Ibyang
Ibyang

Charmed Life of a Mrs

Thank You 2008!

Since I got inspired by the year-end thank you’s I wrote last year (click! click! this please), I now look back once again on how this year has been good to me. I may have had dark moments but over-all the good surpasses (as it always does) whatever bad I have experienced this year.

My 2008 has been very eventful. If I were to describe it in one word, the first thing that comes to mind is MANIC–simply because the significant things that happened to me this year has either been ecstactically joyful or painfully sad (walang tulak-kabigin, lahat heavy-gat!). I looked back on my 2008 this morning, I shed a few tears because every event, both good and bad, beautifully happened for a reason, each one teaching a valuable lesson.

As I start my 2009 today, let just say my thank yous to 2008:

Thank you for (finally) bringing my husband home to me.

Thank you for the gift of a good marriage that is values-centered and has enormous faith in God.

Thank you for all the big and small milestones we achieved and for things falling into place. I’m grateful for every plan, every goal that has materialized.

Thank you for challenges I have faced. Each one difficult and at times painful, but has given me a tremendous lesson: that the world does not always revolve around me and that even if I was going thru hardships, I’m still (and will always be) capable of helping others.

Thank you for the blessing of special people in my life. My husband, parents, inlaws, relatives, friends. Each one of them has touched my life in so many ways.

Thank you for the gift of friendship. This year, there were several hellos and goodbyes with people. To the ones who said “Hello”, know that I’m blessed to have met you. To the ones who said “Goodbye”, thank you for being a part of my life–I will leave my door open incase you want to say “Hello” again.

Thank you for the gift of change and transitions. Sometimes nerve-wracking but always bringing out the best in me. It is thru these that I am able to discover strengths I never knew I was capable of.

Thank you for the gift of travel. With each place explored, I know more and I share more.

Thank you for the gift of photography and writing. Two things I love doing because I am able to show God’s wonderful creations and share information that may be able to help other people.

Thank you for a stable and not-so-hectic career. There are days when work was so demanding but it was always worth it because work also gave me back days-off that I could enjoy and a flexible time so I’m able accomplish my personal goals. I will always be grateful that the career I have now gives me more time to be a Wifey than a careerwoman.

Thank you for the gift of good advices. In times when confused and looking for answers, it was thru words of wisdom shared by people around me that has made a difference.

Thank you for the value of fear. Some people may not see it as a good value, but this year, I have learned that it is if you put it into good use. Fear was one of those values that gave me courage to make a big change in my life.

Thank you for the gift of safety and good health.

Thank you for all the memories, big and small. They made me who I am today and has made me cherish every moment that I’m alive.

As I say goodbye to 2008, I feel that with all the things I’ve gone thru, I say hello to 2009 a bigger and better person (the same feeling I have whenever a year has gone by).

Happy New Year everyone! May your 2009 be kinder, happier and always full of love.

Highlights of my 2008:

January. My very own DSLR. Our 1st Wedding Anniversary. My 31st birthday. “Say it with Photographs” website is born.

February. Little Lenten Sacrifice. Chris’ Spouse Visa Approval. Officially changed my name in Australia.

March. Problems with the Immigration regarding Chris’ date of departure from Dubai. Getting ready for my reunion with the Husband: travel preps and office preps. My SWEET REUNION WITH THE HUSBAND. Arrived in DUBAI!!!

April. Explored Dubai. A taste of Abu Dhabi. Quick stay in Singapore. Back home in Sydney with the Husband (finally!!!). Chris’ welcome party. Showed the Husband around the City of Sydney.

May. “Ibyang Doodles” website is born. A day at Blue Mountains. Chris’ grandma passed away. La Perouse and Brighton Beach exploration with Hilda, Andrea and Toti. Celebrated 10 years of being an HR Professional.

June. On Board Kix Tavora’s Team. Phantom of the Opera (The Musical).

July. World Youth Day 2008 (Australia). Billy Elliot (Musical).

August. Port Stephens Roadtrip. Snowy Mountains Adventure. Quick Stopover at Canberra. Blue Mountains Roadtrip. Fr. Fernando Suarez’ Healing Mass.

September. Chris’ Pre-birthday Party. False Alarm. Chris’ Birthday. Chris’ Post-Birthday Party. Dinner at Bahay Kubo with Friends. Trip to Berrima. Tulips Festival in Bowral.

October. Floriade Festival in Canberra. Approval of Australian Citizenship. Realizations. Bus Accident. Moving Day! Night Noodle Festival. Wine Tasting at the Hunter Valley. Halloween Night with the Kolokoys.

November. Meet-up and Lunch with Plurk Buddies Jo and Pen. Lunch Party for Our Relatives. Housewarming Party for the Kolokoys.

December. Christmas Chair Tree Lighting. Dear Pink. Chris Being Permanent at Work. Dinner at BBQ City. Dinner at Sagano. Wii Party. Christmas Eve Party. Our First Christmas Together. Sydney New Year’s Eve Party!

Favorite articles I’ve written for this year:

Blog Highlights:

Click on the colored phrases to refer back to the articles.

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Max Brenner at Blacktown!

Max Brenner in Blacktown!!! :)

The chocolate by the bald man is here!!!!! In Blacktown that is. 😉

Boxing day today in Aussieland so Chris and I went to Westpoint to look at sales.

Boxing day is related to giving and opening of gifts, celebrated day after Christmas day and is a public holiday in Australia. It is also a day for shops to start their year-end clearance sale so most purchases are about 50-90%off. This is the best time to shop!!!

The stuff we bought today were bedsheets, quilt covers and throw pillows to match our sofa bed in the living area. Stuff that are quite expensive when bought in normal prices.

Since we left home late, we also had lunch very very late. So instead of having the usual kind of lunch, not to mention that we saw that Max Brenner‘s already open, we had belgian waffles for “lunch” at 4pm.

I also had Toffee Milk Frappe.

I told husband I finally have a place to hang out again (because the Starbucks branch in Blacktown closed). Yay!

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First Christmas TOGETHER.

Gone are the long distance phone calls during holidays. Gone are the phone cards that seem to not work especially during Christmas and New Year (or probably because phone lines are quite dysfunctional during holidays due to so many people calling overseas). Gone are the “I-miss-you” and “Wish-you-were-here” dialogues we say to each other, hoping to ease the sadness we feel. All gone, thank God…because we celebrated Christmas together! 🙂

The month of December will always be special to us because it was the month we became a couple in 2002…and it was the month we got engaged in 2004. We have so many fond memories during this time of the year.

This year, we celebrated Christmas as a married couple (physically together), here in Sydney, in our first “munting tahanan”. Triple wow! 🙂

So how did we celebrate Christmas this year?

We celebrated early. The husband’s gift arrived on Monday morning. Since I gave Pink away, he got me a 8gb iPod Touch. I thought he won’t be buying me a new MP3 player because he lent me his Creative Zen already…but it was all camouflage.

He could’ve bought the gift in store but he wanted my gift engraved and the only way to have it done is to buy online.

His gift came with a clear case and screen protector–these ones he bought from the Apple Store, so I also got a bag which I can use as a lunchbag hehe.

And because I’m clumsy, the Husband had to put everything together for me.

Since he gave his gift early, I gave mine early too.

Monday night palang puyat na kami…sa kaka-set-up at kakalaro ng mga bago naming toys hehehe.

On Christmas Eve, I took a half-day off and had lunch with the Husband (he left work at 2pm). Before he went back to the office, we went shopping for clothes at French Connection (they were on 50-70% off). I went home after buying a pair of shoes at Novo, so I can get noche buena ready. I just prepared lasagna and fruit salad. I bought ham and chocolates to complete the menu. We had dinner at my kapamilya’s place to celebrate our Tita Bess’ birthday. At 11 o’clock, we were back home talking to our parents in the Philippines. My mother-in-law and brother-in-law spent Christmas at my parents’ home. Chris and I are very lucky to have parents who became friends, a dream come true for us since from the start we wanted our families to be one. At 12 midnight, we ate Noche Buena and opened gifts. We love all the gifts we received, mostly for the home, so everything will definitely be used.

We woke up early on Christmas morning to attend mass at St Mary’s Cathedral. The Cathedral is the most photographed church in Sydney because it’s really beautful.

After mass, we walked to Darling Harbour and had lunch of Fish ‘n Chips while watching seagulls fly infront of us.

This was a dream come true. 🙂 I’ve waited so long to do something like this with the Husband–just having a lazy day, hanging out by the harbour, eating fish ‘n chips–very Aussie, very laidback. We took our time eating lunch and talked and talked and talked. I love it!!! Christmas spent with the Husband was the best present I have ever received. 🙂

And if that wasn’t enough, we ended our day having coffee at Starbucks. Just perfect.

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It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

…coz my gift from the Husband arrived today!!!!

It’s funny how we’re living in the same country and he still had my gift ordered and delivered at the office.

current mood:

  • very very happy with the gift
  • still having butterflies inside my tummy due to the excitement I felt when the package arrived
  • loved…very much loved. more than loving the gift he gave, it’s his gesture that made my heart all warm and giggly.

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