Livin' High and Takin' it Easy

This is my life and these are my stories.

Browsing Tag

motherhood

On Our Way to Manila (Not Fame or Fortune)

Lifestyle, Travel By angkulet July 24, 2017 Tags: motherhood, Norwegian Air, parenting, Scoot, Singapore Airlines, Tiger Air, travel, Turkish Airlines No Comments

At least that’s what the website of FlyScoot informed me as I was booking our flights from Bangkok to Manila with a short lay over in Singapore. In Singapore, Lia would have to get off at Changi to meet her other father to spend eight days with him this summer as part of our agreement that he gets to spend a minimum of 30 days per year with her, depending of course, on his availability, travel plans, business meetings, and over-all career. After this short lay over, I then proceed to Manila alone.

Lia would then be flown in to Manila after eight or so days by her own father, where she would be reunited with me, and from Manila, she and I together will take the return flight to Torino then to Sardegna via Turkish Airlines and Meridiana. Such is the complex life of an eight-year old child with Filipino parents whose marriage has been annulled and are living in different parts of the world.

Everyday is Mother’s Day As Long as…

MOMents By angkulet May 11, 2014 Tags: E.J. Litiatco, Lia, MOMents, mommyhood, mother's day, motherhood, wedding No Comments

So today is Mother’s Day and as in the past 5 years, I didn’t feel or do anything special. I remember last year’s Mother’s Day was extremely difficult. I was alone in my family’s condo in Taguig and afterwards I was walking around the mall in tears. I went to a waxing salon and they thought my tears were all because of the wax. I had to assure the lady that it wasn’t.

I sent Mother’s Day greetings to all my surrogate mothers, the “mothers” I have known, the “mothers” I still have, and the women in my life that were the closest to the mother I could ever have. I have never been very close to my own mother but she passed away in 2011 and the fact that I had no real mother to speak of, to celebrate Mother’s Day for, caused me a lot of pain.

And also because nobody celebrates Mother’s Day for me. Until Lia is old enough to know it, nobody will do special things for me on Mother’s Day.

But really, Mother’s Day is not only one day a year. Or twice a year depending on your nationality and where you are currently living (like my niece in Sydney).

Last year, I was feeling absolutely horrible, sad, lonely, and basically all those depressing adjectives, because not only was Mother’s Day passing by with nary a trace, the reason I can be and am called “Mother” was absent.

This year’s Mother’s Day is better simply because my daughter is with me. We don’t have to do anything special. I don’t have to receive anything. Every single day that I spend with Lia is Mother’s Day.

Everyday is Mother’s Day as long as I have her with me and that’s all that matters.

Baby, You and I… So Far.

MOMents By angkulet February 3, 2013 Tags: Lia, love, MOMents, motherhood, personal, travel 3 Comments

As a new chapter of my life begins, allow me to look back at how we have spent the last four years together.

We used to spend every waking and sleeping hours together, just you and me. But now, there will be less time for you and me to be together because you are growing and things are changing. Soon, you will be four years old, going to school more, and spending time with more and more people outside the family.

Before you came, I was hard at work on my master’s degree and was close to taking up a 5-year doctoral degree at a university abroad. I was also a [highly-paid] Drama teacher at a prestigious all-girls high school. I had more money than I needed. But I was lost.

Only when I had you did I find purpose in life. Indeed, you are the best thing to ever happen to me, and without you, I would have been living a successful, and yet, empty life.

Because you and I will be spending significantly less time with each other, I could not help but look back to the time you came into being until now, to this. The time of being primary and sole caregiver, stay-at-home-and-hands-on mom has ended as I now go back to working full time.

But know that I am your mom and I will always be here for you. I love you in ways unimaginable. You have made me a better person altogether. For all that you have done to me, I am grateful.

Our journey has not been easy but it had been very exciting. You are my daughter and my best friend, and I could not ask for more.

I had loved traveling with you.

July 2008 – Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Catanduanes
September 2008 – Siquijor, Negros Oriental, and Negros Occidental
November 2008 – Camarines Sur