A PLEASANT DAY TO EACH OF YOU MY FELLOW BARISTI KAHIT SAANG PANIG KAYO NG MUNDO NAROROON.
IT WILL BE ALMOST A WEEK SINCE MY FAMILY HAD OUR LAST GLIMPSED OF MY MOM WHEN WE FINALLY LAID HER TO REST.
SO MANY THOUGHTS STILL LINGERS IN MY MIND, FROM THE DAY THAT MY YOUNGER SISTER CALLED ME BACK HOME AND TOLD ME TO ARRANGE A FLIGHT TO MANILA THE SOONEST I CAN. I DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER HOW I WAS ABLE TO GOT OFF FROM THE PLANE AND HEADED STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL TO SEE MOM. FROM THAT MOMENT MY WORLD CHANGED. SEEING MOM AT THE ICU GAVE ME A VERY HEAVY HEART. AND WHEN I FINALLY SPOKE WITH THE DOCTORS OF HER CONDITION AND GOT TOLD THAT ITS JUST A MATTER OF DAYS OR HOURS THAT WE CAN BE WITH HER, REALITY HIT ME. I DECIDED TO MOVED MOM TO A PRIVATE ROOM WHERE WE CAN ALL STAY WITH HER. WE CONTINUALLY WATCHED HER, SEEING THAT HER CONDITION IS GETTING WORSE. BY 9PM ON THAT FRIDAY NIGHT, HER HEARTBEAT IS GETTING WEAKER AND WE KNEW THAT HER TIME IS REALLY NEAR. WE STARTED TO GATHER AROUND HER, AND SAY THE ROSARY. AND WE EVEN PRAYED OVER AND LIFTED HER UP TO THE LORD. IT WAS THE MOST PAINFUL PART OF OUR LIFE SEEING THAT HER LIFE IS SLIPPING AWAY. AND AT AROUND 11PM ON JAN. 22 MOM JOINED HER CREATOR OUR LORD. SHE LOOKED SO PEACEFUL, AS IF SHE WAS JUST ASLEEP. THE HARDEST PART FOR ME WAS THE TASK OF ARRANGING HER FUNERAL, HAVING TO CHOSE THE COFFIN THAT SHE SHE WILL LAY UPON, GOING TO THE CEMETERY TO OVERSEE HER FINAL RESTING PLACE AND THE 8 DAYS OF HER WAKE. ALL THESE SEEMED TO BE JUST A VERY BAD DREAM, WITH WHICH I WAS HOPING THAT WHEN I WOKE UP, EVERYTHING WILL BE BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE. I MISS MOM VERY MUCH, I COULD STILL FEEL HER BESIDE ME AND I KNOW THAT SHE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE WITH ME.
LARRY, MARAMING MARAMNG SALAMAT KAPATID. YOU'RE MERE PRESENCE AT MOM'S WAKE MADE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE. I WAS REALLY TOUCHED BY YOUR KINDNESS. IMAGINE AFTER 32 YEARS, DOON PA TAYO MAGKIKITA SA WAKE NI NANAY. MARAMING SALAMAT KAPATID FOR THE PRAYERS NA ALAY MO KAY NANAY AT SA AMING LAHAT SA PAMILYA. TAMA KA, WHEN I GO BACK TO AUSTRALIA AND LEAVE MY ANCESTRAL HOME, I WILL HAVE A VERY HEART KNOWING THAT WALA NA AKONG MOM TO CALL FROM TIME TO TIME. UP TO NOW I CAN'T HELP BUT CRY LALO NA WHEN MY WHOLE FAMILY GATHER AROUND. BUT LIFE GOES ON AND ONE THING FOR SURE, ALAM KONG ANDYAN LANG LAGI SA TABI KO SI NANAY. MULA KAY TATAY HANGGANG SA YOUNGEST BROTHER KO, WE WILL ALWAYS CELEBRATE NANAY'S LIFE AND SHE WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US. MARAMING SALAMAT KAPATID.
MANNY ACE, MARAMING MARAMING SALAMAT DIN SA IYO MANNY SA LAHAT NG ENCOURAGEMENT MO SA AKIN. I AM SO GLAD TO READ YOUR MESSAGES HERE, YUNG PAG-ASIKASO MO ON MY BEHALF SA PAGPAPASALAMAT SA LAHAT NG NAKIRAMAY SA AMIN. TALAGANG MAAASAHAN KITA. SA OVERSEAS CALL MO SA AKIN. I WAS HALF ASLEEP KAYA NAGULAT AKO TALAGA WHEN MY BROTHER TOLD ME ABOUT THE CALL. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR KINDNESS AND CARES. MARAMING DUMATING NA KA-BATCH NATIN SA WAKE NI NANAY, WITH WHICH MY FAMILY IS REALLY GRATEFUL. NAKAKALUNGKOT PAG NAIISIP KO LAHAT NG SERIES OF EVENTS, GAYA NGA NG SABI KO KAY LARRY, SANA PANAGINIP LANG LAHAT YUN, PERO MALUWAG NAMAN SA PUSO NAMIN NA IBINALIK NAMIN SI NANAY KAY LORD. YUNG LUNGKOT NA THOUGHT NA HINDI KO NA SYA MAKIKITA, HINDI KO NA SYA MAKAKAUSAP ANG SEEMED UNBEARABLE. BUT I HAVE TO BE STRONG FOR TATAY AND THE REST OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SALAMAT ULIT NG MARAMI MANNY.
MARENG LETZ, MARAMING MARAMING SALAMAT DIN SA IYO MARDS. I REALLY APPRECIATE YUNG PAGPUNTA MO NG ILANG BESES AND GAVE ME THE ENCOURAGEMENT. ALAM NATIN PAREHO GANO KAHALAGA ANG MOM SA LIFE NATIN. SALAMAT MARDS SA PAG-TEXT BLAST MO SA BATCH ABOUT MY MOM'S DEMISE. TALAGANG LAGI KITANG MAAASAHAN MARDS. SALAMAT DIN SA LAHAT NG PRAYERS AND MESSAGES MO DITO PARA SA AKIN AND MY FAMILY. I TRULLY APPRECIATE THAT. LIFE WILL BE DIFFEENT FOR ME ONCE I HEAD BACK TO AUSTRALIA. I MISS NANAY A LOT. SALAMAT ULIT NG MARAMI MARDS.
PARENG JAMES MARAMING MARAMING SALAMAT DIN PARDS. TALAGANG NAPAKA-THOUGHTFUL MO. YOU EVEN CALLED FROM QATAR PARA MAKIRAMAY WHICH I TRULY APPRECIATE. GAYA NG KWENTO KO SA IYO, TALAGANG PARA LANG ISANG PANAGINIP WHAT HAPPENED, NA SANA PAGGISING KO EVERYTHING WILL BE THE SAME. SI NANAY ANG NAGTURO NG LAHAT SA AMING MAGKAKAPATID AND SOMEHOW I KNOW MAKIKITA NYONG LAHAT HOW SHE TAUGHT ME FOR BEING WHO I AM NOW. I MISS HER A LOT. MARAMING SALAMAT ULIT PARDS.
OMPONG & SAM, MARAMING SALAMAT SA PRESENCE NYO AT MOM'S WAKE, GAYA NGA NG KWENTO NATIN, WHAT A WAY TO MEET AFTER 32 YEARS DIBA? AND WE EVEN FOUND OUT, MAY RELATION DIN PALA ANG MGA RELATIVES NATIN THROUGH OUR LOLO'S. IT IS REALLY NICE TO FINALLY HAVE MET YOU TWO, SA MALUNGKOT NGA LANG NA CIRCUMSTANCES PA, PERO I'M SURE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE NEXT TIME.
MANNY CORTEZ, MARAMING SALAMAT DIN MANNY SA PAKIKIRAMAY MO. TWO TIMES KA PA NAGPUNTA LIKE THE REST. TALAGANG SOMEHOW MALUNGKOT NA MASAYA ANG SECOND MEETING NATIN ULIT. BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A LOT OF NEXT TIME.
NANETTE, MARAMING SALAMAT NETTE, TALAGANG ISA KANG TUNAY NA KAIBIGAN. I AM SO GRATEFUL SA PRESENCE MO ESP. ITONG DIFFICULT TIME FOR ME. KAHIT MALAYO ANG BYAHE, YOU MADE YOUR WAY, PARA DAMAYAN AKO, SALAMAT NG MARAMI DEAR SWEET FRIEND.
NOREENA, MARAMING SALAMAT BEEBOT SA PAKIKIRAMAY, AFTER 32 YEARS HINDI MO PA RIN AKO NAKALIMUTAN. IKAW PA RIN YUNG NOREENA THAT I KNEW, SWEET AND GENTLE. I AM REALLY GRATEFUL.
MENARD, MARAMING SALAMAT MENARD, IT WAS REALLY A PLEASURE MEETING YOU, SALAMAT SA PAKIKIRAMAY, AND I KNOW PAREHO LANG TAYO NG NARARAMDAMAN SINCE YOU JUST LOST YOUR MOM A FEW MONTHS BACK. AFTER 32 YEARS, IKAW PA RIN YUNG MENARD THAT I REMEMBER.
THELMA, MARAMING SALAMAT DIN SA PAGPUNTA MO SA WAKE NG MOM. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE AND UR KIND WORDS.
EHLEE, MARAMING SALAMAT DIN SA PAGPUNTA MO WITH YOUR HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER SA WAKE NG MOM KO. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR ME DURING THIS CRUCIAL MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.
RANDY, MARAMING SALAMAT AT KAHIT SA CEMETERY NAKAHABOL KA SA PAKIKIRAMAY SA AKIN AND MY FAMILY. IT WA GREAT COMFORT SEEING YOU THERE. I AM TRULY LUCKY TO HAVE FRIENDS LIKE ALL OF YOU.
FREDDIE, MARAMING SALAMAT SA TEXT MESSAGE MO EXTENDING YOUR CONDOLENCES. IT IS TRULY APPRECIATED.
ANNABEL/ATG, MARAMING SALAMAT MY DEAR SISTER SA PAGPUNTA MO SA WAKE NI MOM. IT IS SO GOOD TO HAVE SEEN YOU AGAIN AND NAKAPAGKWENTUHAN RIN TAYO KAYA NGA LANG IN A DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES ULIT ITONG PAG MEET NATIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND CARES SA AKIN SISTER.
PINKY, CARA CUGINA, THANK YOU SA PAG-INFORM MO KAY LETZ OF MOM'S PASSING. TITA DELY AND TIO AGONG WITH RUTH AND MINA WHERE THERE ON THAT FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SALAMAT SA FLOWERS THAT YOU SENT. I WILL CALL YOU ONCE I GET BACK TO SYDNEY. INGAT KA LAGI.
TO : OHMED, SYLVIA, CAROL BICERA, NELIA, REBECCA, LUDY, ANNIE, NIDA, FELIX, WILLIE, CHAT, DIANA, ALEX, JHUN PAPA, BADONG, LENG, OGIE, GERRY, JAMES CACHO, NOEL, ALVIN, BOBBY - TAOS PUSONG PASASALAMAT SA IYONG PAKIKIRAMAY SA AMING PAMILYA. YOUR PRESENCE DURING MY MOM'S WAKE IS TRULY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FROM MY FAMILY AND FROM ME.
AND TO PRISLETTE & JHUN, JAMES DABU, ELMER AND LANIE, PYE, DHJINGGO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS OF CONDOLENCES POSTED HERE. IT MEANT A LOT TO ME.
WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO ALL OF YOU MY DEAR FELLOW BARISTI WHO COMFORTED ME AND SHARED WITH ME THE GRIEF IN THIS MOST DIFFICULT TIME OF MY LIFE. TO ALL OF YOU, I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. A MILLION THANKS.
IN GRATITUDE,
EHRIS
Subject: MERLE DEAR, BELATED HAPPY BDAY, TOO! 
Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:18 pm
