A Year Ago..

I went through my blog this afternoon and realized that my last post was a year ago. A lot has happened since July 27, 2009 and unfortunately, they were not all that rosy. I found out I was pregnant last October 2009 as I was on my 4th month into the pregnancy. For real? Yup, for real. I was too busy with MRDP and traveling from Monday to Friday since February that I never really noticed that God has decided to give me another angel to love. Gabrielle was born March 5, 2010 in the easiest, fastest and painless childbirth. She decided not to tire and scare her Mommy so much in delivering her that I almost gave birth to her in our mini cruiser on the way to Maria Reyna Hospital. My OB did not make it in time to do the delivery but Dr. Reliquete was so happy that I had a normal delivery. The labor was so fast that I skipped the Labor Room agony. The ward men and resident OB had to take me directly from the ER to the Delivery Room because I was already crowning. Dr. Absin was also not able to make it to the delivery and thankfully Maria Reyna Hospital has a resident Pedia to "catch" Gabby when she wanted to come out in howling glory. Because it was so fast, the medical staff they did not have the time to drive away Edwin who came in with me to the room. Edwin was there to see Gabby when she came into the world. And Gabby looked so much like Edwin that even the staff noticed. Gabby is now 5 months old today. She is a source of sunshine in the house that everyone is in love with her. Ate Leilalia and Ate Jianna fight over each other as to who gets to let her smile the more. That privileged is reserved for Edwin. As usual, Edwin is the apple of all my daughters eyes. And mine too.

December was sad for our family. Edwin's mother, Mama Virgie, died on December 8 after succumbing to complications from chronic renal disease. She was hospitalized 3 times in the year and after she left the hospital last November, it was just a matter of time before she passed away. We brought her home against doctor's advice because she does not want to die in the hospital and she wanted to see her grandchildren. She loved Leilalia, Jianna and Samella very much and even when she was suffering and dying, it was her grandchildren's welfare that mattered to her the most. She wanted to go home because she said she does not want her children to go into more debt that her "apos" will have to go hungry. I owe Mama Virgie a lot because she was always there when Edwin and I need her to be there for the children. I know her death devastated Edwin but I also know that her death liberated her from the suffering. Her death brought Edwin and his siblings closer and together they are stronger.