Si Aling Belen

💮Happy Mother's Day!

It is indeed, Mother's Day.  to all biological moms, adoptive or foster moms, guardian moms, pet moms... here's to you 🥂

Our Mama Belen

In Tagalog (Filipino language) alone, there are multiple nouns for mothers: nanay, inay/ina, mama, ima, may, inang, and my personal favorite - ermat.  Ermat is slang for mother.  Usually used when you talk about about your mom with your friends.  Old school mothers doesn't like being called ermat to their face and most definitely their first name.  I remember in the 90s when I start watching American shows, some kids call their parents their first name when they "come to age".  Not Filipinos.  You will call your parents Nanay (mother) or Tatay (father) till the day they or you die.

I shared on my first blog that we went to London for my younger sister's wedding.  The British government allowed our Mama to stay there for 6 months so she did.  She hang around after my sister's wedding.  

A few weeks after I got back from the wedding, I realized that my daughter can actually meet her grandmother again!  See... my parents raised my daughter for about six months.  My US visa came through before hers so I had to leave her with my parents for a few months.

When my daughter's US visa came through, I immediately packed my back and head back home.  She was two and a half years old when she left my parents' care.  Video calls were not a thing back in early 2000s so we only communicated via long distance call.  Then video calls come along but by then, my daughter's transitioning to speaking English only and the struggle to communicated with her started (that's on me!).

Long story short, after we left the Philippines, we basically moved on.  My daughter never had the chance to reconnect with her grandparents, and she'll never will.  She will never experience being spoiled by her grandparents... at least on my side.  

So.. I conspired with my brother in-law and told him that my daughter and I are visiting but not to tell my sister or my mom. 

  

But of course, there was a minor hiccup.  My daughter lives in Tampa so she flew out of TPA, I flew out of PMW.  I was in the airport and my daughter's getting ready to leave for the airport when we got the message that her flight got cancelled due to a cancelled connection flight in Chicago.  That was very disappointing.  We were so ready to meet in London and surprise our family together but lady luck had better plans.                                                        

Her flight got rebooked for the following day.  I kept my flight and flew out to London.  I got an Uber and messaged my brother in-law that I'm heading to their apartment. 

Oh wait... did you noticed that Bubbles has joined Puu?  Bubbles was my daughter's favorite cartoon character when she was little.  Still is.  I decided that she will be part of my "laboy" (wanderer) team because she reminds me of my daughter.  Anyway...

The timing couldn't be perfect.  They just got done with lunch so he told the fam that he's picking up desserts and will be right back when in reality, he's opening the building door for me and helping me with my luggage.

Their flat is on the second floor.  As I was heading up the stairs, I shouted "special delivery" and the look on my sister's face was priceless.  It was pure surprise and joy.  And my mom too.  They were both caught off guard.  This took me back when when I went back to the Philippines to pick-up my daughter unannounced.  Well... my brother knew because I needed a ride and my sister back then couldn't careless because she was still a kid.  LOL.  I'm not sure about that last part.  I really didn't know what she was thinking then.

My parents did not know that I was coming home.  I vividly remember that when we got to our house, our Papa was still out biking.  So I hand the US Postal cycling jersey that he asked me to send him where he can easily spot it.  Someone called out that he just arrived so I raised up the stairs and hid just enough to where I can still see his reaction when he saw the jersey.  He said "pu+a!".  Yes, he cursed, I came down the stairs and we hugged.  That was the last time I spent time with my Papa.  He died in 2021.  I don't consider myself as a daddy's girl or a mommy's little angle but most of my regrets circle around my dad. 

Anyway, high five ✋ brother in-law!  Mission: 38 Copperfield Mews Infiltration was a success.

😍London Part 2

And who needs to rest?  As soon as I got my stuff down, we head out and roamed around London one more time with our Mama. 

 

 

  

But wait!  Remember that my daughter's coming the next day?  I kept that one a surprise too!

My fam knows that I run almost everyday.  It wasn't a surprise when I told my sister that I'm going for a run early the next day and invited her to come.  So she did (to my surprise!)  She set her alarm and woke up really early to go running with me.  It was quite a walk to the bus station so I had plenty of time to tell her that we'll be running to Heathrow Terminal 5.  She said... yeah right.. that's reaaaly far way!  And I told her that we'll take the train.  She was sooo confused.  I can tell by looking at her face that she's wondering why I want to run at Terminal 5.  So I told her that we're actually picking up her niece.  And yes!  Another priceless surprised look on her face!

So we picked up my daughter from the airport, got back to her apartment and the reunion between my mom and my daughter was... you guessed it... priceless.  They hugged for the longest time.  We were all teary eyed and overjoyed.  

So we picked up my daughter from the airport, got back to her apartment and the reunion between my mom and my daughter was... you guessed it... priceless.  They hugged for the longest time.  We were all teary eyed and overjoyed.     

The thing is, the day my mom and daughter reunited was the day my mom's flying back to the Philippines.  I am beyond thankful that my mom was able to spend precious time with my sister and her family and her first apo (grandchild).  I am beyond thankful that I was able to spend precious time with our Mama.

     

The next day, my sister, her son and I actually went for a morning walk.  She took me to this park with boat houses... on a river... or maybe it's a canal.  Either way, I did not know that living on a river or canal is a thing.

And when my daughter finally recouped from her flight, we decided to have a girls night out... but with Puu.  He's allowed.

We went strolling with a dash of photo-ops and dining and drinking. We went to St. Dunstan's Churchyard.  A really cool place for photo-ops.

 

  

We went to this place that serves San Miguel beer.  The most famous beer in the Philippines.  They even have a mug for it.  The mug was so cool that I asked the server if she can add it to the tab.  But when I got the tab, it was not included.  She said I can "have it".  I was so happy!

  

🤍But good things must come to an end

I flew back home the next day.  My daughter stayed one more day in London.  We were supposed to fly back the same day but were able to extend her stay since her flight in was delayed.  That was her idea.  She wanted to spend more time with her Tita.  That really filled my heart.

 

A mother is a nurturer, a protector.  A source of unconditional love, strength, and sacrifice.  

But it didn't take long for it to be broken.  We lost our Mama a couple of months later.  

She's a very good teacher by her actions.  She showed us how to be resourceful and resilient.  How to give without being taking advantage of.  How to let things go, move on and never look back.  How to respect the people around us.  How to forgive.  She showed me that no matter how bad the situation seems to be, that there's always a way out.  Always.  She thought me not to be stuck in the rut that I am in.  I may have to wiggle or force my way out of it but I cannot be stuck.  That I have to be strong for the people I cared and loved the most.

You will always be missed, Ma.  We know that you and Papa are watching over us.

Salamat po sa paaaruga, pagpapalaki at walang sawa nyong pagmamahal sa amin.