the year that was...

how was 2008 to me? Fairly well, i guess...

There were bad times...

...trying to get into franchising (a donut store)...but failed :(...this was actually the second application...so maybe franchising isn't for us.

...my father's sickness...he suffered from a liver infection...my mother described him as though he shrunk!...he got well though, whew!

...BUT...he still left...Papang was shot point blank by an unidentified gunman...a hired killer...no lead up to now, almost 6 months already and yet his case isn't solved yet...not moving actually...we don't know where to start, for up to this day, even our mother receives threats as well...what we only know is that the reason behind this is the (evil) person's greed of wanting to share in the properties under my parents' names. BAD!...really BAD!

(I just hope, even up to this moment, that the person who did this to my father is able to sleep peacefully after doing what he did!!!)

but...there were lots of blessings!!!

...my son's 1st birthday...we managed to give out a swimming party for him, spent the whole day with family, relatives and close friends...this is a good one...I know our son enjoyed the day and this will be one of his fondest memory during his childhood days.

...our 2nd year wedding anniversary...me and my husband, as I may say is still very much in love with each other...though there are times when our relationship is being tested, I mean, getting along (and not) with each other, we manage to get through all of tests...making our young relationship stronger. Silently, I know we will both get through more ordeals in the future.

...renovation of the house were we are staying...we are living with my parents...in my maternal grandparents house. This house was built in the 60s and it only had it's first major renovation mid of this year! We have decided to have the house renovated to show our appreciation to my parents who allowed us to stay in this house for free :)...though there are still (more) things to be done with the house, but what we did for it is a good start...changed the ceiling and electrical connections beneath it, double-walled the 2 rooms, screened the sides of the ceiling to ensure no house rats and cats will roam around and wake us up or frighten us with their chase!

...my husband's new car...though it is a second-hand car, we love it! It's a 1995 honda ESI...partly (half) subsidized by the company he's working with...still it's a Honda and it works well! I'm now re-thinking of enrolling (again!) in a driving school so I can drive Esi...we call him Esi as in ESI!...pardon me Kotse Car (our other car, Toyota Corona Silver Ed), I'll drive you as well, promise!

...still holding on to our jobs!...like I was given a certificate of appreciation for the 5-year stay with Haribon Foundation...during hard times, earning a steady income is really a blessing! My husband though is just starting with the company, barely a year but he was able to bring in more bacon from the commissions he made...and again ESI :)

...starting the business...an eatery business in Mendiola...able to manage the daily ins and outs and still deciding to pursue it next year...more thing to do though...

and

...the family's good health...no major sickness, getting through common cold...me, my husband and our son are in the peak of our health!

There were bad times and yet there were better days...I hope next year will be brighter for me and my family, as well as with my (maiden) family, and my husband's...that all of us will always health...that all of us will be able to pursue our personal goals for the coming year...that our father's case be solved...that unresolved issues be given a closure and that all of us will learn from the lessons of 2008.

I wish everyone a prosperous 2009...not just finacially but emotionally, intellectually, physically and spiritually as well.