charlobo-a-go-go

I am sitting in my in-law’s house while my husband is out with his brothers installing a television mount. We’ve been here for a few days now, and I’m ready to go home. Home’s home to me, and while I’ve been coming to this house now for a few years (seven, to be exact), it’s not home. 

Christmas is really about watching Bambina be Bambina, spoiled with presents upon presents, things that are great for her to play with, things that I’m wondering - where am I going to put THAT in my already overcrowded house. I am so grateful that she does not want for anything. She has all she needs - toys, clothes, and my favorite thing, a large family that will always provide.

I decided to stay back with Bambina and my mother in law to get some space - so much of vacation is not vacation to me. It’s a lot of work and not that much play. I have been hungering for a place to read, a time to blog, and this is going to be it. I’ve managed to read three of the Harry Potter books in about two weeks time, and I’m trying to plow through assigned reading for work too. I got two books I wished for on my Kris Kringle list, and well, it’s a happy problem. Too many books. We all should be so lucky.

As we close out the books on this year, I can only say that I always feel like it’s a work in progress, steps toward the next year, what I am doing for the future. I don’t know if I’m done with anything, just getting closer…a little here, a little there, but I’m not ready to say, I’ve accomplished my goals. Yes, there are some here and there, but I’m not done. No way, no how. It’s only going to get better.

A raised glass for you all.

Char

I went to a wedding today; my cousin Mazie and her man Randy hooked it up for life. I like weddings, mostly because I know the hell of putting together a good event. Most of my grown life I’ve put together event after event after event. It just doesn’t stop, but truthfully, nothing makes me happier than seeing an event come together like that.

Seeing family is probably my favorite thing about weddings; people get older, kids become grown ups, and my peers all are more concerned about their kids getting some shut eye so they can get back to their drank. But I love it anyways. I do hate, however, those pithy remarks from Aunties and Uncles, usually Aunties, “Oh you’re so fat now.” *sigh* I guess it’s a Filipino trait: kindly tell the truth. But HIT ‘EM WITH THE TRUTH IN THE GUT. Even though you don’t mean to be mean. You’re just sayin’.

Cary and I are approaching our 5th year of wedded bliss *eye roll*. Just kidding. It’s certainly been a learning process for the both of us. We are now parents learning how to adjust to thinking, acting, and sleeping differently.

I’m going to leave off remembering the day we got married, five years ago. It was exhausting, and a deliciously exhausting day at that. I feel like it was just yesterday, the smiling faces, the singing of songs (we made the tables sing songs), and the laughter. That was my favorite part. Just laughing the day away with my love, my family, and my friends. Wish you were there.

Char