Highlights of Year 2018

I was awake as early as 12AM last December 31 because we needed to catch our morning flight to Basco Batanes. While waiting at the boarding gate, I was reflecting on my year 2018 and I was not able to finish my notes so here I am, trying my best to finish my supposed to be year-end post.

If my year 2017 is like a rollercoaster ride, my year 2018 is a challenging year. If you’ve read my post last year, two weeks before Christmas we received a not-so-good news so we welcomed 2018 even though we didn’t know what would happen. We patiently waited for an answer and held on to His Promises.

“For I know the plans, I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29;11” 

2018 is not a good year for our family, there are so many ups, downs, and even bumps. It was physically, emotionally, and financially draining. It was challenging because…

1. We don’t know if my husband will still have a job, his former company sold one of their business and unfortunately, that business is where my husband works. So there is no option to stay in the former company and there is no assurance that the new company will hire him. The waiting is so long and we have no other choice but to wait.

After five months of waiting, we’re grateful that my husband got an offer from the new company. Even though the salary and benefits are very different, he still accepted it. Mahirap walang source of income lalo na I’m not working. We’re thankful that he got an offer because yung iba, nawalan talaga ng work.

2. So when I thought that life was already okay and smooth, I did not imagine that our last quarter of the year would be so emotional. We’ve lost someone dear to us and two of my in-laws were diagnosed with cancer. We all know that dealing with cancer is not easy. Cancer affects everyone in the family because of family routine changes and lifestyle.

“When someone has cancer, the whole family and everyone who loves them does too” - Terri Clark 

I realized na mamamatay ka talaga kung wala ka pera because even you go to PCSO, it takes time to get an Individual Medical Assitance. Two months of waiting and until now, we’re still waiting if we can get assistance.

My husband just bought his insurance for a critical illness, two months before we heard the news about cancer. I’m thinking if I will get insurance with critical illness too kasi kawawa si hubby if ever, kulang ang health card.

3. Aside from that, starting January our family was going to the hospital every month tapos naging every week na starting October for our health concerns too. Some are simple health concerns lang naman pero hindi mo pwede ipawalang bahala like caterpillar sting, ear infection, colds and cough and even upset stomach of my son. It is not a secret that I have psoriasis so I always have check-up and laboratory tests. Nakakapagod but health is wealth and prevention is better than cure.

But despite the challenges, I’m still grateful because God is faithful and God always provides. The year 2018, is the year when I got more blog opportunities and I even became part of Althea Angels. So even our problems and concerns are not yet over. I’m still looking forward to the year 2019.

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phil 4;19” 

So what happened in...

January 

January, the start of the year. Even though we don’t know what will happen to my husband's job, we still make short-term goals. Life must go on! I looked for a resort for our anniversary and family outings. Mabilis mafully-booked ang resort so as early as January, I paid our reservation for our family outing with my mom. We also went to Tienda sa Solenad.

February 

We had a simple home improvement, my husband wants my son to sleep in his own room na so we’ve started fixing his room. It was my son’s Field Trip and this time hindi na kami nagconvoy. It was our wedding anniversary too, so we had Staycation at Pico Sands Hotel and Sofitel Manila. We were able to watch 9th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition.

Read: Breakfast Buffet in Spiral
Food Trip in Hamilo Coast Pico De Loro

March

We attended my son’s Recognition Day in school and ate at All 4 U Unlimited Korean Restaurant. We treated our son to Kidzania for getting a Gold Eagle Certificate for the school year 2017-2018. We had a day trip at Acuaverde Beach Resort. We went to Caleruega last Holy Thursday. My mom went home for vacation so we spent the Holy Week long weekend in Valenzuela.

April 

To enjoy the summer, we had a family outing at Laiya Coco Grove and family get-together. I got a DFA appointment for my husband so he can renew his passport because he doesn’t have enough passport pages. We booked tickets and planned for our Bangkok and Baguio Getaway. Our most memorable moment on this trip is we experienced Business Flight on our way to Bangkok, Thailand.

Read: Passport Renewal Experience

May 

May is a busy month because I need to prepare for “Back to School”. I bought books, school supplies, and uniform. And because I was so preoccupied, I made a mistake in writing my check so I paid P1500 for that simple mistake. We celebrated Mother’s Day at Tong Yang Plus. And before summer vacation is over, we had a Day Trip at Woodside Farm and Waterpark with my in-laws.

June

Back to school. June is the month when my husband started with his new company and because of that, he has no vacation leave yet. So he was so busy that we were not able to celebrate his birthday. Kasi meron siya despedida from former company + orientation naman sa new company. Sobrang hectic so we had delayed celebration na lang and sabay na rin ng Father’s Day. We went back to Tong Yang Plus.

July

After two months of not flying, my husband is back with his business trip again so wala gaano ganap kasi nasa bahay lang kami mag-ina. I received good news that I’m part of Althea Angels. Yey! I’m hooked with Korean products so I’m really happy to be part of Althea Korea.

August 

It was my birthday month and we celebrated it at Las Flores and Pantry of Dusit Thani Hotel. I got birthday shopping rewards from Althea Korea so I splurged on my birthday. We watched my son’s Cheers and Yells and they won. First championship since 1985 daw. Wow!

September

September was stressful because Furniture Source Philippines failed to deliver our order on the agreed date. It took them 24 days to fulfill our order. Kastress talaga! It was also my son’s first recollection in school.

We celebrated my son’s 10th birthday in advance so we spent the last weekend of September in Sofitel Manila again but this time we book the Sofitel Luxury Club room. My husband and I had a quick date in Tagaytay.

October

10th birthday of my son and 80th birthday of my grandmother-in-law so we went to Pangasinan to attend her birthday. This is also the start of our series of check-up, we visited different doctors such Pedia, Ophthapedia, and OB. We lost someone dear to us and this is also the month when we learned that my two in-laws were diagnosed with cancer.

November 

Our family had a series of check-up and labtest with OB-Gyne, Pedia, Orthopedic and Dentist.

December

Our family had a series of check-up, labtest, and therapy with OB-Gyne, Nephro, Orhophedic, Ophtha, and Derma. I still need to see my Gastro doctor pero dahil holiday na, nagpahinga muna ko. Writing this year-end post, reminds me na hindi pa ko nakakabalik. Waah!

We had family get together, we went to Tagaytay and lastly, we ended the year 2018 in Batanes.

With all the health expenses that we’ve spent parang ayaw ko ng gumastos pa. But life is short. We deserve a break and we want to enjoy the holiday. I was thankful for God’s provisions and for making our Batanes trip possible. Expect for my Batanes series soon.