BEST. BIRTHDAY. EVER.

If every birthday has a theme, I’d say this year’s title would be, “For a change”.

For the first time in so many years, I finally celebrated a birthday with all four of us together, under one roof. The last time I think was eight years ago. So when Mama went to our room yesterday and kissed me on the cheek then greeted me a happy birthday, I almost felt like I was dreaming. It was so surreal I almost cried.

I think this goes without mentioning, but to me, the biggest highlight of my birthday is that it’s the first birthday I had with a family of my own. Bob and Nathan, what more can I ask for? God entrusted me with two of his precious creations, naku naman, ano pang mas peperfect pa dito?

I didn’t make any plans at all for my birthday. I stopped making plans when I realized that it always rains on my birthday – walang mintis. And not just slight rain, talagang malakas and bumabaha. But then again, kahapon ng umaga, grabe walang ulan. The sun was up, at talagang mainit pa. I said to myself, “Aba, kakaiba to. Let’s go to MOA!” Hahaha! Ang tapang ko noh? Eh kasi Bob gave me a wonderful birthday present – budget! Hahaha!

So Joy texted Ryan so he can come with us. And while he was on his way, I prepared a little game for the family. We had Uno Stackos at home, I printed some phrases on a paper and then dinikit ko sa likod na part para hindi makita. I included a 1k peso prize, some 500’s and 100’s and then a lot of Waleys! Hahaha! Papa got around 700 pesos in cash prize, and everyone thought he’ll be the one to get the 1k major prize, but lo and behold, yung nangungulelat na si Joy with 20 pesos got the one thousand cash prize! It was really fun watching their reactions whenever they read, “Waley, bunot pa!”

We had so much fun we forgot to cook lunch. Haha! So kinain namin yung dala ni Ryan na cake from Red Ribbon and then prepared to go out. It was almost 1pm nung nakaalis kami ng bahay. I said to myself, “I know God always, always gives me signs on my birthday. Bring it.” Haha!

True enough, nung nagpa-gas palang kami, nakita ko yung matandang babae na pinakain namin ni Bob sa Jollibee one time. Without me asking to, tinawag ni Papa at Mama and binigyan nila ng alms. Yes naman, natuwa ako. I feel that we’re so blessed na it’s just right for us to share what God gave us. Malamang kasi yun ang reason bakit overflowing ang blessings, diba?

And then dahil nahihilo na kaming lahat sa gutom, instead of settling sa drive-thru, we opted to dine in sa bagong tayong Jollibee dun sa may bayan, on the way na e. Had one piece chicken each, since we said kailangang magpagutom para sulit yung dadayuhin pa naming sa MOA. Haha!

Ayun na, paglabas namin, may batang babae na nagaalok ng tinda niya. I stopped to ask her what it is, and she said, “Lumpiang Toge” daw for 7 pesos. I was full already, and I know everyone was, so I don’t think we can eat any more lumpias. But she was really asking us to buy, and nakita ko talaga na parang desperate na siya, so I told her, sige give me two pieces. Kasi yun lang yung nakita kong barya ko, 20 pesos. Then her little brother came and with happy eyes, he asked “Magkano na yun pag dalawa?” Then he used his hands for counting and said, “Ah! Fourteen! Edi magkano yung sukli?” I said, “Six pesos. Pero, itabi niyo na. Sa inyo na yung sukli.”

They smiled at me, tipong smile na sobrang thankful, and then the girl said, “Ate salamat, di pa po kasi kami kumakain.” I knew it was way past 2 pm already, ba’t di pa sila kumakain? I said, “Ganun ba? E kumain na kami, sa inyo nalang yung binili ko, kainin niyo ha?” Grabe, tuwang tuwa sila, thank you ng thank you. I can’t imagine pano yung feeling kung gutom na gutom ka na tapos pagkain yung tinda mo pero hindi mo pwede bawasan.

Nung paalis na kami, sinilip pa nila Joy if they really ate it. They did, and nagshare talaga silang magkapatid dun sa dalawang lumpia. I asked Papa to go back kaso lang wala na sila dun sa harap ng Jollibee. But I really do hope to see them again, siguradong matutuwa yun sa chicken joy. :P

Anyway, so yun nga. We went to MOA, window shopping and side-eating. We had frozen yoghurt na kami lang ni Joy ang kumakain kasi they all say it tastes panis na gatas. Haha! And then krispy kreme. Nagpapagutom kunwari para daw sulit talaga. By 6 pm, andun na kami sa dampa choosing Mama’s favorite sea foods.

In fairness, masarap ang luto dun sa kinainan namin. I don’t want to name them na, sayang publicity. It was all good, service was fine until they handed over the bill. Hahaha! Double sa expected namin, and we even calculated upfront ah. May charges dito, may charges duon. But anyway, okay lang. Nainis lang ako kasi they promised a 20% discount before we came in, tapos nung bayaran na nakalimutan na nila. But all is good, the food was great – ang dami! But I guess nag work yung pagpapagutom namin kasi I initially thought we wouldn’t be able to finish it sa sobrang dami, but we did. No take homes!

And then we all set to going home, pagod and busog, we left MOA with slight smiles on our faces. Haha. Then on our way home, I remembered we still have vouchers for a full body massage with ventosa therapy. It was around 9pm na so I called the spa and asked them if they’re still accepting clients. Unfortunately, fully booked na sila for that night (and for the coming days – sept 9 pa open!) so we decided to just stop by the nearest spa sa subdivision namin, since I’m really really craving for that full body massage. :)

10pm na when Bob and I got to the spa. Bob was so in to treating me, at talagang full two hours pa yung kinuhang package. Haha! Since nauna na naman sila Mama and Joy, there was no worrying for Nathan kasi for sure tulog na siya nung mga oras na yun. It was our first time dun sa spa na yun since bago palang, and boi did they exceed my expectations. Ang galing ng therapist, si Bob tulog na agad ilang minutes palang during the therapy. We had thai massage which was exactly what I needed – stretching galore.

The music was so nice din, and then I just found myself praying to God. I thanked Him for what has been a very wonderful birthday. It never fails to amaze me how things changed for the last few years and how he intricately planned it all. There I was, on a massage bed, for the remaining two hours of my birthday. Ang sarap ng feeling, not just because of the massage, but knowing that Bob and I made this already. We are in that stage na we can afford a comfortable living. I can’t say luxurious pero okay na sakin yung comfortable. Compare that to what we had three years ago, when Bob’s computer table was a make-shift box, and all we had as furniture are a mattress and couple of kitchen utensils – sa first apartment namin. I’m so proud of what Bob has been for the years since we got together, he really worked hard, to get us to where we are right now. Ok na ko dito, I’m okay with all aspects. Happy ako we can do grocery shopping every week and not run out of stocks, happy that pag kalahati nalang yung gatas ni Nathan, may pambili na ng bago before it runs out. Secured, comfortable and we can afford little luxuries like that. A car and a house soon, jusko Lord, what have we done to deserve all these?

“This is THE life!” I remember myself saying before I dozed off to sleep last night. Thank you Lord for making all of this happen.

P.S.

For sure madaming typos and grammar error to, pagbigyan na. Too happy to edit. :D