The Tuition Fee that Blogging Paid

Posted by in Milestones, Parents & Children | 24 comments


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graduationIMG_4711.jpgHalf a million pesos or so later, my husband finally gets to visit Ateneo de Manila campus today. Can you imagine that? Sure he has seen the campus through the windshield as he drops Lauren to school but to actually step down and take a stroll…err no. My daughter’s college came up with this “Congratulatory Ceremony” with cocktails in honor of the graduating class of 2007. Lauren says they are around 25 Social Sciences Major in her batch.

Butch and I arrived in separate cars and met up at the Figaro coffee shop in some new building in the campus. We sip coffee and nibble on carrot cake as we reminisce of the past when sometime in 2004, a financial crisis hit us. Thanks to blogging because Lauren was able to pay half of her tuition fees in college (details here). I have to give credit to L for being so frugal and wise. She gives herself so little credit. I am so blessed with a daughter who has a vision of her financial independence. Feeling generous for all the blessings she showered on us , we bought her a Fender Squier guitar and a trip to Singapore and other Asian cities in the next two weeks and a US trip soon after. Squealing with joy then hesitates a bit “we have money for this?”

I roll my eyes.

Holding each other’s hands, we stroll slowly to the Ching Tan Hall, venue for the Department of Sociology and Anthropology School of Sciences Congratulatory Ceremony. Lauren screams “I can’t believe I am graduating”. (The official graduation is on March 30). Beaming with joy, Lauren walks to the front to receive her “Certificate of Achievement”.

I glance at Butch and sniff “I feel so old”

He holds my hand “Your beauty is ageless”

Haha. I love my husband.

I love my family.

And I’m happy and proud for Lauren. She achieved far more than she expected.

——

A daughter’s milestone and the proud parents.
familylauren and me
Picture 3.png


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  • http://basangpanaginip.blogspot.com/ Michael

    Congratulations to you, your family and your daughter. Galing.

  • http://docuventaries.livejournal.com/ Christianne

    Congratulations to the graduate and her proud parents!

  • http://unsoundslumber.blogspot.com Venice

    Congratulations to your daughter and many more anniversaries to come for the proud parents. Cheers!

  • http://ode2old.blogspot.com annamanila

    Take a bow, Noemi and Butch for having raised a lovely and welll-poised Lauren. You must feel very very proud and that should offset the sense of growing old. More happiness and achievements for your family, Noems!

  • Myrna

    CONGRATULATIONS to Lauren!!! Manolet and I wish we could attend the ceremony. Such relief and happiness, I imagine you must feel for your first graduate, Noems.

  • http://aboutmyrecovery.com Noemi

    @michael, Christianne, Venice- Thanks for the greetings

    @annamanila- L is naturally poised. Seeing your child graduate college is quite an achievement

    @Myrna- Yes L is busy partying at a hotel with friends. Note that she is wearing the sequined bolero to hide the very naked shoulders. Lovely

  • http://feistymomma.com dexie

    congratulations to Lauren. 1 down, another 1 to go. :)

    you and Butch raised 2 beautiful, intelligent daughters.

  • http://tofubaby.wordpress.com Abbie

    Congratulations to Lauren! And Congratulations to the proud parents! Cheers!

  • http://www.mabutingbalita.net jun

    Congrats! To u and Butch and Lauren. Party time!

  • http://dine.racoma.com.ph/ sexy mom

    i was looking at your pictures — she takes after you, Noemi. and what an achievement! she really makes you and butch proud!

    for me, it’s not yet anything financial that blogging has paid–i’m coming to that–but the “no transition thingy from a full time at work mom to a blissful life after retirement”.

  • http://www.macuha.com/ marhgil

    congrats to you and to your daughter!

  • http://wellwhatever.com liz

    congrats! another inspiring what-blogging-bought/paid story!

  • http://www.nancydrewandme.blogspot.com Cathy

    Congratulations! I have a long way off til P graduates. Well, not really :( What a blessing you all are to each other!

  • http://mrniceash.wordpress.com mr nice ash

    I hope someday I can have a BIG HIT from blogging as well.

    Congratulations to all of you.

  • http://http:jade-n-mom.blogspot.com JMom

    What a milestone! Congratulations to Lauren for graduating from college, and to you and Butch for guiding and raising such a wonderful young woman.

  • http://www.RadiantView.com Lorna Dietz

    Hi, Noems! Please extend our congratulations to Lauren on her graduation day. I made only two comments to her. For the first one, she is still trying to decipher what the phrase means to her — so I suggest that she reads one of her old books, “Theo’s Odyssey” for the answer. I told her, “You are complete and perfect as you are — here now.”

    My second comment was: “Do not get married YET!” She promised me that she wouldn’t.

    Let me know when Lauren is coming our way. I wish she was coming sometime early in June so I could drag her around and volunteer at my events…

    Erik and I wish her the best — and here’s to a toast to celebrate another milestone…

    love,

    Lorna

  • http://6doi.net Nicholas

    Some congratulations are in order.

    To your daughter, for her hard work. To you for your courage to take on the challenges of life. To your husband for showing other men what a good husband is made of..

    You are beautiful Noemi. Your inner light is shining through this computer screen. Your care, your love, and your passion for holding on to LIFE.. you are beautiful indeed..

  • Lee

    Congratulations!

    btw, i love L’s hair. if you don’t mind me asking, where did she get the haircut?

  • http://toni.marikit.net toni

    Congratulations on your daughter’s graduation! It’s wonderful what hard work and blogging can do. She’s blessed with great financial wisdom and it’s inspiring to see how she used this blessing. Beautiful.

  • http://pinayhekmi.mychronicles.net pinayhekmi

    Congrats to Lauren! Whatta girl!

  • http://aboutmyrecovery.com Noemi

    Sorry for the delayed replies to this entry. I was so busy moving.

    @Dexie- two more years and M graduates

    @Abbie- yes it is quite an accomplishment for parents

    @dine- her smile is a family trait on my side but she takes more after my husband

    @marhil- thanks :)

    @liz- it is possible for blogging to pay stuff talaga

    @mr nice ash- just keep on blogging. it’ll get there

    @Cathy- it will be sooner than you think

    @Jmom- a long struggle but yes, we managed

    @lorna- she wants to travel with friends to New York by next year

    @Nicholas- wow thanks. those are nice words

    @Lee- she had it cut at “I love you Store” along Makati Avenue beside Aberdeen Court. Look for Madel

    @Toni- quite thrifty and generous too. Still she wants to work for someone

    @pinayhekmi- Thanks. She’s my girl :)

  • http://manila-mom.blogspot.com Tessa

    Hi! What a wonderful story! You and your family have inspired me to seriously explore problogging. I know I still have a long way to go but seeing your results keeps me motivated to keep at it. Thank you so much for opening up this path for many of us.

  • http://noneed4ink.i.ph maki

    Wow, I wonder if blogging can also help me in my own way on finishing my Ateneo Education. I’m a Management of Applied Chemistry Major (MAC) and yes, the tuition fees are really high in terms of our lab breakage and all. My mom is the sole provider and pays for both me and my kuya’s (kuya is an ECO major too in ADMU) tuition fees.. I wonder how blogging can help my mom spare some expenses in terms of my allowance in school.

    Congratulations to your daughter! (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!)

  • http://jcmtrani@multiply.com melanie trani

    hi noemi,

    i’m planning to do blogging as income generating, too.I do write for my multimedia course at up. yeah at 44, i am a college student. i married young and now my kids are professionals while i have time to finish college.

    blogging interests me. how do i get my work published?

    thank you.

    melanie