A Filipina Mom Blogger

If you remember my New Year Goals, you will note that my first two goals were

1. Start the construction of our new home by February.
2. Move in to our new home before the year 2007 ends.

Unfortunate circumstances can turn into blessings. I posted my New Year Goals entry on January 2, 2007 at 7:00 AM, the first working day of the year 2007. Determined to start on my goals, I hied off to the seller of the lot we wanted to purchase so I could check on the documentation. The journey to the seller’s residence was daunting. Taytay is an alien town to me. Driving in circles, I gave up and parked my car by the tricyles stand. Showing the address of the seller, I hired a tricyle to drive me over there. Riding a tricycle terrified me as I hadn’t ridden one in years. Besides, the barren land opened my mind to all sorts of gruesome imagination. What if the tricycle driver robbed me and dumped me here? What if no one knew where I was? I didn’t tell my husband that I was on my way to Taytay. Anyway, I have a point. I finally reached the seller who was supposed to be the authorized person to sign any legal documents. It took her two freaking months to get the “Special Power of Attorney” (SPA) from her sibling. I eagerly looked for it so I could pay her the full payment within the week. Much to my consternation, the SPA came from the US Military not the Philippine Consulate.

I said “this won’t do.” The seller whined that it will take another two weeks to get the SPA I wanted. I was furious inside. That means a setback of another month in my plans. Then my fury turned to my real estate brokers. I thought “how dare they let me go all the way to Taytay? I could have gotten killed going here! How could they not have checked the papers?” Not about to give up, I told the seller that I would type out the SPA myself and email it to her sibling.

I drove back to my real estate broker but she was in Japan! Her agent (my aunt) excitedly told me about a lovely house and lot that I might want to consider. She said this was the house for me. I didn’t want to see it because my mind was already set into building a house. The property was also 500 thousand over my budget and I became more suspicious of my aunt’s motives “she just wants a higher commission”. My bad mood just clouded my mind for a minute. Since I loved my aunt, I grudgingly said I’d see it out of curiousity.

You know how it is when you fall in “love at first sight”. The minute I laid my eyes on the pretty house, I fell in love.

The 8 year old neo-french vacation house had all the design elements I wanted in a home. The owner only uses the home whenever she’s in the Philippines for vacation. No wonder it looks like new. Though I preferred Zen inspired design with its simple lines, I could live with the existing design. Touring the first and second floor, I was impressed that it had all the minimum specifications of my home.

1. Nice kitchen with a peninsula layout
2. Wide dining area
3. 4 bedrooms with a toilet and bath each . All my children will have their own room even Luijoe.
4. Maids room with so much space and a big bathroom.
5. a family den
6, three car garage

I loved the house. Noting the fully functional kitchen layout, I thought the owner loved to cook. The books at the den showed love for reading. This is perfect for my family. This house has a soul. The pretty decors are not just a showcase one sees in glossy home magazines. The house even held a history as the previous lot owner was the “Queen of Philippine Movies”.

I was sold. It was a matter of convincing my husband that maybe we didn’t have to build a new house after all. To make a long story short, today was the signing of the contract. We move on March 11,2007 in 49 days.

I am so relieved to leave this hell of a place. This house holds bad memories for my whole family. This house gave us bad luck, a death of a child and more heartaches than you can ever imagine. It is not the house per se which is the problem. It’s the negative vibrations of unhealthy family members and I allowed it to happen. Why did we ever leave our quaint little home in Pasig nine years ago for this stupid house in Makati? I don’t know why it took me so long to get moving. My grief and hopelessness in the past led me into inaction. But finally, I ‘ve gotten over that inertia and we are back to our humble beginnings, to the same neighborhood where my children’s laughter rang out in the streets. The two girls are ecstatic. M might not dorm for her last 2 years in UP as our new home is just 15 minutes away.

Yet I am grateful for everything even the negative things. My gratitude turned the negative energy into positive energy. Gratitude turned the unexpected to perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of my past, brings peace today and creates a vision for my future.

My family and I can start a new life in a more simple neighborhood filled with peace, love and happiness. Without those unhealthy family members hovering nearby.