Christmas Letter for 2012

Jojang and Matt

Dear Family and Friends,

“Life has beauty and a joy that transcends all the darkness that surrounds us, that something ineffable lives beyond the ordinary affairs of the day, and that without this mystery our lives would not be worth living.”

~Kent Nerbern

The year just past is an eventful one for Matthew and I. We experienced highs and lows which I guess is part of the tapestry of life.

My sister and her daughter came to the Philippines and even went up to Baguio. The last time they were here was ten years ago. They were part of my wedding entourage with my sister as my godparent and my niece as my flower girl. Now aged 16, Catherine has grown to be a witty, intelligent and beautiful woman. She also loves to speak in Tagalog 🙂

With God’s grace, Matthew’s health continues to improve. He may have experienced a few episodes but then he is able to bounce back right away. I, on the other hand, just got out of the hospital a few days ago. I had acute gastroenteritis and was so dehydrated, so much so that Matthew had to rush me to emergency. After 2 days of confinement, I’m back home and still recuperating.

This year an endeared friend, Joy Gallardo, passed away at age 52. She was my boss and my confidant. She made sure that she was present in the most important events of my life — she attended my wedding, visited Matthew in the hospital ten years ago, would always make sure that we go out for dinner or lunch whenever I was in Manila. I miss her so much.

We look forward to the year ahead with hope in our hearts. Starting next year, I will be working again with the travel agency where Matthew and I met. It is a sort of homecoming and I am so excited with what lies ahead. God has always been good to us. He has provided for our needs and we know He always will.

On a last note, this blog has reached more than 150,000+ hits with 47 followers… something that really excites both of us. Thank you to everyone who took time to visit and read our posts, made comments,  we hope you will continue to do so.

May the good Lord bless you, our readers. May He make His face shine upon you and give you peace.

~ Jojang