Day 25: My Everlasting Friends

A quote I found on line which talks about "everlasting friends"...

It's been said that everlasting friends go long periods of time without speaking and never question the friendship.  These friends pick up like they just spoke yesterday regardless of how long it has been or how far away they live, and they don't hold grudges.  They understand life is busy and love is there.

I am blessed to share this kind of friendship with three special ladies I have known for more than a decade.  Despite time and distance ( we are all based in different parts of the country and one is based in Cambodia), the friendship never changed and has grown even more stronger.  We all have our own differences, but I guess one thing that binds us together is knowing that we respect each other, and that we can be who we are without being judged.

In times when I feel I am at a loss, these ladies always has a way of making me feel that I am not alone.  Thanks to FB messaging and SMS, we can still keep in touch with what's happening with each other's lives :).  We may have other friends, each special in their own way, but what we share is something that I always consider as one of life's greatest blessings.

Sandee, Apple and Rizza... Thank you mga mana for the friendship ♥

This was taken last May 12 when Sandee and her family came to visit.  Too bad Rizza was not able to come because this was a late night coffee date...

This was during Rizza's surprise party for Jerome last May 24, 2013.  

I think this is the last photo of the four of us together this was a few days after Apple's wedding.  Hopefully we would have another one in the near future :)

Looking forward to our planned all-ladies get together soon :)

Day 4: Post a picture of something that made your day special

I love surprises, I guess everybody does.  And today at work, I had my share of surprises waiting for me.  The macaroons where from my friend at work and the chopsticks was a gift from a  friend who just got back from his Bangkok trip.  This truly made my day special.  Thank God for thoughtful friends :)

The Blessing I Call Friends...

Life can be very unpredictable.  You will find moments when life is fun and exciting, but at one point it can change and things can be scary and stressful.  But with all these ups and downs we encounter,  we can always count on Friends to help us get through the complexities of life.

You will always find a friend to share memorable events in your life... going out on your first date, going through your first heart break, or getting in trouble for some foolish pranks you may have done.   Friends add that special magic in our lives.  They help us see the good even in a seemingly hopeless situation.  They are our strength when we are at the verge of breaking down.  They bring laughter just when you thought you would never find yourself smiling again.  Friends give you the courage to face difficult situations knowing that you are in it together.  I must admit, I could never imagine a life without them. 

For the past 34 years of my existence, I have met so many friends, from all walks of life.  I am grateful because I know that they have helped me become the person I want or even the person I don't want to be.  Some friends may drift away, but there are those that  would always be in your life, despite time and distance.  The friends I have, and the friends that I have yet to meet, are one of life's greatest blessings.  I always thank God for them...

To all my friends, thank you for the happiness you have brought into my life.  I hope that I had been the friend you wanted me to be.  Let us continue to spread the joy and be good friends. ♥

Our Company Outing At Shangrila

Last weekend, we had our company get together at Shangrila Mactan.  We were booked for a 2 night stay at the resort, thanks to our CEO it was an all expense paid outing!

It was an unforgettable weekend of fun, food, a couple of drinks and laughter!

I actually stayed for one night because I started missing the kids.  But it was worth it, the place was really beautiful.  

 The rooms were big and cozy!  I loved the sheets, they were so comfy you would just want to lay in bed the whole day and snuggle in!

     The breakfast buffet was my favorite!  I usually skip breakfast, but not this time...

The resort had a couple of pools you could swim in.  This one was my favorite, the family pool area.  I am sure my kids would love it here, and I'm saving up so I could bring them hopefully soon!

I love the beach!  Too bad I was not able to swim because of a monthly visitor, but that did not stop me from getting my feet wet! 

I could go on and on about how awesome the place was, but I guess what made the weekend really fun and special, were the people I was with, my friends and work mates.  I spend 8 or more hours each day with them at work, and if these guys work hard, they sure know how to party hard and have a good time!

A big shout out to our CEO who went out of his way to let us enjoy the weekend, and made us feel appreciated!

People I Want To Be With

Do you know the people in your life that you think is worth keeping?  We meet so many new friends or acquaintances as we go through life, but sadly not everyone is a keeper.  I don't want to sound harsh or cruel, but that there are certain people that I try to avoid, simply because being around them has a negative effect on me.  

I am sharing my list of "people I want to be with":

I want to be with people who appreciates their life and lives it.  

I want to be around people I could laugh with over silly things. 

I want to be around people who would offer a shoulder for me  to cry on when I need one. 

I want to be with people who agrees to disagree with me sometimes. 

I want to be with people who would be honest enough to tell me if I look fat in the dress I am wearing.

I want to be around people who knows what they want and fights for it.

I want to be around people who accepts me as I am and not change me into something I am not.

The reason I came up with the list of the "people I want to be around with" is not because I am still searching for them, but because I am blessed to already have those "people" in my life that are worth keeping.  If you think that there are people in your life that are bringing you down or turning you into something you're not, try talking to them and tell them how you feel.  If they turn against you, then try to let them go, trust me, you don't need people like them in your life.  

We should surround ourselves with people who would bring out the best in us, people who would inspire us to do what is right, people who would motivate and encourage us to be better each day. These are the people worth keeping.

Why Staying is Still Worth It

So many people have been asking me why I still am sticking with my current job.  The level of stress that it has given me is pretty much obvious as evidenced by my persistent weight gain.  Staring at the computer for almost 8 hours has also added to my ever worsening visual problems.  I am also increasing my risk of developing certain conditions related to working during the night shifts.  And according to an article I read, (click here) I may even be shortening my life!

I know I always have the option to leave if I want to, but then I would also start pointing out the reasons why I should stay.  I have learned to love the job that I'm doing.  I get to interact with different kinds of individuals.  Being an EMR physician has boost my confidence level as it has exposed me to conducting trainings and meeting with doctors in the US.  I enjoy working on the EMR templates, and actually implementing them for client use.  I have met new friends and acquaintances.  But the main reason why leaving is difficult, is because I have developed a special bond with my team.  They make coming to work each night something to look forward to, despite knowing that there may be client concerns or some major issues.  I am fortunate to be working with these unique individuals.  Despite being younger by a few years, I have also come to learn from them as well.  I know that no matter where life leads us in the future, we would always remain friends.  

I know that the kind of work I am doing now is temporary.  I know that sooner or later I would have to leave and pursue something greater.  But for now, thanks to the these people, staying is still definitely worth it.

My Not-So Golden "surprise" Birthday Bash

Life is indeed full of surprises. Just when you feel that you are at your lowest, good things happen.

A week before my birthday, "a series of unfortunate events" took place, and so I was not really in the mood for celebrating because I had so many things going through my head.  I was initially planning to treat my friends from work, but because I had to prioritize our household expenses, I had to set that thought aside and told them the pizza would have to wait until the next payday. I was also worrying because Andre was having a really bad case of allergic rhinitis, which eventually lead to asthma, so hearing him wheezing so badly was terrifying for me.

That Monday, I was not really planning to report to work because I was hesitant to leave Andre, but Ariane sent me a message saying our manager was looking for me.  I had to get the kids to sleep first before I leave.  Good thing the nebulization worked magic and my son was sleeping soundly without the wheeze.

I was not my usual self that day.  I had so many things in my head, I did not even notice that I was the only one left in our work station, until Ariane approached me saying she wanted to talk to me about something.  The first thing that came through my head was "Oh no, please don't tell me you're resigning!".  So we walked towards our conference room, and I noticed a shadow of one of my workmates inside, and when I opened the door, I froze and could not believe what I saw.  All my team members, well most of them were there greeting me a "happy birthday", while I was stuck in the corner crying, and then they were all telling me to blow the candle before the smoke alarm goes off.  The next shock came when I saw the candles on my birthday cake, 50!! I just turned 33 and suddenly I'm blowing a birthday cake with the number 50 on it.  So I was crying and laughing at the same time. 

It was really crazy, and I know I looked really funny, but I was surprised.  I did not expect them to throw me a birthday bash.  I thought it only happened in the movies, but it happened to me, and I felt so blessed to be surrounded with these dynamic and wonderful individuals.  I feel honored that they decided to plan a surprise for me.  I always am hesitant being called a team leader or manager because I'm not really sure If I am able to do what I am supposed to do for them or if I fit the description of what a manager should be.  But all I know is that I am always willing to help them out in any way I can, and always ready to look after them.  I think I am more of like a protective mother, an older sister, and friend rolled into one.  They make my job of being TL easier because they are all easy to work with, no attitude problems whatsoever, and it's fun being around them.  We are basically like family, so even if there are work related issues, knowing that they are around makes things better,

I would never forget that day.  What they did was special and something I would always cherish.  I may not have looked my best during that day, but I was definitely at my HAPPIEST!  Thank you to my EMR/Implementation family. You guys will always hold a special place in my ♥.

The people behind the surprise.  Sadly we were not complete that night since Gail and Geraldine were absent and Joseph came in late.  From the top there's Teody, Ariane and Limpz. Rejoice is on the second photo.  Then Limpz again with  Brian, Ed, and Divya, then there's Jayson on the last photo.  I think the common denominator for all these pics is Limpz, lol!

The food was great.  I enjoyed the fish fillet.  And again my birthday cake with the number 50 on it.

 

Thanks Ariane for staying late that day,  I know you were supposed to leave early for your duty but I'm glad you were the bearer of good news.  You actually scared me when you said you wanted to talk to me, you looked really serious, and your hands were cold :).  Thanks Sir Adrian for allowing us to use the conference room, at least the smoke alarm did not go off. PS:  The middle photo I am with the Employee of the Year 2009 and 2010.  For two consecutive years the EOY came from our team, yipee!!