Have been in a somber mood pretty much since yesterday afternoon since my eldest son, Luigi, told me that one of his schoolmates died last Thursday from a car crash. Turns out that she was about to go malling with her family when the tragedy occurred. Though her whole family was also hospitalized due to the accident, it was only her who suffered the ultimate misfortune. L

As it is, death is something which a lot of us dread. When it happens to one so young, healthy and full of life, it just feels like the burden becomes greater to bear… I could only imagine the grief that her parents must be going through right now. I totally agree with the person who said that we grieve more deeply when a child precedes a parent as this does not follow the “natural order” of things. After all, how many times have we heard of parents working so hard to try and make the world a much better place for their children? When children pass on before their parents, like what happened to this 8 year old, it just does not seem fair.

I pray that peace comes out of this tragedy and that a deeper understanding of a loving God comforts all of us in the face of such seemingly inexplicable loss. God rest your soul, Mahnoor, and may angels welcome you to your everlasting home.

Life is not always fair, but God is always faithful.

Before I had a daughter, the only “DQ” I was fond of was the no-spill-when-turned-upside-down creamy concoction called Dairy Queen… now, DQ takes on a totally new meaning for me… For you moms out there with precocious little daughters, this one’s for you…

After her recent bout with some gastro problems, I can say that my daughter, Marga, is sooo back with a vengeance! The past few days, she has literally driven me up the wall in a hodgepodge of surprise, frustration and outright hilarity. Let me share with you some recent events to prove my point: my little princess is a “certified drama queen” (takes one to know one, I guess! Hahaha!):

Ø EVIDENCE 1:

Every morning, as Keith is preparing to leave for the office, we are very careful not to wake Marga up lest she gets into one of her moods again. Today was no different. Unluckily though, the princess was needlessly roused from her slumber…so with loud protests of “Papa, waah!” and “Dan” (her version of “down”, when she wants to get off the bed), Keith painfully extricated himself from the tearful clutches of our wailing daughter with promises that he’ll be back soon (Hon, how come I don’t get the same response when I make drama???).

Ø EVIDENCE 2:

Last night, we had a follow-up visit to Marga’s pedia. For some reason, Ramadan season contributing, probably, the hospital was packed! What normally took 3 mins to an hour took an excruciating 2 hours! Needless to say, the princess got tired and upset by the time we got home. What followed was classic: Setting her down the bed while she was already screaming and throwing a fit proved no easy task especially when I still had to get out of my “costume” (i.e., abaya) and eventually still change her to her sleepwear. Taking a quick stop to the bathroom to fix her stuff, I was surprised to see our little diva heading right at me (yup, she got off the bed pretty quick even in her “highly charged emotional state”!)and whaddyaknow! The minute she saw me, she let out a piercing wail of protest enough to wake the dead before walking out towards the living room! What a night! What a girl!

Ø EVIDENCE 3:

It’s been exactly 2 weeks since we arrived here in the Kingdom and I’ve been practically on my toes doing God-knows-what most of the time! It’s only now that I can actually sit back, catch my breath and relax somewhat… What have I been up to exactly? A quick run-down follows (drum roll please!)…

Ever since the major lifestyle change we adapted (i.e, having to run a household by ourselves) when we moved here to the kingdom, weekends have always been jam-packed. Keith and I would want to think of ourselves as slowly being able to perfect the “art of the weekend warrior”. Somehow, we have managed to do a major part of our chores (house cleaning, grocery shopping, babysitting – name it, we’ve done it!) during weekends with enough time left to spend with the kids. Of course, due credit have to also be given to our two boys, Luigi and Rafa, who have their fair share of the “dreaded Cs” (aka chores).

Sadly though, this weekend would be slightly different as I go solo. Yup, we are officially one weekend warrior out – ouch! Keith is in Bahrain this weekend attending their company’s annual summer outing. So, while my hubby is grudgingly enduring (?) the time away spent apart from us (he never liked the beach – or so we’d like to think!), the kids and I would still have to brave the “warrior’s way” this weekend (sigh!).

Good thing that we have the reliable “Mega-Mags” to see us through this weekend. Ge, Rinel and Ira have been so kind to let us tag along with them this weekend so we don’t quietly lose our minds at home… Let’s face it, weekend warriors need some R&R too, right?

So as Keith “binges in Bahrain”, Marga, the boys and I will also make the most of the “delights of Dammam” and the “allures of Al Khobar”. Weekend warriors, unite! Let the party begin!

Came across this amusing piece which I found so appropriate for Mother’s Day. To all the dedicated and untiring moms out there, this one’s for you! Have a chillaxing day!

It was Sunday morning and her son still had not appeared at the breakfast table. She had tried yelling up the stairs: “Wake up and get down here!” But there had been no response. Finally, she went up the stairs and opened the door to her son’s room and said, “You need to get up and get dressed. It’s time to go to church!”

“I don’t want to go to church,” her son groaned from under the covers.

“You can’t give me a good reason not to go to church, so get up!” his mom replied.

“Actually, I’ll give you three reasons. Number one: it’s boring. Number two: the people there are gossipy and critical. And number three: no one likes me. So why should I bother?”

“I’ll give you three reasons,” retorted his mom. “Number one: the Bible says you should go. Number two: you’re 45 years old. And number three: you’re the pastor! Now get out of bed and get dressed for church!”

Where would we be without the tireless urging of our mothers to do what is right? Truly, very few roles demand such unconditional, self-sacrificing perseverance and commitment as that of motherhood. So, moms, take a bow, we deserve it!

PS I was delighted to discover that Keith, the boys and Marga actually had flowers and cards for me for Mother's Day. How sweet! I attach the pics below - hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed receiving them

Very touching hand-made cards from the boys, Luigi and Rafa

The full package - loved the Stargazers! Luigi even prepared a Book of Poems especially for the occasion (how sweet!).

Last night marked another milestone for Keith and I. After what seemed to be ages, we finally had the chance to go out to dinner by ourselves* (translation: without our three active yet endearing children). Hip, hip, hooray!

*(Of course, this wouldn’t have been possible without the “loving support” of “brother and sister cousin” (Rinel and Ge) who have agreed to baby-sit our three gremlins, este darlings, for us. For this, Keith and I owe the Mega-Mags our eternal debt of gratitude! What do we do without you guys?)

The restaurant of choice: Orient Restaurant in Al-Khobar.

This place was recommended by Keith’s local officemate, Hakeem (God bless him!), after Keith complained that there was a serious lack of Japanese restaurants in the kingdom. In fact, before this pleasant discovery, we only knew of one Jap resto and we weren’t really too keen on visiting it for two reasons: (1) the Japanese food really was only part of an international buffet spread and not an entirely separate restaurant; and (2) the restaurant is located in the compound where some terrorist action happened a few years back (scary!).

Pardon the digression. Back to the “main event”.

First off, the interiors of the restaurant came as another pleasant surprise for us. After coming out of the elevator (since the place is on the 4^th floor of a building), we were ushered in to a very Oriental-themed (i.e., Japanese-Chinese) resto environment where the furnishings, china and flatware all blended very well together. Attention to detail was also very evident since the place settings all matched, down to the chopstick rests and the yin-yang shaped ceramic salt and pepper shakers! We later learned that the owner is also actually an interior designer to royalty and dignitaries both here in the kingdom and abroad (kaya pala!). For its ambience alone, the place truly is a cut above the rest here in KSA.

Of course, the most important part of a restaurant is the food it serves. Thank God they got it right in this area too! Keith and I started off with miso soup and crunchy California maki – both “delish” (as our friend Rachael Ray would say) – which we downed with our equally refreshing “mocktails” (alcohol is prohibited here, remember?). Keith had a mint-lemon concoction while I chose a strawberry-melon-yogurt delight (yum-o!). Come the entrees. Keith had a 250-gram steak (sliced in five portions) with white sauce and steamed veggies and rice while I had the “Orient Land and Sea”, a flavorful combination of beef, chicken and seafood teppanyaki with stir-fried vegetables and plain rice on the side. The portions were just right and allowed room for dessert.

Due to the reliable “kabayan connection” in the restaurant, Keith and I were even treated to dessert “on-the-house”! We had something like fried ice cream (where the ice cream is inside a tempura-like batter with sesame seeds) except that instead of ice cream, we found sweet bananas inside. This was then topped with vanilla ice cream. Definitely a delightful way to get the “ulam” taste out of our mouths!

Lastly, we were served house tea (again in a very impressive ceramic pot with a bamboo-designed spout) and assorted candies to cap our meal.

The tab may be a bit pricier than usual but truly worth every riyal! Our verdict: Five-stars!!! A place where we would definitely come back to and recommend to our friends.

Our only regret is that we weren’t able to take decent pictures to share with you. Well, there’s always a next time, right? Till then, bon appetit!

This is our house. It is the place that Keith and I have called home for the past 5 years prior to our move here to the kingdom. It is here that we have made memories and shared a life together – raising children, welcoming friends and family, where we exchange interesting stories and conversations and essentially sought refuge in after long, tiring days.

I had a dream about this house two nights ago and it somehow kept me awake from 3 am onwards. Not that the dream was scary or anything… guess it just struck a sentimental chord in me and made me miss our life in Manila a wee bit more.

It also made me remember the wonderful lyrics from Jose Mari Chan’s song “Constant Change” and found how appropriate these were in our current life situation. Allow me to share bits and pieces with you (at random and in no particular order) so you may also take this “sentimental journey” with me.

Constant Change

As I was preparing my grocery list yesterday, I was both surprised and amused to hear my younger son, Rafa, remind me: "Mama, we need ice cream. We already finished what we have inside the ref."

What struck me was how he seemed to think of ice cream as a basic necessity . Indeed, when I recounted this story in the car on the way to the grocery, Luigi, my eldest son, even stated the obvious: "Mama, ice cream is a need - not a want." Omigosh! Have I turned my boys into lean, mean, ice cream slurping machines?!? The undeniable answer: guilty as charged.

Notwithstanding Keith and myself's predisposition to diabetes (since both our families are afflicted with this disease), we find ourselves still drawn by the irresistible treat that is ice cream. Call it self-flagellation - since we are pretty sure to regret giving in to this indulgence sooner or later when both the pounds and health risks caused by our ice cream binges increase. Sigh! What are we to do?

Blame it partly on the genes - I distinctly remember my maternal grandfather, Lolo Gang, fondly tell me how they even made their own ice cream (with the traditional ice cream maker which needed salt outside the main metal container to preserve the coolness and creaminess of the treat inside - yum!) when he was a young boy. Or the fact that meals in my own house were never complete without the much-needed "sweets" afterwards. Want to get into the good side of anyone in our family? Chocolates and ice cream should do the trick!

Given this background, I guess I really shouldn't be surprised if my children also find the lure of this treat too hard to resist. Yet, the scare of insulin injections (which my paternal grandmother took when she was still alive) or the fact that 4 of 7 siblings in my Papa's family have diabetes should serve as grim warnings of what could happen if I don't nip this "addiction" in the bud soon... "Everything in moderation", as my Papa always said, right?

Till then, while I think about how to overcome this sinful indulgence, my mocha almond fudge (or strawberry) delights await... Will power, don't fail me now! Bon appetit!

“What’s the most mundane thing you do?”

Funny how this question from one of my earlier job interviews can take on a whole new meaning given my new state of life as full-time stay-at-home wife and mother.

First of all, I was thankful then that I even knew the meaning of “mundane” (i.e., routinary) lest my Brit interviewer would’ve perceived me as totally “daft” (i.e., stupid).

“Filing” was my answer of choice then yet now… it’s a totally different ball game! Things have definitely changed. Everything in my daily workday seems mundane. After all, I do have to follow some sort of routine to accomplish (or at least try to) all the things I have to do (cooking, dusting, cleaning, checking homework, refereeing the boys’ spats and taking care of the baby, to name a few!) and to create some semblance of order in my chaotic “DD world” where everything seems to be happening all at the same time!

Back to the question. What is the most mundane part of my usual day?

Top-of-mind answer: Dish duty.

Washing the dishes is something I do at least thrice a day – breakfast, after I cook and lunch (as dinner dish duty is reserved for the hubby). I used to view this as a no-brainer and I usually just breeze through it provided there are no interruptions (i.e., Marga screaming for attention or the boys insistently wanting a piece of me for some reason or another). Yet now, I find myself actually enjoying washing the dishes (do I hear a collective gasp out there saying how low I have actually gone?).

Before you think I have sunk to the lowest depths of Domestic Diva Despair, let me explain myself. Apart from being quite enjoyable, I find dish duty therapeutic.

Each time I put away the food remnants from the dishes, pots and pans and utensils, rinse off, sponge/scrub with warm, soapy water and then rinse off again, I can’t help but find a parallel in this exercise with life in general. Why so? It’s as if dish duty reminds me that no matter how dirty, greasy or ugly it may get, there’s always something to wash away all the filth, grime and grease and to make us clean again. No matter how crazy life gets sometimes, it will always get better and we will always hopefully come out of the experience cleansed and “ready for next use”.

Am I putting too much meaning in this seemingly mindless activity? Maybe.

But in this exciting “adventure” I am now in, finding fulfillment and meaning in dish duty works for me.

How about you? What’s the most mundane thing you do?

Catch y’all later.

I know I haven't been blogging as much as I used to but it just seems that I'm into some sort of blogging "dry spell". Seems like nothing "post-able" is coming to mind lately and that my writing skills are as dry as the Arabian desert!

Hope y'all will be patient with me as I attempt to overcome this writer's block and come up with something blog-worthy real soon.

Till then, please know that I am around and lurking... Stay tuned!

Been out of commission the past week or so as all of us, except Keith, were down with some sort of ailment. Last Thursday evening was particularly bad as I hardly had enough sleep - my nose was so clogged I couldn't breathe and I kept on barking, este, coughing, the night away! Seems like I caught all the illnesses with "itis" in them - allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, conjunctivitis - name it, I had it!

Though Luigi and Rafa have already recovered quite nicely, Marga and I are still slowly just getting back in the groove of things. We are better, but not totally "there" yet... if you know what I mean...

Anyway, one good thing that came about out of my being sick was that I discovered the culinary skills of my dear hubby . The morning after my particularly hellish night, I was pleasantly surprised to wake up with brunch already served! Keith and the boys dubbed the meal - "When Mama is Sick Fish" - cute! Actually, Keith did a pretty decent job at it, if I may say so... Imagine, he was able to prepare panfried fish fillet with EVOO (that's extra virgin olive oil to you, non-Rachael Ray fans!) and garlic - definitely yum-o! Am proud of you, hon! Sa uulitin...

Am still not "that" well... wonder if I should expect another gourmet meal from my honey? Hint, hint!

Catch all of you later. Need some quick shut-eye to fully recover. Bye!

The past few days have been chaotic - it all started last Saturday afternoon when Marga developed a fever. I thought it was related to her teething - since she finally cut a lower tooth the day before ... until things just got more and more out of whack as the days wore on .

So far, Marga has also developed a viral infection in both eyes (which caused her eyes to swell and have a yellowish discharge) and also a bum tummy which started this morning. What's more, even the two boys have followed suit with maladies of their own - Luigi with a swollen throat and Rafa also with eye infection! Add all of these to undone chores, my being sleep-deprived and anxious about the kids' well-being and a chicken pox outbreak advisory from the boys' school... What have we got? Crazy days are definitely here again!

Keith has been reminding me time and again to get a grip - as I surely lose it during times like these (perfect example - I find myself crying in exasperation and exhaustion over the fact that Marga managed to poop and mess our sheets right after I cleaned her up but before I could put a new nappy - waaah! ). Can't believe a rush credit proposal for a treasury deal during my rat race days seems so much easier compared to this!

What to do? Time to re-focus, I guess... Good thing that Marga is now peacefully napping so I had the luxury of checking my daily readings and whaddyaknow, looks like I was being directed to these entries to help tide me over these trying times...

• Strength and weakness of heart is found not when everything is going our way but when flames of suffering and temptation test the mettle of our character. As gold and silver are refined by fire, and as coal needs time and pressure to become a diamond, the human heart is revealed and developed by enduring the pressure and heat of time and circumstance. Strength of character is shown not when all is well with our world but in the presence of human pain and suffering.

• We hate pain, especially in those we love. Yet without discomfort, the sick wouldn't go to a doctor. Worn-out bodies would get no rest. Criminals wouldn't fear the law. Children would laugh at correction. Without pangs of conscience, the daily dissatisfaction of boredom, or the empty longing for significance, people who are made to find satisfaction in an eternal Father would settle for far less.

• If God had the power and wisdom to create this physical universe, there was reason to trust that same God in times of suffering.

• Natural disasters and times of crisis have a way of bringing us together. Hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, riots, illnesses, and accidents all have a way of bringing us to our senses. Suddenly we remember our own mortality and that people are more important than things. We remember that we do need one another and that, above all, we need God.

• "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

True, these words seem easier said than done yet in crazy times like these, they surely feed my weary body, mind and spirit. Guess I'm sticking it out for this bumpy ride after all... for I know that there is Someone out there who is far greater than all this pain and will make sure that I will somehow survive.

Here's looking forward to my next "normal" blog .

Since the 1st day of February (can't believe it's already the 2nd month of the year!) also coincided with the first day of the weekend here (just to remind y'all that weekends here in the kingdom are Thursdays and Fridays - don't ask me why!), our schedule for the day was jampacked, as usual.

You see, eversince we moved to KSA five months ago, our weekends have been pretty hectic as we try and cram all the activities and chores we can into these two days - crazy but so true, I'm afraid... Yesterday was no exception. Here's a rundown...

Woke up ten-ish between cow duty breaks throughout the night to find the hubby already going about his routine - finishing up the laundry I did the day before, vacuuming the floors and then mopping the whole flat. Felt guilty so nagpaka-"Biba Hot Babe" naman ako and promptly prepared brunch for the fam.

Afterwards (this gets more exciting), I decided to do a general clean-up of the boys' room! Too bad I didn't heed the warning bells which immediately set off in my head the minute I took this task - believe me, if you are faint of heart, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. You see, our boys have this special talent for messing up a respectably neat and clean room in a matter of seconds - definitely one for the books, if I may say so! Given this, I wasn't surprised to find (hold your breath all you OC folks!)... piles and piles of scratch papers with drawings, scribbles, stories and what-have-you (I know, these are endearing in smaller quantities but definitely overwhelms you when you get more than 3!), 5 dirty unmatched socks in their toy boxes, an unmatched winter glove screaming for a washing, a used undie mixed with their clean clothes, bits and pieces of action figures and accessories (amazingly, they still knew which went together!).

Typical conversation during clean-up goes:

Rafa: "Ma, don't throw that... that's Yellow Ranger's sword!"

Me: "How will Yellow Ranger still use it when both her hands aren't there anymore?"

Rafa: "Alyssa (my brother Monty's "unica hija") kasi pulled out the hands and I don't know where she threw them e! Basta don't throw it ha?"

Case closed. Since Yellow Ranger managed to join us here from Manila despite her decapitated state, guess she's pretty special to my little boy...guess he still had some use for the darn sword. How can I argue with that? Sword goes back to toy box (sigh!)...

The great thing about the whole process (which took an agonizing 2 hours, by the way!) was that I got to spend time with Luigi and Rafa (okay, I admit, with a few exasperated screams now and then thrown in... sorry, tao lang!) doing something productive. What's more, they were "eternally beholden" to me after the clean-up for again bringing some sort of order into their chaotic lair (till the next playtime, I'm sure!). Well, boys will be boys! Though doing this seemed like sheer torture (something akin to doing the treadmill during the last 10 mins or so), my clean-up ordeal was over! Thank goodness!

So, after taking much-needed warm baths, the boys and I got ready to leave again for the Scitech Museum (this is worthy of another blog so I won't go into much detail here) in Al Khobar since Keith kept his end of the bargain to bring the boys there after clean-up was done. Suffice it to say that we all had an enjoyable time there and look forward to coming back again for the IMax show - hopefully with Ge and Ira already in tow.

We capped the evening with a very satisfying dinner at a nearby French coffeeshop that Keith discovered - Patti's France. I had the soup and sandwich combo while the boys had the Saffron Tagliatelle Pasta and soup. Both Keith and Rinel had the steak sandwich. An interesting concoction I discovered here was the minty lemon drink which I intend to replicate at home soon... yum-o!

As we headed home that night, all of us were tired but still in good spirits since we were happy with all that we managed to accomplish during the day... Until the next weekend!

Among the many firsts that my dear hubby has opened my eyes to, I can say that my re-introduction to the wonderful world of blogging has been one of the most significant thus far.

Okay, let me just state it now to clear the air once and for all (as they say that the first step to "recovery" is always acceptance) : "I am Pinky. I am a blog addict."

Admittedly, blogging and reading posts has been one of the many major activities I always include in my daily routine. So you can just imagine the disappointment I feel everytime my blog drill turns up NIL - as in no updates, comments, messages!(Ouch! Did I just hear all of you say, "Get a life!"? ).

I guess it's because of my newly-discovered "diva-ness" and the fact that where we are in the world currently does not afford many opportunities for ladies like me to simply get out and unwind. Suffice it to say that given our current situation, blogging has become, shall I say, some sort of "security blanket" that reassures me that despite our being in the desert, I am still connected with the important people in my life and that they also know that we are still alive and kicking out here.

Everytime I read about Tasha's milestones in Australia, Claire's adventures in Singapore, Abby's recent photo shoot, Rina's crazy MBA life in Malibu, Joy and Allan's Idaho experiences or interesting nuggets from Peachy back home, I definitely appreciate how, through your posts, you have kept us "in the loop" and have helped ease out the pangs of homesickness which we still get now and then.

So, do any of you have anything on your mind? No matter how trivial it seems, just remember that you are doing "poor Pinky" a favor everytime you post... please, please help me scratch the undying itch that the blogging bug has left me when it bit a few months back - Just blog it!

I thought my "Darna" moments would considerably lessen when I left my desk job 9 months ago... Was I ever wrong! <For the uninitiated, a "Darna" moment happens when there seems to be too much going on all at the same time that you have to grab a trusty lifeline (as in the "magic bato" that the crippled girl Narda swallows to become the superhero Darna) lest disaster strikes and the “bad guys” win.> Too melodramatic for your taste, huh? Well, read on so you’ll know what I mean…

Being a full-time stay-at-home mom definitely has a LOT of Darna moments – times when I desperately wish I had that magic bato that I can gulp down (of course matched with the Darna yell) to make all my “maternal and domestic boo-boos”, so to speak, go away. To all my full-time “co-moms” out there, I’m sure these sound sooo familiar:

· The baby’s wailing her lungs out and you don’t know why while you’re trying to prepare lunch for your hubby and kids who are supposed to be home in, say, 30 minutes – Darna moment.

· Your two older kids are being especially naughty and you just have to sit them down (for the nth time, it seems!) to see what the matter is and hopefully patch things up before the food in the kitchen gets burnt – Darna moment.

· The house is begging for a clean-up and the dirty clothes are piling up yet you just can’t seem to put it together since the freakin’ toilet is also clogged – classic Darna moment!

Pardon me if it looks like I’m bit@#$ng here (well, I maybe just a little bit…) but I only want to illustrate some of the things I usually go through ever since my “emancipation” from the corporate life.

I have an inexplicable secret though… Crazier as my life seems now, I actually still would not trade it for the corporate rat race again! I seem to have embraced my new-found “diva-ness” with its Darna moments and all! Even I surprise myself! Wonder why?

I guess that my trusty lifelines are helping me keep afloat. Yup, have my very own versions of the “magic bato”… Wanna know what these are? Actually, these aren’t “ITs” but “HEs”… Who else but my ever dependable supportive hubby Keith, my rock, who helps me weather all my domestic diva woes! More importantly, I have also learned to always ask help from the “lifeline of all lifelines”, the big guy up there - though I admit I still have to work on consistently doing so as I get overwhelmed with my woes (both real and imagined) from time to time.

Well, have to go for now… Hear the baby crying again and my older son also wants to do his own blog. Darna moment? Bring it on!

Two days ago, Keith and I were flabbergasted to discover that our trusty internet satellite connection was unusually slow and that we couldn't access our emails and blogs. For people like us who have learned to rely on the web as a very important means of communicating with the world outside the kingdom, this was VERY SERIOUS. And with New Year's coming up, how do we get in touch with our loved ones back home? Panic time, folks!

What to do? Keith immediately contacted our service provider to report this matter and was advised that this problem was apparently "kingdom-wide" and that they could not assure us when it would be fixed (at this point, someone had to give us sedatives to calm our already grated nerves ). Omigosh! THIS COULD NOT BE HAPPENING - but, sadly, it was, and it went on till a couple of minutes ago!

The time that the internet connection was going ga-ga was literally a return to the dark ages for us - before the advent of technology - and it was definitely nerve-wracking! It has thrown us out of our comfort zone (that the internet will always be there to let us know what, where, how and when even across great distances) by forcing us to go back to basics (yup, costly IDD calls!) just to get in touch with the folks back home. It has also made me realize how blessed we are now to have this powerful tool - which most of us consider as a necessity in this time and age - at our fingertips. I simply couldn't imagine pre-internet KSA - our family couldn't have survived for sure being cut-off from the rest of the world (i.e., those we hold near and dear)!

As the cyberspace dust begins to settle, we found out that it wasn't only KSA that experienced this sytem glitch as other places in the world have likewise had this "dark ages" episode. They were saying something about how the earthquake in Taiwan has somehow affected worldwide web satellite communications... guess it's something like "when America sneezes, the world catches a cold" bit. Only shows how the world is becoming smaller and smaller as technology now makes it possible for people to communicate even across the farthest reaches of the earth - truly amazing!

To all email and blog fanatics like me, now that cyberspace has now normalized, I believe a collective "Thank God for technology! " is in order. Here's to an internet glitch-free year ahead! Amen!

Here in KSA, where all telltale signs of the approaching holidays are virtually absent, probably the only thing (as our fave "bro cuz" Rinel correctly put it) to remind us that Christmas is just around the corner is the extra chill in the December air - "sweater weather", as I would best describe it . For us who are used to the temp dipping to the mid-20's only during the holiday season, having the temp go down further to the 15-16 degree levels is a welcome change - feeling namin, "abroad na abroad" ang dating! Bring out the parkas, jackets, mufflers, gloves and bonnets please!

Thankfully, also, though we admit feeling the pinch of the holiday blues more pointedly during this time, my dear hubby has made every effort to ease the homesickness we feel by making the ambience in our home and around us more "Christmas-sy".

This weekend, for example, he brought the kids to the malls to choose their presents - they had a blast going around Toys 'R Us and City Plaza! He also put up the kids' Christmas socks and set-up all the Christmas presents we have around our mini-tree, which, by the way, is also all lighted up (yup, all 10 bulbs are ablaze!). Not content with this, he even went to the extent of lighting our decorative candles and concocting the special cinnamon-scented brew (an idea from Tita Telay Edillon, our LNP friend Kiril's aunt, who kindly sponsors our family to get in Aramco to be able to attend the weekend services) - a mixture of half an apple, half an orange and some cinnamon sticks heated on a pan of water for about 15 mins -so that you get that distinct holiday feeling when you enter our home, as if freshly-baked apple pie has just popped out of the oven. I highly recommend this brew to all my "DD" (aka domestic diva) friends out there for that instant holiday pick-me-upper! A word of caution: DO NOT DRINK THE BREW - it's meant to be a natural home scent only!

Of course, I , too, had to do my share of sustaining the already warm Christmas-sy feel - what better way to do this than with a steaming cup of hot cocoa and some cinnamon rolls? As we obviously have no access to the traditional "tsokolate -e" that our lolas used to make and Cinnabon seems a tad too expensive for our purposes, I had to make do with store-bought Cadbury instant hot chocolate (Caffe Latte flavor) and cinnamon rolls from our local grocer. The kids also had the bright idea of topping the hot cocoa with little marshmallow bits - yummy! It's amazing how comfort food like these can make us feel so much better!

Needless to say, as we enjoyed ourselves amid the very holiday-like ambience, doing all these also made us momentarily forget that what we have is a very "localized" (ie, confined to the four walls of our home) way of spreading Christmas cheer. Nevertheless, it made the upcoming holidays more real and meaningful not only for Keith, Rinel and I, but moreso for Luigi, Rafa and little Marga.

Unlike in my previous post where I felt the bite of the holiday homesickness bug very much, the past weekend has shown me that we could actually bring Christmas into this "holiday-forsaken" place and that the presence of loving and caring family more than makes up for the fact that we would be spending this Christmas away from our dear ol' Manila.

Am so feeling the Christmas spirit already! Hohoho!

“Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there was a vast desert, Arabs galore and no Christmas…”

If we were in a fairy tale, this would have been the perfect intro to describe our situation here in KSA.  I thought Christmas wouldn’t be a big deal and that we could just conveniently ignore it as, apart from the weekly services at Aramco, the homemade Christmas tree we have and the advent wreath I hurriedly purchased yesterday from the Aramco craft sale, there is nothing here to remind us that the yuletide season is upon us and the rest of the Christian world.

Yet, now, as I listen to Ryan Cayabyab’s soothing voice belting “Payapang Daigdig” (thanks to Leweiss and Noriel for leaving us Mr C’s CD to tide us over this holiday season!), sentimentality gets a strong grip on me and makes me realize that wherever we are, there is just no escaping Christmas.  Suddenly, flashes of Christmas back home come to mind – brightly lit houses, the never-ending Christmas parties (never thought I would miss these!!), Christmas eve masses at Bene and the general feeling of good cheer in the nippy December air. 

Christmas would be definitely different for us this year as we spend it apart from those we hold near and dear.  The thought that our family would be the only ones absent from the annual Christmas family reunions also doesn’t help one bit (even my fave ses, Rina, is flying out from Malibu today to be with the fam this season)! I only pray Keith and I can somehow make up the lost December cheer and festivities to our two boys, Luigi and Rafa, who at their young ages, are true-blue veterans of how it is to spend a “proper” Christmas.  It’s a bit sad too that our little girl, Marga, would also have to spend her first Christmas in this fashion (promise, baby girl, from this point, there’s no way to go but up!).

I also pray for the strength to be able to genuinely impart the true meaning of Christmas not only to our children but also to all those who may be lonelier than we are during these times.  That, more than anything, we are celebrating how our God chose to enter this world as a little baby so that He may fully experience the human condition and thus be the perfect instrument to save it from eternal damnation (whew! That was a mouthful – thank God I still remember my theology lessons from ages ago!).

Although, admittedly, Christmas will be blue for us this year, I am comforted by the fact that just as blue is only one color in the whole rainbow, Christmas will turn on a brighter hue for us the next time around.

Merry Christmas everyone, wherever you are!  Keep the faith!

Yesterday morning, just as I was preparing to make French Toast (yup, this is the boys' current favorite ), I was jolted awake by the screams of Luigi coupled with the loud cries of Marga.  As Keith was away on a two-day business trip, this was definitely NOT the perfect time for things to go awry.  What the @#$! could have happened???

Apparently, our little one, Marga, decided to spice things up a bit that morning.  Sensing that I was in the kitchen and her designated "guard" Luigi was momentarily out for a much-needed bladder break, she then proceeded to do her "double flip somersault ala-Lara Croft" but didn't achieve the desired effect (Translation:  SHE FELL OFF THE BED!).  With my panic buttons blazing, I immediately rushed to the scene of the action stunt gone wrong and scooped her off the floor (about two feet away from our bed).  I then checked for bumps, bleeding, bruises or cuts - amazingly, there were none (thank God!) - and also if there was a clear liquid oozing out of her ears or nose (clear sign of head trauma per our resident pedia, Grammy Dollie) - still negative (the Lord's protection is definitely upon us!). 

Afterwards, still shaken from this incident, I called Mommy overseas to tell her what transpired and what I should look out for further.  She told me that it was important that Marga not throw up, show signs of weakness or lethargy, and that she shouldn't be sleeping more than usual.  I watched her like a hawk from that time on and am pleased to report that she has not shown any of these danger signs.  In fact, towards bedtime last night, she even was so active and was practicing her "Tarzan-like" yells and giggling all over (at this point, I am praising God to the highest heavens!!).  Just 48 more hours of the same activity and Marga should be in the clear - please continue praying for her...

I also texted all my closest relatives like crazy to ask for their prayers to ensure Marga's well-being.  It was also comforting that Rinel (Tito Dimples) was already here and was checking up on us from time to time and that Ton, Keith's office buddy, was on hand to offer his car in case we needed to go to the hospital.  In Keith's absence, I again felt God was in control and that He was being true to His promise that He will take care of us as we venture out into this foreign land.

Lessons learned:

1. 
   
   Six month-old babies do the craziest stunts at the most unexpected times - DO NOT LEAVE THEM UNATTENDED.  If you must, there's always the trusty old playpen where they could flip-flop to their heart's delight without any danger  - so use it!
   
   
2. 
   
   The Lord is in control and is true to His promises.  It sometimes takes adrenaline-charged  moments like this to be reminded of this truth. He uses people outside our own immediate family to further reinforce the fact that He is always watching out for us.

Case closed.

Forget Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie as I am not doing a review of their show with this blog.  Rather, this is an apt description of our current lifestyle here in KSA (gotcha!). 

Living in a country other than your own is a mixed bag.  I have however learned that KSA life, the quite restrictive environment notwithstanding, is not at all that bad.  For one, it has given us the opportunity to enjoy life's simple pleasures that we would otherwise not have re-discovered had we stayed in good ol' R of the P.  Enjoy reading!

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  Going on a picnic!  Whaddya know?  I never thought I'd ever do this again as the last and only one I had was at the Tagaytay Picnic Grove when I was 15!  Did this recently with some friends in the Dammam corniche (that's what they call the shoreline here since Dammam is a city stretching out to the Arabian Gulf) and definitely had so much fun - munching on the yummy food (chicken-potato salad, pasta, fried chicken and meat loaf) and watching some fireworks while the kids played football/dodgeball in the background is something straight out of a scene from a GP family movie if you ask me but it was lovely  !  Hope to do this again soon.
  
  
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  Strolling by the corniche. Now that the temperature is getting cooler (a mild 24 and going down compared to the intense 40s when we first arrived), Keith and I hope to do this more often as it also makes for good exercise coupled with interesting conversation.  This also seems to be some sort of a national past time here since we also saw a lot of families doing this.  In fact, some of them were even biking, jogging and fishing!  The kids had a blast the first time we did this as they even saw a man catching a live fish in action!  Fishing, though, is another story, since it would take tons of patience to enjoy it (they say it sometimes takes as long as 4 hours before your first bite!) - I guess Tito Doe is a very patient man!  Right, Carrie?
  
  
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  Relaxing by the beach. Before echoes of Mel Tiangco in "Magpakailanman" (known of course to our kapuso friends out there) come to mind, perish the thought!  This is an entirely (well, not exactly, to be honest) different ball game (defensive ba?).  Since the nearest beach is only an hour's drive away, it's very easy for us to pack our bags, snacks and tent (don't want to get too much sun!) and just go!  Doing this near sundown is also a bonus as you get to see the postcard perfect sunset on the horizon (sigh!).

Hope what I just described gave you a good idea of what keeps us occupied here.  A 4x4 trek to the sand dunes and maybe a short camel ride are next on our list, hopefully...    Will keep you posted.

Till my next blog. Ciao!