A promise made twenty-eight years ago....... A man asked a woman, will you marry me??? I don't have riches to offer but these hands will work hard for you, to give you the most beautiful life a woman could have in this lifetime.
Of course the woman said.... YES!
Indeed, that promise was never broken.
It's our 28th wedding anniversary today!!
- The Beginning: A Journey of Two Hearts
Here are the only two photos I was able to salvage on our wedding day. Over the years we have had many floodings in our home good thing I still have these two. This was taken January 22, 1996. We had a civil wedding because my father doesn't believe in the church wedding. We obliged since I need to secure a parents consent the time we were married for I was only twenty years old turning 21 on March 20th of the same year just two months prior but if we only knew he would not attend then we would have the church wedding. My father and I don't really see eye to eye, I will create a post regarding the terrifying things my siblings and I had to go through growing up.
Today is about pure happiness, love, respect and celebrations for over 28 years of blissful marriage.
If you ask me, when was the happiest moment of your life?
Without skipping a beat my answer is the day I got married for I became free, loved, respected,regarded, placed on the pedestal, thought of, taken cared of whom I thought I wasn't capable of having and experiencing. After two years, we had our temple sealing. We had the chance of being sealed through time and eternity inside the Lord's house on earth, inside the Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints. Same date as our wedding day so we only have one anniversary date.
Before we got married hubby already built his house, a bachelor's house with just one room one roof house with no t&b and kitchen yet he has to go to his parents house which is just beside his house anyway... Haha. He just wants to have his own private space so when he started working all his salary he used for the building of his house. Then before we got married he changed the layout of his house. He added the kitchen, toilet and bath, he placed one bedroom and a veranda in front of the house. We don't have things inside our house yet when we first started. Our living room was bare. We eat Japanese style, sitting Indian style on a mat on the floor but we are both so happy and in love... Awwww!
Then little by little we started buying things and stuff we need for the house. We purchased bamboo chairs for our living room area.
A few months after our wedding I found a job and both of us were already earning together. We helped in building our house. We bought our own car two years after we got married. Oh, it was such a very happy and fun times. I will never get tired of reminiscing those happy times we've had when we first started our lives together as a married couple. Seven years after our marriage we were then blessed to have a handsome son, our Angelo. He is now twenty-one years old and is studying in the university, a sophomore taking up mechatronics engineering.
- **The most Cherished Gift- The Greatest Surprise ever
Our Milestones over the years **
Hubby worked in the local Water District here in our city that time. He worked from 1993 to 2018.
As part of their program to the community. They give out free water to those barangay's that have water problems during the peak of the Summer months. Usually the affected areas are the one's on the higher parts because water is scarce so the water pressure from the water treatment plants is not enough to push the water up on the highlands. Hubby is the one in-charge of the motor pool department. He handles all the vehicles of the company. He drives the water tanker to these affected areas every summer just so they can provide potable water to the people. On One of the many affected areas is where we acquired our lot.
This place is the resettlement area of the affected indigenous tribe from Zambales called the Aetas during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo last 1991. This is where the then Mayor of our city placed them. Since this is an ancestral domain area, the local water district cannot put their facility on the area without their approval. It has been 30 plus years now since they are here. I think this year, there has been an agreement between the local tribes and the local government to put up water facilities on this land. Hubby was able to know of this property during his frequent visits to the place bringing water for the people. The property that we acquired is not part of the resettlement area. It is just on the entrance going to the Aeta's resettlement place or barangay. He came to know this when he and his fellow colleagues were looking for areas that might have a source for water. When they came here and asked about the property and its owner the people said it is not for sale. So they never bother asking again. Then one day while hubby was on Facebook, he came across a post about a lot for sale. He inquired on the owner and asked for the details of the property and its price. He then went back and looked at the place. This was really a surprise, Hubby did not tell me about his of purchasing a property. It was all a surprise. We have some saved up money in the bank so he purchased it. He then asked me to go with him stating we will just look for some lot with a water source for his company. Little did I know when we arrived there he showed me the Deed of Sale to the lot. What can I say, I was really happy. Owning a land? what!! His plan of surprising me really did work out. My hubby knows where to put his money. He always plan for the future and he is very good at handling our finances. He knows where and how to put our money to good use. Owning properties specially land is a very good investment since lands don't depreciate but appreciate overtime.
Going to this place, you must pass a zig zag going down hill with steep roads beside a river below. I can't imagine him driving the big water tanker filled with water going up and down the steep road. Just behind that curve is the steep descent the entry to where the resettlement area is and where we have our property. For small vehicles its okay but for the big trucks like the water tanker it is really very hard. One must be a very good driver like hubby. I am really super proud of him.
✹The zigzag road
On your way here, it is like you are in a different country. You can see the rock formations of the mountains, so beautiful. This is the road going to the zigzag.
The descent is not that difficult, you just need to have good brakes. The ascent is were it is very tricky and hard specially when you have oncoming vehicles as well. You cannot go up speedily and if you are not a good driver your engine will stop and you will be hanging on the steep rode. Imagine hubby travelling here at night no street lights on the rode and driving a big tanker truck filled with 12 cu meters or 12,000 liters of water. whew!!
✹ PINAGPALA or The Blessed Place
Would you believe that the name of the place is called PINAGPALA which translates "The Blessed" in English. Yah, the name of the place seals the blessings from God. I think owning this property was a blessing for all his hard work and his service to the people in this barangay. Imagine he would be going here with his water tanker full from 5pm til past midnight because the trip and the delivering of the water would consume two hours going back and forth refilling the tanker from a fire hydrant inside the Base then going back again. Then the following day, 8am he will go to work. That's how hardworking my hubby was. He has no reason to say no because it was only him who has the guts to drive the water tanker going to this zigzag road dark at night.
✹ The House
This property has a house but still on it's skeletal form when we acquired it. Basically it was just hollow blocks no plastering yet. There was no toilet and bath everything was rough and still needs a lot of budget to make it look like a house. This is now its recent photo. We have already done a lot of work on this house and have spent a lot as well. Since we really don't have a big amount of money for its construction so we do renovations little by little. Now we were able to plaster the walls, put some windows and added some grills and jalousies inside the bedroom area. We designed it to have two big bedrooms. A living room upon entering and adjacent will be the dining area then it has a kitchen on the side then the toilet and bath at the back part. We are not really in a hurry in finishing this house because we just come here when we have the time. We don't rent it out. We come here to do some grass cutting on the grounds and when we have the time. It is our escape from all the hustle and bustle of the city. Our quiet and happy place.
October of 2020, We let my sister live here together with her family she has five kids so they can save instead of renting out because her partner cannot find a regular job and renting out is too much for them. The children were so happy because they have a very big playground. They have nature all around.
The best thing about this property is it has a spring water source.
This is the main reason why hubby purchased this property because it has free flowing spring water. Our neighbors who were living there said that ever since they moved here 25 years ago this was their source of water because this Community has not been reached by the local Water District up until now. They don't have water line connections. So for them having this spring water was really a blessing to them. Several families use this as their water source so when they found out that it has been sold and we were the new owner they asked us if what will be our plans for the place because they were afraid we will not give them the access to the water anymore. We told them not to worry about it, they can get water there freely. They put up some hose from the source of the spring and then connected it to each of their respective homes. We never took their privilege of having water from our property so up until now they are freely using the water. Since we don't live there it is okay. We love to share what we have to people. When my sister came and lived here, we placed a plastic container so they will have their own water supply as well. Great thing about this spring water it has never dried up ever since even during hot summer days and during the droughts on the previous years. Water just continuously flows. Which I am truly grateful for. I consider this a blessing having flowing water which helps our surrounding neighbors and my sister as well. They boil the water for drinking just to be safe because this is not treated. For their baths, we told them to add in some chlorine on the deposited water in their basins and big buckets inside the house. So it will be safe for the kids because they might have skin rashes or any skin problems just to be sure.
After the pandemic lockdown in our city last September 2021. When we were allowed to go out of our houses, my family together with my siblings came here because we missed each other talking face to face we had our camping activity here.
We pitched our tents, had a boodle fight dinner and of course what's a camp without a camp fire. We lighted some wood and we gathered by the fire and we just talked and laughed had fun, told jokes specially stuff about the pandemic the things we did while we were on lockdown.
Using my brother's DSLR camera they were playing with the settings and took photos with light display on the outcome, I don't know what it's called but its beautiful.
The stars on the night skies were so vivid as well, it was like they were rejoicing with us because we were now free from the lockdown.
Yippee! 😍😍
The following morning we hiked up going to our second and third property. Which are both mango orchards. We have the Hill top which is literally a hill overlooking the mountains around 7,500 square meters. It has around forty plus big mango trees and cashew trees as well, all bearing fruits.
Everyone had a great time, we had our early morning exercise from our camp site.
After admiring the view from our Hill Top we then headed to our another mango orchard which is around 3,000 sq meters. This has avocadoes, bananas and mangoes planted on it. Everyone had fun because this is their first time to come and visit these places.
The sun was already up so we all headed back to our camp because the kids were already hungry and thirsty.☺️
- Gratitude and The Wisdom of Experience: advice to newly weds
I am ever so grateful because me and hubby were blessed to have the wisdom to know and discern and act out our dreams and plans. We dance the same dance. We sing to the same tune. We always support each other. We love and respect each other. We really don't fight we argue at times but they are just on petty things. I am grateful as well because hubby has no vices. He doesn't smoke or drink liquor. He doesn't hang out with friends but I tell you he has so many friends who respects him and looks up to him as well. I am grateful that my hubby fulfilled his promise to me the day he asked my hand in marriage. I will never forget this words. He said, "Mama I don't have lots of money to offer you, I am not rich but these hands will work for you and our family. I will make sure to give you a good and happy life for as long as I shall live. " Oh, bless his dear heart. I love him so much.
My advice to newly weds, I guess you just have to trust each other, be honest and always listen to what your partner says. There should not be a hierarchy as long as the plan and ideas are for the greater good of the family support each other. Family should be the top most priority. Don't live like you are still single always consult your partner make your partner your best friend because at the end of the day it's the two of you who will reap the outcomes. Let God be the foundation of your relationship. Set aside egos, pride specially when it comes to who is earning the most and never let your career hinder you from acting out your role in the relationship.
Lastly, just be true and loyal never forget your promise when you asked her hand in marriage and never ever look for anyone else.
I am so happy I found my one true love and same with my husband as well. We have a good partnership over the years and this will be for a lifetime. We still have many milestones and I will share them again on my future posts.
Thank you for reading up to the end for it's a bit long.
See you on my next blog.
Remember to always have a gratitude attitude and to always look for the good in everything.
You are loved,
@aideleijoie♥️
