CHRISTMAS DAY WITH MY FAMILY

We all spent our Christmas here in Manila because my Mom was hospitalized more than a month ago and she has to stay here for her regular check-up and recovery. She's doing well now. All my brothers and sisters, in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews and apo's went to our house where my Mom stays. The place is completely jampacked with the kids playing almost everywhere inside the house and it was fun. Then we have decided to transfer to my Ate Virgie's other house just a walking distance from our place. Cynthia, wife of my brother Joji, arrived before lunch today from Russia where she is working to spend Christmas with her 2 boys (Jolo and Renzo). The day was filled with so much fun...eating as usual...and exchanging cash gifts (Filipino tradition). I have to rush cooking some more foods because my family is quite BIG. We started the Christmas celebration last night(Dec. 24) by having dinner. Then I attended to Christmas eve mass where I was a lector. My nieces (Gelyn, Minette, Joan, Rady) and some of my apo's were there too. There was an occassional rain last night and today(Dec.25) too. Christmas is the most-awaited event in the Philippines during the year. We have a long holiday vacation which formally started today. We will go back to work on January 05, 2009.