Merry Christmas!

Wow, holiday rush everywhere!!! Got to the mall earlier today and balked at going into the supermarket for some last minute shopping. But still, it's been a great week and I'm very thankful to the Lord for it. 

So I won't keep writing more, anyway I just dropped by to say Merry Christmas to everyone!!! And let's not forget the real reason we're celebrating the season. It's the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Have a happy Christmas all, and a prosperous new year!!!

Downtime

Currently sitting outside a convention in a hotel in Davao City. Waiting waiting waiting... Trying intently to find something interesting to do in this idle time. I've been speaking with the people around the area, checking the internet for news whenever the intermittent connection gets a bit steady and I can actually open my online accounts. 

Thinking of watching Avengers on the cinema, but knowing that if I do go with that decision It'll be pretty cramped. Lots of people are watching the hot movie at the moment, one of the malls even had 5 cinemas open for that one show. 
Anyway, now it's pretty warm in the 2nd floor of the function lobby I'm staying in. Weird since it's supposed to be air conditioned... Where did all the payments go?
I'm all just ranting. Nothing substantial in this little post, nothing informative as most of the case with the posts I'm posting. I still haven't created that blog I was planning before and now thinking of selling some of my books on facebook and ebay. Also, I would like to finish the novel I've been reading last night. It's by Erin McCarthy and it's really entertaining. As usual, Ms. McCarthy's amazing. I'll continue to read the said novel later on and if I'm not too lazy perhaps practice actually making reviews of the books I've read. I'm told it could give out positive results.
I shall strive to do just that... I could even return to writing on pen and paper and not simply typing things up, though i know typing it on the computer is more practical. Knowing that you won't go on typing the same things you've written before. Thus, twice the work. Plus you can post it immediately after typing :)
Rants off :)

Almost There

Counting the days till the release of the fifth installment of Cassandra Clare's super awesome Mortal Instruments series (I don't know if it's still ok for me to call it the 'Mortal Instruments' series since they've already fixed that trouble on book 3: City of Glass ^_^ but the title sticks so yeah I'm using it still). I'm really excited since I've read some sizzling hot excerpt (which according to Miss Clare might/will be revised for younger readers) with Jace and Clary and I'm like whoa!!! please please please have the book released earlier pretty please.
I'm also looking forward to reading The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead. It's another of my all time faves, since I adore Adrian from the Vampire Academy Series and is hoping to hear more from him with his sad ending on Last Sacrifice. I'm looking forward to his relationship with Sidney Sage. They're like complete opposites of each other. With Sidney as the perfect model for Alchemist good behavior (according to most alchemists since we all know what she did), and Adrian, the bad boy (you know what I mean). Anyway, I'm so looking forward to these two installments. And I hope our bookshops nearby won't disappoint by getting the copies too late or something. But I'm pretty positive I'll get the books on time ^_^

Right now, I've been busying myself with some other books by other authors. The last book I've finished (last night and I slept at around 2am), is Clarity by Kim Harrington. I'm totally loving the series. I'm off to reading Perception right after. Then on my shelf is Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins. They're both entertaining reads. I should make a booklist roll or something, with books read and on shelf to read, and looking forward to... Like on goodreads. Or better yet, stick to goodreads. You get the latest news and stuffs, plus detailed book reviews so you don't have to wonder much if it's worth buying or not.

I'm pretty much making insensible rants again. It's becoming a habit whenever I open my dashboard and click new post. I couldn't stop myself ^_^. I'm trying again to write something as always, bought a few notebooks and some pen which just ends up piling on my already tall pile of notebooks and pens for future use (hopefully when I actually have the inspiration and patience to start writing again).

As I said, rants again... must stop
So I'll just post this post and then check if the rain has stopped pouring outside. Since it was pouring hard about an hour ago.

OMG So Exciting!

I visited Ms. Cassandra Clare's website and found the cover for City of Lost Souls! And gosh I'm so excited... I cannot wait to read it, I know it's gonna be AWESOME! It's going to be released on the 8th of May, 5 months from now (patience patience patience).

The guy on the cover posing for Jace's gorgeous. And does this mean Clary and Jace are finally gonna get back together *crossing fingers hoping for the best* I mean because the ending of City of Fallen Angels is such a cliffy, made me "WHOA-WHAAAAAAAAAAAT-WAIIIIIIIT-DON'T END YET-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" so I'm really really really really really looking forward to the next installment in this super wonderful awesomest favorite of mine :) And yay!!! 5 months to go!! :D

Me super excited

Annoyed

I really couldn't understand why some people just wouldn't ask you properly if it's all right for you to wait for them until such time... I have stuffs to do you know? I have a life of my own. I wouldn't be this annoyed if you'd just ask before you assume.

Geez...

Considering Keyboard

Made a partial draft of first chapter of the story I'm working last night. Typing on the computer's pretty nice, but I think I might have gotten too used to my workplace keyboard. When I did the typing at home my fingers got a little stiff... Perhaps there is a need to purchase a new keyboard. Preferrably something similar to the one I'm using at work, but I quite like my keyboard at home...

Hmm...

My New Years' Resolution

1. Money Control - Make a proper budget (with label envelopes) for my expenses

e.g. one envelope for daily allowance, one for phone bill, another for book allowance, one for my savings and so forth (like if I wish to items like let's say a new computer, I'd make another envelope and label it "New Computer Fund").

This way, I will be able to properly check on my expenses.

STATUS: Started - it's up to me to continue the practice

2. Healthy Eating - I shall do my best to avoid eating junk food or fast food. Also, I shall strive to eat on time and drink lots of water (I used to do this before and it helped me lose weight, I just got sidetracked and you know... just ate whatever came to mind) so yeah... another NYR :)

3. Jog and Walk - Again I've been doing this a lot before. Like I walk home instead of using the public transpo, then I got into the habbit of using the public transpo often. So I'm hoping to go back to my fantastic walking hobby from before.

4. Do a lot of blogging - I've been keeping this blog for a while, I haven't updated it as often as I did before, so I'm going to go back to blogging again. I enjoy it a lot and I think it can really help me with coping up with stress and stuffs, plus it's an awesome pastime (me thinks). So my plans: I want to keep a book review blog for my book reviews, and a food and places blog (since I love to explore and to check out foodstuffs from different places - note: Not really overeating, just exploring different cuisines, and it's not all fast food so I'll still be keeping up with my number 2.

5. Go business go! - In relation to number 1, I shall have to find more means of earning. :) And I think going back to my usual ways (selling stuffs) could really help me here.

So basically, I have to think back to the times where I was able to do positive stuffs and gain positive results and then do those positive stuffs this year for positive results this year. It seems that I've forgotten the things I've been doing before which were actually beneficial to me. I'll do my best to be better this 2012.

Ja ne~~ :)

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

I know it's already the second day of the new year, but I wasn't able to post anything during the New Year (January 1) as I was preoccupied with cooking stuffs for our Noche Buena. I decided to cook since I haven't really done a lot of it since last new year. I only made simple stuffs though, like Cookies and Cream layered cake, I cooked the ham so it must count for something as well, and chili con carne. My mom made the pasta and other stuffs. Then the rest we ordered ^_^ It's so much easier.

So we still have the New Year's eve basic stuffs, like greens (letuce) in the form of the fresh lumpia since it symbolizes cash (green veggies look like crumpled cash or something), malagkit so it's sapin2x bought from my brother's friend :), oranges on the table, the cotton, rice, water stuff also for the table, and the sweets, lots of sweets for those with a sweet tooth, like me :D

It's been wonderful. Then during the day, we ate and ate and I cooked again and ate, an addition to the pounds (but that's all right, it's a celebration after all!). Then I opened a book I've recently purchased, it's called Switched by Amanda Hocking at it was awesome. I just love it. And now, I'm digging in the second book. Another great read to add to my favorites list.

Anyway, it's a wonderful start to a new year. Thank you Lord for helping us in 2011 and we ask for Your guidance in 2012.

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Post Deleted

Just a short post since a long hiatus. Lately I've been too preoccupied with stuffs that I couldn't update as frequently as I had been since hmm... 3 years ago? When I was like still in College ^_^. Anyways, I just wanted to post that I deleted a post not really related to this blog I'm going to try to update regularly from now on. It's work-related, and this blog is sort of like my personal space and I want it to contain stuffs that swings more on my personal thoughts (I suppose rantings and ramblings and stuffs that more or less proves that I am by the by a little bit on the slightly mildly teenie weenie mini deranged side of the sanity scale).
Anyway, I enjoy writing may it be through pen and paper or simply typing on the keyboard, it calms the mind, help release stress-related anxieties, allows you to think clearer and simply makes you smile. Especially after you press the publish post button and see the actual post on the web.
That's all for now,
Ja ne!~

Sweet Tooth

Checking my phone for things and found the images folder, I browsed and viewed some stuffs I've been doing for the past few days. Unsurprisingly, I see a lot of pictures of food, food and more food, and most of those foodstuffs are expectedly sweet. I've got such a sweet tooth (and the carbs my, my... the carbs).

1st my Aunt's cupcakes, they're SUPER!!! (super cute, very yummy) She made them for my cousins (Janeene and Janeeca's 18th Birthday at The Apo View: Belated Happy Birthday my dear cousins, it was a smashing party!)

And of course one of the cakes at the party. Really cute

The giveaway cupcakes ^_^ love it!

Wine ~ :)

And a milk tea shake store that sells really delicious and very refreshing milk tea shakes. I've recently discovered in NCCC Mall Ma-a. I think it's been there for a while already I just haven't had the time to explore, but hey, it's a new stuff to me. I highly recommend it (tried the strawberry, it's not too sweet, it's just right). I think it's called Infinitea or something. I'll get back there and check it again.

And yeah, the maja blanca in Cafe Laguna in Abreeza Mall, Bajada. Hmmhmmmmm... Awesome Filipino Dessert, definitely a must try.

Hmm... No wonder I'm gaining pounds. hihi ^_^

Ramblings out ~~~~

Thinking of Something to Write

It's been a while since I wrote anything fictional (not that anyone's reading them though hihi ^_^ aside from my good friends and a few family members. I miss writing stories that just suddenly comes into your head and makes you think "hmm... what if?". I've been a little busy with stuff stuffs. And with an urgent need to lose gained pounds by eating lots of stuffs from newly opened stores, restos, and places, and lack of needed exercise.

Anyways, it's Kadayawan sa Davao an annual event in my most loved Davao. So lots of things are happening around the city. I texted my friends around an hour ago, and we're planning to hang out after.

So again, I still have that silly ability of shifting topics in a post. I started with "It's been a while since I wrote anything fictional" and went to Kadayawan... I'm pretty much post ranting again. Anyways (for the second time), I've been making some sort of story (sometimes when I'm at home, and not feeling like reading any of the books I have, or watching some movie/series) that revolves around people with special abilities. Haha... I know very original... anyways (3rd time) I've been working on it right now, thinking of character names, plots, the usual stuffs, and I hope that I can finish this one, and still hope that my friends/family members aren't too busy to read such stuffs. :)

I'll be watching a movie later on, well that's the original plan... hopefully, or just hang out at some resto, not eat too much food, have some nice friend-talk. If we do watch a movie, I hope it's a good one. I haven't had the time to browse at the Cinema now showing lately, but we'll know about it once we're there.

So to sum up... I'm not going to eat too much, I'm going to do my best to wake up early and do some nice running everyday, I'm going to go out tonight to enjoy some of the Kadayawan festivities, and I'm going to finish writing the stuff I've been recently thinking about lately. Did I forget anything?

Well... that's all for now

Ramblings Out ^_^

Our Amie

Some call her Mother Lily, others, Sister Lily, to a few she is Manang Lily, to her children, Mommy, and to us, her apo she’s our Amie.

Amie has played a major role in our lives. She taught us many things, helped us in our challenges, and showed us a great example of an overall good person.

Amie taught us the value of prayer and often encourages us to pray the rosary as a family at home, and go to mass every Sunday. She always tells us to have faith in the Lord, “Pag pray lang, magtabang man si Jesus” she will always say. And she reminds us to thank the Lord for the blessings that He’s given us.

Amie is very supportive and is always proud of us, her grandchildren. Whenever we tell her stories of our achievements, no matter how small they may be she’s always happy and proud of us, never forgetting to say “Praise God” to thank Him for her apo’s success.

She is generous. Amie encourages us to share what we have to others in the same way she shows us how it is to share. Amie is always ready to lend a hand. Whenever we tell her of our concern, and if she could do anything to solve it or make it better, without hesitation she will help. Through ups and downs, she is always there for us.

A strong woman, Amie is always dependable. An intelligent person, she always know what to say. Loving and caring, she watches out for us. Open minded, she understands our shortcomings and is the coolest lola. Kind hearted, she helps those in need. Strong in faith, Amie is our example of an overall good person. And as she is proud of us, we are also very proud of her, because Amie has lived her life in Faith, in service to God and her fellow men and women. Amie’s one great soul, and she’s one of the best people we know who loves true.

Words are not enough to describe her for her kindness, her deeds, and her individuality, because she is by all means, beyond description. Not just us, her family, Amie’s touched many lives and helped a lot of people. Everyone always have good things to say about Amie, and I know what I’ve written and said on this piece would never sum up everything she’s shared with us, and with the community.

It’s a great honor knowing her, and a greater honor of being a part of her life, of her family. I thank the Lord God for giving me, and giving us the gift of having a wonderful grandmother like you. Amie, I love you, we love you, thank you for everything. We will forever cherish your love, your lessons, your life… And like what you always tell us before we go out to school, to work, to face life’s new beginning, God Bless, Mother Lily, Sister Lily, Manang Lily, Mommy, God Bless Our Amie.

Crazy for A Crazy Little Thing Called Love

My darling little sister recommended this Thai movie, A Crazy Little Thing Called Love. She said it's suuuuuppppeeeer awesome, so I watched, and I think it's not really suuuuuppppeeeer awesome, but SUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRR AAAAAAAWWWWWWWWEEESSSOOMME!
I just finished watching it (it's already 12:14am my time), and now I want to watch it again. I'm such a sucker for feel-good movies with wonderful love stories and beautiful characters. If you think about it, say for example... the story's quite simple, but it's really nice when you watch it. Makes you think of your student days or simply makes you feel good. And it doesn't hurt that they have really gorgeous actors to play the parts, lots of eye candy popping around the screen. ^_^ makes the experience so much better... Just makes you sigh and think "Ah, I think I'm in love" or something like, "I love you P'Shone, I am Nam" or something along the lines of "Don't be sad P'Top, if Nam doesn't take you, I'm here"... ^_^ And now, just after watching the movie... I want to re-watch it again. like after-what-10 minute interval? :D I watched Beastly yesterday evening, and yeah it was nice, movie got me smiling and all, and Alex is gorgeous, but wow... A Crazy Little Thing Called Love is just... wow *sighs* I've almost forgotten about Beastly right away, I think I've only remembered it here because I have the book right in front of me (Well, actually on the upper right side of my computer, at the top of the little cabinet where I placed the book --haven't read it yet even though I've bought it from the bookshop about a month ago, or so *hihi*-- I love P'Shone, and Nam, and P'Top, and I've just googled and found out that their names are actually: Mario Maurer - Chon (but the subs on my copy said Shone, anyway almost sounds the same, but later I will search for the real spelling of Mr. Maurer's character name), and Pimchanok Lerwisetpibol - Nam, erm... a little difficult to pronounce--For Now!-- gee... after watching the movie I want to be fluent in Thai Language (another language to learn, after Japanese and Korean). It's always nice to have something nice to learn, and watch, and speak...

Ramblings out!!! :D Ja ne!!!! or should I say laaeo phohp gan mai!!! ^_^
Gotta watch it one more time before I sleep :D

A COFA thought ^_^

Ok, yup yup yup I know it's been a while since I read the book, but hey what can someone like me do? City of Fallen Angels (COFA) really gets you hooked and I know I'm not the only fan who would say I'm soooooooooooooooooooooo looking forward to the next book, and since I'm soooooooooooooooooooo looking forward to the next book, my mind just can't stop thinking about stuffs from the previous books and their "possible" definitions.

One thing that's been bothering my silly head ever since I started reading the most wonderful book series ever to hit the bookshelves, was when Dorothea, that's the witch's adopted daughter who appeared on the 1st book, City of Bones, said that Jace would fall in love with the wrong person. All these time, some of the people I know, and even myself were thinking, "Was he not supposed to fall in love with Clary?" since on the first parts of the story it was evident that they're a love team. Then they did fall in love and we were like sighing and thinking it's the most wonderful thing ever, and it is the most wonderful thing ever. Then it happened, Valentine appeared and told them that Clary and Jace are siblings. Then I was thinking, WHAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!?? then I read the next installment, City of Ashes, and I got hearts in my eyes every time there came a Jace and Clary seen... and I thought... "Am I a bad person for liking something that more or less portrays incestuous behavior?" then denies I'm a bad person by denying that Jace and Clary are blood relations, and twisting and untwisting family trees trying to find a glitch in what Valentine claimed, hoping that I am right and Jace and Clary are not siblings, and they are free to love each other in a romantic kind of way. Then the third book, City of Glass came and Hurrah!!!! We won!!! it was amazing, and I can't quite explain how happy I was to know that they aren't relations. And how amazing everything in the book turned out...

Then... tanananannnnn... Book four came, City of Fallen Angels, and then it was still amazingly wonderfully brilliant, and then I came to the last parts of the fourth book, finding Jace turning to something like a probably evil (though undoubtedly hot) Jace, forgetting Clary, and welcoming Sebastian...

Ok, so I'm still not convinced that Jace isn't supposed to love Clary, because duh, incestuous behavior didn't stop me from believing that the two of them are meant to be together for the rest of their happy shadowhunter lives and their life after that (as Jace pointed out quite romantically), and so is Clary's twisted brother's interference. Na-uh! no no no... Dear Seb (or Jonathan) is not gonna stop me (or them) Love rules :D

All right, since I'm in no way near thinking Jace is really not meant for Clary or vice versa, I think what Dorothea's prophecy "He was going to fall in love with the wrong person" really meant was what happened on the end of the 4th book, where Clary disappeared from Jace's mind and then he welcomed Sebastian's voice. So it's like he's starting to love Sebastian, and I don't really mean it in a romantic fashion, no offense to yaoi fans, but you know, something friendly or brotherly, probably more brotherly since Seb refers to Jace as little brother, whatever that means in his evil twisted perception. So I believe that's what the prophecy meant, and the prophecy also said he's going to have one enemy, and that's probably Seb, and falling in love with your enemy is often referred to as a wrong move, so falling in love with Seb is a wrong move, thus, Jace falling in love with the wrong person... temporarily... I'm so sure it's going to be temporary... and I hope we don't get a female character running her hands on our---oops---Clary's Jace. But Ms. Clare's the boss and I'm sure whatever she puts in the story will be wonderful.

I just can't wait for the next book... and "The Clockwork Prince" gosh it's coming out in September... Will Herondale's connection to the Mortal Instruments is really making me soooooo curious, and soooooo eager to read the next books... I just love The Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices. JacexClary and TessaxWill forever!!! XD

Ramblings out... Hihihihi...

My very own City of Fallen Angels wee!!!

So it's raining outside. Well, it was raining pretty hard about fifteen minutes ago and I decided to wait for it to tame down a bit before I head home. Yupz, I'm currently in the office right now, in front of my office computer :) There isn't much to do at the moment (*at the moment). I already sent the stuffs I had to send, and things, so right now my mind is running with the words "I love Jace". Gosh, Ms. Cassandra Clare's works are just fan-tastic! Totally addicting so I really can't wait to get home and fix myself a big dose of City of Fallen Angels. I only started reading it last night, stopped at chapter 13 because it was already around 3am and I have work the next day, but ended up late, and drowsy anyway, but still eager to read the next pages of the yummy book. And speaking of the City of Fallen Angels book, I'd like to thank my friend and his girlfriend (Super Thanks Guys!!!!) for helping me get a copy of the book. You see, COFA (let's use this acro for short) is not yet available in Davao City book shops. So try as I may in begging the customer service lady of National Bookstore (thanks for bearing with my weirdness btw) to hand me a copy, it was not possible in such a short time. Fortunately, friend here, who also searched the shops just like me, had another friend, who came from a land far away overflowing with the lates stuffs who is also, fortunately, a big fan of the series, and who was kind enough to buy the COFA and ship it to this faraway land (Gosh, waiting to read the COFA is making me crazy, though I think it's sort of like a partial stuff even before I waited to wait to read the COFA which never really happened since after I found out the Mortal Instruments will have another book following the said trilogy, I was already very excited and therefore waited to read the COFA-- Ok I'm getting off topic, if I ever had a topic, wait, yeah I do...) Anyway, friends helped me get a copy and for that I thank them very much. ^___^ Now the rain seems to stop, and since I want to know what happens next, *I'm really nice so you realize, no spoilers on the post *grins** except for ramblings which you think perhaps are probably nonsensical, and if you do think that way, I thank you for reaching until this line of the post.

Ja! I gotta go, I still have a date with Jace *mwah!*

City of Fallen Angels Edition from Barnes and Nobles

OMG!!! the City of Fallen Angels that will be available at Barnes and Nobles on April 5th with have a super yummy extra: A letter from Jace to Clary!!! a copy of the letter Jace left on Clary's room in Idris when he decided to go out and look for Valentine. *note the "EXCLUSIVE never-before-seen letter from Jace to Clary inside!* I hope the same edition will be released in Asia. I really really really really want it.

I just love the Mortal Instruments! ^_^

Refresher

Wow, it's been a super looooooong time since I posted anything, or made new stories... been too busy lately. I sometimes wonder if I still know how to write stories, or stuffs. Anyway, been reading some wonderful books, love the plots, love the characters, love the whole package. I've also been selling some of my books, my most precious possessions, since my mother told me I should make good use of them, and not just leave them piling around my room (Though I swear I've been making excellent use of the books, they've been with me for quite a while, I've read them more than once, and still they're in excellent condition, and by excellent I mean *Like new*) Well, I sold six of them to a friend today *sighs* the only consolation, aside from the decent refund is that I know they'll be in good hands. Ja ne~ my precious Twilight, Breaking Dawn, Dead and Gone, Fallen, Hush Hush, and Beautiful Creatures. You've been excellent companions *wipes tear*.

All righty... enough of the drama or I might cry my heart out. Anyways... as I've said, I've been reading some stuffs lately, books I've recently purchased, and some of the old stories I made.

For the first stuffs, I so love THE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY!!! I love the whole series, and it's one series you really seriously positively cannot put down. I love Peeta and Katniss, and Gale, and Finnick, and the whole thing. And now it's one of my all time favorites. Also, I'm so excited for it's coming movie (and the coming Mortal Instruments movie which I hope Alex Pettyfer will star.) I wonder who's playing Peeta and Gale, there have been lots of candidates, and a lot of people wanted different stars for the different roles. I just hope that whoever will be chosen for the movie will do the story and the characters justice. ^_^

I'm going to read Beastly and I am Number Four next, and then The Lost Duke of Wyndham and Mr. Cavendish I Presume by one of my favorite authors, Julia Quinn. I bought the books a few weeks ago, but I haven't had the time to read them yet. But I will find the time to read them for sure.

For the second stuffs, I was rummaging on my old stuffs and found some of the stories I made before. A lot of them were unfinished, so I'm hoping to finish them as well. Then I'm going to interrupt my friends, and have them read the stories I made.

I find writing this post quite refreshing, after a few months of not touching this blog, I was finally able to come back again *yay me*. Writing is such a wonderful stress reliever.

I hope to post back again soon. And to those who visited for the past months, I thank you.

@paigr: Thanks! ^_^ and Mortal Instruments will have THREE MORE BOOKS!!! *Hurrah!!!!!*

@bp: Arigato gozaimasu! - yup they do, they totally totally do...

@irle: There is now ^_^ thanks for visiting

I'm going to finish Two Months of Summer, and the Alterran and Farron stuff that's still untitled but already read by my friends Kristine, Reich, and Joni, who loves me dearly ^_^

Thanks and see yah! matta ne~~!!!

A Wonderful Story

I've been reading through my old emails and stumbled upon one from my cousin. I haven't read it yet (must've missed it ~sowi). But It's a wonderful story, and I think it'll be great if other people, like you could read it too.

Here's the story:

♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♥♥♥♥♥♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket.

Their father was gone.

The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two. Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared.

Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds. He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries.

Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no food either. If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it.

I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress, loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find a job.

The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town.

No luck.

The kids stayed crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to convince who ever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything. I had to have a job.

Still no luck. The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town, was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck stop.

It was called the Big Wheel.

An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids.

She needed someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning.

She paid 65 cents an hour, and I could start that night.

I raced home and called the teenager down the street that baby-sat for people.

I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night.

She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep

This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.

That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big Wheel.

When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home with one dollar of my tip money-- fully half of what I averaged every night.

As the weeks went by, heating bills added a strain to my meager wage.

The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny ba lloons and began to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every morning before I could go home.

One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires!

There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires.

Had angels taken up residence in Indiana? I wondered.

I made a deal with the local service station.

In exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office.

I remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires.

I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough.

Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids .

I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys. Then I hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning.

Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.

On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel. There were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe.

A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine.

The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up.

When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning, to my amazement, my old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with boxes of all shapes and sizes.

I quickly opened the driver's side door, crawled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat.

Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box..

Inside was whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10!

I looked inside another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans.

Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes. There was candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes.
There was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There waswhole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items.

And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll.

As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude.

And I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.

Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop....

THE POWER OF PRAYER. I believe that God only gives three answers to prayer:

1. 'Yes!'
2. 'Not yet.'
3! . 'I have something better in mind..'

God still sits on the throne, the devil is a liar.

You maybe going through a tough time right now but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that you cannot imagine.

Something to Think Over

Ok, nothing much:
I've just realized that I've bought too many books for this month, and I've spent too much money for it. Now, as a resolution for the new year, I'd try my best to buy only a maximum of two books per month, and not be tempted by affordable, cheap and great finds in book shops, or on ebay.

a pie must be there on the second tuesday of the chinese new year

Gorgeous Iker

I just love Iker Casillas... But who doesn't? haha... nada, It's been a while since I've posted anything here, and I just wanted to have Iker's picture on this blog. :D

Yeah, I know most of the time I write messed up posts, haha, like now... the title's about Iker but I'm writing things not related to Iker: Like, lately I've been writing another story, which I'll hopefully have my friends read sometime soon, after I type it down, because I had it on pencil and paper, yeah (pencil and paper). And I'm loving Vampire Diaries (Go Damen!). And finally, after some harsh persuasion by my cousin dear, I decided to open a facebook account (Yay for me!). And I'm thinking of selling my harry potter books... Haha, why? because I had an argument with my sister regarding container, huh... long story... anyways, I think this whim will just pass, because based on my experience, I really CAN'T sell my books... I'm sooo weird.