On The Spotlight: Maddie in Wonderland by Madel Aguila-Lim

"When gardeners garden , it's not just the plants that grow but the gardeners themselves." - Ken Druse

It has been good  four months and hopefully counting for more since I started the hype of hoarding (Excuse the term , for I truly am. hahahah!) such stress-relieving succulents. It all started when I was given with only 5 succulents to tend. At firs t, it was very shameful to admit that they never got my attention at all. So instead of really taking good care of them, I let them sat in just the corner of our veranda. 

Coincidence as it seemed , it was also the same week when Ms. Madel Aguila-Lim of  Maddie in Wonderland posted her class about succulents in her IG account. I tried contacting her expressing my interest in her class. Only that  I failed for some other matters I had attended in school, too. :(

Right there and then , to compensate the desolation I felt, I went to search for pictures of varied succulents in Google. It was then that it finally dawned on me the great desire of owning those kinds I've only seen in the net. 

The Husband  then surprised me with a hundred pieces of succulents which was followed by another hundred. The experience left me euphoric. But because I was still a newbie in the field ,  I lost a lot of them, too. One succulent died after another. I couldn't seem to properly water them and to perfectly mix the right soil for them. I couldn't even place them  in a place where they could get enough sunlight. I was so naive about them. So from hundreds, to less than a hundred down they became. Seeing them wither one at a time always saddened me until  Ms. Madel once again , and finally posted about  another session of which I attended almost a couple of months ago.

Hooorayy!!!!! 

Photo grabbed from Maddie in Wonderland's  Fb Page

. . . and presenting our beautiful mentor :)

Photo grabbed from Maddie in Wonderland's  Fb Page

. . . a few of her collections

Photo grabbed from Maddie in Wonderland's  Fb Page

Photo grabbed from Maddie in Wonderland's  Fb Page

Photo grabbed from Maddie in Wonderland's  Fb Page

During the session she taught us the following:

* How to make our own fast draining soil
* What plant hardening is due to sun exposure
* What the proper watering techniques are
* How to feed the plants
* What are the dish gardening techniques


. . . and my favorite part , I was able to make my very own arrangement. :)


The mentor herself assisting  me in my sort of difficulty when we had the arranging. :)
She was indeed very accommodating that one will never felt being left behind during the session.

. . . got to meet new friends, too.  Right beside me here, is ate Rocil. :)

Photo grabbed from Maddie in Wonderland's  Fb Page

. . . and to our finish products , slow claps for us! hahah!

Photo from Maddie in Wonderland's FB Page 

So what are you waiting for? Tag along your friends, bbfs, and mga ka-tinik  and catch her next class on the 25th of this month , 2 pm - 5 pm , at Officemates Prints and Services Parking Lot near BDO on the road going to Misamis University, Ozamiz City. 

Photo from Maddie in Wonderland's FB Page

How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways

"I'm so blessed my Lord I can see you... I see you in the eyes of my very best friend." 

 It  was early this 2018 when I had this subject called Poetry in my Master's Degree of which we were tasked to do a Demo teaching of a poem of our own choice. While I did my all time favorite poem in all aspect of my life , The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost , a classmate had Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It is also known as How To Love Thee and for you to have an idea as to why I fell in love with this sonnet , here it is for you to read. :)

How Do I Love Thee ( Sonnet 43)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day's 

Most quiet need , by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely , as men strive for right. 

I love thee purely , as they turn from praise. 

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs , and with my childhood's faith. 

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breadth ,

Smiles , tears , of all my life ; and , if God choose,

I shall love thee better after death. 

And so I'm doing my fair share of this counting the ways as to how I love "the husband" as he is turning 28 today. Only that mine would be called How I will Write About Him. 

This is how I'll write about him. I'll  write about him because I want to immortalize him in every single word I have for him. I want to live in every thought what I will pour out in this writing. I'll write about him not only because today is his birthday, but instead I want the world to know that in this lifetime ,  I have met that one soul  who made me  have faith in romance again and so for my entire lifetime , I want to spend it loving him more. I'll write about him because he is exceptional , and I want to keep record of how amazing I thought of him the first time his eyes met mine on that cold night of March 2007. I'll write about him because he makes me happy in so many ways I never thought possible  that it scares the shit out of me for I might get used to them and that they may not last. Hence, I want to reread this years from now , and see how far we'll make it. I'll write about him because even though we just got married, having him as a boyfriend for a decade , he already genuinely feels like a home to my heart and having him around makes me undeniably safe. 

. . . from one of our 2015 travels

I'll write about him in an impeccable way. I'll write not about the color of his shirt when we first meet for no matter how I will keep reminding him he tends to always forget. I'll write not about how he looked when we first said hi and hello , because he was totally under the shadow of a tree and the absence of sun makes me not able to remember it . I can't even remember if we met on a Monday or a Friday and not even the very first cafe where we had our very first date . However I'll write about how crazy it was for him to travel miles to see me and how dragging it always was to  wait for weekdays to finally see him. I'll write about how he came into my life and waited for the perfect time to finally court me and how he immediately became my ray of sunshine. :) 

I'll write about the truth that though we agree on many things, we totally disagree on many others and that  thus making us even more respectful for each other's ways and wants. I'll write about how he always tolerates all I am into  down from my "kakiyan"  up to my professional growth and how he has always supported me in between those two. He searched bookstores for rare books I want, stood at my back during those days I felt wearing heels at all time, scrutinized the bags I wanted  before paying in the counter, planted succulents  I have been eager to collect and to even pet dogs he does not like. There are actually a lot more that I can speak of , things of which are way too far from what  he loves doing, but eventually he does just for me.

. . . my dearest Pawpaw is always to the recue ;)

I'll write about how he made me go beyond my comfort zone and encouraged me to grow professionally and how stubborn I was to always delay taking up my Master's Degree because I  have always loved to dilly-dally at times.

I'll write how he always made me the subject of his amateurish photography  and how passionate he is for such craft and how his face beams with light whenever he sees a perfect and  picturesque spot.  I'll write about how amazing he is to always put up with all my stories ,  opinions , rantings and whining.

I'll write about how I loved every moment we spent on breakfast, lunch, and dinner ; and how weird it will always be that we both enjoy our  extra meal of which he calls as our "rebanse". 

I'll write about how unforgettable the way he looked when he told me he liked me for the very first time and the feeling we had on our very first date. I'll write about how beautiful the feeling which our hearts felt during that very moment. I'll write about the way his eyes glowed whenever he'd smiled and the thickness of his eyebrows of which to me are close to perfection.

I'll write about the music of his laugh , and how soothing the sound of his heartbeat is every time I rest my head in his chest. I'll write about how happy I am to have met him in this lifetime. Truly,  I will always fail in putting them into words.

This is how I will write about him. I will immortalize him in my words; and will never forget how he made me feel. I'll write about how promising we are and how I think it is worth it because it is HIM.

I never thought I would end up marrying himhim  I will always give thanks to the One above for having the working of His magnificent wonder into our lives. And just as what Elizabeth Barrett Browning said, "I love thee with the breadth , Smiles , tears , of all my life ; and, if God choose, I shall love thee better after death."

The Sunday Currently VI: Calligraphic Moment

"There is always something to be thankful for." 

It's Sunday again and today is such a wonderful way to start the week. True to what I have crafted above, we always have something to be thankful for. We just have to find what these things , places , people are. We should always navigate ourselves away from whatever may drag us down so as the rest of our days in the week will not be affected. Come and take a sneak peak of  my Sunday and know what I am thankful for. What about you, what are you thankful for? :)

Reading

. . . the book I started last week , my second Gary Chapman's  book ,Happily Ever After : Six Secrets to a Successful Marriage . I just realized this book requires me to read a chapter a day . Hence , I decided to so. Will have to wait for the husband to come so I can share to him whatever learning I can get from my reading :) 

Writing

. . . scribbles in my calligraphy notebook of which the husband brought to me for a year and a half ago. Yeah, I know! He's such a tolerant of all what's I'm into. He spoils me a lot. Thanks to the One up high for the destiny he made for us. :) 

Listening

. . . to one of my favorite worship songs , Thank You Lord by Don Moen

Hearing

. . . the kids' happy chanting and some unlikable teasing

Thinking

. . .  how kids of today are way too exposed to things of which are not very suitable at their age. For instance , I heard from their teases the curses they utter to their playmates when at my current age I still find it hard to say .  What happens to that very famous quote  which states "The children is the hope of the nation" ?  :( 

Smelling

. . . some parents who have forgotten the attention needed by their children to be really guided in their formative and growing years. What I've actually heard is really beyond alarming. :(

Wishing

. . . for that very good news from the husband

Hoping

. . . and hoping to finally have him around the house this week, missing him BIG TIME!

Wearing

. . . this plain pink shirt 

Loving

. . . the ideas of having two holidays this week. The 12th and the 15th of June :)

Wanting

. . . to pay a visit and take time to goof around with my other dogs ,  Riri the Peruvian Inca Orchid and Baby the I-don't-know-what-kind-of-dog-it-is, in my parents' house . Long to have them around. Been seeing them seldom since I moved out of our house. :( 

Needing

. . . a long vacation. Who doesn't? hahah

Feeling

. . . so blessed and thankful now that I get to finally teach the subject I had been longing to teach for three years (since I was employed in public school, I never get to teach my Major). And so I'm kind of expressing my great gratitude to the previous Department head I had in TLE Mam Rodelia Balcita for it was through her that I get to explore , go out of my comfort zone , and realize there is more of me other than teaching English alone. It was through her of which my baby steps in DepEd became more of a challenge than that of fear. Her guidance helped me develop my weaknesses and unfold the strengths I have. It was through her that I get to live out how important the subject is for the learner's future.  And it was also through her that I get to meet wonderful people in that department, Maam Merit, Maam Bebe, Mam Darel and a lot more. Daghan kaayong salamat Mam Del! You will always be one of the best mentors I have! :) 

Would also like to express my immeasurable appreciation to the MAPEH Department, my 2nd year Mapeh Teacher back then , Ma'am Lorena Rivera for choosing me to handle the subject Creative Writing in the SPA Curriculum. I may not be the perfect person for the subject, for sure no one is, but I will really do all the best I can to share and impart not only the knowledge I know but so are the values I have to my learners. Thank  you Mam for the trust. 

And another "Thank You" goes to my current Department Head Teacher, Mam Clariza Catedral for finally having me in the department I belong to. I have not started the school year yet, but I get to finally found myself new family through the people I was with during the RTOT in CdeO. Salamat  kaau ug dako Mam Clar, myheart is just so full as  my school year began!!!

Above anybody else, to the One above for constantly being my North Star as I wander in the vastness of the dark ocean. Without His grace , wisdom,  guidance and love , I am one piece of nothing especially for the shortcomings I had in the past,  have at present and  might have in the future. 

The Sunday Currently V: DLL Making and Printing

. . . one of my favorite parts in the house ;) 

Reading

. . . Happily Ever After : Six Secrets to a Successful Marriage by Gary Chapman 

. . .  my 2nd Gary Chapman Book 

Writing

. . . daily reminders for the coming school year 2018-2019

Listening

. . . to Still by Hillsong

Hearing

. . . the chugging sound my printer creates as I continue printing my Eng. Daily Lesson Log

Thinking

. . . a lot and to enumerate are the following:

      a. as to how can I possibly extend the no-school days :(

      b. when can "The Husband" be possibly home

      c. his fast approaching birthday :)

      d. how do my students behave for the entire school year? Will they give me pain 

         in the neck or the sweetest smile? I doubt the latter though ahahhaha

Smelling

. . . the burnt leaves from the neighbor's backyard

Wishing

. . . many more sleeping-in-the-couch-with-a-book kind of days!

Hoping

. . . for a smooth sailing school year in the new curriculum I'm in

Wearing

. . . lace-y spaghetti-strapped blouse I bought in a thrift mart in Manila a couple of years ago. :) It's intricate pattern and color just captured my "fashionable" self. hahahha

P.S. wore this earlier when I attended the mass and yeah you got it right! I never changed yet! hahaha

P.S.S of course I used over coat with it! hahahhaha :D :D :D

Loving

. . . my new working table in my little home library . Thanks to "The Husband" who perfectly planned and made it for me. :)

Wanting

. . . to finally start my three-year old Special Edition Set of The Lord of The Rings series by JRR Tolkien. I was kind of inspired when Leonor Briones , our Department of Education Secretary , said during the RTOT I attended in CdeO that she reads the story every Christmas. When she narrated how the creation of the world was told in the book, it got me thinking, "I must read this sleeping set I have in my shelf." 

Needing

. . . more time for booooooks!!!!

Feeling

. . . not so excited for tomorrow's first day of class but would be very happy to regularly see friends in school so as new set of learners hungry for knowledge. :)

Beyond The Lens

Earlier this morning, the Streetwalker PH had its 3rd  worldwide photowalk - an activity of which is being participated by all sort of photographers around the city. 

Photo from Mr. Buray's FB account

Being one with an eye for good photographs, and being a photojourn by duty (not the PRO you are thinking though , hahah!) ,  this activity has continuously piqued my interest only that for the previous years I failed in joining since I never had the time to do so. Luckily, this year it became possible as I have finally participated it through Mr. Almaclen Buray  together with  the members of our newly founded organization - Misamis Occidental Bloggers. Ahahaha! yeah you heard it right , we now have this group in the province. Check out our Fb Page for our recent posts and updates right here.

Yours truly , Mr. Buray , Ms. Mae , and our Baby Dolly

This year's Photowalk uses the (hashtag) #TRES which incorporates the power of "3"  straight forward or implied threes into the photographs and introduces or creates awesome relationships between elements  with or without people. 

I guess these are my best shots, but not the ones for winning. hehehe

<3

Early splash

May not be actually three, but I just kind of like this one. :)

However, this one is something which captured my entire being.

A simple spot and mundane people with an act expresses beyond any other words can say . An image which fails to showcase the photowalk's hashtag - #TRES. However , this simple yet strong image reminded me of three things: Contentment , Pure Bliss , and Love. :)

Here then, I've come to realize that a good photograph is not actually the one who takes the shot, nor the places as to where the shots are taken, and not even the subjects shown in the the photos. A good photograph is something beyond what the lens and the photographer can see. It is actually what the story behind the place, the subject and the photo that makes what a good photograph is. Above anything else, it is  something that feels so surreal both to the subject and the photographer, just as to what I have felt before and after taking the photo above. :)

Thank you for your time and keep posted! :)

FEB-IBIG : 16 is the New Valentine's Day and Pastel is the New Red

"So, I love you  because the universe conspired to help me find you." 

- Paulo Coelho

Exactly a year ago since I got to marry by best friend. Yeah, that explains today's blog's title. True, it's been a year now, how swift time flies yet I still haven't shared to you guys the photos of our wedding. Not even the planning was told. It's been a year, yet I only uploaded a few  of our wedding pictures in Facebook.  So to let you see a little snippet of it, here's our SDE Picture-Clip (Same-Day-Edit) by the very talented Foto Crime Lab Photography and Videography.

                                  

So for today, since the wedding anniversary celebration is yet to be published for the sole reason that the husband has not arrived yet, will be spilling to you some of the back stories of our wedding, the planning, the people involved, and of course the photographs. :)

But before I'll have to pour out myself into expeditious story telling , I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the people who have helped "the husband"  and I brought to life the wedding that was only born in our minds, for giving life to what we only have as just plain concept. See post here. 

As I was growing, I never really had any idea as to wast my "dream wedding" would be. What I dreamed was to be married happily to the one God has prepared to be with me. I guess having no ideal and dream wedding in mind helped me a lot as when we were in the preparation part, what my personality and the things I love were integrated in to the  kind of theme the husband and I pictured out.

Being able to read most of my posts, you can right away say by now that I am very much fond of books an vintage-gy kinds of things, add to it the husband's love to travel, we , actually love to travels , thus explains our prenuptial shoot, see here. 

Hence, we ended up with a vintage-travel-with-a-touch-of-pastel-colors-garnished-with-the-love-of-books themed wedding. hahahah!  And because we were married a couple of days after theValentine's day, so you got to know by now the reason of our title for this post.


So here are the wedding details:

The Travel-Themed Invites + The Pastel Bouquet

My Shoes + The Invites + my Bouquet + Cord + Boutonniere

The Rings

The Coins

Yours truly before heading to the church :

. . . with the very talented Sir Nokie of FCL and my beautiful HMUA, Thirdi

. . . and of course the handsome husband :)

. . . with our parents

. . . with the best men and maids-of-honor

. . . our colorful entourage :)

. . . @ Immaculate Conception Cathedral Church

. . . the first official and public kiss of Mr. & Mrs. Q :)

. . . contract signing 

. . . with our celebrant, Fr. Sandy Cometa

. . . with our Ninongs and Ninangs

. . . with the maids-of-honor and best men

. . . the beautiful bridesmaids and handsome groomsmen 

. . . with our secondary sponsors :)

. . . with my tutees, my Junior Bridesmaids

. . . my spiritual mentor, Sister Marites Cabrera

Semblante - Zanoria Family

Gonzaga-Zanoria Family 

Gonzaga Family 

. . . with Nanay Tepen and Auntie Carlota

Buhawe Family 

My OCNHS Family 

Dela Pena Family 

MUHS Family 

. . . wit my babies-no-more

with Elouise

. . . College / LSU Family 

. . . our beautiful Ninang Mona :)

Buhawe Family 

. . . my the best Nanay and Tatay, Barrios Family 

. . . with the sibs 

. . . HS Bff, Cacas 

. . . @ Royal Garden Hotel

Vintage + Bookish + Pastel 

. . . the entrance

(sorry we failed to document the individual table with the travel theme decors)

. . . the travel theme cake and wedding souvenirs

. . . Sweet Corner

. . . freeing the dove, a wedding tradition

. . . the first official dance - wedding dance, another wedding tradition,

. . .  cake and wine wedding tradition  

. . . sweet messages from very close friends and family :) 

with Dennis, a very good friend from my college years 

Allan, Aries' childhood friend

. . . a mentor and a very close ate from another mom, Ms. Mae

. . . Mommy Daylind 

. . . a very rare sight, seeing them gathered in one place :) 

. . . mommy Ychenn and Chenna

. . . the single ladies 

. . . the most enjoyable wedding tradition, finding the next bride and groom :)

Emily and Glenn

Emily and Glenn

. . . the big babies 

. . . our Junior Bridesmaids and Groomsmen 

. . . our Chines family 

. . . our emcees, Melanie and Emily 

 Happy Valentine's Day Everyone, and to us Happy First Anniversary Pawpaw and a lifetime more to go! :)