Special hideaway

It’s always nice when other moms and wives share their insights and learnings.  Last night, I was reading a blog entry about finding alone time. The sassy lawyer writes:

“My alone time is my sanctuary. It is my physical, mental and emotional space. It is also my most creative space. Most importantly, it an assertion of me as a person, as an individual person. And I need that because while I am a mother and wife 24/7, I am also me 24/7 and I have been me for much longer than I have been a mother and wife.”

I love my home. I use every single room there, but just a few days ago, I made some effort to reclaim having my very own private space. It’s always been there for me, but since wifi lets you be extremely mobile, even in your own house, I had neglected it for some weeks. So off I went to tidy it up, add a few cozy contributions, and sat in my chair again. Yes, this is indeed my own place. It’s where I can enjoy a cup of tea in peace. Or maybe a box of chocolates. Or write some letters or in a journal. Nobody to share it with, made just for me.

Maybe I can eventually add a couch or a reading chair. That’d be sweet. For now, it is enough.

Over at wifely steps, Toni asks: 

“What’s your happy place at home?”

How interesting it is, don’t you think, that my happy place is a place where I get work done. It’s the value that I place on remembering the self –my self — a value I need to remind myself often.  It’s a personal happy place, because in truth, I am happy where my family is. But once in a while — even once everyday — it’s a good idea to steal some alone time.

Drawn

It took many hours on the hunt, through two shopping center and finally a small retail store, accompanying Armand on his search for an elusive Wacom (why, tell me, was it so hard to find?),  and we were rewarded with these:

I foresee a future with walls full of commissioned in-house drawings!

Question of the day

I’ve come to realize that the questions people ask about your life just never ends. It’s not prying exactly. No, I don”t think anyone cares enough to ask out of spite either. It’s more of a question that assumes your adherence to certain norms.

When we were younger it was, “May boyfriend ka na ba?”

Sometimes it evolves to, “Kelan ka mag-aasawa?”

In time it becomes, “Wala ka  pang baby?”

And then, “Wala pang kasunod?”

It’s like the questions supposedly reflect a “natural” progression of life stages.

These days, the question has changed once more:

“When are you sending your child to school?”

Or the more presumptuous, “Where are you sending you child to school?”

I wonder how many I’ve caught by surprise by answering, “I  don’t know.”

I really don’t. Not yet. We’ve looked at couple of preschools. We’ve attended  a couple of playschools. But I don’t have a long-term plan of where my child will go to grade school, high school, or college.

Am I being too complacent? No, that would be an unfair assumption. I just have opted to sit out of the education race. The one that measures by being bigger, better, brighter, faster, first, most.

I got a couple of friends on my side, we’re going to take our time and stroll to entrance exams and school shopping. I believe in the experts who say that it’s okay to wait for a couple more years.

Maybe I’ll find a school we’ll fall in love with next week. Maybe we’ll make a decision next month. But for now, I choose to answer a different question, one I am happily obliged to do so everyday:

“What adventure does the world have for us today?”

Summer is here

Hot days call for water fun.

The wading pool beckons.

Time theory

One photo in our bookshelf is that of Armand many years ago, with his nieces, Frannie and Mia.  

 

A few days ago, Matthew was looking at it and said, “Where’s me?”

Armand answered, “That was a long time ago. You weren’t there yet. Look, Frannie and Mimi are babies here.”

A few moments later of thoughtful silence, Matthew responded — a little bit dismayed — “You left me in time!”

Bargain loving

I admit, we’re a little proud that Matthew is turning out to be quite the booklover. For someone who can spend hours in a bookstore — be a it a giant, concept store, or a little thrift shop — having your child share your joy in the published word is just awesome.

So after dinner one night, we trudged to Books for Less and went home happily with six books (his) and one magazine (mine) in tow.

All for 1,060 pesos. How can you beat that?

Happiness is a good book, yes.