Dangwa, Darling!

Yes, the day has finally come.... today is my birthday! And i feel fine!

I woke up to a great start. 5:30 am and I felt a body slowly lifting itself out from the bed and tiptoeing around the room. I took a peek and saw Allan feeling his way around the room in the dark and stepped out of the room. HMMMM..... Up to something? I didn't want to ruin whatever it is he had planned so I forced myself back to a deep slumber. Nicky coughs and I am awaken. Light is seeping into the room and i notice Allan has not gone back to bed. I look at the time. 6:35am. HMMMMMM...... I step out of the room and i find the car missing. Well, well, well... somebody is up to something! I go back to bed and patiently wait for the sun to rise to its fullest.

7:30am -- BEEP! BEEP! Allan's back! I lay back down and waited for him to come in to reveal what he's been up to the past 2 hours (half thinking, it better have something to do with my birthday! haha). He peeks into the room, half expecting me to still be asleep. SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!, he greets. And in comes 10 dozen roses all straight and fresh from Dangwa (Did i spell that right?)! Wow, super beautiful pink, peach, red, white and yellow roses flood the room! (awwwwww...........) I was speechless and so happy. Nicky wakes up and runs to get me his hand-drawn birthday card with the heart-tugging I LOVE YOU MOMMY words sprawled across the page. It was one of the most beautiful cards he's done for me, with drawings of a McDo drive thru, balloons, a birthday cake and a "pabitin" doodled all around the cover. I just had to SMILE -- to all that.

After experiencing so much joy and excitement in just the first few hours of my birthday morning, and relishing the feeling of being loved and accepted by relatives and friends who have expressed their sincere well-wishes, I came to realize just what birthdays are all about. They're about giving thanks for the life that was given to us by the Lord, and showing love and appreciation to all the people who have made living life on this planet so much more bearable. So to my family, my dearest and best-est friends (you all know who you are:D), my Ligaya MWG bros and sisses, my school barakadas and to the people i work with -- thank you so much for your heartfelt greetings and for making this day a truly special one for me.