My Hopes and My Wishes as a Mother ...

I wrote this reflection three years ago when we were in Ozamis City to attend the Regional Youth Conference ... and as I read it again, I realized nothing has changed in terms of my feelings towards my family, my children, my sweetheart, and motherhood.

I'm sharing this to all the Mothers out there ... But specially to my children... Myco, Ella, April, Sarah, and Romelson.



Thank you for everything! For the chance to bathe you, feed you, tell you stories, study with you, go places with you ... for simply being my friends and my confidantes ... for being my cheering squad ... for being my strength and reason to try harder and be better ...

As The Day Ends Here In Ozamis …

The day is about to end here in Ozamis. Here in Naomi’s Botanical Gardens the wind has begun to transform from humid to cold, and as I looked at the hazy surrounding of Timothy’s Hall, I said a little prayer of thanksgiving. The young people are enjoying themselves in their dance socials; they’re meeting old friends, as well as forging new ones. As Mother to three beautiful young women who are dressed in red, seeing them dance gracefully as swans, I was all these: proud, elated, glad, nervous, and sad. Sad because somehow seeing them grown up and knowing they have crushes to some of the equally handsome young men inside made me feel like one way or another, in the not so distant future, their Dad and I would be bidding them goodbye. That would be the day both Romel and I would be sad and glad at the same time…

It’s sometimes difficult to imagine what life would be like without the people I truly love.

Back to our hotel, as I was preparing for bed and looking at my son sleeping in my bed, I said a silent prayer of thanksgiving to the Almighty for giving me the chance to be a mother. I have with me my whole family in this trip, Romel and our four ladies in Naomi’s, I and Romelson and Mommy Chang here in our Hotel. Occasions like this are always cherished because I find these rare opportunities a great means to bond together and create my reservoir of memories.

It is also on trips like these that I have come to appreciate my family the most. I have come to realize, for instance, the truth that food is not as delicious; the beds are not as warm, the scenery not as enjoyable, in the absence of the people I hold close to my heart. Life indeed has become lovelier and full of meaning with them, my sweet husband and my precious children.



So as I lay my head in my pillow tonight, I will be thinking about how blessed I am. And as I close my eyes after saying my prayer, I would be thinking of Romel. He looked very handsome tonight. In fact he looked handsome the whole day. One of the things I like about him and made me crazy over him is the fact that he always smells as good as he looks. I know how tired he is at this very moment, having had a hard day trying to guide restless and over excited 70 young people. But as always, he never ceases to amaze me because even after all that, he still ends up handsome as ever. That’s why I often tell my kids how every time I look at him, I fall all over again ha ha ha!

I would also be thinking about Myco, Ella, Ann, Sarah, and Romelson.

Myco has turned into a very responsible young adult woman. Intelligent, smart, very talented, she is a true Ate. She can be depended on to take good care of her siblings. She cooks very well too! She’s multi talented, loves computers and acoustic music, and plays the guitar. At 21, Myco has grown to a full woman of strength and determination, and I am proud to be her Mom!



Ella is the darling of her Dad. She’s his junior, named after him and me. Pretty and sweet, Ella is very talented as well. She’s a good dancer, loves to sing (especially in the choir), plays the piano, and is very artistic in drawings and designs. A young woman at 17, she loves to dress up, and just like me, a certified Kikay ha ha ha! We both love the same clothes, likes almost the same shoes, loves fashion jewelries, and is a natural piece of art work. She loves taking pictures of herself and is always bubbly and free-spirited. That’s my Ella. When she marries? That would be the day her Dad’s gonna cry a bucket-full of tears ...



April Ann is sweet! She loves young children, and would definitely make an excellent teacher, nurse, pediatrician, and mother. At her puberty, April is undergoing a lot of changes. Many a times I feel she still loves to be a child. Awkward because of her height, she still manages to play with her cousins Jay, Lex, and Elaine. She runs around our house to play hide and seek, jumping rope, or act as a teacher in a play-school. She sleeps a lot, as what can be expected from growing young people. She loves cartoon characters, TeleNovela actors and actresses, and Animé characters. Ann is enjoying herself now, and that is what matters most to me. And so I allow her to be a child just now, because I understand someday soon, she’ll be a young woman in its truest sense, and when that times comes, her concerns will be different, will be a lot more challenging. I hope and pray when that time comes I’ll be prepared to be by her side to guide her through life’s ups and downs …



Sarah is practically a young girl who loves sports and playing guitar. In so many ways she is like me ... independent, an optimist, a go-getter!



My baby boy Romelson is very talented too! I hope and pray he grows up like his Dad ... very responsible and one who honors God ... a real man of integrity with great leadership skills.



I am honored to be given the noble task of nurturing these wonderful children. My hope and prayer is for them to remember me when the time comes for them to start their own families ♥♥♥