Tagaytay Part

December(18th) 2008, Part 7

We stayed in Tagaytay and trekked up and down that mountain EVERYDAY in pre-Christmas, SLEX-under-construction traffic, except for this one particular occasion when our friends decided to save us the trip to town.

All My Children

December(17th) 2008, Part 6

Really love these kids like they're my own... Oh! Half of them are (my own), hahaha!

Christmas-ing with the Yuens

December(16th) 2008, Part 5

More trees at GB5. It was my first time there. Then Via Mare for the long-awaited Puto bumbong. And finally, Cyma take-out at the Yuens. The best food with best friends, it can't get any better than this.

Luis' 16th Birthday

December(15th) 2008, Part 4

This is the day they all joined me in Manila. It was Luis' birthday and he was worried that we'd be in transit on the day. But as it turned out, he had a grand bday with all his favorite food!

Manila Trees, Send-offs and Reunions

December 2008, Part 3

Took an earlier trip to Manila sans the familia to see my sister off for the US. At the time, we were sending her off for good (so we thought). Needless to say, I was a wreck. But the pictures don't seem to show it, thank God! I had Gia, Nikki, my BFFs... And before long, I had my hubby and kids by my side again.

Cinta Sayang and a few Christmas Parties

December 2008, Part 2

The last hurrah...
Photo credits: Jon, Yvonne, Honey Gee

Trees, Bubbles and an Ornament Exchange

December 2008, Part 1

It was my last couple of days in Penang before going back to the Philippines for the Christmas holidays. We had the Filipino group over for hot cocoa and warm Christmas cheer. I was grateful to the Teohs for joining in our 'Ornament Exchange' tradition, which was in fact started by Deborah Murrell back in the day. As a result, my tree is filled with ornaments that hold stories of friendships and treasured memories of past Christmases.

Mee Yoke's Baby Shower [November 30, 2008]

November 2008, Part 7

Preparing for Christmas

November 2008, Part 5

The Harrises' Despedida [November 2008]

November 2008, Part 6

Joshua and Nani, together with their 3 kids, Jonathan, Eliana and Ben were with us in Penang for the past 2 years. Suddenly, it was the time to say 'see you later' ... How we miss them!

Family and Friends

November 2008, Part 4
We got to visit Papa Jiji's new house and visit with our amigos y amigas... before Jojo was off again to Guam, and myself and Sabs to Penang

Victory - Baguio's 20th Anniversary

November 2008, Part 3

Twenty years ago, Jojo, myself, one-year old Jonathan, 2-month old Jenny, together with Jun Escosar, Becc (Lucero) Saavedra, Joseph Carodan, and Lolit (Rina) Reyes, went to Baguio to plant a church.

This is our reward! Indeed, no eye has seen... our minds never conceived the family we would find there.

Papa Dennis' Wake and Funeral

November 2008, Part 2

It has taken me this long to upload these photos. Somehow, it all seemed so unreal, and I put off their posting to make the memory easier to dismiss. I thought that living away for the past years allowed me a measure of detachment. But the past eight months has been a slow process of acceptance, healing and realization.

May this album be a closure of sorts, for myself, my sisters and those who said goodbye to Papa last November. In retrospect, it turned out to be a despedida party. He was off to a better place, and must have been smiling down at all of us.

November 2008 - Penang

November 2008, Part 1

This was the calm before the storm. We went to KL to renew my passport. The Harrises were leaving, the Simpsons were moving in. We had our year-end staff planning, then Jojo left for China.

Little did I know that my Papa woukd pass away at this juncture...