2008...A YEAR THAT WAS!!!

Year 2008 is over...Many things have happened to our family. We started the year with so much excitement because of two big occassions that were forthcoming then. First, my family was chosen by our Church in Bulacan to handle the Fiesta 2009 which always falls on January 01 of every year. And that would still be 12 months away from January of 2008. Second, the whole of RAMOS FAMILY is looking-forward to grand birthday party of Uncle Lito, Tita Angela and my brother, Boy Ramos by May 31, 2008. Initial plans and preparations were considered since this will be a very big affair for the family. The family of Uncle Lito and Tita Angela were coming from USA to celebrate their birthday party here in the Philippines. In between meetings months before the occassion, a bad news hit us all in the early part of March 2008. Tita Marcela was diagnosed to be terminally ill. This shocked everybody. She was in and out of the hospital in several occassions. Her health was deteriorating and everybody was monitoring her condition.

Her children accepted everything with calm but full of sadness. We too. As the days went on, we considered many things that may unfold. The last time I saw Tita Marcela conscious was May 01, 2008. I even took a picture of her together with Klang-Klang and Taufer. It was the day when we will have our meeting in preparation for the coming grand party of the RAMOS FAMILY. Many scenarios were considered. Good thing that everybody was mature enough to handle everything under a very difficult situation.

Tita Angela arrived in second week of May, 2008. She made it to be with her Ate Marcela still alive for few days. Our greatest fear came in May 23, 2008. I was in the office when I received a call from my brother in Pinaod, Bulacan saying that Tita Marcela was in critical condition. I hurridly left my office and picked-up my sisters Virgie, Ledgie and Malou to go to Bulacan. My nephew Marlon joined us too. Too sad to see Tita Marcela in that condition. Everybody was very sad but things happened for GOD's purpose and reason. And we all submitted to that. We left Bulacan for Manila past 6:00pm on that same day. I asked cousin Vicky to give me a call...anytime...anywhere if something happend to her mother. And Vicky did call me around 11:00pm to convey the very saddening news. TITA MARCELA finally left us to join our CREATOR.

I called Trinity in America but I wasn't able to reach her. I just sent her a text message about the passing of our beloved Tita Marcela. I was able to contact Uncle Lito and Tita Mari-lou who are also staying in US and sadness was very much felt even though we were thousand miles away. Tita Lourdes almost made it because she arrived almost an hour after Tita Marcela died. If I may recall months before she died, Tita Marcela was telling me that she may not be around to join us in our May 31, 2008 affair. Uncle Lito and his family arrived in May 28, 2008. His family went straight from the airport to Tita Marcela's burial. She was laid to rest the following day May 29, 2008.

LIFE MUST GO ON... a day after, we immediately prepared the venue for the party. It was a very hard day considering we just came from mourning and totally exhausted. But come to think of it, TITA MARCELA must have given way for all of us to go on with our scheduled party. The birthday party became a RAMOS FAMILY grand reunion too. We met our relatives from the Philippines and from abroad. It was a great party. Something that we will always treasure and remember. Tita Lydia was not able to make it because she was scheduled to undergo a hip surgery second week of May 2008. Surely, she missed the opportunity of seeing her Ate Marcela for the last time...and be with us in our grand birthday party.

MEETING RELATIVES FROM USA...Uncle Lito and his family came in almost full force with Paul and Tesa's newly born baby boy. For the second time, I met TJ, son of cousin Marie, after my first visit to USA in 1997. He was one year old then. Now he is 11 years old. It was also our first time to see the children of our cousins from USA. Maria and Bela, two beautiful daughters of Paul and Tesa and their only son, Lorenso(2 months old). Anthony, second son of Marie and Tom, Noah and Genevieve, children of Missy and Matthew. We missed Myra and Mike and their kids namely; Nicholas, Jonathan and Marisa. She has just given birth to her only girl Marisa second week of May 2008. Tita Angela was with her daughter Joyce. The party has brought everyone closer now. They all went back to USA first week of June 2008. We treasured that occassion because it opened the door for all of us to get in touch regularly even miles away. As we live our separate lives, we continue to reach out. Thanks to modern technology. Thank you cousin Trinity who taught me how to create my personal blog. Now, everybody even my relatives here in the Philippines view it from time to time. And they enjoy it very much. Next time, I will create another blog for funny pictures hahahaha.

Last quarter of 2008 brought us another sad news. Trinity's Dad passed away last week of October due to a heart attack. We made a lot of communications thru internet. Providing her latest updates about her Dad's burial and funeral. I knew how hard her situation was.

My MOM was hospitalized third week of November. Her left face was swollen due to infections. She stayed in the hospital for a week and is now recovering. Thanks to my sister Malou who has given ALL her time to be at my MOM's sickbed. My sisters Virgie and Ledgie for their help financially. And Joji too. Tita Lydia had her knee surgery second week of November. She's doing well now as I heard. I was kept updated by cousin Trinity about her Mom's condition thru her blog.

Personally, 2008 brought many things in my life. My career is doing great...my bonding with my family improved a lot and my relationship with our LORD reached a new heights. I am now serving in our church as lector/commentator since November 2008. My life is a roller coaster of good and bad situations but thru the help of many people around me especially my family, I managed to hurdle what seemed impossible. Faith saved me...and it will be this same faith that will push me to go on and on and on...until my Journey ends. As I bidded goodbye to 2008, I have come to realize that it matters little what form of prayer we adopt or how many words we use in praying. What matters is the FAITH which lays hold on GOD, knowing that HE knows our needs even before we ask HIM. What matters in life is not what we got, but what we shared. Not our possessions but our character. Not our success but our significance as an individual.

And to all the people around me...to my whole family who stood by me during the darkest days of my life...THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! What a year it has been.