Cheeks to Cheeks

Vickie and I were looking forward to a nice lunch but came back with sad heavy hearts. While we were having lunch, the TV (Taiwanese channel) was broadcasting the aftermath earthquake at Sichuan, China. The 7.9 magnitude earthquake not only demolished buildings and roads, it stole innocent lives. School children as many as 2000 were trapped in collasped school buildings and many are feared to have perish.

The TV station broadcasted crying parents; parents who stood amongst rubbles yelling out their children names. It is so heart wrenching. Both Vickie and I ate our lunch silently. All could be heard was our noses sniffling. At times like this, we should count our blessings.

Among the thousands who perished, photo like this is like Miracle…

In this photo distributed by the official Chinese news agency Xinhua, newly born babies are moved at a hospital after an earthquake occurred in Nanchong, a city in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Monday May 12, 2008. A massive earthquake has toppled buildings across a wide area of central China on Monday, killing more than 8,533 people, trapping hundreds of students under the rubble of schools and spilling ammonia from a chemical plant.(AP Photo / Cheng Chaosheng, Xinhua) ~ taken & quoted from Yahoo! News

The last baby (w/o the sun-shade) was born couple of hours before the earthquake hit Nanchong. There were photos of an 8-mth pregnant mother, thick blankets bundled around her belly, hanging outside a window, holding on to make-shift rope (from bedsheets). She was put to bedrest prior to the earthquake. She told the journalists, she would do whatever to make sure her unborn child is safe; hence the bundling of blankets around her waist.

Let’s say a prayer to the victims and their families.

Last week I was pinged by a very good blogger friend, Mamabok, about giving back to the company that has given us endless opportunities to earn a side income. Christmas is over but that does not mean we have to stop giving back to the society. Hope can be given at any time and anywhere.

Izea/PPP has given a lot of people the opportunity to earn something, be it 5 bucks or 15 bucks. As the opportunities increase, the chances of earning a steady income can be a reality. This year, Izea/PPP urged all bloggers to donate to the Habitat for Humanity. Like they say, you earn a little, you give a little. Every dollar counts for the people in need.

*Kudos to HomeschoolZoo who came up with this idea.

I received this from Ryeli’s mom via email today and made me chuckle (oh, am I glad I read this early in the morning)…

WHY GOD CREATED CHILDREN (AND IN THE PROCESS GRANDCHILDREN)

To those of us who have children in our lives,
whether they are our own,
grandchildren,
nieces,
nephews,
or students…
here is something to make you chuckle.
 
Whenever your children are out of control,
you can take comfort from the thought that
even God’s omnipotence did not extend
to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth,
God created Adam and Eve.
 
And the first thing he said was
“DON’T!”
 
“Don’t what? ”
 Adam replied.
  
“Don’t eat the forbidden fruit.”
 God said.
 
“Forbidden fruit?
 We have forbidden fruit?
 Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit !”
 
“No Way! ”
 ”Yes way !”
 
“Do NOT eat the fruit! ”
 said God.
 
“Why? ”
 
“Because I am your Father and I said so ! ”
 
God replied,
wondering why He hadn’t stopped
creation after making the elephants.
 
A few minutes later,
God saw His children having an apple break
and He was ticked!
 
“Didn’t I tell you not to eat the fruit? ”
 God asked.
  
“Uh huh,”
 Adam replied.
 
“Then why did you? ”
 said the Father.
 
“I don’t know,”
 said Eve.
 
“She started it! ”
 Adam said.
 
“Did not! ”
 
“Did too! ”
 
“DID NOT! ”
 
Having had it with the two of them,
God’s punishment was that Adam and Eve
should have children of their own.
 
Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.
  
BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY !
 
If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and 
they haven’t taken it,
don’t be hard on yourself.
 
If God had trouble raising children,
what makes you think it would be
a piece of cake for you?
 
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!
 
1. You spend the first two years of their life
 teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend
 the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.
 
2. Grandchildren are God’s reward
 for not killing your own children.
 
3. Mothers of teens now know why
 some animals eat their young.
 
4. Children seldom misquote you.
 
In fact,
they usually repeat word for word
what you shouldn’t have said.
 
5. The main purpose of holding children’s parties
 is to remind yourself that there are children
 more awful than your own.
 
6. We childproofed our homes,
 but they are still getting in.
 
 
 
ADVICE FOR THE DAY:
 
Be nice to your kids.
They will choose your
nursing home one day.
 
AND FIN ALLY:
 
IF YOU ! HAVE A LOT OF TENSION
AND YOU GET A HEADACHE,
DO WHAT IT SAYS
ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:
 
“TAKE TWO ASPIRIN”
 AND “KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN”!!!!!

I don’t know who the original author is but he/she is sure one hella funny parent!

I am very fortunate to stumble upon the world of blogging. Not only am I able to document Belle’s growing chart and the little antics she constantly pulls on us, I am able to read about other people’s amazing Parenthood journeys and their daily lives.

One person I got to know through blogging is Sweetisu. I tell ya, this woman has been leading an incredible life! Not only is she a mother of two beautiful children, she is also a Cancer survivor. Her journey in fighting cancer left me in speechless and in awe. This year marks the 6th year of remission for her. It is a great success for any cancer survivor. This is what Sweetisu said:

Dear friends and family,

You are receiving this because: I have known you all my life, met you from school, through work, via the internet / blog, and or through some sort of business connection. I know you some of you more than others, but I value each and every one of your input and consideration. So please take a few minutes to read through this email. Thank you.

This September marks the 6th year of REMISSION for me. This means that I have been “clinically CURED” for one year!!! (It takes 5 years of cancer-free to be considered CURED from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma). How awesome is that! And I couldn’t have done it without the decades and decades of research that took place before I was even diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma back in November, 2000. Just 5 months after I graduated from college, and a mere 10 weeks after my wedding.

I did Light the Night Walk back in 2002 (in the Twin Cities) with a group of friends (HI DAVE! HI GARY!) and was named the Top Individual Fundraiser for raising over $2500 (our team raised about $4000!!!!) And it was due to a lot of help and generosity from many of you! After being absent from it for several years – small kids are a lot of work, I would like to attempt this again this year and contribute my best.

Light the Night is a fundraising event held annually across the nation. Participants raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and then walk the designated distance at the event. Participants will either carry a red or white illuminated balloon; cancer survivors carry the white balloon while family/friends carry the reds. The event is quite moving and emotional, even if you are just driving past, looking at the sea of illuminated balloons. We literally LIGHT the Night.

And this is where I need your help. When you donate, you will be helping to fund lifesaving research and provide help and hope to thousands of families. To make an online donation, simply click on the secure link. You will receive a confirmation by email detailing your donation. All donations are tax deductible.

https://www.active.com/donate/ltnDesMo/2232_sweetisu

If you would rather send a check donation via postal mail instead of donating online, you may do so. Please email me and I will send you my current address. Make the checks payable to “Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.”

Also, feel free to pass the URL to anyone you’d like.

Please remember, every single little bit helps. Even a dollar. An ocean is nothing but millions upon billions of little droplets.

For every $5 you donate, I will match it with an additional $1 (up to $500 maximum).

Money is tight for many people, myself included. Some of us have a closer connection to causes other than leukemia and lymphoma. And sometimes we just have to say no. So I understand if you just go on your way after reading this. I will definitely not hold it against you. Comments and suggestions are welcome too, not just donations!

I appreciate your support from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

 

I know most of who ponder onto this blog do not know Sweetisu nor came across her blog before. But, let me tell you, this is one INCREDIBLE woman! Blogging has already change my life and I do hope it will change yours too. Please help make a difference and donate to this good cause.

You can read more about Sweetisu’s amazing journey here.  Remember any monetary amount will help raise awareness and fund researches for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. If you are donating, please donate by Saturday Sept 22, 2007. Donations can be done using credit card (they do take foreign credit cards) or by check (if you are in the United States). If you’re residing in U.S., your donation(s) will be tax deductible.  

~A good deed done, no matter how small it is, is a great reward for both the receiver and giver~

I have been writing blog ads and paid posts for slightly over a month; and I must confess, it is quite a fun thing to do. I get to do two things I like: blog and get paid just by, well, blogging! Everyday I get to see the dollar amount in my account increasing and it is quite exhilarating. I am sure you are itching to know how much I have made. It is nothing to brag about but it is definitely over the 200 dollars hump. It looks like the spouse will soon be getting his new window motors for the Miata he bought.

The best thing out of doing paid posts for PayPerPost is getting to know acquaintances who are into the same paid blogging “business.” I have fostered a closer friendship with some of my blogger friends and they (seasoned paid bloggers) have given me a lot of useful blogging tips.

Another thing I have learned, well, more like I have discovered, is I have a knack for writing! Looks like all the schooling my folks had put me through is paying well now. LOL! So, what more can I say? Thanks PayPerPost and your Advertisers for this great opportunity!

Sometimes it is good to blog about other subjects besides Belle. Don’t get me wrong, she is still the sunshine in my life. Just the other day, she walked into the room, her face all grouchy. Then she saw me and gave me the biggest SMILE she has. That melted my heart.

I told my colleague about it yesterday and he said, “Yea, cherish it while it lasts.” He has a teenage son. It is kinda scary how kids will turn into themselves once they reach puberty. I bet a lot of us went through this phase and thinking back now, I was really into my own world– my school activities, friends, boy-girl relationship (com’n, don’t tell me you’ve never thought about that); basically, I was into ME. It is funny how having a child will make the cycle a full circle. Now, I truly cherish my parents.

It’s also never too late to give my thanks to the in-laws. They have helped us so much. Everytime I tell my friends I don’t have to cook ‘cos my MIL does most of the cooking, they are so envious. I do admit, I’m very spoiled by my in-laws. My folks always call to ask if I have cooked anything and I would always get a good scolding from them for not cooking. They can be overly protective of Belle and at times they are inept in the baby-care department BUT we will have to accept this fact. They love Belle to bits and there are no better set grandparents for her.

So, why all these gratitudes? I guess once in a while it is nice to thank the people (especially our love ones) around us. Now, who are you thankful for?