My Purpose

Sometimes I get so tired of the way my life goes - I get tired of the supporting my brothers and sisters, I get tired cooking, cleaning the house, thinking of next sem, thinking of how daddy's therapy is going, how mom's blood sugar is doing, planning the next year for our family - lahat! yeah, I get tired of my resposibilities! Sue me for being human.

But after every outburst, I realize how much I love my family and how much they love me back then I go back to being the ate and the daughter that they need.

It's not easy being the ate of six kids (yeah I still call them kids! haha) and the daughter of a half-paralyzed dad and a diabetic mom. It was never my parents' intention to pass their obligations to me, they did not want to get sick, they did not foresee that they would not be working at such a young age of 50 and 46. I love them for trying to help me even in their condition, I love the fact that mommy always prays for me before she goes to sleep and I love the way that daddy still calls me his "son na babae" and that way he makes me, mommy and my brothers and sisters laugh with his antics.

I am lucky to have brothers and sisters who appreciates all the hard work that I do and makes adjustments when I'm financially broke. I have Denise, who is a CPA right now, Dane who just started working last week and graduated as cum laude from UST last March. Enzo, who despite being the lokoloko strives  every semester to bring home passing grades. Gio who I look up to for pursuing his dreams and gets consistent A++++ grades in his PT subjects. Then there is Andi, my beautiful sister who makes me smile each time she asks for something for school - sbrang nahihihya! She belongs in the top 10 of her highschool class. Of course there's Gino who is an achiever in his own way - we are just a  year apart and I did not get a chance to help him out pero I admire him for supporting himself and not being a financaial burden to my parents.

I was crying yesterday because this green little monster in me came out - envy. I started thinking why I do not have a big savings account just like people my age, why can't I buy the things I need without planning waaaaaaaaaay ahead before spending. Then I realized that my biggest investment is my family, and I get the fruits of my labor through each smile and each hug and kiss I get from my family. I am rich because I have 3 wonderful sisters, 3 equally wonderful brothers and 1 and 1/2 parents (si daddy kasi half nlng gumagana hehe) that other people can only wish for.

Now I know my purpose - Papa Jesus sent me here to be a blessing to my family. 

Recipe: Ampalaya con carne

Ingredients:

2 pcs medium size Ampalaya

1/4 kilo beef giniling

1 onion finely chopped

5pcs garlic crushed

oyster sauce

patis

ground pepper

salt

1. Chop ampalay into small sizes and wash in salt for 3 times. Set aside.

2. Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until onion is slightly transparent.

3. Add the grinded beef until it changes color and let it simmer in its own oil.

4. Add a bit of fish sauce(patis) and pepper for flavor. Let it simmer.

5. Add the ampalaya then add a little water. When the ampalaya is already cooked add oyster sauce, add patis and pepper if necessary to suit your taste. 

**Chicco does not normally eat ampalaya, but he liked the recipe above. When washed with salt, the bitterness of the Ampalaya is lessened. I added oyster sauce in this recipe to overcome the remaining bitter taste the amapalaya has.

Fortunately, my brothers and sister also liked the recipe! woohoo! This is a nice way to cheat them into eating veggies. hehehe

Blast from the past

I always open my facebook account, its one of the sites that I go to whenever I go online. I never knew that one of my biggest surprises of 2010 would be from a facebook message.

It is nice to be part of new beginnings, and I am honored to be invited to Val and Jorell's wedding. I have known them since college and I remember Val's debut like it was just yesterday, Jorell's two-toned top and the joy of spending a night out with friends. I remember that during that time their relationship was kept a secret and when it Jorell's turn to say a message to Val, the room suddenly became quiet. haha

Their relationship did not survive college, they broke up. But, it was no surprise that they got back together after a while, they are perfect for each other and their relationsship is a living proof that true love exists. They are couple to look up to and it makes me super happy that they would be Mr. and Mrs. Tan next year and I would be there to witness the moment when they become one.

Of course, an added bonus would be that Kat and I would be joining the ceremony as bridesmaids! Kath would be flying back to Manila for the wedding and it would be a reunion for us B11 girls :)

I am soooo looking forward to May 1, 2011! woohoo!