Acorny Thank You

I am very fortunate to have been raised by four amazing grandparents and two great-grandmothers. As I get older and as I look back at my childhood I am reminded of all the things they taught me. It's not surprising that at the most unexpected moments, I'd remember and suddenly be transported to that particular time when I was learning a lesson from them. The other day as I was cooking fried rice, I could have sworn I smelled my paternal grandma next to me. I heard her telling me "saute the garlic well, but don't burn". I felt her hands touch mine as she was showing me how to hold the wok (kawali) firmly as I stir the rice with a metal cooking spoon (sandok). She showed me how to crack an egg on the side of the wok and spread it around on top of the rice. And that was just one thing. She showed me life. So much of myself is made of what I learned from her. 

I lost three grandparents in September. I always get into a real funk around this month, but this year I want to remember their lives instead of their deaths. It's been five years today since my paternal grandma died. I want to remember my Inang for helping me become the kind of person that I am today. I lived with my paternal grandparents almost all of my life growing up. I heard it from my Inang a thousand times before, "I brought you home from the hospital after you were born, yada, yada." So, it's evident that many things about me came from them. I know I got my sass from my paternal grandmother. People said she was mean. Perhaps because she was this tiny person with a huge personality who was not scared of anyone. She spoke her mind and she did not care what others thought or would say about her. She was fierce. She walked fast and she moved swiftly. She loved to shop and she was always well-dressed in her tailored pant suit or dresses, hair immaculately coiffed, manicured and pedicured nails and she was always fragrant compliments of expensive perfumes my aunt from Canada sent her. She wore jewelry, but not too much. Just enough to show-off she had class, but never to appear arrogant. She sure loved her diamantes. She was always "dressed to kill", she would tell me. She went to church twice a week and was quite forceful that we did, too. I'm so thankful for her and I just miss her so.

Well, that's all for today, folks. Thank you for stopping by. The list of products used to create this card is below. 

Acorny Thank You Photopolymer Stamp Set

$15.00

Acorn Builder Punch

$18.00

2" (5.1 Cm) Circle Punch

$18.00

1-1/2" (3.8 Cm) Circle Punch

$16.00

Big Shot

$110.00

Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

$7.50

Hardwood Wood-Mount Stamp

$20.00

Hardwood Clear-Mount Stamp

$15.00

Delightful Dijon 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$8.00

Delightful Dijon Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Cajun Craze 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$8.00

Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$8.00

Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$9.00

Linen Thread

$4.50

Snail Adhesive

$7.00

Mini Glue Dots

$5.25

Stampin' Dimensionals

$4.00

Sponge Daubers

$5.00

Petals & Paisleys Specialty Designer Series Paper

$13.00

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

The Wilderness Awaits

When I was in fifth grade I had to live with my maternal grandparents in the province because my paternal grandparents who raised me went to Canada to visit my aunt. I remember this one particular afternoon when I came home from school after placing 2nd at an academic contest. I showed my grandpa the ribbon I got and as he was looking at my prize he got in front of my face and told me, "You know being second is good, but let me tell you what would be great...being first. First means you are ahead of everybody else. First means you're the BEST!" My grandpa was in politics so he was loud all the time. Not in a rude way, but he had this powerful voice that was both inspiring and annoying (at least to a twelve year old girl). Of course it was not his intention to discount my efforts but to challenge me. And boy, did I take that taunt like you would not believe. I was restless and annoyed at the same time. I had to prove myself. So, the next day I told my teacher I wanted to sign-up for the Spelling Bee contest. For eighteen months, I studied. I read day and night learning every word my mind could absorb. I watched my cousins play outside or in the fields, while I buried my head in the dictionary. I was obsessed. I had a mission and that was to prove I could be first. I won the Spelling competition 3x. As a matter of fact, I was the very first student our school ever sent to Regionals. I got that far. However, just like all things, my lucky streak ended and I eventually lost. I was so disappointed in myself. My grandfather with his very loud laugh told me, "Why are you sulking? You got the gold and you've made your point! Go out and play!" I had no idea at that time that those couple of years were going to be a defining moment in my life. From then on, each and every time I would doubt myself, I'd close my eyes and think of that twelve year old girl who got the gold because she worked hard and believed in herself. 

To this day I think one of the very few people who got me and knew how to push my buttons was my maternal grandfather. He teased and provoked me because he knew that I would get back at him by proving him wrong each and every time. He also knew that my obsessions usually had an expiration date. He knew that given enough time and once I got it out of my system, I'd lose interest eventually and that would be it. He gave my Spelling Bee obsession two years and he was right. I remember another time when I told him I wanted to become a fashion designer and instead of fighting with me, he just said okay. That fixation ended after eight months. I also dated this boy whom everybody said he and his family were only after our land. Our relatives told my grandpa to stop me from getting involved with him. My grandpa instead of getting angry and telling me to stop seeing the boy just grinned and watched it all end in a few months. He knew I am that way with things, people and hobbies. He told me one time that I would someday find something that I'd stick to simply because it will bring me joy like nothing else could. The other day as I was doing the dishes, it just hit me. This unexplainable ache and longing for him. I guess that's just how life works. No one really completely gets over a loss of a loved one. It could be a song, a certain smell or even a movie, a favorite dish, a particular month or date. It will just come to you at the most unexpected moment. How you wish you could get another chance to hear their voice, get a hug, see their smile or just hang out with them one last time. I wish he lived long enough to meet my children and to see how my life turned out. This post is for you, Tatay Mading. Happy birthday! I miss you every day of my life. 

Well, that's all I have for today. Thank you for stopping by. 

To order products used to create the card above, please click below. You can even print the supply list by clicking the Supply List on the bottom left corner.

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September-ism

I apologize for being MIA for the past couple of months. It's just life, that's my only excuse. We sneaked in a short family vacation before the kids went back to school in August, then school shopping and although they have been back for over six weeks now getting back into schedule is still challenging most mornings.

September has always been a busy month for me because I know many people whose birthdays are this month, plus this month is the Tenth Year Anniversary of 9/11 and I find myself grieving all over again that that even occurred, more so that it has been ten years since. I still recall where I was and what I was doing the morning that happened. I believe most of us do. Oh well, today I plan to slow down and try to have a lazy Sunday with my family in memory of all the people that we lost ten years ago.

My maternal grandmother died on September 11, 1984 and my grandfather died on September 11, 1994 - so it brings me back to those sad moments when I lost two of the most influential people in my life. Also, my dearest paternal grandmother who brought me home straight from the hospital after I was born and raised me died September 27, 2011. It was one of the saddest days of my life - when I received that phone call from my aunt telling me she has died. I sobbed uncontrollably at work. I promise to write a longer entry about my grandma and my unplanned trip to the Philippines after 8 years. Here's a photo of my Inang the day before we left for the US in 1989. I will miss her for the rest of my days...