do you remember your commencement speech?

i readily admit that i do not. and having three other siblings doesn’t make it any easier to remember theirs either.  but there’s always something moving when you listen to them, or the first fifteen minutes thereof.  there is always that essential hope and possibility for greatness for your generation.

this weekend, the whole family drove up to attend the last graduation of the fabila family.  yes, my little sister kristie graduated w/ a BS in graphic arts with honors of summa cum laude.  we are so proud of her.

that’s her, celebrating after having received her diploma.  i ran all the way from the back of the nosebleed section, to the very bottom front arena near the stage so i can capture this photo.  thank goodness for optical zoom. 

she’s really maintained a level of scholastic responsibility that amazes me.  since her childhood, and despite having five years between us, i’ve always felt she’s surpassed my creativity level in so many ways, but now, i proudly say that she also surpasses scholastic maturity.  college is filled w/ deadlines and exponentially more distractions, so i’m very proud of her for keeping grounded in her studies, as well as nurturing the person that my parents raised, and upholding moral standards.  i admire my siblings very much, and i admire only a very few…

this weekend, she’s achieved a momentous milestone that i hope will only be the beginning of what she wants to accomplish in her career.  i also hope that it is added foundation to who she will become as a person, for we know we’re not merely  shaped by the degree that we finish with, but how we’ve adapted the method of learning and the further extractions of our continuous learning.

God bless you lub. we are so proud of you, with more than just your honors and degree.

for more related links of our Boston Trip:

• MK’s Website : my little sister Kristie’s website
• Complete Boston Album : COMPLETE photos of our trip
• Boston Park Plaza : the hotel where we stayed
• Northeastern University : my sis’ alma mater
• TD Banknorth Garden : where her graduation took place
• Cheesecake Factory : where we ate for dinner
• Chau Chow City :  where we ate for dim sum
• Mohegan Sun : where we stopped before going home

some images (click on pics):

last saturday, for my mom’s bday (and perze’s) we went to take my aunt and cousin to Longwood Gardens.  Even though my mom has a severe case of spring allergies, she would still LOVE to visit this place because she is definitely a lover of plants and flowers. One of her interests and passions is gardening.  Did you know that?  She and my dad spend countless hours outside in our backyard beautifying the area.

                                            (L to R:  em, my tita son, and my mom)

i just wanted to say happy birthday to my strong and sacrificial mom. she turned 60 this year so it’s a very special year.  she’s loved by all her four children and people outside our immediate family knows how giving and generous she is, always charitable to our relatives…that’s one thing i hope i can continue that she’s exemplified to me and my siblings. 

not only is she a selfless mother, but an extremely loving and involved lola.  i love you ma. God bless you even more.

click here to visit our twelvesixteen.net photo gallery for the complete album.

it was my wonderful husband’s 33rd birthday last friday, the 18th. 

it was such a busy day, having been scheduled to attend Aia’s cotillion, so from work perze, em, and i had to rush to get there on time since i was co-emceeing.  this made it very difficult to prepare a birthday celebration that he really deserves.  i just want to thank him for being so unselfish of my attention that day and share it with Aia and our friends. (for Aia’s debut Album, please visit our twelvesixteen gallery.)

that weekend was also my mom’s birthday so again, perze had to share the celebration w/ my mom, (as well as a visit from my tita son and ate faith) and again my attention was divided. so i want to thank my understanding husband for putting my mom in that important light. 

we ended up going to Longwood Gardens last saturday.   it was perze’s first time there, and we just got a new camera, so it was a great place to share w/ him and emma.  the last time i was there was when i was 10, and now that i’m 28, i’ve really grown such an appreciation for the plants and flowers…with both families having propensity to nurture their green thumbs, i’ve also really learned to love and appreciate such beauty.  afterwards, we drove all the way to PA to Minado’s for dinner- a family favorite.

the weekend was so busy that i didn’t even have time to blog and archive my birthday greeting for him…so now that the weekend is over, i still want to take this time to think upon him and honor him with this simple gesture.  when we called nanay and tatay in the phils, i talked to each of them and thanked them for giving life to perze and for the care they gave him, which was a huge part of why i love him.  you just have to realize that you need to thank your in laws for the great and immense job they did in taking care of the person you married.  they are the way they are because of the huge impact their parents had on them.  and i really can attest to that in perze.

mahal, i just want to tell you thank you.

i really cannot imagine myself w/o you.  thank you for taking care of our family…for being so unselfish and responsible.  thank you for being so patient, and for reminding me to be a better person.  thank you for really cherishing me and adoring emma.  i love you so much mahal.  happy birthday.  God grant you your heart’s desires mahal.

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click here to go to the PERZE’s Birthday Weekend Recap Album
click here to go to the Longwood Gardens Album
click here to go to the Aia’s Debut Album

last friday, juxtaposed to perze’s 33rd birthday, was our 2nd cotillion party of the year.  we were honored enough to attend Aia’s debut, and extremely honored to having been chosen as a co-emcee for the night’s activities.  (i hope you enjoyed the emcee-ing, Aia…it’s a lot of pressure…)

I’ve known Aia since she was a toddler, and have taken a role as an Ate for her to “go to” whenever she needed to talk, as well as having been a teacher and youth leader.  Perze and I was also very honored to have been chosen as participants for the 18 roses and 18 candles ceremony. 

We hope you had a great time Aia, and that you enjoy your present ;).  think of us every time you wear it in college!  We love you and God bless you!

for all of the compiled pictures,
GO HERE.

related blogs:
AYW Red Oragami Dress

last weekend. we attended the debut party of one of our youth girls- sarah grace.  rogie and i, the youth leaders, emceed the event, which was definitely an honor- nerve wracking because we only got the program that night, but it turned out okay and everyone had a great time. perze and i were part of the 18 roses dance and 18 candles speeches, and em was a flower girl…so again, another great honor.

we want to thank sarah grace and her family for inviting us for a fun night to enjoy w/ them and our friends and church. we’re so proud of you sarah!  we hope you enjoyed every minute of it, despite all the previous hesitation w/ the attention and party planning. we hope you liked our present.

for more picture stills, please visit our twelvesixteen.net photo gallery for the album (thanks chelle for most of the photos).

related blogs:
the sarah grace project
nic. blush pink dress

Monday, my dad had surgery early morning for a mild procedure.  he’s recovering now, which will hopefully take about a week but he’s still feeling a lot of discomfort from the aftereffects.  i just spoke with him, and he canceled on an upcoming weekend trip. just please pray for him, for those who are reading this update.  thank you guys!

I’m so proud to announce the birth of my 2nd nephew. 

Thursday, my sister and kuyasam called in the morning asking me if I wanted to come over.  Now being that the drive is over 2 hours, I was hesitant.  But when they informed me that my sister’s water broke, I quickly arranged the trip and prepared Emma for the weekend.  With Perze having work the next day, it was just Em and I on the road.  That night, after having visited them at the hospital, I took care of Em and her cousin Samsam alone, waiting for the awaited phonecall. 

He arrived 2 weeks early on a snowy day in NY.  It was a normal delivery, praise God.  My sister had no complications, and he came out healthy and extremely handsome, with many similar features as his older brother- Samsam [butt chin and butt tongue].  So presenting:

Sephin Chi Hang Ng
5 lbs. 13 oz. | 18.5 inches
February 21, 2008

They named him after my sister Stephanie, since his older brother was named after my brother-in-law, Sam.  So Sam and Seph w/ their parents Sam and Steph. .  So far he’s such a well behaved baby, sleeping and eating well.  And so far, Kuya Samsam has been very caring, calling him ‘Baby’. 

Thank you God for being w/ my sister during the pregnancy and labor…and for being with baby Sephin…and for keeping kuya sam sane to help support my sister.  Praise God for his beautiful creation.

please send them an encouraging note here: www.samuanie.com