Memorial Day (US), May 26, 2008

In the US, Monday May 26th is Memorial Day, a national holiday. I offer this special prayer to show my gratitude for all those men and women of the Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy.

A PRAYER FOR MEMORIAL DAY

Remember, Lord the fallen
Who died in fields of war,
In flaming clouds, in screaming crowds,
On streets that are no more,
That we today might waken
And greet this day in peace.
With grateful prayer for those who bear
The storms that never cease.

Remember friends and strangers
And those forgotten now.
Whose names are known to you alone,
Before whose love we bow
And ask that you surround them
With mercy’s endless light
That they may live, and we forgive
The foe they went to fight.

Remember, Lord, the living,
Who bear the pain of loss
A death she died who stood beside
Her Son upon the cross.
Remember all you children
The dead and those who weep.
And make us one beneath the sun
Whose love will never sleep.

(Prayer by: Genevieve Glen, OSB, Abbey of St. Walburga, Virginia)

Lulubog, Lilitaw - Part 2

Well, as usual, "lumubog" na naman ako for over a month, and "lumitaw" uli ngayon. Oo nga, ang tagal kong nawala sa ating blogspot, sa mga online chats at sa mga email and forwarded message exchanges ng ating batch. Mukhang medyo nabawasan ang cyberspace traffic ano?

So here I am to say SORRY uli. Pasensiya na, I was in Orion from April 9 to May 13, to take care of my ailing father and to give moral support to my mother. What a blessing to be able to do that for Inay and Tatay! They - who showered us with so much love and care since birth. They - who taught us to know right from wrong. They - who worked so hard to make our life very comfortable. They - who struggled to provide for our education. They - who prayed incessantly for our many pursuits and aspirations.

My brothers (Nato and James) and my sisters (Tessie and Edna) were also there in our ancestral home in Wawa to make up for the lost time - for the long stretches of time that we've been away from home. We know we made each other happy, reminiscing our unforgettable childhood and adolescent years, remembering family anecdotes, and sharing hearty laughs over so many "kuwentong-papag" of life in Orion.

Memories of that month stay in Orion keep flashing in my mind, especially so that I'm posting this under a mango tree in our backyard here in Isabel, Leyte. What a beautiful ambience!

Wow! I just got a call from our children - Myra Jo, Marc Hil, MicMac and MonMon. Said they're coming home this weekend to give a surprise birthday party for their Dad! Totoo pala - when you give something, it comes back to you a hundredfold. What I did for Inay and Tatay - our children are doing for us now.

Have to post this now - so I can plan ahead for the 4 M's ( and their loved ones) coming!!!

San Diego Mini Reunion Photos sent in by Nelia

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jriorionbatch1963/

Mini-Reunion in San Diego May 9 & 10, 2008

Isang taos-pusong pasasalamat ang aming ipinaabot kay Frank at kay Ditas dahil sa kanilang pagaasikaso sa amin. Nagbiyahe pa kami ng 7 hours mula sa Pennsylvania sa eroplano para lamang sa mini-reunion na ito. May 9 mga alas tres ng hapon ng kami'y dumating doon sa Navy Gateway Inns & Suites na pinangangasiwaan ni Frank at naroon na si Mareng Nelia at Editha. At mga 3:20 naman ng dumating si Pilar at ang kanyang pinsan na si Ray. Before 6:00 p.m. ay naroon na rin si Bert Bautista at si Aging. Almost 8:00 p.m. naman si Elenita (Luna) at ang asawa niyang si Joseph at ang huli ay si Fely at si Meling na inihatid ni si Zenny na kanyang kapatid.

Sa isang maluwang na conference room kami nagsalusalo sa isang napakasarap na hapunan. May dala sina Mareng Nelia at Editha ng adobong manok at pusit, halabos na hipon, nilagang talong at ampalaya na may kasamang napakasarap na bagoong na isda na gawa ni Tata Jose tatay ni Editha. Ang mag-asawang Bert at Aging ay may dinala namang dinuguan at puto, kalamay, boneless bangus na tinapa na may sawsawang mangga at kamatis. At sina Luna ay may dalang adobong manok at baboy at masarap na ensaymada.Halos inabot na kami ng hatinggabi sa pagkukuwentuhan habang kumakain.

Magkakatabi lamang ang aming kuwartong tinuluyan sa 9th floor na tulad ng nasabi ni Mareng Nelia ay napakaganda ng ocean view sa labas at tanaw na tanaw din yong Coronado Bridge. 'Yong amin palang natuluyang suite na 938 ay para sa Admiral. Ang laki ng mga kuwarto. Nagkabiruan pa nga na kung sakali at makakabuo pa kami eh aampunin na lamang daw nina Mareng Nelia at Editha (ha! ha! ha!). Nakakahinayang si Mareng Estrella Baluyot Isidro, kasi pinuntahan kami doon sa aming tinutuluyan pero hindi natagpuan yong lugar. Tinawagan ko uli para kami na ang pupunta sa kanya subalit susunduin na pala sila ng isa niyang anak at doon na manggagalingan ng pag-uwi riyan sa atin sa Pilipinas para magbakasyon ng mga ilang linggo at babalik uli rito sa San Diego.

Si Pareng Delmo (Anselmo Labrador) at si Mareng Cora ay doon namin inabot sa Park na pinagdadausan ng Orion town fiesta noong Sabado May 10. Sa pagbungad pa lamang namin ay sinalubong na kami ni Frank na nauna roon at habang kami'y pumapasok maririnig mo ang mga katutubong awitin tulad ng lawiswis kawayan at marami pang iba. At sa harapan ay naroon ang imahen ni San Miguel at malaking larawang iginuhit ng simbahan ng Orion. Napakaraming handa at napakasarap ng mga pagkain na marahil ay luto ng mga taga Orion at ang masarap at malutong na balat ng litson na ibinigay ni Frank. Mayroon ding katutubong sayaw na ipinakita
ng mga anak ng ating mga kababayan tulad ng tinikling na pagkatapos ay nagkaroon ng contest para sa may edad na at doon nga nanalo si Mareng Nelia. Mga bandang 4:00p.m. ay nagpaalam na kami at dinala kami ni Frank sa Seafort isang napakagandang lugar na pasyalan sa San Diego at gayundin sa Casino sa Barona. Before 8:00p.m. ay bumalik na kami sa aming tinutuluyan. Pinag-usapan na namin ang tingkol sa ating reunion sa 2010. Napagkaisahan na 'yon ay ganapin sa Jan. 17 & 18, 2010 (Linggo at Lunes) kasi masyadong napakainit kung iyon ay muling gagawin sa Mayo. Ang venue ay saka na lang hahanap ng magandaganda at ang pagkain ay tayo na ang mamimili at magluluto. Napagkaisahan din na ang bigayan ng mga nasa abroad eh $150 at diyan na lang ibibigay sa atin sa Pilipinas. At 'yong mga nariyan naman sa atin na medyo may kaya ika nga eh baka puedeng magbigay din ng malaki-laki para ma-cover up natin yong iba nating mga kaeskwela na hindi makakasubaybay. Ang ating target ay 100 % ang attendance. Kaya yong iba na hindi nakasama noong nakaraan pakikuha lang yong address o tel # sa mga kamag-anak at ibigay kay Belen para ma-contact natin.

Kinabukasan linggo pagkatapos ng misa ng 11:00 a.m. ay nagpaalaman na kami sa isa't isa. Hndi namin malilimutan ang napakasayang karanasang ito at muli kong inuulit ANG AMING TAOS-PUSONG PASASALAMAT KAY FRANK AT SA KANYANG MAYBAHAY NA SI DITAS.

SEE YOU ON JANUARY 17 & 18, 2010 ON OUR REUNION OF THE DECADE.

San Diego Trip

First of all, Iwould like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Frank and Ditas on behalf of all those who were able to make it during our minireunion here in San Diego,for the wonderful reception that we had.It was so heartwarming,first class service talaga,we were so pampered,naspoiled kami sandali.How I wish everybody was here to share our happiness,sanay maulit muli.We were given the most beautiful rooms ,close to each other on the 9th floor overlooking the ocean,complete with kitchen and everything that goes with it.There's always too much food .May 10th we went to Orion town fiesta,there was so much food and of course litson,which Frank ordered.Mayruon pang DJ at panay old Tagalog songs.The most exciting part was when I joined the contest to dance tinikling,who would think that I would win when I haven't done that for ages.I won $20.00,which I lost when we went to the casino,ok lang we went there to have a good time.We also went to seaport village to have some picturetaking.Maganda sa San Diego at ang lugar na pinuntahan namin ay sa Coronado which is a very high class area. The only thing is pagdating ng paalaman napakalungkot.So,hopefully sa susunod na reunion maging masaya uli tayo.

Salamat Frank and Ditas and to all those who were present lalo na yong mga nageroplano pa.


Nelia

San Diego Here They Come!

MAY BIRTHDAY CELEBRANTS

FOR ALL OUR BATCHMATES MAY BIRTHDAY CELEBRANTS (LISTED AND/OR NOT LISTED) HAPPY BIRTHDAY. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU THE BEST THROUGH OUT YOUR LIFE.

LEONARDO STO DOMINGO - MAY 13

OFELIA FLORENDO - MAY 18

CRISOSTOMO CANARIA - MAY 20

ERNESTO SANTOS - MAY 23