Caroleen’s Treasures

I woke up just in time the clock struck 5 in the morning. I wanted to start cooking but I am too tired from preparing all the ingredients last night so I went back to sleep. At 7am I put the pan on the stove and started to cook. I was short of baguio beans and I was just so thankful Donald went to buy some in the market without me asking him. I was cooking while Ella and Tadiday had a shower. Every Sunday it seems they are very slow in taking a bath, I could hear them both giggle while they are playing.

At 8:30 am I am done with the cooking and I had a quick shower before everyone showed up in church. The kids class went well having 10 kids. We had a story about David and Goliath which everyone enjoyed. I also let them draw a picture of David and Goliath and they all did a very good job.

After the class we all went to the church building and attended the service. Donald delivered a message about PRIDE. After the service we had a nice talk with each other and waited for the lechon. I almost lost my temper when I learned that the members I asked to bring rice (and they agreed) did not bring even a single grain. I asked them in the first place to bring rice because I understand they cannot bring any dish. I cooked a good amount of chopsuey and sotanghon guisado and Tatang’s daughter brought lechon, this will get some worries off their shoulders. just the rice. Finding they brought none, I ran to the house and filled two pots of rice which was served in just the right time.

We enjoyed the fellowship with games and song presentation by family. Me, Donald and Ella sang “I walk with the King”. It was one of Ella’s favorite songs from the hymnal and she sang alto. We are happy she is growing to be singing songs of the church rather than the songs she hears in the radio.

After everyone left, I was hoping I could get a good nap but I have not. Instead, I cleaned my toenails and then we went in the backyard to hopefully finish clearing the area where we will plant vegetables. Then I get in here to blog and saw my sister Crislyn was online and chatted with her. They are in our cousin’s house in Davao. There would be some sort of thanksgiving service for the new house and many of our cousins and relatives from our hometown are there to celebrate. We have been there last July when I had my general check up. The house is beautiful and modern furniture will suit best in there.

We are just sitting here watching their faces in the webcam, hoping we are also there to join the fun. How I wish we could again bond together. It is so sad to miss the fun. But hey we are going home in December…but that is such a long wait. Since we moved here in Agusan, we are like living abroad….cannot go home easily like we used to. But glad there is webcam and being able to chat is a plus.

I was thinking of my mother’s death anniversary coming up. This will be another great time to spend with realtives especially with cousins and their kids of different age, sizes, colors, hair and skin. We are a big clan, I have 10 sets of Uncles and Aunties. I have cousins who grew big while pregnant and never gained back their old figure. There were also, like my sister Crislyn, never grew tall. There are different things everyone complained about. Mine was the battle to gain weight even just 2 lbs. There were curly hairs that needs straightening and faces that needs acne treatment. Wish we could get home by then. Been looking forward for this reunion for so long.

March 24 

 Yesterday at 3 a.m. Donald found me still infront of my pc getting more and more addicted to this thing. He was annoyed seeing me wide awake and told me to go to bed. I refused thinking that if I’d go to sleep I may not be awake at 6 a.m. to catch the 1st trip to Kabacan. He is much concerned about my weight loss. I had this problem of easily loosing appetite when so much engrossed in something, lack of sleep and stress. For just a couple of week, my weight has gotten from 45kgs down to 42kgs.

At 6 a.m. I started to get dressed then had some things packed that we might be needing there. I woke up Donald and then Ella, get them ready and by 7 a.m. we are off to the terminal. We waited for 2 hours for the puv (public utility van), there is not much people travelling and we should wait for the seats to be filled. Ella is irritated and began fussing around. We are very sleepy since Ella and Donald was up watching a movie until 3 a.m.  Ella had slept on the way, Donald had also took a nap.  When we arrived at Kabacan, we went straight to my cousin’s place and had lunch at past 1p.m. Ella had the drawing she made for my cousin Sherwin and put it in his casket. The picture of it was posted in Ella’s blog. I had a brief talk with Aunt Lenny (Sherwin’s mom). A neighbor found his body with a note on his hand. There was also a note in the calendar saying how much he loved his family and asked for forgiveness of all that he had done. He also encircled the date 17 on the calendar, the day he ended his life.

In the evening, people started pouring in. It was the last night of the wake. I had slept in the afternoon and I thought I could stay awake the whole night until morning. I just thought I could do that…but what I did was sleep again with Ella and other 4 cousins in just a twin bed.

March 25

I woke up still feeling sore. I was feeling this way since yesterday. We started getting ready for the devotional and necrological service which started at 8:30. The cousins were all in the other side and we sang Sherwin’s favorite songs ( a little bit off key because everyone is crying ).

March 26

It’s still dark when I woke up. It was still 3:30 am on my phone’s clock. Ella was also awakened by a dream. She dreamed about my mother and we talked for awhile. She had gone back to sleep in a moment and I started playing on my celphone. Before 6 am I went straight to my mother’s grave beside my grandparent’s lot. The weeds were all over and the plants are barely surviving. I pulled the weeds and fixed the potted plants. Before 9 am I was done. I then went to my Aunt Emy’s house to help prepare for a thanksgiving dinner tonight (two of my cousin’s kids are graduating from elementary today). I am always on call for flower arrangements and hall preparation. I was right again, I made bouquets for the teachers and helped mix the salad for tonight. Before lunch I went back to my grandparents house and laid my back on the floor. It hurts again. My cousin Sherwin always massaged my back and now he’s gone I would miss his magic touch. Donald brought me lunch. I found a reader’s digest magazine and was engrossed on it until I had dozed off to sleep.

It was raining when I woke up by my Aunt Letty’s call ( you see I have 10 pairs of aunts and uncles ), they are looking for me to do final touches of the hall. Donald was there fixing the banner so I just stood there giving orders The rain hadn’t stopped and the visitors started to arrive. It was a busy day indeed but I enjoyed the company of my cousins. Only a few cousins, nephew and nieces are in the photo. If we are all going to pose for a portrait, there will be at least 3 batches or so (we would not fit in the lense *lol).

March 27

Feeling much fatigue from yesterday’s weeding on my mother’s grave. Donald gave me a massage. Everyone was going about their own activites but I still would want to sleep. I did not eat breakfast and lunch. I just laid in bed waiting for my body to gather strength to go to the bathroom and prepare to go back to Davao. It was already past 4 pm when we headed for the terminal. We took a bus instead of puv. I felt very hungry on the way and I could not let Donald buy me something to eat since Ella was spread across our laps. It was 9 pm when we get here in my sister’s place. The dogs waggled their tails upon seeing Ella. I wanted to post for my blog right away but checked other blogs instead.

March 28

I was up until 4am this morning. When I was about to sleep, I felt hungry again so I had an early breakfast before finally going to bed. When I woke up, it was raining and dark, I checked the time and it was already 5pm! Whew! What a lazy day it is…..