Wow! We really had a big surprise a few days before Thanksgiving. My mother-in-law arrived from the States to surprised the kids. Let me tell you, first it was really hard to hide from the kids. The night before Mom arrived, we told the kids that my husband, myself, and our oldest son Chris will be going to General Santos to Pick up some stuff there, but before we go there we have to swing by at the airport to pick up some package there, we told the kids that Bob needs help that’s why we have to bring Chris. We can’t bring all the kids because they had to go to school and they have exam that morning. Everybodys up early that morning too. We went to the airport around 5:50, Mom’s flight suppossed to arrived at 6:04am. We got to the airport like 6:00am. When we got there we decided to just stay in the car and wait for the airplane to land, before we go to the arrival area. Like around 6:05 i saw Mom walking towards our car, i was shocked that she was here already. I guess they left Manila earlier than the time they said. That was a shocked too. Anyway, when our oldest son saw Granny, he was really stunned. he was then running and hugging his granny and asking if it’s really her that he was seeing? Am i just dreaming? It was good seeing them so happy. They’ve been very close prior to the time we moved here to the Philippines. All our other 3 kids when they get home from school were really shocked that Granny’s in the house and they had no idea she’s coming. Our second child AJ was mad later co’z we didn’t tell him that grannys’ coming. He doesn’t like to be keep in the dark. He wants to know everything. Mom stayed here in the Philippines for 1 1/2 month. We really enjoyed having her here. Hope she can come back soon. We are hoping in September for Aj and Jeans birthday. Lets cross our fingers and hope for the best.

Two months before graduation Bob and I got married. I didnt process my papers yet for the U.S coz I don’t know when would they called me for the interview at the embassy. I graduated end of October, after graduation Bob then started the paper process for me to come to the States. By mid November they acknowledge that they got my papers. While Bob was busy making follow up with my paperworks in the States, I myself was busy gathering the papers that was needed like passport, nbi and etc. By mid December I got a call from Bob that my interview at the embassy is going to be on the 3rd of January and my flight to the States is going to be on the 6th of January. Boy, I was a busy little lady at that time. Sixteen years ago internet is not yet existed,  we really have to send anything through post office and fedex and few other method. Unlike now though. Thank God that I passed the interview. After I got my visa, then I went to Makati to pick up my ticket at United Airlines office, they would not issue the ticket unless they would see the visa in hand. My god I really run a tight schedule after that. After four days I was so happy I already was in the States seeing my husband again. He took one week off from his job and he showed me around Portland, Oregon area and Seattle, Washington area. we went to Puget sound area too. We roamed around Mount Hood to see the snow for the first time. When I came, it was one of the coldest winter in years. It was 6 degrees fahrenheit. Still it didn’t stop us in going places. Bob really has patience in teaching me to cope with living in the States. Even now he is not tired of teaching me new stuff about life. It was really hard leaving my family here in the Philippines, being the youngest I was close to my parents. But Bob and his family was always there for me whenever I had a hard time and missing my family. I love him more everyday for that. He really is a very suppotive husband. I’m always proud of you and I LOVE YOU Honey. It was also great seeing the family of my husband who are so warm and loving in welcoming me. I am really close his mom and Dad. I can’t really asked for a better in-laws. I thanked God always that He bless me with good and loving people, being away with my family here in the Philippines at that time it’s not hard then coz I had my in-laws. Almost a year after coming to America my husband and I had our first baby. He was really a joy in our life. He was also the first grandchild of my in-laws. Talking about spoiled kid, his the one. Especially with my mother-in-law… Ha ha ha… Hi Mother don’t get mad, I was just telling the truth ;-)… I love you a lot Mom…

I really did enjoy my college days in Cebu. I  lived in a boarding house just right across the school. In that place it is exclusive for girls only that live there, which one thing that attracted me to that place. Visitors are not allowed to enter the third floor area where the  room of the boarders are located. There’s a visitors lounge at the 2nd level though. It was so convenient because whenever you forgot something it’s not a long ways for you to go home and get it. Also it’s near to the shopping places of Cebu City. One thing too in my studies that i took, i have to go to different radio station and observed or any places that deals with communications like PLDT at least it’s not far in my place. What i do sometimes if i dont have school for a few days, i go visit my Dad’s family in Bohol. At that time i rode a boat from Cebu to Bohol it takes 4 hours. Nowadays, i think they have superferry that goes there that only takes in two hours time. Amazing… I use to go home and visit my parents just during the summer time. It’s so darn expensive to go home from Cebu to Mindanao every month. We are not wealthy, my parents can just afford for us their kids to go to school. That’s one thing I love about them, they really sacrifice a lot in life for us to go to school. I really salute them. That’s one thing i always think about when i was studying that i have to really finish my studies so that the sacrifices of my really parents paid off. I tried my very best not to do stupid stuff. I tried not too hang out with friends that i know will lead me to trouble. I’m pretty sure my parents were happy seeing how successful my life now.

• Hello out there! It’s been a long time since i post in here. Actually i’ve been really thinking what to post. Well, i will start with my life story. I am a Filipina, born in southern Mindanao in Patag, Malapatan, Sarangani Province. It’s 20-30 minutes ride from General Santos City. My parents are farmer. I’m proud of them. I have 4 sisters and 2 brothers. Most of them lived in the farm and the GenSan area. I finish my grade school in Patag, and my high school years in Notre Dame Lagao for Girls in Lagao, General Santos City. After high school my parents sent me to Cebu for college, there I studied Bachelor of Science in Eletronic Communication Engineering at the University of San Jose Recoletos(USJR). I was just there for 2 years and went to Manila to help my brother run his fabric and clothing business. I stayed in Manila for 2 years and went back to Cebu again to continue my studies. Just then, i realize that all of my former classmates during my engineering time were ahead of me, I decided to enroll at a different school in Cebu Technical School part of Cebu Central School at that time, now they change the name to University of Cebu, and study the 2 year course instead. I did finished that. A lot of my classmates and I think my teachers predicting that I would not finish that course, since i’m the only girl in the class. They thought I would be intimadited by it, But NAH… I did not, instead it was a challenge to me though. I did enjoy having all boy classmates, because they’re so protective of me…..  Few months before graduation i meet my wonderful and loving  husband his name is Robert “Bob” Martin….That’s all for now.