Home, Somehow

The past three weeks have been exhilirating. My folks from the province are in town to boost my brother's morale, who's taking the four-Sunday Bar Exams. They're just in time for their quarterly follow-up with their doctors, too. Along they brought my grandson, Gerard. My niece Gie from my cousin Ging got accidentally pregnant - you know... So here is Gerard, the current apple of our eyes.

Gerard at his Auntie Lulu's third birthday party with his Lola Mammu

Gerard and his Naynay on the way to SM Megamall

Add to Noy, the people I've mentioned above are most dear to me. Ate Ging has been living with my parents since I wasn't even born yet, so I grew up being taken care of by her. When my parents migrated to the US (then to Aklan) she became my second mom. That makes Gie almost my younger sister. We shared everything from toiletries to shoes. We both call her mom Mammu.

When they all chose to stay with me and Noy for this visit, I was literally surrounded by my most loved people in the world. It's like Christmas coming early. Gerard apparently has no business here except to keep us happy. I've never rushed home crazy like this. It's true what they say, all the tiredness goes away with a whiff of the delicately scented hair and the smile on the face of a baby. Especially if it's your baby. Well, he's almost mine. I've volunteered to be called Mama Ice (Gie used to call me Ice when she was a baby herself, and has carried on until now) while Noy is Papa Noy. And we like it.

Gerard and Papa Noy fooling around on the day bed

Gerard with Lolo and Lola at Sbarro

When I was a very new wife, I kept telling Noy how much I missed coming home from school or the hospital to our old apartment in Tondo. Mama always set the table after Ate Ging cooked (their roles interchange every now and then) and the four of us - Papa, Ming, Gie and I - would devour the food and both our stomachs and tired bodies welcomed the comfort so much. Things are quite the same now that everyone's in our house for a while. Except that Papa and Gie aren't THAT tired, and of course Noy is another hungry and tired soul to be satisfied. I'm having a grand time in that I don't have to worry about things like laundry and meals. I just wake up, play with Gerard, got through my morning rituals, eat, go to work, come home, play with Gerard, eat and sleep. How convenient!
Then again, it's more than the convenience. I mean, I can live my own life. But it just would not be the same without people who love me unconditionally. I know, being away from one's family is one big thing to deal with once one gets married. When I was single, I'd book a ticket on a whim and go home to Aklan the next day. Of course I can't just do that now. I definitely do not regret being with my husband, but I definitely miss living with my family too.

Christmas 2005 family photo in Aklan:
Mama was so much bigger while I was a little thinner :P

Since Noy and I got married, these little visits by my family pulls out all the stops - all unimportant businesses are cancelled, work takes a back seat, budgets get tickled to spoil my parents a little - stuff we don't do very often. After all, it's not everyday I can physically show my family that I love them. Living with Noy just made me appreciate my family more. And that's one wonderful thing.