“Behind every successful man is a woman” so they say. But this case is different. Behind his success is himself. I am just there to cheer and pray for him all the way.
Being friends with my Husband AJ, I knew he is destined to do great things. He is one humble man who, despite meager resources, managed to stand out wherever he is placed. I’ve known him to be dedicated, passionate and hard-working. I’ve seen him get engrossed over something to the point where he losses sleep just to get it done. He is the type of person who never gives up until the task assigned to him is accomplished. Thus, I knew he can always make better of himself.
He may be modest in stating that they’re efforts were nothing compared to those who really goes to school and attend Masteral lectures every weekend, yet I disagree. They have exerted similar efforts when it comes to completing their theses. I have witnessed him stay up late just to study and finish a report. He did try his best to finish his assignments just like a regular student would.
Hunny, you may not be as brilliant as your classmates (as you say) but it does not mean that you do not deserve the degree you have earned. You have worked for it hence you deserve it as much as your other classmates. And I am really proud of who you are and what you’ve become. Just as what Sir T said before, “you are a diamond in the rough” and I am glad to have seen you turn from such raw diamond to a diamond with cleaner cuts and such brilliance. Continue to sharpen your edges since you are meant to glow like a million-dollar diamond. I am really proud of you.
As you face life, remember your class salutatorian’s speech:
STAY FOCUSED. BE PREPARED. FACE THE STORM.
Kahibalo ko nga wa ka nasayod na kada-lantaw nako sa atoang “wedding ring” kay maka-smile ako ug ginakilig. Dili gayud masukod ang akong kalipay na ikaw ang akong kapikas sa kinabuhi.
Kaganinang sayo sa buntag, samtang si Pastor kay ga-wali sa mga tudlo sa Ginoo, iya gayud gi-emphasize na ang Valentine’s Day kay di (lamang) para sa mga manag-uyab kung dili para (usab) sa mga MINYO. Sa katong higayona, PROUD kaayo ko nga ako minyo ug labaw nga nalipay na ako galingkod tapad sa lalaki na akong gipangayo sa Ginoo.
Pito (7) ka-tuig ta nga mag-uyab ayha kita nakaDesisyon na magpakasal (finally) ug malamang lantaw sa uban kaning adlawa kay di na espesyal tungod kay nakaselebrar na pud kita ug daghan Valentine’s Day. Sa tinuod lang, naa sad mga higayon na ako makaHuna-huna ug unsa pa ba ang pwede nato mahimo duha para maMantinar ang excitement, desire and fun sa atong panang-uban. Lisud na kaayo maghuna-huna pa tungod na sab kay halos ato na nasuwayan tanan (laag, kaon, adventure, etc). Apan, naka-amgo ra sad ako nga dili man kinahanglan kita magbuhat ug bag-ong mga butang aron atong ma-enjoy ang atong kaminyuon kay sa pagkatinuod lamang, tanan natong buhaton karon kay puro FIRST TIME. đ
And TODAY is OUR FIRST VALENTINE’s DAY as HUSBAND and WIFE. đ
Hunny, karong adlawa kay dili lang first Valentine’s day nato but my FIRST ROMANTIC DATE as well. đ
     Â
Nasayod ka man nga wala nako nasuwayan nga (a) mugawas on a romantic date (b) on Valentine’s day ever and I just had my FIRST ROMANTIC DATE tonight. My first romantic date just the way I imagined it to be (minus the rose petals. c’mon! kalat kaha!) — EXCLUSIVE place, delicious food, romantic music (and it is on saxophone! how romantic is that?!), candles, wine and aboveall YOUÂ (bonus na ang CAKE)!
erset! I WAS SWEPT OFF MY FEET! and YES I may be the one who set the place up but without YOUR SUPPORT it will never turn out to be the way I wanted it to be. đ
Seriously, you made me fall for you even more. I am really one hell of a LUCKY girl! đ
Hunny mylabs, DAGHANG SALAMAT sa tanan. YES, with you, EVERYDAY is valentine’s day (and christmas day) PERO you pulled one hell of a show today! and because of that this day became EXTRA SPECIAL!
Coy, DAGHAN KAAYONG SALAMAT sa tanan! Sa suporta, sa gift, sa surprise ug labaw sa tanan sa walai undang sa GUGMA!
I am really looking forward to the many “FIRSTs” (definitely won’t be the last) that we will be doing together — first anniversary, first birthday (with you), first travel, first movie, first 800ml Ice Cream, first disco, and many more!
I LOVE YOU more than I love sweets! đ
May God continue to bless you, me and our MARRIAGE! đ
âHe’s not coming”, said my cousin as she entered the room with my nephew.
I felt a lump on my throat building up. I did not know how to react. I felt like bursting into tears.
âWhy? He knows he has to be here.â I thought.
âHe has to be here for the pictorialsâ that is what I managed to say while holding back my tears.
âHeâll go straight to the church â thatâs what he saidâ, answered my cousin. âDonât worry, heâll be there.â She assured me.
âBut then.. what about the pictorials?â I said. My voice is already cracking up âThis is just once in a lifetime..â
âHush! As if you donât know him!â my cousin replied. âYou know pretty well he is not into picture-taking and the likesâ
I cannot hide my disappointment any longer. I just sat on the couch and started to sob.
âHey! Youâll ruin the make up!â my make-up artist said jokingly.
âItâs okay, Ateâ said Van, our photographer, as she consoles me, âwe still have a lot of opportunities later. Just smile for now..â and then she started taking my photos.
We continued the pictorials outside our room and at the hotelâs garden. I was joined by my entire lady entourage. Couple of poses here and there. Serious poses. Wacky poses.
It was almost lunch time and since the entourage will be leaving the hotel first, they were asked to return to the room while I have more of my photos taken near the swimming pool.
Smile here. Pose there. It felt like forever. The weather is warm and I can feel my sweat creeping down my spine.
After several shots, we decided to go back to the room so I can have my lunch and leave for the church.
As I make my way to my room, I saw him there. He looked so good in his suit and he has that smirk on his face. My heart beat so fast, I ran to him and hugged him tight as tears started to fall on my cheeks.
We posed for the camera for a few times and he bade goodbye as they leave for the church.
I went inside the room crying. âHe came!â I said to myself.
Our make-up artist made another joke about me crying and he assured me that its ok since my make-up is waterproof.
We arrived at the church ten minutes to two. People started to arrive. I was not allowed to step out of the car. I just sat there watching everyone chit-chatting and taking selfies while waiting for the ceremony to start.
The ceremony should be at two in the afternoon. Twenty minutes past two and it has not started yet. The priest has not yet arrived! My stomach began to grumble. I am getting anxious.
It was thirty minutes past two in the afternoon that everyone started to fall in line as the ceremony is about to start. I saw you standing there. You are taking deep breathes and was anxious as I was. Again, I felt a lump on my throat. I wanted to burst into tears again, but I know I shouldnât â I am about to walk down the aisle for Fâs Sake!
Minutes later, I was standing behind closed doors — waiting the cue for that so-called-GRAND-ENTRANCE. The âHere Comes The Brideâ was played.
I wanted to run towards you and hug you tight, but of course I have to âsavor the momentâ as they say. When I am just few feet away from where you were standing, I cannot hold back my tears anymore. I cried. I get to understand everything. That moment I understood that I am no longer your âgirlâ; I will no longer be with you because I am going to make my own family together with my husband. That moment I realized how much of a Papaâs girl I am.
The ceremony went smoothly. Pictures were taken and we moved to the reception venue.
Minutes after the program started, we had our Father-Daughter dance. That dance might be the âFIRSTâ and I am hoping it wonât still be the last. It was one of the greatest moments during the entire âeventâ.
During the wedding, I have realized how lucky I was to be your daughter. Despite the meager resources, you were able to hand us reasonable amount for the celebration. We have never been a perfect family but I could not ask for more. Since Mama passed away, I saw how you worked hard in order to provide for my younger siblings. We may fight a lot but that did not change how much I love you; that moment allowed me to appreciate our family even moreâthat moment allowed me to admire you even more. That night, IÂ knew that YOU will always be the MAN who will ALWAYS have my heart.
I never liked Sundays. For me it is the most boring day of the week! Y’know, there are no great TV shows on Sunday.
BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED. I now LOVE sundays! Sundays allow me to do one GREAT thing with you.
The very firt time I attended a Sunday Worship Service at Pagadian City Alliance Church (PCAC) is already imprinted in my memory. It was a dawn service and a visiting pastor did the preaching. He spoke about God and human’s love. He talked about the ways of showing love to your loved ones and to others. That day I knew it would not be the first and the last time I would attend their services.
I am born and raised in Catholic faith. Never in my entire life that I doubted God’s existence. However, I also did not have that great relationship with the Man above. Many friends have been inviting me to “try” their church and I always try to find excuses why I can’t do so. Back then I believe that RELIGION is never and will never be the basis of your salavation.
One day, I decided to avail one invitation and BOOM! Perhaps it was God’s way of reaching out to me. My first visit at PCAC was followed by many more services. I tried attending dawn, regular and youth services from then on.
The Church’s services taught me a lot of things — from the wonders of God’s love up to creating a Christian community. I wanted to become part of such community and I wanted YOU to be part of it as well. I invited you countless times, I even offered a bargain yet you always say “NO”.
I stopped badgering you. I prayed for you instead. I have been praying for you since we started dating, but that time, I started praying that one day you’d give it a “try” and when you do, God will just miraculously do all the work to make sure it won’t be the last.
It took years.
Iwanted to give up
I wanted to stop praying.
“Perhaps you’ll never exercise the same faith as I do”, so I thought.
But God is so amazing.
Just when I decided to stop hoping you’d join me, the message of the service is about being faithful — being faithful in everything you do — including your prayers.
Hence I continued praying for you.
One night, one invitation came. I thought you’d say No like you always do. But boy was I wrong! You said YES. And I was so happy. I prayed that night that the service the following day would be great so you’d be encouraged to come back a week after — just like me during my first service.
Sunday came. I wrote on my prayer intentions that may it be the first of the many sunday worships we’d attend together. You still came to church with us sunday after that. It was even followed by more services. My heart is filled with joy. Finally, God heard my prayer.
Now, it is YOU who reminds me to prepare for the Sunday service and I am very much grateful for that. I dread Sundays before since it only means Monday’s coming. Who would have thought I’d love sundays more than any other day of the week.
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Indeed God works in mysterious ways! Who would have thought that one invitation would change everything!
HE may not answer your prayers right away but believe that HE will in HIS perfect time. Even if it feels like HE is not listening, continue to pray for one day you will just get the answer you have been waiting for.
Just got LUCKY 