A Call From God

More than a month had passed since the devastating typhoon Ondoy hit our country. Our capital was targeted and many people lost their homes and material possessions, what's worse was that there were lives lost, too. Massive relief efforts were made, especially by those fortunate to have their homes intact.

What struck down our homes,

When the strong winds blew,
Thick curtains of rain
Made pools of flood water,
Thick, soft carpets of mud;

Also struck a chord,
A call to realize:
God's longing for us,
To look upon heaven
As our permanent home,
Earthly things fade away.

We are very blessed,
In turn be a blessing
To those in dire need,
Thus serving the Lord,
This is our ministry.

Chowder you doing today?

I just realized, I love making chowder (although this was just my second time to make it). It's yummy and easy. I like thick and creamy soups like this. I just tweaked a few ingredients from Big Oven's Tilapia Corn Chowder recipe. I also added some cheese on top. If only I had no allergic reactions to shrimp or other seafood, I'd make Shrimp Chowder or Clam Chowder. I do not know why I was suddenly having super itchy lesions whenever I ingest shrimp and sometimes, I don't know what. They just appear all of a sudden. So, these days, Zyrtec is my very good friend. My guess is that my blood is already very polluted due to my fatty liver. Hmm... I wonder what other ingredients I could use for my next chowder?

To Love Again And Again

I believe that every woman was born with a mothering instinct, especially when her own child comes into the world.

Browsing through other mommies' blogs and photos with their kids, I can see that they are going to be great moms. Their instincts are working well for them, but mine aren't, recently. It's like I have lost my connection with my daughter, somehow. I would ask myself: am I doing things right? Am I spoiling her? Why is she not eating vegetables? I would feel like I'm flailing and failing whenever she throws tantrums. I never wanted to believe the myth of the Terrible Two. I always believe that Elle is better than that, that she is my good little girl. Sometimes, it is just so hard to control my temper and I wish I could hand in my resignation so I wouldn't get the chance to be too harsh on her. Am I a bad mommy for thinking that?

But, I just love listening to Elle's voice, calling me "mama" and laughing. I love looking at her face, seeing her smile and the twinkle in her eyes. I love how she reaches for my hands and grasping them for a dance or a short trip to her toys. I love how we play peek-a-boo, which always makes her grin or giggle. I love rediscovering the world around us with her and realizing how fast she is learning. I love how she is beginning to automatically connects the word "please" to her requests. With all these, I wonder why I wanted to hand in that letter in the first place. I have a special and wonderful child!

I guess it's just one of those days...

BTW, here's a post I just saw on Allie's blog, and I find her sentiments encouraging.

Why We Don't Need Flash Cards

Question: Elle, what's this? *shows flash card*

Answer: Mama!

*sighs*

I really need to lose weight!