Category: Family

Marriage, Motherhood, and Everything in Between

Year 29, bring it on!

Rhiza2 Comments

These photos have been up for a week now, just waiting for words to come with them. The truth is, I’ve ran out of ways to say what a riot this past year has been, so I’ve put this on hold for a while. Birthdays are the best times to count blessings and to look back at how far you’ve come. I’ve blogged about mine each and every year, and this year has so far been the biggest leap for me.

On the contrary.. after so many years of throwing parties/get-togethers on my birthday (and being surprised with one), my 29th birthday has got to be the simplest celebration I ever had—by choice. I didn’t think I needed a big celebration anyway; after all, this year has been full of BIG celebrations already, starting with our wedding. And then I’ve got myself the biggest gifts: Being married to the sweetest husband ever, these two babies growing inside of me, and having my two best friends both in one continent again.

And of course there’s my family, who’s always there to celebrate with me and support me in all of my joys and triumphs, including loving my husband and whole-heartedly accepting him as part of this new life that I have. I’m not sure how I’ll cope with all these changes without the support group that they are.

So that’s exactly what I did on my 29th birthday—spent the day with my greatest gifts.

Continue reading “Year 29, bring it on!” →

Double Blessings

Rhiza19 Comments

Saturday, March 31. “God must really love us.. in a really special and weird way,” my husband said, laughing as we tried to recover from the surprise that came with our first ultrasound. One week after we tested positive for pregnancy, we confirmed that we’re not just pregnant.. we’re having twins!

To say that we were surprised is an understatement; we were, mostly, blown away. We never prayed for twins, never expected it, never crossed our minds. There haven’t been any twin pregnancies from both our lineage, at least none that we know of, or none that we can trace. And yet, here they are, growing in my womb. It’s like I could hear God’s still small voice, and see a smile on His lips, “Riz, my dear Riz, you can never predict Me. I have more surprises for you.”

So you must have seen this ultrasound print already, if you’re connected to us in Facebook. We managed to be mum about being pregnant for a few weeks, only our family and a few friends knew. But when we found out that we’re having twins, it’s just so hard to keep it to ourselves! Suddenly, my husband was announcing it in the pulpit of our church before he lead Worship, and excitedly sharing the news on Facebook. We’re overwhelmed by the response and the excitement around us, it’s a great feeling to know that friends and family are praying for us from (literally) all over the world.

I’m on my 9th week now and the morning sickness has been horrible; whoever named it “morning sickness” has no idea what he was talking about, really! This “sickness” is more like an all-day-round-a-clock sickness! I’m always sleepy, and tired, and nauseous, and bloated. They say it’s even worse when you’re carrying twins. Which explains why I have a pile of unprocessed photos and unfinished drafts, why this blog has gone quiet for the past week, and why I haven’t seen a lot of my friends like usual.

On a lighter note, a new level of respect and appreciation has been growing in my heart for mothers who have endured so much pain while the rest of us can only see the cute baby photos and pink little tutus and adorable feeding bottles. Pregnancy sure is a lot of work, and one won’t know it until she experienced it.

So my husband and I have been adjusting to pregnancy—easier on some days (like today!), more difficult on most days. But my heart rests in the assurance that all of this will be worth it when we finally hold our babies in our arms. We’re excited to have our 2nd ultra sound any time this week or next! Hopefully we’ll start hearing some tiny heartbeats too. :)

Meanwhile, on those moments I’m not feeling dizzy and sleepy, I’m actually feeling artsy!

I’m currently playing around with my not-so-new stack of art stuff—some doilies, manila tags, and washi tapes I bought before we found out we’re pregnant. I want to put together a pregnancy journal, something I can show the babies when they’re older. I can’t wait for this first trimester to be over, they say I’ll get my groove back after the first 3 months.

“Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward,” says Psalms 127:3.

Multiply that by the power of two, and that’s how blessed my husband and I feel. :)

Time to Rest and Reflect

Rhiza5 Comments

One of the few things I love about working here in the Philippines is the  long holidays. This year, the President declared 6 long weekends. I don’t think there are other countries who enjoy this luxury of long vacations like we do here. Thankfully, this particular 5-day vacation (Holy Week) couldn’t have come at a better time for me.

Struggling with the first trimester, I spent most of my weekend sleeping like I never slept before, and feeling dizzy and nauseous, and a couple of times, throwing up what I ate. I remember being warned about marriage and raising kids. But I can’t remember anyone warning me about pregnancy! Or fine, if anyone did, I probably wasn’t paying attention. :D

When I was not sleeping or feeling dizzy, my husband and I did manage to get out of the house to do something. Here’s a glimpse of our weekend, on Instagram:

He lovingly entertained all my food cravings—from ice cream to baked zitti to mango yogurt. We had some Jollibee delivered. Cooked chicken enchilada. Made omelettes. Baked carrot cupcakes with our neighbors downstairs. Squeezed oranges. I lost track of all the food we consumed this weekend! And can I just say.. my husband has been extremely helpful around the house, cleaning up and keeping everything together while I shifted from being super wife to being-totally-helpless. I don’t think I’ll ever stop staring at him and marveling at how blessed I am to have someone like him journeying this life with me. :)

Today we missed our church’s family outing in Laguna because I was, once again, having a horrible morning; but in the afternoon when I was feeling better, we went to Trinoma to have lunch and to walk around. We passed by this strip of baby shops and made a mental checklist of the things we have to start saving up for. We wondered where all the years have gone and tried to recall when we started feeling like and actually being adults. We pondered upon the things God allowed to happen in our lives, and this new adventure He’s blessed us with. I would be lying if I said I’m not a bit anxious, or scared. But I also know that God won’t give us anything we can’t handle, and the excitement just.. trumps all fears!

The other night, as I was struggling with another attack of nausea, feeling like all my strength is being drained out of me, these words came to me like a lifesaver: It’s God’s love for us that causes us to an end of our own strength. I held on to those words and claimed God’s strength until I finally fell asleep.

Over and over again it’s being confirmed in my heart that He who took us this far will take us farther as He wills.

That’s how I know I will be okay.

That’s how I know we will be okay. :)

That Fleeting Moment Before it Rains

Rhiza15 Comments

Saturday, March 24. Just before the rain poured, my husband and I thought it was a great day to spend some time “out” (and by “out” we meant, by our spacious roof top). So I cooked macaroni for lunch and we spent some quality time outside—him, by the laptop, and me, with the guitar. I know Perry Noble said it’s not romantic for a husband to tinker on his gadget while his wife sits beside him, but I guess we consider ourselves an exception. Once in a while when one of us has to work on the computer, we find it romantic actually to just sit next to each other while the other does his thing. :P

The cool wind is the added perk that day, I could almost feel the rain about to pour.

Edit. Apparently, my husband tweeted that moment too:

So.. he had a preaching assignment for our Youth Worship again, two Sundays in a row, and you already know how happy that makes me. On that same Sunday, I was leading Praise and Worship too, so while the husband studied, I was having my own quiet time strumming some chords and meditating on the songs in my line-up. I couldn’t stop thinking, I certainly wouldn’t mind.. a lifetime like this, serving the Lord in ministry together.

And then I found myself reading Leviticus 26 again, and these verses popped from the pages of my Bible,

3 If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. 5 Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

6 I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. 7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.

9 I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. 10 You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. 11 I will put my dwelling placeamong you, and I will not abhor you. 12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.

~Leviticus 26:3-4

I know these words may sound a little bit ancient and out of this world to some of you, but for me, every word, every line, cut deep into my heart until I felt tears on my cheeks. God is going to pour in rain to our life. There will be abundance, and blessings, an increase. There will be a great harvest! God will walk with us and never forsake us. There will be peace and quiet, and we will no longer be slaves to people who cause us pain. One by one I claimed each promise enclosed in that short chapter.

Soon, the rain literally poured and my husband and I had to retreat back inside our house.

Later that day, we found out I’m pregnant.

But that, is a story for another time. :)

Live a life of love

Rhiza5 Comments

The other day, I received an email from M, a girl who’s been reading this blog. Her email brought me back to this post I wrote about Alexis & Nika—their life and their death and the story that they left behind. Which, ultimately, reminded me once again why I blog, and why I hope and strive to live a life that inspires.

“The first impulse is always one of love.” said Alexis.

I cannot imagine a life without love. I make a mental checklist of all the things in my life that count for something, and all of them are because of, or inspired by, love. In the same way, I know how it’s like when something is driven by the opposite of love, or the lack of it—things that usually end with half-baked work, or unnecessary pain, or senseless anger, or hurtful and traumatizing words you can’t anymore take back, or worse, broken relationships.

I know we can’t exactly live in a perfect world and have unicorns and butterflies all over the place, but we do have a choice to fill our little worlds with positivity, and encouragement, and words of hope; and cut sources of negativity in the process.

It is in that note that this blog was brought to life. Once, I said, “There was just no way I could blog without giving away a huge serving of my heart.” That’s just the kind of blogger I am, and what Chasingdreams.net is all about. More than just digitally documenting my life, I’ve always prayed that this blog will reach people and make some form of positive change. To inspire. To encourage. To give hope.

And so, when someone writes me and tells me that something I wrote gave her hope, or helped her through sleepless nights, I take it as an affirmation that this site is serving some greater purpose than simply being an online pensieve of a happy, giddy dreamer.

M wrote:

Hi Rhiz!

You probably don’t remember me. The last communication we had was about my orders from the Dreamerie. I’ve been meaning to send you an e-mail pero I was just a little shy since we don’t really know each other personally. I guess, I wanted to share with you a few things.

The first time I came across your blog.. it was one of those sleepless nights induced by a broken heart. Lol. It sounds funny now but that time, I was really devastated. If my memory serves me well, it was your blog about Alexis and Nika that I read. I was drawn to your blog because of your stories of faith. I needed those that time. I felt emotionally and spiritually drained that year.

Though we don’t know each other personally, I feel happy that you’ve tied the knot and I also want to share with you that I’ve found someone also. Someone who has allowed me to renew my relationship with the Lord.

Congratulations to you and your husband! God bless both of you.

Thanks, M, your email made my day. :)

I love knowing that I’m part, albeit a tiny portion, of a bigger story. Bigger than myself, and my dreams.

Today I praise God for people like M, and Shadz, and Joanne, among others—girls who were once strangers, but I now consider kindred spirits who share my hopes of spreading love and inspiration to this world.

And for people like Alexis and Nika, and my Dad, who lived lives that are still inspiring people long after they’re gone.

Caramel sundae & some Mcdo lovin’

Rhiza7 Comments

Last Saturday we found happiness in a cup of caramel sundae. Yep, all for the price of 25 pesos! (Hey, that’s way cheaper than Magnum!)

We practically stayed in bed the whole Saturday morning, and since the husband had to prepare for a message he was going to preach in Youth Worship the following day, we had to stay at home the whole day too. Hey, I have no complaints. I loooove staying at home on a Saturday, and I find it so endearing when my husband ignores me because he’s too engrossed studying God’s Word. Even more endearing when he finally stands up there and shares what he learned. <3

That was an awesome Saturday as it is, but later in the afternoon, he decided to take a study break and grab some sundae. Ang saya ko lang! It’s like the icing on my cake, or, shall I say, the caramel fudge on my sundae. (Haha I’m so witty!) So yay I brought the camera with me and took photographs. After all, I’m starting to get bored with my Saturday-at-home shots!

I’ve been learning a lot about simplicity and contentment these days. Last Saturday was one of those days when you realize that happiness doesn’t have to cost too much. Sometimes, they even come free.

So hey, do yourself a favor, take a break from whatever you’re doing, satisfy that craving, and make sure to bring along someone who makes you smile!

(Friday na! Ang bilis!)