Let me just blurt it out here once and for all — I miss blogging!!! So here I am, sneaking my maiden blog as a mom — and I assure you there will be more –which I want to aptly label as “mommilies”.

I realized that amidst the joys, chaos, and random demands of motherhood, I must make time to document my journey as a mom. Just so I’ll have something to look back on when my daughter is all grown-up and starts asking me stuff about her childhood. I certainly don’t want to tell her that I already forgot most of it! But I do want to forget the excruciating pain that came with the 23 hours of labor — all because nobody wants to give me an epidural! Oh, that’s another story…I’ll share more on my French-birth experience on another post…hehehe. :)

While I don’t think that I will always be writing about the good stuff of being a mom, I guess the challenging moments of it is still worth celebrating. You can therefore bet that there will be some rants here and there…hehehe! But I am crossing my fingers that they will be far in between. I don’t want to scare anybody…hihihi!

As it is, my daughter is barely two months-old and yet, she has already taught me a lot. And they are actually profound stuff, mind you! Just like those stuff that self-help gurus talk about at great length — oh yeah! Of course, the lessons did not come easy, and I had to learn them while I cry in exasperation and fatigue at the wee hours of the morning. But I want to thank her for teaching me these things anyway:

1. When somebody depends on you and trust you, you strive hard to make yourself dependable and trustworthy. …continue reading Mommilies: Maiden Post

Posted: March 18th, 2010 under Mommilies.
Comments: 1

The best thing about setting off to explore all the Padre Pio places in San Giovanni Rotondo is that each of them is just a few steps away from each other. Yep, you don’t have to consult your map every five minutes or so. This is the first thing I noticed because I am always, always, geographically-challenged! Take me to a mall, blindfold me, spin me around, and it will surely take me a lot of time to figure out where I am. Lol! I guess I should watch more of that Brainy Baby DVDs that help develop your brain and prepare you for things like this. Hehehe!

Ok, so back to our topic…all in all, there are five must-visit places in San Giovanni Rotondo. Each of these places has its own story to tell. If you go with a pilgrimage tour group, you usually just have half a day to visit all these…or maybe a day at most. But in my own humble opinion, you should take at least two days in this mountain to experience its wonder and the different vibe that it has. If you often wonder why a lot of people have decided to abandon their old lives and stay in this mountain for good, it would be really good to come at a time when you are giving yourself a spiritual recharge and not merely vacationing. That way, you can stay longer and experience this place fully. Their cuisine is something to enjoy as well! And mind you, this mountain is not lacking in souvenir shops. I must have spent hours going through all the nice items they have on display…hehehe!

Below is my attempt to give you a preview of the must-visit places in San Giovanni Rotondo. I have not indicated addresses because you’re not going to need them; trust me. When you get to one of these places, the others will be just a few steps away. And yeah…just follow the crowd! Padre Pio had always been a crowd drawer. Even now (year 2009), 40 years after he died, 7 million people visit his mountain every year…and the number continues to grow as the families of his faithful devotees continue to expand.

ONE: Santa Maria Delle Grazie (Our Lady of Grace Church) …continue reading PADRE PIO PLACES: Exploring San Giovanni Rotondo

Posted: November 29th, 2009 under Italy, Travel.
Comments: 6

As mentioned in my previous post, I made a promise to visit Padre Pio’s beloved San Giovanni Rotondo to thank him for his countless intercessions on my behalf. And so I did…from September 5-9, 2009, with my wonderful hubby (a.k.a. financier) in tow. Hihihi!

I am writing this post to share with all of you who want to go there on your own, without having to sign up for a whole pilgrimage tour across Europe. Please know that we worked on a very limited budget when we took this tour…so you can rest assured that we took pains to economize. I hope that I will be able to help you get the most out of your visit to San Giovanni Rotondo through our experience.

HOW TO GET TO SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO

When we took this trip, our point of origin is Paris; but no matter where you are coming from in the world, the nearest airport to San Giovanni Rotondo is the Bari “Karol Wojtyla” International Airport (Aeroporto di Bari in Italian). We took a Lufthansa flight to go there, which lasted approximately 5 hours because we had to catch a connecting flight in Milan.

Upon reaching the Aeroporto di Bari, you are only 2 hours away from San Giovanni Rotondo! Yey! You have three options to get there: …continue reading Italy: Planning Your Trip to Padre Pio’s Mountain

Posted: September 19th, 2009 under Italy.
Comments: 4

I guess each one one us has his/her own sanctuary — a place you go to when you just want to keep still and be quiet. Having to live in a city, I sometimes find it hard to even hear myself think! Even the gazillion Starbucks spread across Metro Manila does not provide a breathing space since they are usually crowded with students and professionals alike. And no, I am not a homebody, so my room does not count as a sanctuary for me. I like the idea of driving towards a certain place that is not home, but feels like home to me. I was looking for a place where I can stay for as long as I want until I am finally able to sort myself out. Believe it or not, I finally found my sanctuary…and surprise, surprise — it’s not a spa, it’s a church! :) …continue reading Philippines: Padre Pio Church in Libis, Quezon City

Posted: September 16th, 2009 under Philippines.
Comments: 53

Padre Pio is my spiritual giant. He is my one and only favorite saint! :)

I came across Padre Pio’s life story one stormy night in Manila, Philippines. They have just suspended classes in all levels the next day, and since I work in a school, that means I have a free day too! Yey! So I decided to curl on my bed and devour a new book I was reserving for the weekend, which apparently, mentioned Padre Pio several times. Too many times, actually, that I decided to make a little research on who this man was. From then on, I have never forgotten this holy man, nor his story, nor what he has done in my life. …continue reading Italy: The Padre Pio I Know

Posted: September 16th, 2009 under Italy.
Comments: 15