I also got another present this Heart’s Day. It’s a homemade Chinese New Year postcard from Gene of Corbitoness. I’m not a member of their post-crossing group but I’m glad she sent me one.Thanks Gene!
All along I thought I was born on a year of the dragon. I just found out it’s a year of the rabbit. Hehe…
Hmm… now I know it takes two weeks for a post from the Philippines to arrive here. 
I received a bouquet of white tulips from hubby this Valentine’s Day. I’m a hopeless romantic, and hubby’s not. So getting these from him makes it more special coz I know there’s an effort for him to do this. He knows I want to feel special on this occasion. I would love to have a dinner at a nearby restaurant but we can’t leave the kids home by themselves. Yes, sometimes I wish to spend some time alone with him and savor those moments. I just miss those times when we were still back home, we had people to whom we can entrust our kids. We can easily go out on a movie date, have coffee afterwards and can return home anytime we want to. I guess we have to wait for more years to have our “alone time”. Haaay… I wish we’re home.
It’s been snowing lately. Temperature here ranges from 0ºC to -15ºC. Good thing I’m having my month-long break from my Deutsch course I don’t have to walk under the snow fall. I wear my leather boots during the cold weather but they’re not really for snow. I think I had a mistake buying those boots because I thought they can also be used in snow. Rather than using them and look for repair shops that dye leather shoes later, I bought waterproof boots which are really apt for the weather. I can use them if we want to climb up a hill near our town and play in the snow with our sled. They may not be for skiing but I know it would hold up with the cold.
It’s been almost a year since we transferred here from Oberkochen. I remember when we were still fixing this house, we did it all by ourselves. When we first saw this house, we checked first what were needed to be done and bought. We saw that there were still no lights in every room, the toilet and bath, kitchen and dining, living room and the two bedrooms. We bought simple decorative lights. But first we bought some tools to be used, pliers, screw drivers, nuts and bolts, everything! And I thought these added up to our cost too. We could have hired people who has complete tools but they are kind of expensive and since we were on a tight budget, hubby just did it by himself. We should have bought tool aprons and would look like Elektriker (Electrician), hehe..
I haven’t really experienced moving to a new home. I have lived 32 years of my life in Cubao though we moved there only when I was 3. I don’t have even a vaguest memory of how we got there. And last year I knew how it felt like. It was tiring! Packing every item in your house and putting them in boxes, luggages and in every container available. Disassembling furnitures to at least lighten them up and discarding objects that would not be of use. Unlike back home where we hire people to carry these items for us, we did it here all by ourselves. Of course with the help of a few friends. Our new home is an attic, and it’s not a joke climbing a number of staircases with heavy boxes in your arms. It was really a challenge we felt like we’re in a fitness contest. It’s much smaller than we used to rent in Oberkochen. There, was a two-story house with an attic and a basement. We had the whole ground floor with 2 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a toilet and a bathroom. Plus a backyard/garden and a parking space in front. We just had to leave coz the new owner has to renovate the entire house. Here in Aalen, it’s basically the same, except for the size and location. Location coz we’re upstairs! Low headroom in some areas of course. Good thing we’re short people. Hehe… Deciding where to put the furnitures, having a motif, decorating the walls and all was exciting for me and a great experience since it was the first time I decide how will my home look like.
My mom has already joined our Creator. A place where there’s no pain, hardships and sufferings. A place where forever there’s only comfort and peace.
A week after my birthday, my dad and cousin noticed that my mom is having a hard time breathing. They rushed her to the hospital and was diagnosed having Pneumonia. She was nebulized and since her reflexes and muscles are not functioning properly anymore, her phlegm was suctioned. She went home Sunday morning and we were looking for an oxygen tank because the doctor advised that she already needs one. Monday morning, daddy went out to buy her medicines. But before going out he told her, “Bili lang akong gamot mo ha. Hintayin mo ‘ko.” (I will just buy your medicines. Wait for me.) After a few minutes, my cousin called my brother and told him Mama’s gone. It was really sad coz all of us thought she’ll be okay again and was looking very fine after she came home from the hospital. It seemed it was her last kick but finally had given in.
I am really thankful to our technology today. I wasn’t able to go home anymore due to financial constraints but I felt as if I was there. From day 1 of her wake up to her interment I saw what was happening through Skype. I saw and talked to my relatives, friends and acquaintances who paid their last respect to Mama. The turnout was overwhelming. I was proud that even though only my brother, sister-in-law and cousin were there, no problems arose from the start until the last day. I know Mama is proud of us on everything we did for her up to her last day where we gave her a decent memorial.
I would like to thank everyone who have always been there since Mama got really sick. Special mention to my cousin, Leen-Leen who took care of Mama that we, for ourselves know we could not do. My brother has work and I am here. I saw her love and care for Mama. She did what we, her children, should have done.
I will always remember Mama as the disciplinarian and I am thankful for that. Again, I don’t know what will happen to me or where will life take me if I did not always follow her and “fear” her. Her ways may not be ideal but I know she only wanted the best for us, just like every mom. And we didn’t turn out that bad.
Now that Mama’s gone, it’s Daddy’s turn to have our attention. All our lives we saw how Daddy loved Mama so much that sometimes he forgets himself. He had sacrificed so much and just focused on taking care and loving Mama. We know he almost gave up on Mama when she got sick but still he stayed with her. Fulfilling the vow he made in front of the altar, “in sickness and in health”. We hope that Daddy stays longer with us. We have so many plans for him to give back to him what he had endlessly given to all of us, his love and care. And in doing these, a few years is not enough.
The other night, hubby was watching videos in Youtube about Germany’s infamous Autobahn. Then I was surprised when suddenly I found him laughing. I got curious and saw that it was a video on a crash-proof bike invented here.
It’s not that we’re laughing at the fate of the motorcycle rider. It’s just that it was so funny when after being dubbed as “crash-proof” bike and boasting of the technology used in the motorcycle and the helmet, it wasn’t able to perform its functions. Like what everyone say, epic fail. The motorbike would have been a good invention. It would have ensured the rider’s safety (as what it said it’s supposed to do).
My Dad used to drive a motorcycle. I could still remember I used to sit in front of him (when I was small, of course) and my brother at his back. He was wearing his helmet, the likes of a schuberth and his jacket. Maybe that’s where I started the love of wind blowing on my face. He used to bring us to school on his bike or just drive around. I have known him as a very cautious and a good rider. He could have had some accidents but these were all minor and were not his fault. Still, we were thankful that none of these took him away from us.
Every vehicle made comes with its safety features, whether it’s a car, a truck or a motorbike. Nevertheless it’s still the driver’s responsibility to be cautious, disciplined and rightfully geared up to ensure his safety.
When we were back home we bought so many DVD of movies and TV series we missed watching. Hubby and I love to watch but had no time to go to movies. We can’t also watch the series we like because we prefer spending time and playing with the kids. The DVDs piled up and became our collection. But time came when we were about to leave the country and come here in Germany. Our collection was left at home and we just looked for interested buyers. I felt sad for it because we had spent so much on those DVDs and thought we just wasted our money on such collection. If only we have collected something valuable like stamps or coins like the ngc gold eagle. Everybody knows that gold value rises as time goes so aside from just collecting these coins, I know we could also profit from it because this is also a form of investment.
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I had a simple celebration of my birthday last Saturday. My day started with a video chat via Skype with my family in the Philippines. They cooked Pancit Canton or Chinese noodles for me as they also celebrated my birthday. I was really happy that day because I saw my mom cried when she saw me and my kids. Not that I’m happy because she cried but I was glad that she’s already responding. She was making this sound as if she wanted to say something while tears were flowing from her eyes. I know she wanted to greet me, maybe even was trying to tell us to go back home like what she always say.
A snapshot of Mama looking straight at the monitor.
We were supposed to try out an Asian restaurant near our place but we went out late and the place was so full when we got there. We went to a Mexican restaurant but was still closed and will not open until 6pm. So we settled for a Pizza and Döner resto.
Pizza and fries for kids, Dürüm and salad for hubby and me
Yes, that is shawarma!
And what is a birthday without a cake?
I always say I miss having my birthday celebrated in the Philippines. I know I could have had a videoke session with my co-workers. But then again there is no better way of celebrating my special day than with people closest to my heart, my family.
