Life they say is a rollercoaster, or isang gulong na minsan nasa itaas, minsan na sa ibaba which makes me wonder how could a gulong be on top or at the bottom? Literal lang. But if life is a rollercoaster, it was more than that in 2011 for me. No, I won’t dwell on that ibabang part, rather, I opt to count the blessings for the year that was. Good vibes tayo in 2012!
January wasn’t only the most meaningful time for me last year but also in my lifetime. Not a lot of people get married twice, that is, to the same person. First was in November because we had to get married because we availed for that piso fare months ahead to go to Shanghai. In short, we prioritized our travel rather than our marriage. Lol. Shanghai became our honeymoon destination.
The idea was just to get married and get it over and done with, pack our bags and travel the whole world together. You know you both feel that you are meant to each other but you choose not to be too cheesy to put up an expensive undertaking. She just wanted a simple dinner for all of our closest friends and family in a fine restaurant and the money that we will save will be spent to travel to let’s say, Paris. Simple lang. We both came from two different provinces so hauling our families to Manila is another expense. But there are positive objections of course, especially from her family because she’s the only daughter. Not that I didn’t want us to get married “formally” but she’s the more practical one and avoids the mushy stuff whenever she could. But of course, she just doesn’t want to admit it that she’s mushy.
So to make the long story short, naitawid namin ang wedding without these: wedding rings, wedding gown, the entourage and the wedding cake. Dinner nga lang ang plano di ba? Hayun we splurged with a good caterer and everyone seems to be pleased with the food. All’s well that ends well, ika nga but our minds are already set to our next travel, the second honeymoon, Penang!
February is a love month and kasing kulay ng maselang bahaghari ang lovelife ko ang buwang yun, thanks to my equally happy wife whom we knew was already pregnant before the “grand” wedding. So it was the biggest wedding present we ever received. But no, hindi made in China si baby, made in Cubao! Lol Shanghai was a really good experience especially that we were also pampered by our good friends.
When we went to Penang, Malaysia in February, choosy na si mommy sa food. Eh Penang is known for great food. Ako na lang naging taga-ubos ng food nya when she can’t take the smell. Strategy namin, she buys her food first, taste it and if she doesn’t like it, ako na kakain nun. Also, she gets tired easily. Not that it stops us from getting out of our hotel it just limits us from really getting adventurous. Penang is just a small island and most of the time we spend walking while sightseeing Georgetown, a town in Penang, known for being a World Heritage site. We both enjoyed it but I just feel we could have enjoyed more.
Our baby wasn’t planned to tell you the truth. He just came unexpectedly and I realized later on, he just came at the right time at may baon pang pampabuwenas. Our plan as a couple was to travel to as many places as possible. Nagawa naman namin while she’s pregnant, sa Luneta, Roxas Boulevard, MoA at SM Cubao na sobrang layo mula sa apartment, magta-tricycle ka pa. My wife was never fond of shopping malls. Ako lang ang mahilig mag-shopping.
And because “our” pregnancy was a placenta-previa, we had to be careful where we go. Meron dyan na tinatanggihan na lang namin ang Pagudpud, binalewala ang July trip to Cebu at yung business trip ni wifey supposedly to Paris. Hanep lang maka-KJ tong si baby. So that leaves us with nearby places like Trinoma, Eastwood at yung pinakamalayo sa lahat, SM Cubao. Masuwerte na yung makapag-Greenbelt kami. But this time, we weren’t shopping for ourselves but for the baby and every mittens and every socks we buy, matter. Kulay pa lang, pinagdedebatehan na ng husto.
About June or July, I received a confirmation that I got the job in Singapore. This is what I am saying na may baong pampabuwenas si baby and also because I needed one. At first, I didn’t know how it will happen, with our baby who is expected to come out in September, while I was also expected to be working in Singapore by September and that I needed to leave. But soon we kind of figure it out, thanks to my wife who had to give up everything, including her work, in order to take care of our baby full time. That way, she could also take care of me full time. Weeehh! But seriously, breastfeeding our baby was the only option she had in mind. Them going to Singapore was never an option by the way, it was a requirement
So when Blue came out at the end of August, I was both ecstatic and sad because I have to also leave them after. We still needed to process their passports, especially baby’s and wait for their Singapore pass to be approved before they can come over. Bringing them to Singapore wasn’t a difficult decision at all. Even if I am not earning so well, it was enough to provide the three of us with food and then some. Nothing can replace the time I spend with my baby, growing before my eyes and see him laugh or smile at me when he wakes up. Ang lagay lang eh, we always drag him out of the house to let’s say, go to church every Saturday or to check out Marina Bay or Sentosa Island once in a while. And they’ve been here for two months pa lang!
There’s a lot of stories and experiences I have had in 2011 that probably changed/changes/will change our future. And this is not my story alone now, it’s the story of my little family. We already! For how long we will be here, I do not know. As long as we’re together, from ups and downs and anything in between, for richer or for poorer but I plan to get richer. Asan pa bakit ako nag-Singapore? But seriously, life here is safer, cleaner and we make the most out of what we have, great places, church, new friends and have a blast, parang Goodbye, Philippines lang.
