I am aware that you usually receive letters from children. Please do not be shocked when you read my letter. Yes, I am an adult but that doesn’t mean that I can’t ask something from you right?

Okay, here it is. I would like to conceive a child this year. I have been married for three years and still childless. I have diabetes but I don’t think it is much of a worry. Maybe.

I think that I am a capable parent; I have my nephews and nieces as my witnesses. I have a job, and a wonderful husband. I think we will be neat parents. She will never miss a single medical attention in her life.

Anyways, I don’t care what kind of a baby you would give, a boy, a girl, red haired, or curly. As long as he is healthy. But if I could make a little request, can he be a girl? My husband would love her! I am planning to name her Penelope. Or Angela. Samantha would be nice too.

I don’t know if I should tell you, but I have been a bit naughty this year. But, I was nice too. I never miss the mass, give money to the poor guy at the sidewalk, been nice to my husband’s patients and tried to be the best wife that I could be. I hope that’s good enough.

Hope you are really reading this. A baby to our new family is what I want for Christmas.

Love, Pamela

This was the message inside the card that I received from my co-workers from my last year’s birthday.

Anyway, I am turning 25 this month and I think that I am diagnosed with what you call the birthday blues. I pondered that when we were younger, like 4 years old, we always ask our mommy about our birthdays. ‘How long is it till my birthday?”. “Is it the 25th already?” Kids just can’t wait for their birthdays, because it means two things: party and growing up. Children are suckers for parties, cakes, balloons, gifts, games, free toys and blowing candles. Even if it wasn’t their birthday, going to a birthday party makes them feel that it is their celebration, they don’t care, and they just wanna have fun! Children, especially little girls always daydream about being a grown-up lady, having their own wallets, purse and wearing lipstick. They love adding another year to their age!

But as we grow older, we slowly question about how fats time is, your 20th birthday seems like yesterday. We find ourselves trying to hide our age by leaving “20-something” on application forms and by keeping our birth date to ourselves. I am in my middle twenties and I can feel some of the Peter Pan’ Syndrome. I mean, I’m really young for a married woman. I told my mom about it and she told me about how I haven’t enjoyed my single life because I got married early. I don’t know. She advised me to have a big birthday celebration this year for me to appreciate the quantity of people who loves me and not the additional year on my age. Maybe she’s right. I can’t wait for my birthday preparations. I’m usually good at it.

As a married woman, it is understood that you are the master of the household activities. So when holidays end, what’s a girl to do?  Read on:

1.    Fix and store the Christmas tree and other decorations, like the lights. Some actually let them stay after the holidays, but imagine the necessary cleaning. They can get very dusty in time. They might even get damaged due to being stagnant for a long time. Put them in a nice and warm place.
2.    Now, let’s go to the kitchens. Yes, the left-over foods. Some of them are still fine, the fruitcakes and wine for instance. But appetizers and salads should go. You may also give them to the homeless people, the holidays may end but the goodness of the heart will continue.
3.    The gifts. You’re lucky if you received the exact thing that you were wishing for. But it is unavoidable to get some stuff that you don’t like, or worse, won’t use. If majority of the gifts in your house will be seeing its future in the trash or the attic, then give garage sale a try. Sell them at a lower price. Now, that’s what money in the trash means.
4.    Give thank you cards to the generous people who remembered you last Christmas. Yes, include the people who gave you those things that are in the garage sale. Show them your appreciation. Baked cookies are best paired with the cards.
5.    Savor the vacation! Spend time with your loved ones. Take a break from work and do the things that you rarely do on regular days (Sewing for me!).

Have a happy vacation!

When I tried to plan and fix my schedule last night, I was starting to feel the stress. How will I ever do all of these? And I have work even on December! So many plans, so little time. I tried to weigh and balance all the activities. I sorted them by importance, urgency and time allotment. Exchanging of gifts has been a tradition in our family (my sisters’) and I would truly feel bad if I cancel it. Besides, it’s the highlight of our Christmas. Shopping for gifts will always be a part of it. Too bad my husband is shopping-phobic. Next, the medical mission. Well, I have been participating in these events for so long, and my husband’s going to lead it, so I must come. The charity sale was actually Agnes’ idea, but we can always ask some of our friends to help us, and we can always do it after Christmas. The chorale contest, well, I can always be an audience right? I shall give way to other moms and give them a chance.

Have a happy and stress free Christmas everyone!

At home, we have a large plasma television at the living room and bedroom. Being a huge football fan, my husband’s idea of stress therapy is by being a couch potato. As I am not to brag in here, I would just stress about the two gadgets that I cannot live without, since life nowadays relies on them.

Admit it; life is easier and more comfortable when they’re around. My laptop computer tops my list. As a medical secretary, organization and information is my destination and my laptop is my transportation. My LT, as I fondly call it, helps me to arrange the client’s and the doctor’s schedules and records. The internet connection is very helpful for sending, receiving and reading e mails. I just can’t imagine how my day at work will be without my computer.

A day away from my cellular phone would also be unbearable, to think that it is my second brain. Every reminder that I need, I encode it on my phone. Any important information that my brain cannot take anymore, my phone takes the catch. All my personal contacts are there too, from my family, to neighbors to patients.

I could not help but to be thankful considering that I lived in this technology injected world. I surely cannot survive my job if I was in the time where secretaries have to write using pen and papers.

As I have mentioned, I live next door with my sister and her family. Whenever they plan on a trip, we usually have to excuse ourselves. But when summer comes, David and I always managed to take a leave at work and join my sister’s family.

Our home in Orange County is our usual destination, for my nieces and nephew to visit their grandparents and some of their cousins. We always head to Huntington Beach, or the Surf City, U.S.A., as we locals like to call it. We would surf, sun bath, and watch surfing competitions.

Disneyland is also an unavoidable place, with these little kids around! They just go crazy in there, posing for a picture with Mickey Mouse and Snow White, riding these wild rides and watching 3D movies. It’s a nice place to let your inner child come out! My sister and I were even challenged by our own husbands to ride a roller coaster. It was the scariest thing that I had seen, but I just found myself screaming with pure terror and excitement during the ride. It was such a memorable experience.

When were done with all the tedious but super fun trips, we just retire on our hold house, talk to my mom and poppy, have backyard barbecues at night and look at the tars at night.
Family vacations are the best.