the million dollar album

we got an email from J's brother a week ago about a new site on the web that he's put up. it's called The Million Dollar Album. sounds intriguing noh? i was real curious when we first heard about it. talk about keeping a "perpetual photo album where people can buy a space for their loved ones' photos." Says Kuya E, my brother-in-law, "It's perpetual because I will try to sustain the website on the web 'forever'."

J and I wanted to support Kuya E in this new endeavor of his and bought nine blocks so we can post our wedding pictures online. :)

Read more about The Million Dollar Album by clicking here.

we have a house!

after all that waiting, one house owner finally got in touch with J yesterday to inform him that our application's been approved. i saw the picture of the house and just found out that it's BUSHY! lol! but J reassured me that he'd take care of the garden. you hear that people? hehe...

anyways, on the brighter side of things, J says we got a good deal on it considering that the house has three bedrooms that's newly painted, with new carpet and window treatments.

i'm not posting pictures just yet. will personally take some photos once we're all settled there with all our stuff. can't wait to start decorating! :)

-o0o-
time to get mushy! sayang, i did not know of this song before our wedding last December. although i haven't heard the actual piece, the lyrics says it all! take a look!

The Last Time
by Eric Benet

The first time I fell in love was long ago.
I didn't know how to give my love at all.
The next time I settled for what felt so close.
But without romance, you're never gonna fall.
After everything I've learned;
Now it's finally my turn.
This is the last time I'll fall... in love.
The first time we walked under that starry sky,
there was a moment when everything was clear.
I didn't need to ask or even wonder why, because each question is answered when your near.
and I'm wise enough to know when a miracle unfolds, this is the last time i'll fall in love.
Now don't hold back, just let me know.
Could i be moving much too fast or way too slow.
'Cause all of my life, I've waited for this day.
To find that once in a lifetime, this is it, I'll never be the same.
You'll never know what it's taken me to say these words.
And now that I've said them, they could never be enough.
As far as I can see, there's only you and only me.

This is the last time I'll fall in love.
Last time i'll fall in love.
The last time i'll fall... in love.

* Thanks she for posting about it in your blog. :)

one month and counting!

i almost forgot that it's exactly one month since we were wed at Saint James. J reminded me about it last night at the stroke of midnight (Canberra time, that is). i was busy kasi singing my heart out with my new favorite toy. ;)

2006 Xtreme Magic Sing Version 8

we got it after the new year so we could bring it to Oz. i'm sure every Pinoy has one in their household. it's becoming quite the craze these days, especially with those living abroad.

-o0o-
speaking of Pinoys, here's one who's made us proud to be one. Manny Pacquiao! :)


image swiped from Maxboxing.com

i watched the fight earlier today and i can truly say that Manny was in real fine form and showed that he was definitely prepared for the bout. there was no doubt that he would defeat Mexico's Erik Morales. what's even great is that Pacquiao is the very first boxer to ever win against Morales via a technical knock-out. this'll will surely go down in boxing history.

poor Morales' face AND body was so beat up that he had to be rushed to the hospital. but in all fairness, the fight was clean. no bloody fist fight at all! i'd say that both put up a real great battle for this. and yes, only one gets to win -- a fellow Pinoy! Go Pacquiao!!! :)

house hunting

i love house hunting! what's different this time is that J and I get to do it online. aren't we lucky to be living in this day and age of internet surfing? :)

one thing i did not realize before was that it's whole different ballgame when you're in Australia. it's like you're applying for a job! the house owners check your references, your employment and civil status, to name a few. they can be real picky, i tell you. we have submitted a handful of applications now to different home owners and we have yet to get their approval(s).

here is a picture of our dream house. this has yet to be the neatest house and lot i've seen so far as most residential lots in Oz generally have BIG bushes all around. (i honestly hate bushes! LOL!) the place is so lovely i hope we could get it.

picture swiped from AllHomes.Com.Au

so disappointed

well, what do you know... it really is a small world. i just found out from a groupmate that my OB (who also happened to be her former OB) only quoted her 58% of what she quoted me a few weeks back. even if the price didn't include an anesthesiologist's fee yet, i don't think it would take up 42% of the total package. also, if she did increase her fees, i don't believe it would take such a big leap.

geez, talk about milking us dry. was it because she knew that J is an Australian citizen? where is the heart of this kind of doctor? it's bad enough that i have to go and see her every month and charge me everytime her professional fee and for the sonogram that she conducts herself. i repeat, she does the ultrasound on me every month. talo ko pa ang buntis!

surgery is definitely out of the question at this point and i am going to find myself another doctor. period.

under the knife

i just remembered that i was supposed to go under the knife sometime this week. it is a procedure recommended by my OB-GYNE called surgical laparoscopy to determine the real score if i can truly bear children the natural way.

they'll be using only a little scope to probe around my lower abdomen. but still it is considered as surgery, as they will be "cleaning" me up to increase my chances of conceiving. nevermind the cost (which is astronomical, by the way!), but the idea of me lying on an operating table and having an incision on your body under general anesthesia scares the hell out of me, no matter how safe they can claim it to be.

and so, we have decided NOT to go through with it, especially after reading this. our main reason? we have never really tried conceiving yet. i've been on and off medication for the past three years to treat my endometriosis so there is no absolute chance for me to conceive a child at this point. when my medication is over (last dose on feb 1!), we'll just have to try if we can do it on our own.

we just want nature to take hold first and give miracles a chance. when all is done and exhausted, then i suppose we can go ahead and start playing God.

on gown preservation

coming back from a lengthy honeymoon, i am now faced with the dilemma of post-wedding clean-ups. there are tons of documents that i must sift through to determine which needs to be kept and which goes to the trash bin. being the sentimental person that i am, this will prove to be a very difficult task for me. i have no choice, really, because i do need to start organizing my stuff now, especially if i am to migrate to the land down under.

as i go through my stuff, i realize that the most challenging of all tasks is how to get my gown cleaned and preserved. after posting inquiries for referrals on our e-group, i was directed to seek the services of The Bridal Conservatory. i went to their website and have found their services quite impressive! i immediately emailed them to ask for a quotation of my gown and showed them pictures of it so they could see it for themselves.

their response was immediate but i was quite appalled at the price tag they offered me. twenty five thousand pesos! of course, it included the following: museum-standard cleaning, a bodice mold (a mold simialr to a mannequin), archival packaging, an internal environment monitor, a detailed condition report, and a care instruction sheet. if i wanted to have my accessories packed (pillows, cord, veil, etc), the cost is P950 per bag (Usually one bag is enough daw). Shoe preservation including the same type of cleaning performed on the gown costs P1,200 per pair.

but after all the wedding expenses last month, i don't think we could spare that much this soon. :( i was desperate and eventually found myself texting Veluz if she could refer me to a good supplier. i found out that Ate Beth de Leon, my burdadista, pala offers washing of piña gowns and accessories. You're not supposed to have piña gowns dry cleaned pala. if i remember it right i think Veluz mentioned about using even vinegar for the washing solution. According to Veluz, once it's cleaned, you just need to sprinkle white pepper in between folds to keep the cloth from turning to an ugly shade of yellow or from acquiring that "been-kept-in-the-cabinet-for-years" smell. and don't use moth balls, mind you! :) after which, you should have it vacuum sealed. since piña is a natural fiber, you should allow the material to "breathe" once every two years. that means, opening it up then sealing it once again. if not, the cloth will become brittle over time, thus defeats the whole point of keeping it.

The best part about the whole thing was founding out from Ate Beth how much she charged for her services. she just asked for two thousand pesos for the gown and an additional five hundred for the accessories! yipee! :)

now i just need to buy that vacuum sealing machine so i could preserve all of my bridal accessories. i think home TV shopping is selling one and i'll bet my a$$ that it won't amount to 25k. not even 10k!

here's what the stars have to say...

i'm not really a newspaper fan, nor do i consult its astrological section for any future endeavor. but just minutes ago, i couldn't help but smile as my mom showed me my astrological report for the new year. get a load of this...

PISCES 2006 ASTROLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS*
Wonders are plentiful this year, mostly because you are open to being "wowed." You give up the skepticism of the past because curiosity attracts more interesting, creative and impressive people to your life. January and February show a mischievous character influencing your world. It is lucky to travel with this person or go into a short-term investment or business situation. You'll see new places in February and could move to one. (Here's my favorite part! -->>) New additions to your family are a joy in the spring. These arrivals bring new expenditures, too, so your financial realm will have to grow in order to handle the difference. This causes you to think and act more creatively...

How wonderful is that? seems like things are looking up for Joseph and I, since we happen to be both pisceans. twice the luck! hehe...

*Quoted from The Philippine Star, 10 January 2006.

wedding story

-o0o-
all i can say about our wedding is that it was the happiest time of our lives for both Joseph and I. the year-long preparation was worth it, even if it was only for a day! if we could go back and replay that momentous event, we'd do it in a heartbeat.

days before the wedding, i couldn't quite feel the excitement and to me that posed as a problem. why wasn't i excited? all i could feel then was the stress and how it was so annoying. but the moment of truth finally came to me and all those repressed emotions came flooding through me as i stood behind the massive doors of Saint James. suddenly, i was shivering from the light breeze! i was definitely nervous and giddy at the same time. not to mention, there were millions of butterflies in my stomach. what a strange feeling it was and yet, i know i will remember it vividly each time i look back at this occasion. and then, slowly, the doors opened...

yes, it was an emotionally charged evening for both of our families. nothing can compare to the ceremony that was officiated by our friend, Fr. Dennis, concelebrated by Fr. Honesto. Father Dennis sang his heart out during the liturgical prayer and everyone was in awe at the solemnity of the mass. the beautiful interiors of Saint James was just icing on the cake, so to speak.

The food was absolutely delicious and was overflowing. the flowers were beautiful too. our reception program was short but sweet. the highlight of the reception for me would have to be the AVP that Joseph made. it showed our baby pictures, as well as photos of some of our relatives and friends who were also present that night. it was an enjoyable five minutes.

at the end of the day (to quote my hubby), i think what is important are the things that you remember most on your big day. we're lucky that all we can recall are the good things. Things that we can tell tales about to our future children and grandchildren. now, that's an even nicer thought. :)

-o0o-
the honeymoon was a pretty good break from all our YM chats and blogging days. but now that Joseph is back in Australia, we are resuming to chats online and long-distance calls effective yesterday. just when i was getting the hang of it, time flies and leaves us back to the way things were a month ago, except of course of the fact that we are now so married. :)

this won't take too long, i'm hoping. the embassy has not yet issued my visa but i'm scheduled to fly to Australia and be with Joseph on the 4th of February. originally, i was set to leave on the 28th of this month. unfortunately, there must have been a setback at the embassy during the Christmas break. Joseph already emailed them regarding my application, but they just told us that they will inform me of their final decision one of these days. as to when exactly, who knows?

oh well, life goes on...

just a little teaser

Parish of Saint James the Great
22 December 2005

i swear, more photos to come! :)