Monday, November 26, 2012

kicking it again


the little big man was in a taekwondo tournament yesterday.  after a long while again.  it used to be that almost every month we were on a tournament somewhere in this country.  we miss those days.

anyway, he got a bronze medal after losing in the semi-finals to a black belt.  score was a very tight 2-1.  worth-reading an old post i wrote about losing:  

http://ceschami.blogspot.com/2011/04/prize.html?showComment=1303271527948#c2292520225407376454

the highlight of the day was the little big man's cousin -- my brother's son.  it was his first time to compete.  he trained for a week and his dad convinced him to try out this competition.  his was just an exhibition game, with our coach making sure he doesn't get traumatized on his very first game.  well, he lost but got himself a silver medal for trying.  he needs a lot of training and i hope he and his dad seriously get into this.  

the hubby came to the event and the kids were mighty glad to see him.  although the little girl started crying when he was about to leave again later in the afternoon.  things are tough but i know in my heart we will all be able to cope.

Friday, November 23, 2012

trying hard chef

i've been meaning to blog about something that i started doing a few months back but never got the time to actually write about it.  today, i'm not missing that chance again.

since july, i've been trying my hand at... (don't squeal)... cooking.  yes, and to those who know me well, i know you squealed.  

i've never liked cooking.  i always thought it was boring and tiring just looking at how you cut up and prepare veggies or measure the teaspoonfuls of ingredients and spices.  my hubby has always been my ever-dependable cook.  he's the best for me.

but over the past months, i've been literally forced to cook for my kids with him not being around the house anymore what with the new and exciting things happening in his career.

so here are some of the stuff i've cooked.  my kids are my critics and most of the time, i pass but i guess they just love me too much to tell me i'm no good.

Monday, October 08, 2012

break wind




little girl to mommy some time last week:

mommy, bat ganun yung utot ko amoy kalan?

kalan?  bakit naman amoy kalan?

yung kalan mommy.. yung body of water.

body of water?

yung lesson namin sa sibika.  yung maliit na dagat.

huh? ilog?


hindi yung ganyan o.  (irritatedly motioning with her two hands making some sort of a pathway.)

huh???

ah kanal!  kanal!
(cue in canned laughter)

yung utot mo amoy kanal!

(more laughter)

Monday, September 10, 2012

a facebook post

i am a little bit emotional right now and need to write this down asap to capture this moment.  so i'm sneaking in a few minutes from work to get this out and over with.

it is not often that the hubby posts personal stuff on his or my FB wall.  but this, today, is one for the books.

(insert link here)

sort of redeems me from my previous post about being a failure as a mom.

thank you, hubby, for thinking of me this way.  and shouting it out to the world.  thank you for being the way you are and for accepting me the way i am. ♥


Friday, September 07, 2012

mommy fail

busy days at work took a backseat again yesterday for my kids' annual field demo day in school.  past years it was only the little big man's day.  this year is more meaningful and eventful, being the little girl is now in 1st grade and participating in the activity.

about two weeks ago, i was already on my toes finding the materials for their costume which was prescribed by the school.  i needed orange gina cloth (luckily both kids needed the same color), white leotards, black shorts, orange shorts, gold foil paper, dark blue art paper, green satin ribbon... the works.  the last night before the event, i had to cram sewing and pasting and putting together the 2 different costumes for the 2 kids.

so yesterday, we were all set.  both kids were excited.  their classmates and teachers worked 2 weeks practicing and this day is the big day they were gonna show off what stuff they're made of.

the littel girl's sched of presentation was at 9:15am while the little big man is at 10:45am.  we  arrived in school at around 9:05-9:10.  (my fault because i agreed to wait for my dad and brother before going to school but that's a differet story and i might digress if i go into the details of that.)

the hubby and i agreed he'd go with the little big man while i go with the little girl.  and so, as she and i were passing by the gym, we heard "fireworks" being played and i turned to her and asked, isn't that the music that you're going to dance to?

wide-eyed, she said yes while we both wondered why it was already playing.  i tried to peep to see what's going on but it was too crowded.  so i told the little girl that we should just go to the meeting area of her batchmates.  on our way there, we passed by a video wall showing  livestream what was happening inside the gym.  

lo and behold!  a sea of orange skirts with blue and gold vests worn over white leotards and black shorts!  my insides ached so bad i thought my knees turned jelly and i felt like i would fall in utter frustration.  i turned to the little girl, carried her in my arms, pointed to her the wall and painfully said, anak, sorry hindi ka na makakasali.  ayun na sila o.  i was close to tears.

she stared at the video wall.  then she patted my shoulder, ok lang yan mommy, ok lang yan. she seemed so cool about it and was even the one comforting me!  she stared again for about a minute then she turned away and rested her chin on my shoulder while hugging me tight.  in a few seconds, i knew she was teary-eyed and i kept on saying i'm sorry, i'm sorry to her.  i told her that when we get home, she will wear her costume and perform for me and her dad and kuya and i will video her performance and we will cheer and clap for her.

mommy, ok lang na hindi ako nakasali.  alam ko naman na pinaghirapan mo yung costume ko hanggang kagabi di ba?  ok lang yun.  then she was teary-eyed again and she hugged me again while i hugged her back.  halika na mommy, ayaw ko na dito.

we found the hubby and the little big man in his grade 5 classroom and told them what happened.  (of course, the hubby blamed me because we both knew we should be there by 8:30 but i told them 9:15 pa naman ang performance e.  and yeah, that thing with my dad.)  afterwards, we went to the gym in time for kuya's performance.  

while waiting, a video wall inside the gym was running the highlights of the grade 1 to 3 performances.  and there again was the grade 1 performance which the little girl failed to participate in just an hour ago.  i pointed it to her, she looked and shrugged saying, ayaw ko na makita yan.  i felt her pain and secretly pointed an imaginary gun to my head and shot myself.  i was as devastated as she.

super mommy fail. :(

here's her costume.  shot at home after.



and here's her vid.  on top of  the bed.  watch it and applaud.  PLEASE.



and here's what the little big man had to show.


and some pics of how the little girl coped with her mommy's failure. :( wearing her kuya's head dress while waiting for him after his performance.


Monday, August 13, 2012

happy birthday little big man



dear little big man,

today is your 10th birthday.  i am so happy to see how you've grown so well into your 2-digit age.  you've brought a lot of pride and happiness to me and your dad  these past century of our life.  i want to thank you for that.

i only wish you to fulfill your big dreams.  learning everything you can in school, becoming a taekwondo black belt and competing and winning in your sport.  becoming a loving kuya to your little sister and an obedient son too.  often when we're praying silently, you would ask me what my prayer for myself is.  and i'd tell you that whatever you prayed for, i prayed to God that He give it to you as long as it is what He intended for you.  eversince i had you, i only wished for nothing but your complete happiness.  for it will make me happy as well.

son, please grow up to be a better man.  let's overcome life's obstacles together.  i'll be in front but please promise me that you will be behind me -- my back-up.

i love you, today and always.

mom

Friday, July 27, 2012

Saint Theresa's Prayer




May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and everyone of us.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

contentment

i am going through an ordeal for exactly 20 days now. i may not show it but i am.  my kids who are my source of strength probably feel it but won't say they do.  for all i know, they're going through something themselves.

i wish i could find contentment. 

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

mommy matters


resilience.  i feel this word.  i want it to drench me in its meaning.

i've never felt more "mom" than i have been the last couple of days.  i was on leave for 3.5 days last week to physically take care of the kids' needs, without a nanny and without a husband.  

last tuesday, i had to leave work midday to fetch the little big man because classes were suspended while the little girl was sick at home.  from that day onward, i prepped them every morning, brought them to school, fixed the house and did errands, fetched them later and had dinner somewhere or at my parents'.

over the weekend, i spent time at our canteen while finishing "fifty shades of grey."  i haven't read a whole book (novel) for the last 4 or 5 years and it felt really good although i wasn't too fascinated with the story of this one.  sunday the kids and i went to morning mass, had lunch at max's and spent a quiet afternoon and evening.  to top all that, i cooked dinner.  

and cooked breakfast and "baon" the next three days till today.  and i think i'll be doing that for the rest of my life because i realize i love doing it for the kids.  

i did some laundry and ironing too last week for the kids' uniforms.  but i did arrange with the laundry woman to come every monday since i know for a fact that i will not be able to handle that on a regular basis. 

i arranged for the kids' school service so that i wouldn't have to worry about them while   i'm at work.  good thing the kids liked the idea although they have to prepare for school an hour earlier than when the hubby used to bring them by car.

i bought a can opener.  this is monumental for me.  because for a long time, i never had one because cans at home were always opened by the hubby or the nanny or the house help using a big knife.  but last monday, i was gonna cook meat loaf for the kids' baon and i almost ground the meat inside the can using that big knife to open it.  i also bought a new cutting board since i wanted to replace ours a long time ago but never gotten around to doing it because i wasn't the actual user of it, until now.  and guess what, i bought a flat "sandok" for frying.  i know i will be frying a lot these days so might as well get my own.

last night, i went shopping for food.  i always did that with the hubby before because he's the one who knows that stuff.  (if you've known me long enough, you'd know i'm not that kind of girl and that he's that kind of guy.)  but last night, i was picking which cooking oil to buy, getting a pre-packed dozen eggs, deciding on whether to get the boxed milk or the chocolate milk, buying potatoes and tomato sauce... i was actually thinking of cooking a real meal (which is giniling na baboy) and not just something out of a can or a foil pack.  

i am also making time to fix, clean, arrange things in the house.  little by little.  i am now aware that trash is being picked up every wednesday and saturday so i always have to make sure it's out our door those days.  i am also aware when the mineral water is running out so i can request for a delivery.  i have asked for the help of one of our helpers at the canteen to prep the little girl every morning.  i have also commissioned our cook to make our dinner everyday.

one of my mom's borders offered to assist the little girl with her homeworks and study and although i do like to do that with her, i welcomed the kind help, silently thanking God for all of the good things that He's giving me and my family.

it surprised me that i could actually do things by myself.  and the things that i can't do, i am able to ask for help.  and i felt more fulfilled than i ever was.  it's tiring, i admit, waking up at 4:30am everyday, squeezing everything we have to do the whole day to be able to put the kids to bed at 9:00pm.  but i do get a little "me" time too, a quick browse through facebook, an online old movie, sewing my kids' names on their hankies, game of thrones during lunch time at work, a new lipstick... a quick quip on twitter and this blog.  i guess i just might be blogging a lot more than i used to.

i feel like i'm starting over.  love life!


Resilience is the ability to work with adversity in such a way that one comes through it unharmed or even better for the experience. Resilience means facing life’s difficulties with courage and patience – refusing to give up. It is the quality of character that allows a person or group of people rebound from misfortune, hardships and traumas.

Resilience is rooted in a tenacity of spirit—a determination to embrace all that makes life worth living even in the face of overwhelming odds. When we have a clear sense of identity and purpose, we are more resilient, because we can hold fast to our vision of a better future.


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Weaning

My tweet of the day:

Kids' first day with the school bus service. Weaning them or weaning me, I don't know which.

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

parts of the head

the little girl and i were reviewing parts of the head over the weekend for a quiz this week:


me (pointing at her hair):  What's this? 


little girl: Hair.



me (pointing at her forehead): What's this? 



little girl (full of conviction): Third eye.

Thursday, June 07, 2012

baby





it's been a while again.  i guess i've been pretty busy (meaning: happy) to have the time to blog.

anyway about two weeks ago, here's another mind-blowing conversation with my little girl:

mommy, gusto ko pa ng baby.  she meant a baby sister which she hadn't asked for for quite a while now.

wag na 'nak.  ikaw na baby namin.

ayoko, gusto ko pa ng isa pang baby.

wag na nga.  para kayo na lang ni kuya ang babies ko.

sige na.  tapos pag malaki na sya, ibenta natin sya.

me, flabbergasted.  ha? baket??

e ayaw ko na pag malaki na sya.


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

success

today i am reminded by that recent post of the hubby on facebook.



for the past few weeks, i've been pondering on getting a brand new smartphone in the form of either a samsung galaxy s2 or an iPhone 4s.  the hubby has been discouraging me, telling me i don't need a high end phone.


there is someone i know who has all the latest gadgets -- you name it, he has it -- only to find out that he has unpaid bills and loans everywhere. his kids are being supported by his parents, he still lives with his parents and his businesses are supported financially by his parents.  yet he blames his parents that he isn't successful.


there is someone i know who has been working her ass off for decades.  she doesn't have savings but she has helped all her siblings finish school, has built and managed her own business and is well-respected by her peers.

there is someone i know who has married and had kids as a teen.  after two failed marriages and half a dozen kids, she finds her true love.


there is someone i know who was the darling of the boys in her prime.  pretty, great personality.  at 40, she remained single.  happy, i hope.


there is someone i know who took care of somebody else's kids since they were babies. she considered them like her own.  


there is someone i know who worked his way to the top.  he is now rich and powerful but is considered a social climber by people he thought were his friends.  they said his money couldn't buy breeding.


there is me.  i have a fairly-paying job (if that's the correct word) that helps support my little family.  i have an imperfect husband who helps me most of the time with his business and taking care of the kids.  i have kids who are active, healthy, wonderful, annoying at times, intelligent, athletic, God-fearing, loving.  i don't have everything i need.  all the more i don't have everything i want.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

family matters

i've been blogging about my little family, which are, my hubby and my two kids.

but not often about my original family, which are, my mom, dad and brothers.  include ima and my eldest nephew.

last night i had a long talk with my mom.  and then my eldest nephew who is staying with us most of the time this summer.  i ended up sleeping around 2am because of this.  but was well worth it.  i realized a lot of things about my little family.  that most of the decisions i make about them are affected by the original family.  truly, one's values are created and implanted inside the family.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

cool school

the little girl's entrance exam results at the little big man's school were released yesterday.  we went in for interview and were so happy to be told that she topped her test in reading with the highest possible score of 9.  her math is 8 (above average) and her language is 6 (average).  

the guidance councilor told us that per her assessment, the little girl got a 4 (average) as to her ability to keep up with the school's system of education but was happy to find out that her test results showed otherwise.

so, it is official.  she's going to big school and there's no turning back.


Big school

Sunday, April 15, 2012

tooth to go 2

the little girl's first milk tooth to fall out... fell out yesterday (saturday) while she was playing.  she proudly raised her unattached tooth as if in victory.  tonight, we're putting it under her pillow for the tooth fairy to find and give her something in exchange.  she's so excited for the fairy to find it!





Thursday, April 12, 2012

tooth to go

on september 25, 2008, i blogged that the little big man was 6 years old and a couple of months old, his first milk tooth fell off:


for the record, the little girl, today at 6 years old and a couple of days old.  her first milk tooth is about to fall off.

conversations



the kids and hubby have recently become hooked on that tetris game on facebook.  now the kids here include our nephews.  

so today the hubby told me this conversation between the little girl and the nephew:

yessss, naka-t-spin din ang pinakamagandang babae (the little girl, who just turned 6 years old last week, referring to herself, finally able to execute a proper t-spin in tetris)

baket maganda ka ba? retorts 8-year old nephew

baket pogi ka ba?  .......(short pause)..... basagggg!  (the little girl's curt reply)

Friday, April 06, 2012

6th on a high

the little girl celebrated her 6th birthday yesterday.  the occasion fell on a maundy thursday and weeks ahead, i already had it figured out that we'd just go to the mall, eat at a nice resto that she's never eaten in before, get her birthday cake and go shopping.

a lot of things did not fall into place though.  

we realized a few days before that the car registration has expired at the end of march so we had to commute.  well, we rode a cab.  

it turned out that there were no malls open.  metro manila was a ghost town every year during this time so what (the heck) were we thinking!  so we directed the cab to go to nearby qc memorial circle where the hubby and i knew there were nice restos at least.  

once there, most of the restos were CLOSED as well.  how lucky can our birthday girl get?!  i did not want to give up and not make her special day a fun day.  hubby argued we should just go to a nearby mcdonald's or jollibee where he was sure the kids would have fun.  but i was insistent that we go somewhere we don't usually go to.  alas, we found a bacolod chicken inasal packed with people right beside the max's resto which was also closed.

so we ordered.  and ended up not happy with the food either.  the hubby cooks way, way better than what was served us.

i was frustrated as hell. 

so we walked around under the trees while the kids tried to have fun.  we watched some parkour guys practicing until somebody directed us to the kid' play area.  that's when the  F - U - N started.

Julla's birthday on a HIGH

Saturday, March 31, 2012

moving up

the little girl graduated from pre-school yesterday.  

it is one of the most gratifying moments in a mom's life.  she's only turing 6 years old next week and i know we still have a long way to go.  a lot more gratifying moments to come -- her 7th birthday, her first day in high school, her first menstruation... college, first love.... well, i'm (crossing my fingers) hoping first love comes after college.  she came in 3rd overall, i think, since the school is progressive and as a rule, does not give numeric grades.  but she was called 3rd to the last so i figured that's it.

next week, she's taking entrance exams at the little big man's school.   wish us luck.

Her page in the school souvenir program

Her introduction

Her doxology

And her fooling around :)

i so look forward to the many more fruitful years ahead.

all kids her age starting 1st grade next schoolyear will be working the new K+12 curriculum to be implemented by the  philippines' department of education.  this means 7 years of grade school and 5 years of high school.  

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

cactus

thinking of getting a cactus.  yes, that thorny prickly plant.  actually thinking of owning a collection of cactuses...errr... cacti.


over the weekend, i was obsessed with thai movies that until yesterday, i was searching for them on the internet.  i chanced upon a short film "cactus amnesia" and this started this sudden interest in this plant specie.  

as we all know, this plant has thorns that can prick you when touched.  since they originally live in the desert, they don't need much care and attention.  you have to nurture the cactus by not watering it everyday for it can live without it for days.  it can sit there with you for a long time without you even noticing it growing.  with some species, you have to wait 2 years to 15 years for it to flower.  you just have to continue believing in its inner beauty and wait for it to come out.


i have one cactus in my life right now.  i'm getting more.

Friday, March 09, 2012

tkd girl

just 2 weeks ago, i was talking about the little girl wanting make-up yeah?


well this week, she joined her very first taekwondo tournament. and today, her first official taekwondo training.  well, she's been watching and learning whenever her brother is training so she more or less, has the general idea on how to properly kick.  and she spars with him at home too.  so hubby and i were confident enough to try her in an exhibition in last sunday's tournament.  


yep, you read that right.  my kikay girl is also a kanto girl.  


(embed video)


i'm not sure though if her other interests, i.e. ballet, belly-dancing, singing, swimming, will take a backseat this summer or not.


i'm so looking forward to the boys who will try to woo her in the future and whose asses she will kick.

Friday, February 24, 2012

girlfriend

after that post about the little girl and her fascination for make-up, i am reminded of the little big man with his new-found fascination for....drumroll please...... A GIRL.  or as he calls it, CRUSH.


ok, this may be too much in one day.  the girl, barely 6 years old, into make-up and the boy, just turned 9, having a crush.  but i just had to blog this and make it something to laugh about later on.  maybe blackmail them into doing something for me when i'm old and gray.


so anyway.  it's been over a week that the little big man has been exchanging text messages with his classmate who is, yes -- a girl.  Who has, yes -- a crush on him.  he claims he has a crush on her too but i really think he only has a crush on her because he found out she has a crush on him.

some of the girl's messages i read goes like this:

kinilig ako kanina.
pano tayo makakapag-usap? alam ko na magpasahan tayo ng letter.
bakit di mo ko tinatawagan?
nasan ka? (this was sent during lunch break)
may sasabihin ako sa yo pero di ko masabi.
good night. mwah. :-*

while they're young, i encourage my kids to not have secrets from me.  that i am their best confidant for anything whether problems or dreams or crushes.  i feel a certain joy that my son trusts me enough to let me read some, if not all their text messages.  


i continually pray that my relationship with my kids be as open as this until they grow up.

make up

recently i've noticed the little girl watching youtube videos about make-up tutorials.  and consequently, she has been bugging me to buy her make-up.  it even came to a point that she was bargaining that she will not tag along to somewhere i was going to where she was not allowed on the condition that i will bring make-up when i get back.  i knew i was going to give in eventually  but i didn't want to go to the mall just for that.  so i told her to wait till the weekend when we do go.  she bawled over, gave me the bratty attitude which i so hate, did everything to make me buy her but to no avail.

but yesterday, i found these pretty little things at hortaleza.  made for girls 8-18 "who are in the advent of many beautiful first experiences." 


the culprits:  hypoallergenic pressed powder, lip gloss,
shimmer cheek blush with sunscreen, sparkle eyeshadow

i know, i know! my girl is way too young for make-up.  goodness, she's only turning 6 this april! but i had to humor her.  or maybe, humor myself.  i can't help but give in.  so shoot me, my self-rightoeous, condemning, judgmental readers! ;-)  disclaimer:  i am not, in any way, advocating, endorsing or justifying make-up use for 5-year olds.  


did you shoot me already?

but let me just say that i did lay down the rules.  1)  that she can only wear them if she's going to sing or dance in a school presentation.  incidentally, her moving up ceremony is coming up next month and she's actually going to dance the doxology!  2) that she absolutely cannot wear it in school or in church.  3)  that she washes her face everytime after.

here she is wearing her trial make-up.



on a side note. there was a time when the little girl was told by her teacher that they will have make-up classes on a saturday because of the several typhoons that cancelled classes.  during the evening after of one such class, i asked her how her make-up class went, her reply was, hindi naman kami nag-make up e.  nag-aral lang kami.





Thursday, February 23, 2012

turnaround

the little big man's grades dropped this 3rd quarter from last.  significantly.  that's adding insult to injury because from the first to the second quarter it has already dropped and he had made a promise to get them back up but still, he disappointed me.  i found out he has not submitted a couple of homeworks and a book report which he had already made but lost and did not make any effort to make another to submit.  he had high grades in oral and class work and most of his exams and quizzes which only meant he was doing good, if only he'd submitted those darn homeworks!

i told him how irresponsible he had become and really made him feel how disappointed i was in what he had done.  or had not done, for that matter.  i decided to ground him in some way by banning the use of the iPad for the rest of the 4th quarter and he will only be concentrating on homeworks and taekwondo.

last tuesday, when we met at our store after school, he gave me this:




it reads:  BEST ENGLISH SPEAKING PUPIL


i always knew we'd have some use for his talkativeness.  so anyway, right now, we're still focusing on getting him to submit homeworks.  

Sunday, February 19, 2012

40





and so the week of my birthday has come and gone.  there were no  surprises, nothing spectacular or extra-ordinary happened.  it just went by like any ordinary week.  except that i got to take a leave from work for 3 straight days without the guilt-trip.  (yes, i do sometimes feel guilty when i'm absent from work.)  and life just moved on for everybody else without them noticing that, hey,  i'm now 40.  

i am thankful for all the greetings.  most especially, the time spent with my kids doing whatever we want, going wherever we want and sleeping as long as i want.  ahhh... the rewards of growing old.  the best things in life are free.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

just to let it out

not letting my sadness overcome me...


but there's been a big turnaround in the company i work for.  4 out of 5 of the friends/colleagues i've been with have resigned, retired and regretfully, terminated all within the last 30 days.  things are a bit weird around here.

i need to carry on and i am thankful for the handful who are still here hanging on.  maybe i'd completely go nuts without them.

Thursday, February 02, 2012

praying





our little family recently got into the habit of praying spontaneously.  for years, we've been praying "the angel of god" every night before bedtime.  the four of us know it by heart, even when the kids were too young to pronounce the words, they knew the prayer by sound and would ramble along with the hubby and me whilst we did.


i love that these days, the spontaneous praying has become a requisite.  the little big man prays in english.  the little girl in tagalog.  the hubby in tagalog, me in english.  mostly the kids' prayers are thank yous for the good things that happened during their day.  then they'd say sorry for disobeying or anything they know they did wrong.  what touches me most is when they pray for each other and for their dad and me.  especially their dad about our problems last year.  i feel their sincerity.  i have really cool kids, i know right. :)


as i write, i was supposed to relate an actual prayer but my memory is failing me.  this blog entry was started last january 19 with that in mind but i was unable to finish so i'm just finishing it now.  i will make sure to remember tonight's prayers so i can write them down here.


You Gotta Be

was on the cab on my way to work a while ago and was sort of kind of a little bit depressed coz i left home and the little big man was sick in bed and didn't go to school and the hubby asked if i could skip work and much as i want to do just that, deep breath................ i had to still go coz of a scheduled meeting.


then this song was played on the radio.


You Gotta Be - Des'ree


Listen as your day unfolds 
Challenge what the future holds 
Try and keep your head up to the sky 


Lovers, they may cause you tears 
Go ahead release your fears 
Stand up and be counted 
Don't be ashamed to cry 


You gotta be 
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold 
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard 
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger 
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm 
You gotta stay together 
All I know, all I know, love will save the day 



Herald what your mother said 
Read the books your father read 
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time 


Some may have more cash than you 
Others take a different view 
My oh my heh, hey 


You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold 
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard 
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger 
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm 
You gotta stay together 
All I know, all I know, love will save the day 


Don't ask no questions, it goes on without you 
Leaving you behind if you can't stand the pace 
The world keeps on spinning 
You can't stop it, if you try to 
This time it's danger staring you in the face 
Oh oh oh Remember 


Listen as your day unfolds 
Challenge what the future holds 
Try and keep your head up to the sky 
Lovers, they may cause you tears 
Go ahead release your fears 
My oh my heh, hey, hey 


You gotta be 
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold 
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard 
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger 
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm 
You gotta stay together 
All I know, all I know, love will save the day 


You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold 
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard 
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger 
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm 
You gotta stay together 
All I know, all I know, love will save the day