I haven’t been able to post as much as I would like this past month, but hopefully, I’ll be able to address that little issue with one of my New Year’s resolutions. December is always a busy month. One thing I know, is that with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the birthdays, the Christmas parties and all the small gatherings in between that it’s hard to take the time for some to savor each and every one of those moments. I was trying to be mindful during this past month of celebrations and parties so much so, that instead of snapping pictures or taking quick little notes of things to remember I wanted to write about, I was doing my best to live in the moment. I did SO well at living in the moment this month that I was completely lax in my posting. But the beauty of that fact is that I was able I to drink up everything about December. I savored the wrapping of the presents that were carefully made for each recipent. I relished in the smell that wafted through my house when the gingerbread was baking. I watched in awe as my children played and giggled once their final exams were complete and CHRISTmas vacation lightened their hearts. I enjoyed the yummy Noche Buena feast that my mom and Nino’s mom prepared for us. I sat in the quiet of the night when the children were sleeping admiring the lights and ornaments we have collected through out the years that adorn our CHRISTmas tree. I enjoyed the busy parts of my days and I savored the quiet moments with each of my kids.
The end of the year always always makes me reflective. I think back to some of the things I could have done better (i.e. parenting, taking time for myself and for my friends, organizing my life and putting things in order, reading more books, researching more fun things to do with my hubby) and some fo the things that I think I did pretty ok with. (i.e. parenting, taking time for myself and for my friends, organizing my life and putting things in order, reading more books, researching more fun things to do with my hubby) Truth of the matter is, 2012 was a pretty good year for me. I grew up a lot. I took in a lot. I definitely made some mistakes but I’m not going to beat myself up over them. It’s all part of the process, and I have always said I’m a work in progress.
Recapping the whole year seems a bit tedious, so instead, I will recap the highlights of my December with four activities that begin with the letter C.
COOKIES: I love kicking off the month of December with my Annual Cookie Swap.
This year the theme was to mix it up with new friends. And that we did. We all enjoyed the company of our new found baker-friends over a light lunch after sharing a little bit of ourselves thru our baked goodies. I do think everyone enjoyed the new friends that they met, and I know that they definitely enjoyed the cookies.
CHILDREN are the whole reason I enjoy this time of year. The wonder in their eyes when we talk about Santa, (even if some of my kids have outgrown the “idea” of him) and the excitement of the surprise left under the tree on Christmas morning. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year and it always leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy. Of course, my children are what make this holiday most special for me…even if everyone can’t look at the camera at the same time!
CHILDREN 1; Loving the fact that each of my kids has their own idea of where they should be looking and what they should be doing for the pic in front of the tree.
But, I was lucky when we visited our favorite brunch venue! In Makati Shangri-La they were asking guests to sponsor seedlings for planting in areas that needed to be reforested. So, we had angels walking amongst us for our last Sunday Brunch of the year.
CHILDREN 2: All the angels who were soliciting donations for a reforestation program were wearing huge feathered wings…They surely got everyone’s attention in this picture.
Because we are so blessed, it is important for Nino and I to teach our children that we should also give back. Call it Karma, call it paying it forward, call it sharing our blessings. No matter what you call it, it is CARING for others. We are all in this together. (I’m hearing High School Musical in my head) We are here on this planet to live together. Many of us are in places where living isn’t all that easy for some. I know that if I can make something better for someone, I’m not just doing it for them. I’m doing it so that my kids see that life can be made more beautiful by sharing your talents, your blessings and your time.
CARING 1: DSAPI is a wonderful organization that helped us find our way in those first few months after Evangelina was born. Nino is pictured with Tony Pasia. Tony is one of the founding members and the Chairman of DSAPI, thanks to his daughter Vickylou.
This year, Nino and I have become more involved with DSAPI. It feels good to be with other parents who might have some of the same worries and concerns that you do, especially in a country where information on parenting a child with special needs is not readily available. This is not just an organization where we can voice our concerns, we also share the triumphs of our children was well. Those mundane milestones that parents of typical children take for granted are the same ones that we celebrate our children achieving. Doing it together makes it all the more fun. I was happy to help out with the Christmas pARTy this year and I actually, had a lot of fun preparing for it. This time we were able to help the CHILDREN, by CARING enough to volunteer our time.
CARING 2: Making macaroni necklaces as part of the Christmas pARTy activities. This year, we set up stations for the kids so that they could make ARTS & crafts to take home.
CARING 3: We also set up a station for kids to make their Meditation Bottles. I’ve used these in yoga classes and at home with my own children. They are fantastic. (Thank you Tina Jurado of Water Market for donating all of the bottles that the kids used. Thank you Stephany Fair for inspiring me to share this craft over and over again with so many different children.)
CARING 4: Thank you Nestle for you donations of ice lollies. The kids absolutely loved the ice cold treats.
CARING 5: The Siblings Support Group (SSG) was pivotal in making sure that each of the stations had enough helpers to assist the children with their crafts. Each child was able to make an ornament if they chose to.
CAROLERS are most probably my favorite part of CHRISTmas. This year our family was included in the exclusive number of houses that the children’s choir of our local parish visited. They serenaded a small group of our friends and family. Tita Ivy was sure to include Filipino Christmas songs that made the festivities all the more special for me since I had not heard some of the carols before.
CAROLERS: The St. James Children’s Choir lead by their Choral Teacher, Ivy Sahagun.
My favorite part of the evening was when one of the young girls, Erica Perez, sang Payapang Daigdig. To say that she sang like an angel would surely do her justice. I was quite sensitive to begin with because of the shift in energy that took place earlier that day, but her singing humbled me. And to end the year serenaded by an angel…feeling humility…well-that’s not such a bad thing, after all-is it?
Makati Shangri-La was soliciting donations for reforestation with their Be an Angel/Adopt a Seedling program
We all have angels in our lives. It’s a nice reminder, especially during the holidays, that we have angels all around us…watching over us, maybe even singing to us, helping us care for the environment, and sometimes reminding us of all we have to be grateful for.
Who are the angels that have come into your life?
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Beautifully written from the heart.
i love this post! 2012 was a challenging year for me and dan (i don’t think i’ve cried so much in my life!) it was also a year that we were the most thankful for. it was very humbling to be on the receiving end of so much love and support. i’m also thankful for your family and DSAPI. i think day 1 of our new normal officially started after the nov. 9 IES 🙂
have a great 2013 to you michelle!