Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you are all enjoying with the fresh start for this year. I usually begin my blog every new calendar flip with looking back how my 2021 went to wrap up all my learnings for the previous year rather than right away setting up my present goals. How do you kick off your first day out of 365 days? Well, everybody has their own ways of doing it. What matters most is how we face the whole spin of our 2022. Do you agree with it pretty Mommas.
Let’s start by looking pretty. (LOL)🤣
My 2021 was a combination of an exhilarating emotions and a test of my faith. It wasn’t an easy year, to be honest but I adore it. Looking back, it began with us receiving a phone call from the bank informing us with the approval to finally get a house we can call us OURS. It was a busy start completing all the requirements and getting ready to move from our rented accomodation to our home. I can remember days we spent together as a family praying for the completion as there were challenges along the way with the legalities of the documents that needed to be done first before the actual signal to move in can happen. It took us six months of waiting to finally get our KEYS. Worth the wait pretty Mommas!
Main takeway: I’ve learned so much on how to be patient more. Obviously, there were things that were beyond our control to expedite the process no matter how deligent we were in completing our requirements. However, God never left us empty-handed. He gave us our most precious heart’s desire on the time He thought was right for us and that was during my Mon’s birthday as our exact moving day. Thank you Lord.
After moving in, we were faced with how can we make our bare house into a comfy hideout we can call as a family home. It was a fun-filled family activity. My Akyn always say to me, “Mommy, teamwork makes the dream work.” He’s absolutely right! The three of us went together to shop in completing our house decoration in most of Hull’s thrift shop. Yes, I am proud to say we would prefer to visit our favorite charity shops first to look for stuff than to buy an expensive furniture. I have brand new things bought but most of them are for our pieces of electric appliance. We did manage to complete almost everything now. This is the main reason why I would prefer to stay at home than doing overtime shifts because I can’t afford to exhange the comfort of staying at home to the stress work I’ll be getting in the hospital.
Main takeway: I’ve learned how to value money in everything we choose to buy. Not everything that comes with an expensive price is always the best choice to complete what we need. Most often those trashes from others can still be turned into treasure with a little touch of one’s creativity.
Another unforgetable experience we had for 2021 was having the joy to be able to travel together. Travel restrictions began to ease up last year making it possible for us to do more adventures. Although we only travelled within the UK but knowing it was our first time to do it together made it more exciting. London, Bridlington, York, Whitby, Leeds, where to next? Anywhere with them will be totally fine.
Main takeway: The famous saying which goes to chase more memories than only focusing how to get our bank account fat has been a big realization for us. Life is too short like what 2020 had shown to us during the first wave of the pandemic. Enjoying the things we can do now or what we have now is more important than anything else. I should say, 2021 taught me to value my family time more than ever.
Our working visa approval is also one of the main hightlight for last year. I’ve been dreading just thinking about it for the past couple of months. I was worried on how to process it online. Will I be able to click the right option in my application process? Will there be any unforeseen difficulty along the way? The anxious questions continue. I always believe my faith makes things easy for us. After carefully reading with each page online then submitting it with confidence, our visa approval has been granted few days after our appearance. We can still continue to work and enjoy living here.
Main takeway: One of the gospel we’ve heard from Father James here in our local Catholic church stating that our Fear of the unknown is much more worst than the actual thing that would happen. We worry much of what the future would turned out to be. I was hit big time when I heard it. Pray and let the work of God handle your concerns. Nothing in this world is given to us that He thinks we are incapable to conquer. It was truly such a beautiful message to practice.
Last year paved its way for us to be more active in our religion. With the help of Kuya Marcelo and Ate Susan, we were introduced to the local choirs of our church. Mon initially was the one who volunteered to be part of it but when Stephen (one of the singers) saw me going to church with them, he invited me just to try and feel how it is to sing for the Lord. It was nerve-wracking at first. The last time I sang with the choir was when I was in Highschool and that was it. I stopped to focused in the academic hectic requirement of being a nursing student. So now, this new opportunity attending the mass plus singing the praises of joy is a wonderful gift of being a Christian.
Main takeway: Serving the Lord comes in different ways. There’s no big nor small act of service. The pureness of our intentions is what I believe weighs more. I may not have the perfect voice of an opera singer, however, I am more than willing to learn and continue singing my praises to please Him.
The last major thing that blew my mind away was when Cebu, my hometown got hit with the Typhoon Odette when it passed the Philippines. I spent several sleepless nights thinking how my family were. Electricity, water, telcos were all affected. I only relied to the online news update about our hometown to get some news. A dear friend of mine Shanalou and her husband sincerely helped me settled my restless anxious brain. She went to our house, took a photo of the damage and gave me the most precious gift seeing my family smiling in the picture. I literally cried for the overwhelming thanks knowing my family is alive. Our roof was taken by the unforgiving wind but other than that they were OK. The best Christmas gift for me was to know my family was spared from the worst storm hitting Visayas.
Main Takeaway: In times of distress never forget to pray. My human angel was sent to comfort me from uncertainties. The event also helped me realized who were the people to whom I can rely on, who were those concerned and who to talk with when I’m at my weakest. That was the REAL test of faith for me. I got so much worried. I can’t even focused at work. It was so hard to look after sick people when I can’t even pacify myself to calm down. Everything felt so heavy for me for the last two weeks of December. My husband often caught me crying watching my phone waiting for any signs of communication back home. It allowed me to see how am I in times of a very distressful moment. I am very much thankful for my support system, my family here. Without them I can see myself shattered.
The past year gave me lessons to keep forever. No doubt it strengthened me more to face the rollercoaster of life’s challenges. It showed me my weakest self, the raw reactions when in agony. Yet, in every test of faith, I’ve learned to pick up the pieces to continue the beautiful journey of my existence. Indeed a happy New Year to all.
May this year shower us all with loads of happiness to share. Come on 2022, we are excited for you!
Mich
