sweat glands and gym trips

I'm totally missing it. Going to the gym, I mean.

Before doctors found out I have eale's disease, I was a constant presence in the gym. I knew the names of all the trainers, and even their schedules. I knew which workout routines work best with my target program, and which ones do not. I knew what type of music plays at a certain hour, and what specific time the gym is overcrowded. I knew all the machines there waiting to be used by gym rats and afficionados. I knew every name of every muscle, and which types of workout to bring out the best from them. I knew every stretching technique there is. I knew every single relevant bodybuilder you have in the books. I knew every bodybuilding and fitness event there is on the planet. And the list goes on and on...

My, I could even be a fitness instructor! Having gym buffs for brothers and a brother-in-law and a sister who are also fitness-conscious also helped a lot to instill in me my instant liking to the gym, the smell of steel, and the feel of iron bars in my hand.

Sadly, I can no longer do heavy workouts. No more running, no more jumping, no more high impact exercises for me. :0( In short, I have to say adios to the old gym life I used to lead. Otherwise, I run the risk of losing my eyesight and going blind.

But at least I have one consolation: no more weirdo looking at me lustfully while I'm doing my squats.

The boxing oblivious

Ah, they're talking about it everywhere. In the faculty rooms. In the ladies' room. In the guardhouse. In the clinic. Even in the garden.

The much-awaited Dela Hoya-Pacquiao fight, that is.

Up to now, I just can't get it why people find so much pleasure watching two gladiators get in the ring and try to be the first to get his hands on the other, and just basically knock the wits out of the other party. I cringe whenever I see blood oozing out of someone's head. I gasp whenever I catch a match-up and witness how a boxer tumbles and collapses. And certainly, it isn't such a nice sight to see Tyson bite off Holyfield's ear, and grin with satisfaction for doing so. To this day, I simply can't figure out how some people can call manhandling someone a source of living. I don't understand why some very goodlooking guys just agree to get their handsome faces punched and all bruised up. How can they bear to train for several gruelling months, only to be pummeled for twelve rounds? Why risk being blind for life in exchange for a few million dollars?

Unbelievable.

But anyhow, I am rooting for the Golden Boy. This time around, I don't think Manny stands a good chance.

And if I don't get to understand what's going on with the fight?

Maybe the boxing oblivious will just content herself with looking at Oscar Dela Hoya's pics...

Pogi e :op

How do you measure the joys of an auntie?

In fabulous outfits

In rough and tumble games

In "I want to watch him sleep" moments

In bedtime bonding

In slumber

In funny poses

In two's

In hide and seek

In birth

...and so much more.

I miss the boys and our princess terribly :O(

* * * * *

It's the 21st of September.

It's the nth anniversary of Martial Law Declaration. And speaking of martial law and dictatorship, here's a classic example:

(from a text message by best buddy Crystal)

c u on d 28th! dats an ORDER! harhar...mmm, i was wondering f u cud show up wid ur friend's yummy & cute blueberry cheesecake or muffins kya?...harhar...c yah!

I'll be more than happy to oblige, Attorney.

If that's your decree. Hehehe :0)

Tita Isa.

Meet the loves of my life.

Diego Reuben S. Viernes (lying on his stomach) - 6 years old
Franco David S. Viernes (standing) - 6 years old
Enrique Miguel S. Sanchez - 3 years old (turning 4 this November)
Ella Monique S. Sanchez - 1 year old (turning 2 this April)

I Can Only Imagine.

Heto ang bagong "comfort song" ko. Una kong narinig ito nang buksan ko ang isang link sa email na ipinadala sa akin sa yahoogroups. (Para pakinggan ang buong kanta ni Ronnie Kimball, i-click ang link na ito.)

I Can Only Imagine

(Vocal Performance by Ronnie Kimball)

I can only imagine

What it will be like

When I walk by your side

I can only imagine

What my eyes will see

When your face is before me

I can only imagine

Yeah

Surrounded by your glory

What will my heart feel?

Will I dance for you, Jesus?

Or in awe of you be still?

Will I stand in your presence?

Or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing hallelujah?

Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

When that day comes

And I find myself

Standing in the Son

I can only imagine

When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship you

I can only imagine

Yeah

I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus?
Or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence?
Or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine

Yeah
I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory

What will my heart feel?

Will I dance for you, Jesus?

Or in awe of you be still?

Will I stand in your presence?

Or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing hallelujah?

Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine
Yeah

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

Yeah

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

Yeah

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

When all I'll do

Is forever

Forever worship you.

Auntie Talks

First, there were only two.

Then it became three two years ago.

365 days earlier, it became four.

To date, there are now two times two huggable little ones calling me Tita Isa (and I love how it sounds!).

Ang bilis ng panahon, grabe.

As I look upon these little bundles of joy in our growing family, I can't help but praise and thank God for all that He has been doing in our midst. These kids are literally miracle babies. Some of you have been with us throughout the months when my sister was bedridden and was having threatened abortion. It was a really difficult pregnancy, and when the twins finally came out, they were premature and needed a lot of medical attention. It was really a tough time, and one that is faith-stretching too. But God saw us throughout those moments. He is faithful, indeed!
The same case happened to my sister-in-law Charisse, the mother of Enrique Miguel and Ella Monique. Throughout her two pregnancies (and bouts with hypothyroidism at that!), Charisse would occasionally be ordered by her doctors to take months of complete bed rest for fear that she would lose each of her babies. In time, she gave birth to healthy, bubbly children, although doctors told her that she may no longer bear more kids after her second child.

I don't have favorites among them, but Ella Monique is really special for me. A little over a year ago, even before ate Charisse got pregnant with her, I prayed that God would give us this time a baby girl as we already have three boys. I shared this with my family and pretty soon, we all started praying for a baby girl.

A few weeks later, the answer came.

You can just imagine my reaction. And by the way, Ella Monique looks exactly like my brother Eric (her father) and my dad!

This is my sixth year as a tita, and I praise and thank God for what He has done and what He continues to do to me, to my immediate family, and now, to these kids. And as our family celebrates Ella Monique's 1st birthday cum dedication, I know that there'll be more stories of God's faithfulness, goodness and grace in the years to come. :)

**********

This Wednesday, April 9, 2008, we will be dedicating to the Lord my only niece and the latest addition to our family, Ella Monique S. Sanchez. We call it a dedication because at her age, Monique does not know yet what is happening around her, and she still isn't capable of deciding on matters about the faith we hope that she would one day embrace and choose for herself. So, baptism would have to wait until she is old enough to understand what this symbolism means.
Usually during dedications, family members and witnesses are requested to say a prayer for the child being dedicated. Here's mine:

I pray that when the right time comes, she would accept Jesus Christ as her only Lord and Savior. I pray that she would grow up to be a child with a deep love and reverence for the God of the Bible. I pray that even at an early age, my niece would develop an intimate relationship with God. I sincerely wish that she would walk in the ways of the Lord, make it the priority of her life to please Him in every way, and to live a life that reflects Christlike qualities. I pray that my niece would grow up to be a critical thinker, doing the things she believes in because she finds them to be Biblical, and knowing the fact that hers is a proven and not a blind faith. I hope that even now as she is being raised in a world that regards relativism as the norm, she would make a stand for Christ and learn to sift through all the essential and non-essential matters many Christians are fighting over. I pray that my niece would bring much joy and blessing to her parents by being an obedient daughter. And, yes, though it may be too soon, I pray that she would find a godly partner for life ---- one who loves the Lord more than he loves anybody else. But most of all, I pray that we, the adults in our family, would walk with God faithfully, and be able to pass onto them the things that we ourselves have learned from our personal relationship with the Lord.

Happy, happy birthday, Ella Monique. Always know that we will love you unconditionally.

Ay, ang sentimental ko!

Spinning wheels, pumping gas and burning rubber :-)

If you see a lady who looks like me driving a silver Honda sedan lately, then most probably, yes, it was ME. XCB 185? Check. It was Isa on the steering wheel.

Yes, God gave me a car! And the best part of it was I got it AT ZERO COST!!!!!

Well, almost.

Where in the world can you ever find a lady like me who earns a little more than minimum wage AND drives around a five-year-old car? Kuya came home one night, handed me the key to his Honda sedan, and told me that I could drive it around from then on. Yep, it's all mine.

Next thing I know is I was already in driving school, enrolling for a five-day course. Then, it was off to LTO. I got my license in a day, contrary to all the stories I've been hearing from friends. And I've been burning rubber and pumping gas ever since hehehe :)

I still can't figure it all out, but I'm very sure that the car is God's way of confirming the ministry path I'll be taking this year. I can't thank and praise Him enough for answering my prayers --- and answering me this way! FYI, I didn't ask God for a car. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that God would give me a car now. It's the farthest thing on my mind. I was praying for ministry direction, and for ministry confirmation. Then, voila, the car came. It was more than all the direction and confirmation I needed (more on this in my future blogs).

Until the next blog. For now, please excuse me as I practice how to park :)

Vroom vroom vroom :)