Once Upon A Time, the Beautiful Me was born ~ Of Gratefulness and On to Challenges!

My dear Friends, Countrymen, ka-Expats and Lovers (yeah, sure madami kayo :P) Hear ye, Hear ye! Naaah, just want to thank everyone who extended their birthday greetings and wishes. Salamat ^_^

So, another year is done, and am still holding on ♫ (charmos, ginamos tag-singko ang takos!), a year of smooth, tough and rough  life ride. Last year, I wished for my life to get rearranged, not drastically though but at least that there'd be big changes. I needed to feel efficient, to be productive, to be needed. And, God didn't fail me. I was swarmed with proposals and I welcomed them all until I got overwhelmed with commitments to the point of thinking that I needed to step back.

Every day, I wake up not wanting to get up. I still need sleep, I justify. Yet, I need to wedge the thought aside and show up to the world. I prayed for this. This was what I wanted. There will be no quitting. None until I can't keep up anymore.

It was a year filled with challenges, sure. However I am gifted with a Family; a joy to my heart and a provocateur to my blood pressure (you know, family), and Friends, who have been beside and behind me all the way through.  

*Thanks to Ate Amy and Mae, for putting up with my tantrums, weirdness and loudness. Mira and Sheena  - who have been overly supportive and very understanding of my chaotic schedules, who are already asleep whenever I get home and whom I talk to hurriedly (as I always run off to wherever I supposed to go) and Jona - for everything especially the pinaabtiks. Cathy - for being the best errand-er out there. Thank you so much gang. You know how grateful I am to have you. Pang-through thin and thin jud ka (given na ng thick, ). HAHAHA. Norjean - for your time Norj and for all the pinakalit favors. And to my students who kept me inspired, served as my wake up calls, and for making me realize and appreciate everything (life!). Also to my Deira Peeps, who have brought out the best and the beast in me. The harshest pack out there and whom I could be in my meanest self, the squad am willing to mess with things and people alongside (*evil grin). 

♫♫

The world comes to life

And everything's bright

From beginning to end

When you have a friend

By your side

That helps you to find

The beauty you are

When you open your heart

And believe in

The gift of a friend

♫♪

Thanks for the gift of friendship!

Seriously I have no idea how they were able to put up with me. I don't deserve the generosity and goodness they are showing me. But as the saying "goodness begets goodness". Hahaha. I hear you but, Keep Off The Grass.