the whole story

I haven't quite told the whole story on how life has started out blissfully for me this year and how so many things are going to change the next few months. They're aptly called blissful changes.

Pure bliss.

PB and I have long ago planned for a beautiful life together - spending a couple of years in LA, then hopefully after 5 to 8 years (at most, I hope!), we come home to Ormoc, start our own business (while he helps with his family's business as well), raise our kids here, and be with the rest of our family. God willing!

With us being engaged, everything is just unfolding that way, so soon. The soon part I totally am looking forward to with glee! So does he. We both look forward to the simple joys of just being together - enjoying food tripping (he has a list of restaurants he wants to bring me to), going to the beach, driving through wherever, visiting museums, exploring new places, learning about people, the list goes on.

So on to reality - the time frame. 

As much as I'm dying to just fly to LA and start our life together, there's just so many more things I am going to leave behind here. Foremost, there's my family - my parents, Bieni, well, just them. Technically, Ivi will be leaving for Sydney again, Yani is marrying Carlo in October and settling in the OC, while my only brother will be Cebu-based, what with his medical studies. So basically, it's missing my parents and my baby Bieni that's tugging at my heart most.

There's work - the family business I've worked for the past three or so years. I've had two secretaries and one supervisor who's gone to my office and have shed tears when I told them of my plans of leaving already - you can just imagine how that brought me to tears as well! Mayong's has been my pet project, helping organize and professionalize the business has been something personal to me; after all, it was my father and his three brothers who started the small business and making it bloom all these 20+ years. Being a part of it is just an amazing experience! I know it's going to grow bigger even in the coming years, it pains me that somehow I won't be a part of its expansion already. I won't be around to stand in awe at how God is going to continue to bless the business, the way He has the past so many years. Oh well.

Another heart-wrenching goodbye I am going to make is to my community, Lingkod. I have been part of it for about four years already, and I have to say that it was through this community, through its inspiration, teaching, and guidance that I am the person that I am now. I've served God through this community and that has fulfilled completely my every heart's desire. I know serving God doesn't end in that goodbye, I can only pray that I will find my own place in another community in my new home where I can continue serving my ever faithful God. Truly, I can't ask for anything more.

Of course, who wouldn't miss the friends I've made all these years? My friends/berks/cousins have made light comments here and there about me leaving, but I'd always, always just shrug them off - I'd always tell them it's still a long way to go. Truth is, it breaks my heart every single time - every thought of being far from these people I've been so used to being with, it just simply breaks my heart. 

I always tell PB how he's "taking me away" from all these things, from all these people. Of course I mean it lightly, after all, I know that "giving up these comforts" is all worth it - I'm giving them all up for that one person I'm meant to be with.

Back to reality again, I spend my days now working like crazy - on the side, slowly preparing the office for my leave, slowly endorsing what needs to be endorsed, so hopefully the transition will happen as smooth as possible.

The wedding plans are underway - somehow the hype has died down, what with all the bookings complete, just other equally important details are left to be done in the next couple of months (everything's set, recorded, scheduled, and checked every now and then, not to worry!). *details to follow in my next couple of blogs - trust me this time, I'm baaaaaack*

More than the big day, really, PB and I look forward to our already-set (thank God!), already-booked (thank God again!) Hawaii honeymoon! I put him in charge of everything, the Luau, the sunrise date, etc etc etc - yes, the super-organized me is endorsing our honeymoon to the hands of my not-too-organized-typical-guy fiance! I always tell him what matters most to me is that we're together. Period.

So there. For now, I shall rest my case - it's been one PMS-filled-to-the-brim, emotional day. Night!