Amidst all the financial constraints and the exhaustion I felt for the past months, I decided to really push my limits this time.

I did something new and something very challenging..it’s going back into the academe! I enrolled because I really wanted to further improve myself. Let’s be honest, it’s really hard to climb the ladder in the corporate world (politics as usual) but I don’t want to just go over the corner and sulk. I wanted to do something that I can definitely fall back to, or maybe something that will keep me in leverage, or even maybe this could help me to really find the right path for me.

The first few days we’re really surprising! I was surprised at the curriculum (it’s an open university by the way) and I was also anxious and scared (what if I fail?) all my what ifs are there. Then came group works, this really put a strain on myself but as I work with the team although it’s hard, I had a realization that I don’t really need to put pressure on myself. That it is all about learning and I don’t need to be the best, I need to absorb the knowledge, to take it all in because that’s why I applied in the first place. To gain new knowledge that can someday be useful.

Anyway, month 1 of first semester is almost over, 2 more months and hopefully after the first semester, I’ll be more confident to take on the next semester. Wish me luck!

This week, I’m enrolling in a diploma program, and next week I officially begin. Just typing that feels surreal. I’m standing at the edge of something both familiar and completely new. And honestly, I’m scared. I’m excited. I’m anxious. I’m everything all at once.

It’s been almost 15 years since I graduated. Since then, I’ve dabbled in online trainings and short courses, but this time it feels different. This isn’t just a workshop or a weekend class. This is a full-on, two-year academic commitment. While part of me is thrilled to be diving back into learning, another part is quietly asking if I can really do this.

I’m a working parent. My days are already full with responsibilities, caring for my kids, and managing life’s endless to-do list. So naturally, I wonder:

Will I survive the first week?

Will I keep up during the first semester?

Will I still have the energy to push through the second?

These questions swirl in my head, but beneath them is a quiet, persistent hope. A hope that I’ll find my rhythm. That I’ll grow through the challenges. That I’ll finish what I started.

I’m not doing this just for a certificate. I’m doing this for me, for the version of myself that still dreams, still believes, and still wants to evolve. I’m doing this for my kids too. I want them to see that learning never stops and that courage means showing up even when you’re unsure.

So here I am, praying that everything goes as planned. 🙏 Praying for strength, for clarity, for grace. Praying that when the hard days come—and I know they will..I’ll remember why I started.

This is the beginning of something meaningful. While I may not know exactly what lies ahead, I do know this: I’m ready to try. I’m ready to grow. I’m ready to begin.❤️

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Early last year, we were struggling. My partner was out of work, and in the middle of job hunting, he almost gave up 😭. Our youngest was about to turn one, and we weren’t sure what to do. My partner still had no job, but we were determined to have him baptized and celebrated. We prayed—and God answered. He found a job. It wasn’t the same salary as before, but it was just enough, and we were okay with that. Honestly, we were relieved 😭. We had to make a lot of lifestyle adjustments, and we’re fine with that.

And in the middle of those adjustments, something unexpected happened—I was even able to travel. It was a provision I never imagined would come during such a tight season. For me, it was a bonus. We didn’t get to go through with our original plan, but another one came true for me.

Just like the verse in Mark 11:24 says: “Believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” 🙏😭 It may not have been what we planned, but it was God’s plan—and it became ours. We were saved again, and I’m always thankful for that 😭❤️

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I can’t even remember the last time I blogged or wrote anything. Honestly? I missed it. Copilot has been helping me a lot lately—it’s becoming kind of scary 😅. I’ll probably ask Copilot to check this blog post and fix the grammar. Not kidding! 🤣

What’s up, 2025? It’s finally August, and I’ve never felt more exhausted. A lot has happened—and when I say a lot, I mean a loooooottt!!

January started off calm (except for a renovation on my rental property—yep, I wasn’t prepared again 🙃). But things escalated quickly by February. My parents lost their longtime home and had nowhere to stay. They asked me for help, and of course I did. My sister and my partner pitched in financially, but more importantly, they were there for me emotionally. My partner, hands down, wins MVP—he DIY’ed most of the house to save money.

Being part of the sandwich generation is tough. Half of my savings now go to my parents, and the other half to my own family. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. My brother didn’t even flinch—no help, no check-ins, nothing. Navigating the responsibility of building a new home for our parents without his support was deeply disappointing. I’ve decided to cut ties with him.

From March to July, we spent countless hours going back and forth to build the house. We poured in so much money just to make it livable for my senior parents, aged 70 and 80. It was a whirlwind of emotions—they struggled to accept and adapt to their new home. But by the end of June, they officially moved in. The house isn’t fully done yet, but we’re taking it slow. Once we have the budget, we’ll finish the dirty kitchen.

I’m just so proud of myself and my partner. We managed to do all that in just three months. It was a huge achievement. The effort and time we invested strengthened our partnership 🤗. It was a true test of patience and teamwork, and I’m so glad we made it through together.

Summer 2025 was unforgettable. We took our very first domestic flight, and our youngest had his first beach experience. It was a blast! That trip tested our patience and gave us more experience as parents.

I also had summer getaways without the kids and my partner. I went on two beach vacations with friends, and I’m just so thankful to have people in my life who genuinely enjoy spending time with me. My best friend also spent her summer here in the Philippines. I’m always grateful for my low-maintenance friends—they helped me unwind and recharge from all the stress of caring for my parents.

After June, I was hoping for a more chill month, but July had other plans. My sister came back to the Philippines for summer, and although we only met once, it was a memory worth keeping. My eldest son was also prescribed eyeglasses—another new parenting experience, seeing him wear them for the first time.

And now, August has already surprised me. Back in May, I applied for a diploma program at a state university that offers online learning. I kept checking for updates and almost lost hope. It’s a prestigious school, and I worried my GWA might not be enough. But just this week—I got the email. I’m in!!

2025 is shaping up to be full and busy. I’m not complaining, but I’m praying I can pursue and sustain everything I’ve started. With my partner’s support, a bit of time management, and some financial luck, I believe I’ll make progress—not just this year, but in the years to come. I’m also praying that my parents will settle in smoothly and live long and safely in their new home. ❤️

I am hopeful. I am grateful. 🙏

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It was dreadful for us. I had high hopes for 2024. I made goals and I was really hoping to have a good head start but all I got was problem after problem.

January has just ended and if felt like forever!

We welcomed 2024 with all of four of us being sick. Work related problems, financial problems, finn’s clingy phase and my parent’s house issues.

I just want to dissolve (if only) 😭 I just don’t know where to start. Everything is not going according to plan and it just not what I expected. It was really draining that even my skin is reacting. I had allergies and acne.

It’s hard to keep on being positive in times like this but I am holding that this is just a phase. I may not understand why this is happening or maybe I am just exaggerating but it is really exhausting and I just want something to look forward to 😭

Yesterday, I was scrolling thru Instagram and I saw this post about Luke 12: 22-32 about scarcity, generosity and abundance.

Luke 12:22-34
 “And He said to His disciples, ‘For this reason I tell you, don’t be anxious about your life, what you will eat; and don’t be anxious about your body, what clothes you put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Ponder the ravens, for they don’t sow seed or reap a harvest; they have no storerooms or barns, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add an hour to his life’s span? And if you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? Ponder the lilies, how they grow: they don’t toil or spin clothes; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You who trust God so little! And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and don’t foster your anxiety. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be granted to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'”

That you don’t need to feel anxious and worried because there is enough for everyone and that often we’re the ones who need our eyes opened to see God’s generosity in creation.

I feel anxious and worried because I felt like I am losing out and everyone is having their own piece of abundance while I am here having all these setbacks. It made me think that Just because everyone is progressing does not mean that I won’t be. We all have our own piece and timing as everything is well planned by God. Does not mean that they had it first, nothing will be left for me. I have my own piece and abundance it is about to come soon as long as I keep on sharing and waiting in the promise of God.

I honestly cried while I was reading it. It felt like it was the right timing and message as I am feeling the scarcity of the moment. 😩 It was something I needed and it felt like God just answered me.

As we start February, I want to continue and will hold on to these words. I know it may not be easy and we are just starting the year. But, for the mean time, I’ll just do what I can, persevere, keep my faith and surely soon enough abundance will overflow. ❤️