Are We Good Parents?

My husband and I will be going to the US for three weeks and we're leaving our son behind.

I've been hearing so many things and opinions regarding our decision. There are others who could not comprehend how we can leave our son at home (with my in-laws actually). There are others who are quite supportive and totally understand where we're coming from.

I'm already preparing myself for all the questions and uproar when we arrive without our son in tow. Being the polite person I am, I will just give vague references on why we chose to do what we did.

Of course, there are doubts but my husband and I believe that right now, we made the right choice.

I hope I get to enjoy this vacation without the unnecessary stress.

Foreclosure Empathy

One of the tasks that I do at work is to review approved consumer loans and check for any deficiency in the approval process. Recently, I was asked to concentrate on home loan accounts that have been endorsed to our Remedial Unit (i.e. clients that have not paid their dues for the past 90 days or more).

I was excited over the task at first as it will be the first time I'll be handling home loans, but after reviewing several accounts, I'm beginning to feel a bit down. The last one I reviewed, the Bank has already started steps on foreclosing the house which is the client's primary residence.

As I have the clients' folder with me, I have somehow grown familiar with their background. My heart just bleeds for them and their children that will be uprooted because the Bank will force them out of their house.

I feel for them because my family had the same experience while I was in College. My parents were struggling with their business and the Bank soon foreclosed on our family home. We were forced to live within the family business premises. And when the business folded, my mom had to go abroad to work as a caregiver so they can pay off their debts. Thank God I was already working by then but the trauma of it stayed with me. I guess that's the main reason why I am so afraid to go in business.

I cannot fault the Bank for doing what they did and still continue to do up to now. The clients signed an agreement that in exchange for the sum that they borrowed, the Bank has every right to foreclose on the property if the regular payments are not made.

I can only wish them the best and hope everything works out for them in the end. I just hope their children won't be too traumatized.

Grief

One of the members our Newlywedsatwork egroup shared the story of how her 19-day old son died. Most of all the messages that were posted henceforth were words of condolences and comfort. I'm sure most of us were thinking what we could have done if it happened to us.

Up to now, I'm still thinking of her and what she has suffered. This was the second child that she lost. The first child (if I'm correct), died in the womb while this one, died 19 days after he was born.

I cried because I sympathized and empathized with her. I could understand the terror and grief. I was also in tenterhooks the first few weeks that Basti was born. I would wake up in the middle of the night just to check on him. I would hold his back to check if he's still breathing. Thank God he was not much of a crier when he was a baby (although he whines a lot now).

It's stories like this that makes me pause and think whether I really want another child. It's every mother's nightmare to see your child die before you and I don't know if I would want to experience that. I will jost hold steadfast in my faith that God has a plan for all of us and we just have to accept whatever it is that lies ahead. We just pray for strength to have that kind of acceptance and surrender our hesitations and doubts to God for He alone is omnipotent.

Anima Choir

Apart from the birth of our son, our wedding was the most memorable day in my life, bar none. I was very particular with the choir and after so much searching, I found Anima Choir. They sang my chosen bridal march, Ikaw Lamang, perfectly. And they managed to tape their performance too.



They also sang the above song during our contract signing. It's a Filipino love song, Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin, originally sung by Ariel Rivera.

Toilet Training

Our toilet training adventure started yesterday.

Actually, we've been letting Basti use his potty and the big potty for quite some time. Yesterday was the first time that we did not let hime wear diapers while we were at home. I reasoned out that he's already wearing XXL and it's already starting to get a little snug. Pretty soon, it would barely fit him anymore. Besides, he will be starting toddler school in June so we have to be prepared for that.

So far, he did not have an accident yesterday. Only time he peed was when he was in the playground and yaya noticed that he was shivering a bit. She rushed him off to the bushes and encouraged him to do his thing. (Sorry! No CR nearby). He was able to do it and was praised endlessly.

At least his diapers are now limited to only when we're going out or when he sleeps. Hopefully, this will decrease my diaper expense.

Our next struggle now is for him to sleep straight through the night. So far, he still wakes up 2x during the night to ask for milk. There were times that he woke up 3 times! He should be really sleeping straight by now.