praise Him, oh praise Him!

Last Monday,  June 1st, our car got rear-ended at an intesection across Energy Solutions Arena in downtown Salt Lake. We just came from Jaden’s kindergarten field trip at Hogle Zoo and on our way to the Gateway Mall to see the Disney movie, UP. We were at a stop on an intersection when all of a sudden, a moving car approaching us hit us…bang! Not sure how fast the other driver was driving but the impact was big enough to wreck our entire bumper beyond repair, wake the sleeping kids up complaining that somebody hit them in the head. I’ve never been in a car accident all my life until now so I didn’t really know what it’s like to be in one. Now I do. 

To view more photos, go to my Friendster albums.

Then, I felt the baby in my tummy move. That’s when I knew I was fine. And Clint was okay (sorry Honey I checked for you last he he).  God is so good. I can’t tell you how thankful I am that my family was alright.

I can’t praise God enough!

The collision repair shop just called me this morning to let me know our car is fixed like new and that we can pick it up this afternoon. The other (at-fault) driver’s insurance of course took care of the bill so this one won’t cost us anything.

I’ll be dropping off our rental car and picking up our van from the shop when I leave work today.

God is awesome. He is soooooooooooooooooooooooo good to me and my family.

Today is good. I’m flying back to Salt Lake this afternoon. Yay! I can’t wait to see Clint and the kids esp. Jaden whose birthday was last Tues. but mommy had to work
 

I’m in my room at JW Marriott in Washington, DC as I’m typing this entry while enjoying my Starbucks orange & banana shake, banana loaf and a cup of assorted fruits (green and orange cantaloupe, pineapple, and grapes). 

I woke up late this morning well actually it’s still 7:45 am Utah time so not bad but here in the East Coast it’s 9:45 am. I didn’t know the hotel only serves breakfast until 9:30. Dang, I missed it. So I decided to go to Starbucks down the hotel lobby.

Normally, I would’ve just skipped breakfast altogether but with my being pregnant all of you moms out there know that it ain’t a good idea. So here I am trying to be a dutiful mom, eating breakfast.

I haven’t showered nor packed LOL and still wearing my Pink Panther PJ’s which I love (hubby Clint bought it for me…thanks Hon).

Baby’s heartbeat. Last Monday, before I left for DC, I had an appointment with my OB/GYN. Everything’s well with my pregnancy (Praise God) and I got to hear the baby’s heartbeat through the doppler my doctor used. Clint, Jaden and Ayana weren’t able to come with me due to Jaden having school that day. I know Jaden and Ayana would’ve been so ecstatic to hear the baby’s heartbeat. 

Oh and by the way, I haven’t had morning sickness during this trip so maybe just maybe it’s gone. If that is the case, hallelujah!

Jaden’s 6th birthday party. When I get back to Salt Lake, there won’t be any slowing down. I have a birthday party to get ready for on Friday. We are having Jaden’s 6th birthday party on Saturday.

Easter Sunday. Then right after Jaden’s 6th birthday party, my Filipino group and our families is having a luncheon right after church for an Easter Egg Hunt for our kids and for Belle’s house warming party!

Do things ever slow down for me? Don’t ask me I’m wondering of that myself!!! Ha ha
 

Well, I guess I better close this book and get started packing and of course, take a shower he he
 

Have a wonderful day!

So far, I’m not having a great week…

Monday, 3/23

The bad: I woke up late; peeked outside through the window before I hopped on to shower and nuts, it’s snowing in Utah, ughhh. On a snowy day, I usually can’t and don’t take the highway as it’s usually a mess there and so I had to take off-the-highway roads (10 miles per hour sucks). Forget about getting to work on time for my team’s weekly meeting.

The good: I guess I wasn’t the only one having a hard time getting to work on time. Monday’s weekly team meeting was not well attended. There were more people that joined in later than I did. Luckily I was only a few minutes late.

Tuesday, 3/24

The bad: Too much work; proposals to work on were flooding my desk. Pending contracts to review were making it worse.

The good: After a long day’s work, thank God for leftover food. I didn’t need to cook! And sure didn’t feel like fixing or cooking dinner. I had “nilat-ang baboy” (pork stew soup) for dinner and I didn’t care a bit that it was the same dinner I had a night ago. Then I sat on the couch and watched the Utah Jazz game against the Houston Rockets. And man, was it worth it, they won!

Wednesday, 3/25

The bad: Just when I thought my morning sickness is gone (I am just two weeks shy from my first trimester being over), I am feeling my crappiest today. Nausea is my nemesis. Even as we speak, I am feeling miserable. I’ve had my usual breakfast earlier (toast + fruit cup + fruit juice) and as for lunch, nothing tasted good so I opted for Spring Mix salad with French vinaigrette dressing. That tasted yummy so I thought it will finally settle my stomach. Wrong!!!

When will this nausea go away!!!? I remember my prior 2 pregnancies, the morning sickness was gone a few weeks before the end of my first trimester. How come it’s not happening this time!!! Can you sense my frustration?

The good: I guess I can ask to leave work early for not feeling well. You think?

Dear family and friends,

I have uploaded a few recent videos of Jaden and Ayana on YouTube for easy viewing. They both have grown up so fast!!! These videos were taken using my digital camera so they’re not hi-def but check them out anyway esp. the one of Ayana in the bath tub singing, “Clean up the bath…anyone clean up”. Ayana loves to sing. Sometimes, I think she’ll be a great opera singer as she sings out her thoughts more than she says them  he he J

I called and spoke to my mom the other day to get an update of my dad’s health.

I don’t remember blogging about this but after my dad’s doctors advised him of leg amputation as the only option, and his refusal to succumb to his doctors’ advice, he decided to check out of the hospital and fly to General Santos City with my mom and my grandpa (my dad’s father) to pursue alternative (”herbal healing”) medicine there.

After over 2 weeks of herbal treatment in General Santos City, they are now back home in Cebu. My mom reported that the swelling of his leg has subsided, the color of his leg is coming back, and he can now walk with little to no pain. The wounds have dried and healed, and now he’s ready to go back to work, this time it’ll be in Abu Dhabi. Shocking, right? I too am skeptical about the whole thing. Am I just too practical of a thinker and it’s getting in the way of my faith that God indeed healed him? Maybe so…

My dad has accepted the job offer to work in Abu Dhabi, UAE. He is scheduled to undergo medical examination next week and if all goes well, he may be leaving Cebu in a month or less.

I truly and sincerely pray that putting his diabetes under control through consistent intake of insulin twice a day and following a strict diet, may have done the trick. Maybe it wasn’t too late after all to salvage his leg. Or it is simply a miracle healing by God.

I pray so.

If it isn’t complete healing yet, the remarkable improvement is praiseworthy!!! PRAISE GOD. Thanks to all of you, our praying family and friends for kneeling and interceeding with us in prayer for my dad’s healing. We ask you to continue until my dad’s battle is completely over.

God is Jehovah-Rapha!

Psalm 127

³Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD:

and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Ok, Clint and and I always joked we were destined to have oops
babies. Although we’ve always taken precautions to try and control, as they say nothing is 100% preventative like abstinence (and that ain’t happening). So here we are, due with baby #3 in October and our smallish house will soon get a little smaller and our minivan will soon become a little less roomy.

But this isn’t such a big surprise for us. We had planned to get pregnant mid to late this year (anyway) so we’d still have baby #3 next year regardless. Just that God’s timing was much earlier than ours Praise God just the same!!!

As you’ve done for us in my previous 2 pregnancies (Jaden and Ayana’s), we ask that you pray with us for a smooth and healthy 3rd pregnancy. My morning sickness is so bad these days…believe it or not, worse than my 2 previous pregnancies but I’m trying to be patient. It’s really bad and I still have a long way to go before the end of my first trimester when they usually go away. Coming from me who many of you know has high tolerance of pain and suffering :), it’s suffice to say it’s really that bad.

I won’t see my OB-Gyn yet for my first appointment until my 8th week, but I will update you for sure of the baby’s due date by then.

P.S. Due to my severe morning sickness, I quit my 10-hr week 2nd job at Circuit City. It’s closing in less than a month but I just couldn’t handle nor wait anymore. Bye bye to extra spending money hu hu hu

My praying family and friends,

Please include my dad in your prayers. Unable to stand and walk due to swelling and severe pain in his right foot, he arrived in Cebu from Saudi Arabia on January 24th. He’s been struggling with diabetes for years and now he’s advised by SA doctors to undergo peripheral bypass surgery. It’s a procedure done to re-route blood flow from a blocked artery to another.

He was admitted to Cebu Community Hospital Tuesday, Jan. 27th but per the doctors’ assessment, a peripheral bypass surgery is not recommended in his case. Instead, they are recommending leg amputation. He refuses amputation as he has great faith that God will heal him. He is claiming healing from God by Friday (Feb. 6th). If he doesn’t get the healing he prayed and asked for, he will agree to amputation.

All our church pastors and a lot of our brothers and sisters in the Lord have come to the hospital and prayed over him. We are waiting for a miracle to happen but Thy will be done.

Please pray for wisdom for my father’s attending doctors, comfort and peace of mind for my dad and financial provisions. His hospitalization, medication and possible surgery is and will be costly but we are trusting that God will provide all his needs according to His riches and glory.

I got Clint a new desktop computer too (HP Slimline S3620f). Doesn't it look tiny beside the monitor?

In my previous post, I talked about how I found a great deal on a HP Slimline computer at Circuit City. Clint got so jealous with my awesome new computer that I ended up getting him (I guess that’s how it goes) a new HP Slimline computer too–only his is better than mine, ugh! I got him one that has 4gb RAM and 500gb hard drive while mine only has 3gb RAM and 320gb hard drive :( and yet his was only a $100 more than mine. It’s so unfair! I really thought I got me a good deal last week. It still is, just that his deal is sweeter.

Thank God I work there as I get first hand information on great deals

You probably heard by now that the second largest electronic retailer, Circuit City is closing all its stores and laying off all of its 34,000 employees (read story).

As you know I picked up a part-time, 10-hour week job there late November going into the Christmas season (read my previous post about this job here). They asked me to stay beyond the Holidays to work for them permanently as a part time Sales Associate.

I really like my job there. Circuit City is a fun place to work at. I love my co-workers. Electronics is right up my alley, so working there was a piece of cake for me.

Now I’m going to miss it. I will miss the extra income. I owe Circuit City my family’s big Christmas last year
The store closing news came out Friday last week. I was scheduled to work the following day. To begin with, Saturday is always the busiest day of the week; and with the liquidation sale news spreading like wildfire, you can just imagine how people flocked to the store and the next thing I know, things have gotten easily out of hand that day. It was like a Black Friday only that we didn’t have as many sales associates covering the floor. I ended up working from opening hours to closing. It was a very tiring day to say the least. But I praise God for His strength, patience and my day job at FranklinCovey. I wasn’t as stressed as my job there is just a part time, intended-to-run-through-Christmas only.

I got me a new HP Slimline S3700f desktop computer. Doesn’t it look tiny beside the monitor?

But…tired as I was, I was pretty happy that day as I got myself a new itty-bitty, desk (literally) computer for a really good deal. Not all items in liquidation sales have great prices, but this one…oh yeah! I feel bad for the other customers who wanted it, as I keep telling them it’s already taken. Good thing nobody asked who and why the box is still in the store shelf if it’s already sold. Little did they know I had my eyes in it he he. In this case, I had the upper hand.

Oh I love it. I’ve always wanted a tiny one that can sit beside my monitor. My big one under my desk, I always kick with my foot. Now, Jaden can get an upgrade using my old one. Jaden has one of those very basic desktop computer. Oh, did I tell you how good Jaden already is with computers? And he’s only 5. But that’s another post in itself. I’ll tell you more about it later.

I’m lovin’ my new computer. Thanks Circuit City!

Now I just have to work to pay for it ha ha!

In my previous blog post, I mentioned that I took up a Holiday/Seasonal job as a Sales Associate at CC. Well, I wanted to update you of how that’s been going.

A week before Christmas which caps my first month of working there, I was approached by our Store Director so he could be the first to congratulate me for being the Employee of the Month. I was speechless. In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting it as I didn’t know if the sales I made were extraordinary. I just assumed that everybody else would’ve sold a lot as well as one would think that if a customer comes to an electronic store like CC, they’re there to buy so selling really isn’t that hard.

My Store Director informed me that though I didn’t have the highest sales, though still in the top 5, I’ve offered the best customer service experience to each and every customer I helped. I’ve garnered the most positive feedback to a point where customers were approaching him themselves and telling him how “Grace” was helpful etc. No wonder those people were asking me my name as they’re leaving he he :) I even remembered two old ladies hugged me as they thanked me. I got to tell you, it’s a different kind of satisfaction working in retail
I was flattered with the recognition. My photo is on our store board. They gave me a little something, and when the Holiday rush is over, I was told that I get to go to lunch with our Store Management Team. And almost instantly following my recognition, it seems like everybody at the store knows me; even the ones that work a different shift. Every time I take a break at our breakroom, people call me by my first name and I don’t even know theirs.

To God be the glory. I was just doing how a Christian should and look where it has taken me.

Just thought I’d share with you my experience working a second job for the first time and in retail at that.

P.S. They’ve officially offered me to work beyond the Holidays and work for them as a permanent part-time Sales Associate. I’ve accepted it at least while it’s still Winter. Summer comes when my family starts traveling on vacation, that may change

Just posted our Christmas 2008 photos. Check out my Friendster Photo Albums, http://www.friendster.com/viewalbums.php?uid=8142070

If we go by this year’s economic downturn, Christmas this year is probably far less joyous than we would wish. But if we truly reflect on the real reason of Christmas which is celebrating the birth of Jesus whom God sent to redeem us all and realize that real hope only lies in Him, I’m sure we would think and feel differently.

Our family sincerely wishes you the gift of faith, the blessing of hope, and the peace of God’s love at Christmas and the coming year.

Want to see snow falling or listen to the background Christmas song? Click here

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you and yours.

I am so saddened by the news about a Filipina who just arrived here in the US, to marry an American she met online 3 years ago, who was swept by waves while in the Oregon coast, about to be proposed-to by her American boyfriend.

Theirs is not even one of those whirlwind romance—3 years (that’s about how long Clint and I’s online relationship before we got married). I know of some Filipinas who’ve let their American friend/boyfriend come and visit them in the Philippines in less than 6 months after their meeting online, and get married right away.

It makes me wonder whether Scott Napper’s instinct of self-preservation (instead of grabbing to protect the Filipina from the waves) is partly due to the lack of a strong bond/attachment with her. They’ve known each other 3 years, but through a long distance relationship; the physical connection wasn’t there in those 3 years. With the quickness of events, his mind didn’t instinctively thought of her.

I’m leaning towards no foul play but rather, a lack of judgment on the part of the American guy. The girl was new in the country, so he shouldn’t have brought her in Proposal Rock where even with the weather and all being good, is still an unfamiliar place to her. Clint and I went to the Oregon Coast shortly after our wedding and from looking out to the shore on our hotel room’s balcony, I’ve seen how treacherous those waves can be.

With their age difference, he probably genuinely loved her as she was quite a catch for him.

It shocks me just the same that she would come to a new country when he hadn’t even proposed to her (or maybe {I hope} he had and he just wanted to be romantic and propose formally).

Whatever the real story is, this is tragic.

Tuesday this week, I started working at Circuit City as a Sales Associate in the Computer and Digital Camera Section.  It’s a temporary or seasonal job I took to get some extra money for Christmas presents for my kids, etc. without drawing money from our main budget pot.

Aside from the extra money, it allows me to see if I can handle a second job. And retail at worst for somebody like me who has not worked in retail at all nor had any experience working a second job. Clint has done it in the past but for me, this is definitely an unchartered course.

I only plan to work the day after Christmas at the most although I haven’t told the Store Manager this!!! When I was interviewed, he asked me if I would consider staying even after the Holidays if they like me and such, and I said yes, but that has changed now that I’ve actually started working
I don’t know how many of you has worked two jobs but boy, it isn’t easy. My work at Circuit City is so light, after all I’m in Sales, but still the fact that it’s work doesn’t make it better ha ha.

The upside of it is I like the people there and that makes this work fun. I am however overwhelmed at everything I had to learn all at once–where everything’s at, product specs and comparisons, to the kind of questions customers ask. See I don’t mind answering questions of those who are clueless but questions of electronic-savvy people are so intimidating. After all, I’m a Sales Associate so I’m supposed to know everything about electronics including car accessories, games, consoles etc. which prior to working at CC, I didn’t care about LOL
But I am proud to say I made my first sale last Wednesday. I sold to a gentleman, a HP flat screen monitor and a couple of Wii accessories that were on sale. It felt good
Well, I sure pray to God, He will give me the strength to make it through the Holidays. I only asked to work 15 hours a week which is really a couple of nights a week and a Saturday. Piece of cake, right?

It’s not going to be easy but it sure will be a fun Christmas for all of us with the extra money!

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

Oh boy, winter is already here. No stopping it. We had a snow storm here in the valley today! It was scary driving to work early this morning. The visibility was almost not there. It was dark like it’s 5 am when in fact I left home after 8 this morning. The roads were not plowed. My car swerved a few times that made me doubt myself if I still remember driving in the snow
This isn’t the first snow this winter, but is certainly the biggest snow so far.

Personally, I’m not ready for snow quite yet. I love snow but driving in the snow sucks!

Oh winter, Utah’s winter Why thou art’s so cruel?

Yey, I voted today.

I exercised my right and privilege. It’s even sweeter as 1. I am a first time voter (I became a US Citizen on March 2007); 2. I’m a woman voter. Until the 1920’s 19th Amendment, women were not allowed to vote by law. Many women have fought for the right of suffrage for over 70 years before this right was given. I don’t want to disrespect or take for granted their sacrifices by not voting.

Do you know that today, women suffrage is denied or conditioned in Brunei, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the Vatican City?

I voted on behalf of millions of (potentially) unborn babies.

I voted to preserve marriage as designed by God.

With the above two statements, I think you’ll get the idea of who I voted for.

If you have not voted yet, I encourage you to go out and be counted.

I moved to a new office yesterday. Today is my official first day at the Patrick Henry building (still within the FranklinCovey campus) joining the entire Government and Education Services team. Though when I first started at FranklinCovey, I have been a part of the Legal Department, the contracting work I do has always been for the Government Services team. My pay is charged to this department.

Recent re-structure within the company caused a merge between Government Services and Education Solutions and with this change, our department’s GM decided to bring everybody in, housed in one location.

I am pretty happy with the move as I now have a bigger office J That’s always a plus he he. Since it’s just day one, I haven’t had the chance to decorate and hang pictures on my wall to make it feel homey. 

Back where I was in the area where our CEO and executives are, it was hard to be casual, now, I’m relieved that has changed. Work hours are even more flexible now that I’m in a herd of sales types that work on their own hours and right at their own homes at times.

But again it’s only day one…so we’ll see.

Dear family and friends,

This morning (Phil time: Tues. 8/11), my brother, Ernest’s 1 week old baby boy passed away. The baby (Ethan Robbie) had infection in his bloodstream when he was born. They never got to take him home from the hospital and this morning was the last straw.

Please pray for comfort and provisions for my brother Ernest, his wife Rubie and 5-yr old son, EJ at this difficult time in their life.

If you know Ernest and want to personally extend your sympathy, feel free to email me for his contact information.

The viewing is being held at Cebu City Alliance Church, General Junquera St.

A follow up email about the funeral service will be sent, as at this point, arrangements are yet to be finalized.

I am comforted to know that despite what happened our family in Cebu is praising God for baby ETHAN is now completely HEALED with our living God!”

God bless,

Grace

Kids are so fun and they say the funniest things. Last Sunday afternoon while I was ironing some clothes, I had my 5-year old Jaden and 2-year old Ayana play the “Don’t Spill the Beans” game to get them busy and out of my way. It’s a pre-school game where two players take turn in placing a bean at a time without tipping over the pot to the opponent’s end. In short, whoever gets to collect all the beans, wins. Jaden being the bigger kid of the two, obviously got to win all the time as Ayana hadn’t even figured out how to play the game yet. She was merely placing the beans and not necessarily one at a time following big brother Jaden’s example.

So every time the pot tips to Jaden’s end and he collects more beans from Ayana, he shouts, “I win”. Ayana at this age where she repeats everything you say, would then shout, “I win” as well. Now of course, big brother had to correct her saying, “No, you lost”. So then they went again for a round but this time when Jaden proudly said, “I win”, Ayana screamed to her heart’s content, “I LOST” ha ha, that was so hilarious!!! When I heard her proudly say that, I almost burnt myself with the iron as I balled myself laughing. I have never ever heard of anyone declaring so proudly that he or she lost. Boy, was I glad I had the sense to run and capture it on video. Ayana would surely laugh about this one day.

Then they went on from rounds after rounds with Ayana proudly declaring she lost. It had to have been Ayana’s child-innocence so refreshing that made my Sunday.

This is a classic example of why 24/7 around kids isn’t so bad after all! Huh, just one of the things that makes having kids so worth it!

Ayana’s turned 2 on June 16th! Since her birthday was the day after Father’s Day, we decided to celebrate it during our Father’s Day barbecue, a yearly family tradition we have. All of family was there and some friends. As usual brother-in-law, Scott’s steak was perfection.


(Click on photo above for the Photoshow)

To celebrate Ayana’s 2nd birthday, we had a Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake which was perfect for a hot summer day like it was!

If you’ve been around Ayana these past few months, you know that she can talk in phrases before she even turned 2 which amazes me to no end. She can even sing parts of nursery songs like, “Itsy-Bitsy Spider”, “Old McDonald..”, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, etc. And she dances to her heart’s content too! She continually amazes us all. Our little darling indeed!