Category: ** LOVE LOVE LOVE **

#LoveTeamForever (Year 4)

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We were finally able to go out for a lunch date and a quick mall run for our fourth anniversary. It was a simple yet meaningful time.

Adrian and I left Marikit with the grandparents and had our fill at one of our favorite Baguio City restaurants, Hill Station. Hill Station is actually where we had our wedding ceremony and reception four years ago. We chose to go there instead of trying somewhere new because: 1) ventilation was good; 2) food was good; and 3) memories were good.

How it was vs how it was going. Yes, somebody needs to get back on track with her fitness goals.

It was a welcome break to have time to talk without having a sweet but clingy toddler constantly interrupting us. (In truth, we couldn’t help but have her still make her way into our anniversary conversations.) As we drank our chocolate and coffee, Adrian asked me what I had learned for Year 4. I told him I learned that I had to be even more patient! He was having some health issues and Marikit was, well, becoming a toddler. For the past year I learned to ask God for grace, upon grace, upon grace so I would not snap too much. I think this is just the beginning as I/we will probably need more grace when Marikit approaches her teens!

But let’s focus on Year 4. I wasn’t able to tell Adrian this, but, one other thing the past year has taught me is how important it is to learn how to adapt. I had to adapt of course to the constantly changing temperaments of the two people I love the most. But we also had to adapt to the shift in how the world turned because of COVID-19.

During our fourth year, we spent five months in Makati and seven months in LTB. Almost 50-50. We arrived at the decision to move closer to my family I think just a few weeks after Marikit turned one. We threw her a Zoom Birthday and Dedication celebration. But though that was fun, we couldn’t help but ache for the things she could experience if we moved away from the city and back to the province.

Just us three in our 1BR home.
Our guests joined us via Zoom!
We took advantage of technology and went all out with our creativity.

Thus the big uproot. I’ve already written about this in few of my blog posts before. But I haven’t written about the challenges we have had month after month since 2021 began. June has been good to us so far but let me just say we already had our share of hospital visits, police reports, symptom-monitoring, and self-isolations. Because of the things that happened, we were reminded about the importance of having our house blessed and dedicated to the Lord. We were also reminded to step out to also be a blessing because God has already blessed us greatly.

So yes, those were a few other major things I learned for Year 4, another turning point in our life.

I guess with each year God adds, more big rocks are also added to our ever growing altar of remembrance. As we begin Year 5, I look forward to going through those milestones with the one my soul loves. ♥️

Cheers from our La Trinidad home!

#LoveTeamForever (Year 2)

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We’re celebrating our fourth anniversary soon. No plans yet, what with the MECQ (again) in Benguet. Last year, we ordered in and had an LED-lit dinner at home. Let’s see what we’ll do this year.

In the meantime, it’s been nice going through this trip down memory lane in our journey as husband and wife. I know four years are nothing yet compared to the years veteran couples have had together (shout out to my parents who already celebrated their 35th!) but these past few years are still worth reminiscing.

So let’s talk about Year 2. Our second year was marked by #TTC (trying to conceive) and our pregnancy journey.

Lovers in KL, a few weeks after our first anniversary. 🥰

We decided to try having a baby – doing away with contraception – six months into our marriage. We had been forewarned that it could take time and it might not be as easy as it was for others. Still, a part of me was hopeful that we would be pregnant on the first, second, or third try.

We didn’t. It took us 11 months. 11 period cycles of me feeling deep sadness for at least a day before I eventually moved forward armed with new research and new ovulation kits. What a realization! You don’t just do it once and then boom, you have a baby! Sure, that happened to some people. But that really didn’t happen to us.

That said, I now have deep respect for couples who spent years in the waiting. My heart also goes out to those who are waiting until now. But, truly, God’s timing is perfect and we will be in awe when we see how He can glorify Himself in the way things work out.

For us, our perfect time was when we began our Sabbath for 2018. I tagged Adrian along with me in an academic conference in Taiwan. Little did we know would bring home a delightful souvenir – Baby Milktea.

Lovers in Taiwan. For some reason, we mostly had solo pics. We had very few pictures together there.

People think we dubbed my bump “Milktea” because I had the drink as my major pregnancy craving. (I didn’t. I constantly craved for breaded fried chicken with gravy.) However, we called Marikit “Milktea” then because, just like boba, our little one was made in Taiwan.

And so this ushered in a new season for us in our second year of marriage. We told our accountability couple and our best man and his wife about our positive pregnancy test in December so that they could pray for us and so that we can be referred to their OB-GYNE. We told my family as a Christmas gift and Adrian’s as a New Year’s surprise. We finally made an announcement to our friends once our first trimester was through.

Our lemony Milktea says hello!

We enjoyed the pregnancy journey greatly. Physically, I mostly went through mild nausea, tiredness, heartburn, breathlessness, swollen feet, and massive (but healthy) weight gain. I nested constantly, buying things online and hoarding at practically every mommy expo. And to prepare ourselves mentally and emotionally, Adrian and I also attended different seminars and classes on pregnancy, birthing, and newborn care.

What did we learn then for #LoveTeamForever Year 2? Well, we learned to trust in God’s timing. We also learned that our Emotional Quotients were quite low! But we did learn to be patient and we did learn to value rest as Marikit was formed during a season of rest.

For couples trying to conceive, I pray for the strength, grace, and joy to go through the season of waiting. For those currently pregnant, I pray for protection for the mom and the little one, and for God’s fathering spirit to grow in the soon-to-be dad.

We surely needed those for those two seasons. They also prepared us greatly for the little human that would bring drastic changes in our lives! But I will write more about that in #LoveTeamForever Year 3.

For now, here is a picture of us during our baby shower and gender reveal (and my 31st birthday!). See you in the next post!

Last birthday before we were officially three!

#LoveTeamForever (Year 1)

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I’ve been missing Makati lately. The tall buildings. The busy malls. The coffee shops, the restaurants – our usual Mondate venues. I miss our friends and churchmates. I miss the hussle, bussle, and yes – even the crazy traffic. I guess I miss these a lot because these were the things that marked the first three years of my marriage with Adrian, year one specifically.

We began our wedded journey in a small studio unit in a condo inside Makati’s central business district. It was a 20-minute walk from Adrian’s workplace. It became my home-office since, even before the pandemic, I worked mostly from home. We chose the place because of its convenience. We didn’t have to worry about traffic when it came to the daily commute, there was a grocery store downstairs, the only downsides were the size and the price. But it was good enough for us since we were just starting out anyway.

Ayala Ave, Makati Ave, Kalayaan Ave, and JP Rizal Ave were our usual Grab routes. I mentioned Mondates and I should explain that we made it a point to set aside Mondays for our marriage night. We would go out on dates – have dinner out, drink coffee somewhere, or watch a movie – and then talk about us and our marriage. Every Monday, yes, and for us that was sacred.

Marriage time! (Photo from Adrian)

Setting aside time specifically for our marriage was an advice we took to heart from the pre-marriage and marriage courses we took. Marriage time helped us a lot since I also went on many trips during our first year together – work trips to Los Baños, Cebu, Baguio City, Hong Kong, Jogjakarta, and Kaohsiung. Yep, I was a jet-setter back in the day. Many times, we needed to just spend time and regroup.

After presenting at a conference in Jogjakarta, Indonesia

Our first year of marriage was fun. Happily enough, we didn’t fight too much. We didn’t have to adjust a lot because I think we went through the growing pains during our time as girlfriend and boyfriend. The first year (well, the first six months, at least) was also really the time we made it a point to just enjoy each other’s company and not yet try to have a baby. We knew there would be a world of changes once we had our third (and then fourth, fifth, sixth…) wheel.

“Trying” deserves a whole other post and I will write about this when I get to #LoveTeamForever Year 2. But, for now, I will leave you with my biggest lesson from Year 1 and that is to really cherish the one-on-one moments with your partner and not take them for granted just because you tied the knot and they are already forever there. Cries of “Mama!” and “Dadddd!” will change your dynamics and will make you miss those times you can go for a weekend getaway without having to worry about who will take care of the kids.

Not that having Marikit around makes me unhappy (on the contrary, she makes every day happy!). I guess what I’m trying to say is that if and when you have a season that kids are not yet on your mind or tugging on your hands – treasure it. You’ll look back at it with fondness and nostalgia as I do now. <3

That’s it right now for Year 1. Stay tuned for Year 2!

Year 1! (Photo from Adrian)

No Goodbyes (and an Announcement)

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It’s been a while. To fill you in on what’s been going on – it has been a month since our #LoveTeamForever day. And so here’s a little poem from “Chocolate Ink” for you all. 🍫

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NO GOODBYES

You dip your head and whisper
“Goodbye”
I reach out, breathe out
“Take care…”

Fast forward to a few
months from now, we
won’t have to
utter restrained
farewells

We’ll fall into
bed and fall
asleep

Home
in each other’s arms

© Mari Anjeli

Weak Spot and Happy Pill

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You are my weak spot and happy pill. I barely know how to resist you nor can I ever deny you. I can’t keep a grudge on you for too long. But then there are days when you frustrate me, devastate me, and I try to rack my brains as to the what, the why, the how did I ever fall for you in the first place?

But even after my emotions go plummeting down, one dose of you and I’m up above the clouds again.

weak-spot

No More Countdowns

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I’ve only realized all my countdowns have disappeared. I used to keep track of the days till our next rendezvous – 157 days, 98 days, 85 days, 63, 47, 22, 10, 5, 1. But now, time has already started to stretch on till eternity, like train tracks that seem to have no end.

At times, I still get anxious when I don’t see you in a while. But then, I simply breathe in and remind myself, “I’ll see you on Friday, I’ll see you on Sunday, I’ll see you soon, soon.” The days are no longer numbered. Fridays, Sundays – they are all tomorrows, and they sneak up on me as quickly as the next train stop.

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Second Time Around

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You know the feeling when you watch a movie the second time around? How that sense of familiarity sinks in and you suddenly realize, Ohhh, that’s what it was all about…? I feel like I am watching things the second time around.

Or the third. Or the fourth. Or the fifth. Or the nth.

One time you took me to Makati and we spent a good portion of the night looking for an open coffee shop. The rain was drizzling on our cheeks. We paused. I told you the story of that one time we ran through the rain, when you sent me off to the bus going back to my hometown. You didn’t really remember. We walked on and settled on the café across the street from your office building.

I almost got lost the next time I tried to go there. Then by the next return, it was like coming home. And now as I roam Ayala’s pavements, I feel like I am watching this movie the second time around.

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Ayala by late PM.