How time flies. Next month we’ll be celebrating our 1st Wedding Anniversary.

I guess Chris and I are very excited to celebrate our 1st Anniversary–he called me twice today 🙂 Even if we won’t be together next month, we’d still be very happy to celebrate our anniversary apart.

And since we’re celebrating our 11th month today, trivia time muna tayo:

Did you know that when we got engaged, we were very quiet about it? Kasi when we got engaged, we just got engaged. We just know that we will marry sooner or later. But we didn’t have any wedding plans, no date, no church venue, nothing at all. We were so vague so we just kept the news to family members only.

Did you know that initially Chris wanted a Baguio wedding? But we defferred the idea because I wanted the wedding celebration to be accessible to all our family and friends.

Did you know that our original wedding date was supposedly January 2008? That’s why we will always be thankful that the January 2007 wedding happened. Imagine, dapat pala single and engaged pa rin kami ngayon. But God is good, he gave Chris the opportunity to work abroad, that really helped a lot in speeding things up for us.

Did you know that when we were conceptualizing the wedding, Chris made a statement that he didn’t want the wedding to be too pink? So I started researching on colors that will look good with pink. And what a surprise when he submitted all his artworks for the wedding—it was all shades of pink!!!!! That’s why I feel so loved whenever I see his creations for the wedding.

Did you know that Chris and I like working on any projects we can get our hands on? We like working together, professionally or not. I think our respect and admiration had a lot to do with it. We are aware of our strengths and weaknesses. When one has an idea, we never killed it, we just listened and stayed as objective as possible. Most importantly, we always bear in our minds and hearts that we are a team no matter what happens.

Did you know that when Chris and I were still friends but were already beginning to like each other, I prayed, “Jesus, if you will give him to me, I will take care of him.”? It was the first time that I prayed like that, so simple, not asking much, but more on giving, not taking. Prayers do come true when you have pure intentions.

And so tonight, I will pray again (as I do everyday) and thank Jesus once again (even if I thank him everyday) for letting me take care of Chris for the rest of my life.

In celebration of our 5th Syota-Anniversary today, (yes, if we didn’t get married this year, we’re supposedly celebrating our 5th anniversary as boyfriend-girlfriend today.) let me tell you a little story about us.

The following day, December 14, 2002, we became a “We”, and an”Us”…and then many photographs followed thereafter…

Collage of our 1st Year Photos

Collage of our Baguio Photos where we celebrated our 3rd Anniversary

Boracay, June 2005

And then we got engaged on December 26, 2004…

Our Kalokohan Collage (We were just sooo happy we decided to make fun of ourselves)

Pre-nuptial Photo by Dre Martinez

Survived a long distance relationship before tying the knot….

Our Wedding Logo

All it took was just one kikay question and we suddenly hit it off as friends:

“May boyfriend ka na?”

That was me asking her on my second day at East West Bank.

And that was that, really. Lumabas na agad ang ka-kikayan at ka-badingan namin. It was so easy being friends with her because we were in the same age bracket. Lahat ng mga kwento namin from our past, nag-connect! At pati mga kalokohan, ka-dramahan at pagka-bitch namin nag-connect din!!! She was one of the very few friends I had na tipong, isang tingin lang namin, alam na namin ang iniisip ng isa’t-isa, at parati pa yang perfect timing. As in, one moment, one look, one naughty smile–ayus! Gets nya at gets ko na rin. Friendship-wise, ito yung tinatawag ko na “magic”.

Our friendship had stood the test of time. We’ve experienced a lot: laughter, tears, drunken nights bitching about people that matter to us, coffee-induced sessions cursing our workload at the office, losing loved-ones and gaining them back again, milestones, frozen margarita nights at TGIF’s, crying over frustrations, going thru health problems, travelling while working, working while travelling, consulting each other of career endeavors, comparing notes on long distance relationships, sharing dreams and hopeful realisms, comforting words to soothe our fears, sharing good and bad news, falling out of our friendship only to find our way back to each again.

There’s probably a lot more. With about eight years of friendship, we seemed to have experienced it all together. And even with so much physical distance between us now, we have amazingly grown much much closer. Kumbaga sa isang love affair, meant talaga itong friendship na ito :).

And because it’s Armi’s special day today, this entry is especially dedicated to her as I show you some snapshots of our beautiful journey as friends:

With some of our original EW HR family during our gimiks nights — bowling ito! We were the Yellow Lemon Team 🙂

With Nonah and the Tarsiers in Bohol. We conducted training in Cebu one weekend and before going back to Manila, we made a sidetrip to Tagbilaran City to sightsee.

With Mama Jules. We were inside the training room attending an HR Meeting. This photo was taken on a Monday afternoon, we looked so tired here because we spent the weekend coordinating an out-of-town training.

With Janis and Rizza in Laguna, one of HR Family’s Summer Outings.

With Rizza, in Baguio City. Pure pleasure trip ito 🙂

During one of the many Self-Grounding Workshops we conducted for EWBC in La Corona, Pagsanjan, Laguna.

With the HR Family during one EW’s Christmas Parties. This one was held at the 53rd floor of PBCom Tower.

With Joanne, Rizza and Mabel at Armi’s Bridal Shower. I was a proud Maid of Honor at her wedding in May 2005.

The last time Chris and I saw her before we left Manila in October 2005. She was about four months pregnant with Gab, who later became my godson.

Our sweet and happy reunion in December 2006. Two days after arriving in Manila, we had lunch and coffee at Greenbelt. Chika and halakhakan galore. 🙂

With Joanne (my Maid of Honor), Armi (my Matron of Honor) organized my bridal shower for me in Manila.

And of course, on my wedding day 🙂

So many photographs, so many memories. Armi touched my life in so many ways. If I had a twin sister, that would probably be her. And now that she is celebrating her birthday today, the only gift I could give her is to let her know that my life is happier because I was blessed to know her as a friend.

My dearest Armi, happy happy birthday!!!! You deserve all the best in the world because you are beautiful inside and out. Time will pass and everything around us will change, and will can also change but I (together with Chris) will always be here for you and your family. Remember always that you are one of the best friends I have in this lifetime. I love you 🙂