What I value the most...

Over the past couple months I have had time to think about my life and what i want out of it.  What is more important to me right now and later?  What do i need to do to make that happen?  Am I happy?  Is this where i need to be right now in my life?
I wouldn't say i hate my job.  I love being a Nurse.  I love that i can take care of people.  My hours are great.  I don't work on the weekends, I don't work holidays, and i don't have to work if there's a hurricane.
When i look at our life and really dig into it, Maia is the center of our lives.  Mike and I both work and are extremely blessed to have our parents close to us. I want to spend time with my children, more time than I am giving right now.  I am not saying I want to be a stay at home mom because i don't.  Like i said i love being a Nurse.  I need to find that in between.
Right now it all boils down to financials.  I don't need lots of money. What we work for now is sufficient.  So what is the problem?!  I spent more than I make and now corporate america owns me. LOL.
Change and improvement takes small steps.  Mike Leong would love to say it to my face " I TOLD YOU SO!" Lol.
I am a control freak! I want things done my way!  Since getting married much of that has changed.  The control freak in me has been locked in cage and is ready to come out.
Here is my proposed plans:
Pay off our debt super fast.  Yes, we took a Dave Ramsey course and let me tell you, IT IS AWESOME! we learned so much, but we didn't use all of it.
Go back to school and work at becoming a Nurse Practitioner.
Work closer to home.
If financials are great, work part time to take care of our home, children, and my family.
Start a small business on the side that allows me use my passion for creativity.
and last of all
Be a super mom, wife, friend, and family.

That doesn't sound so difficult.  It will take time.  I just need to stay focused.  The great thing about this  is my husband has been at this since day one.  I was just so stubborn to get on the wagon.  So I know I have his 100% support.

So here are couple of things i want to try.  We are a beginner family.  The most common and  biggest financial challenge is children.  Right now I have one, Maia Eliana.  She is gorgeous!  What do we spend more money on? Formula and Diapers.  What will I tackle? Non disposable diapers.  I have done research and Non-disposable will save me money and the earth we live on.  I thank my good friend Joc, who is allowing me to test out her Bumgenius diapers.  Of course there are extra steps involved but who cares.  I have a mission and I;m stickin' to it. :) I already make her baby food, which does take time, but in the end i have saved money and i know what I'm feeding my child.  Maybe my next child, I'll do better to breast feed.  I have to give props to my co-worker Lisseth, who breast her daughter for 1 straight year. No formula involved! Bad ASSS!

Next.  Eating out.  We spend too much money on eating out.  To eat out is convenience.  Well we need to cut that out, so meal planning will be my new challenge.  I have found awesome blogs to help me find the best way to meal plan.  I will have to post those sites later.  Most common and easiest is meal planning for the week. 5 days of meals, 1 day of left overs and 1 day of eating out.  Let us see how that pans out.

I have read somewhere that a habit can take about 2-3 months to stick. So lets see how this goes.  Time makes progress and progress takes time.

What is more important?  What do we value?

I'm BACK!  It has been a while,  a long while.  As you all may know, I did have the baby! and yes IT was a girl. Maia Eliana.  She is now 9 months old and brings so much love and joy into our hearts.

Maia has changed our lives, but in a good way. A blessed way.  Everyday is something new. Every next day is a surprise waiting to happen. Every previous day is a memory never forgotten.  Priceless.

I am getting tired.  and this blog is for Melissa, a friend who has a big chunk of my heart.   I will do my best to keep them coming.

Love Ya.

Details of the last 9 months of my life including birth is on the way. ciao

I could not save the fries

Today was the first day i had an emotional breakdown.  Over what... you may ask?  French fries all over the floor, and me and my pregnant self unable to bend over to save the fries.  "I'll eat the one's on the floor."  is what I said staring down at them between my Converse.  Tears came pouring down.  I could not even bend over to save the fries.  My sciatica is killing me.  We just spent about 2 hours with a Babys R Us scanner thinger magigee clicking on whatever we think we may need, although we weren't too sure, but I figure we could delete it later, right?  My feet look like water balloons.  My knees feel like two nail files grinding against one another.  I'm hungry.  AND I COULDN'T SAVE THE FRIES, but my loving husband turned the car around and bought more greasy, yummy, mouth watering Mcdonald's fries.  mmm mmmm mmmmm good.  Now i sit here in some pain to update ya'll on my progress.

As of today I'm 27 weeks and ? many days.  Maia moves around and around and around and around.  It feels like your insides grinding against your abdominal wall trying to break free.  It feels like a ball floating around inside your belly.  Some days, it feels like she is ripping apart my insides.  BUT IT FEELS AWESOME!!! She's ALIVE!!!  Ha Ha Ha.   In bible study we talked about Adam and Eve, and Eve's punishment for eating the fruit of the forbidden tree:

Genesis 3:16 - To the woman he said:  "I will intensify the pangs of your childbearing;  in pain shall you bring forth children.  Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall be your master."

NO JOKE!!! yet the pain is beautiful.  The pain is life that I am bringing into this world to mold and shape.  To love and adore.  To melt in awe at how our child is a little bit of Mike and a little bit of Angela.   I cannot wait to meet her.  And besides that, i can't wait for the leg cramps and swelling to go away.  And I am very much sure that months or years from her birth I will want to do this all over again, and again, and again.  That would equal about 4 Leong offspring.   That is my urge for my husband and good practice for him to become the master.  HA HA Michael Leong. :)

So today, I did get down in some paint to help hun paint Maia's room.  And YES I know i shouldn't be doing that, but I am hard headed.  so below are some pics of before and after and of Macy, our cat.

 So hopefully in the next month, i'll do a little better in updating ya'll.

Here's a brief breakdown:

I've gained about 30lbs
Third trimester
Feeling the heartburn
I'm gonna work till my water breaks
Every 2 week visits to the Ob Gyn
Still debating on whether or not we will do 3d ultrasound
Aches of pregnancy are difficult but a blessing
Hun is my personal masseuse
It is difficult to bend over
I continue to be on my feet regardless of how tired I may be
Every night Maia and I have a discussion of what day she needs to come out: December 11-December 21.
I am up one shoe size
I definitely look pregnant now
No cravings, I just eat whatever
I can't wait to meet my baby girl
I get short of breath

And now I'm tired.  So till the next blog.  Adios!!

Me at 20 weeks....I look a lot bigger now i just haven't taken a picture

My Wushu Ballerina Warrior

WE ARE HAVING A GIRL!!! Maia Eliana Leong. I don't have the greatest money shots, but i do have this, which is priceless to us.

Mother

(Baby update: I am currently in my 19th week, and next week will be the answer to "Are you having a boy or a girl?"  Baby, Dad, Mom, and Macy the cat are during wonderful.  We love you all!!)

These past couple of days I have been contemplating on "What is a Mother?" and here is what my noodles came up with:

Loving, friend, disciplinarian, teacher, counselor, the boss, influential, life-changing, a body guard, supportive, positive, nurturing, a role model, passionate, caring, sacrificial, bearer of children, caretaker, determined, a giver and a taker, understanding, listener, provider, brings food to the table, funny, open minded, full of wisdom, a student, a peacemaker...

There could be more, but my noodles have gotten all mushy.

Taking the name of "Mother" carries with it so much responsibility.  It is a challenge that every woman makes unique to their own character and what they hope to make for their future generation. No mother wants to be a failure. They don't want to be winners. But, I do believe Mothers want to be successful in their role.  Be proud of what they have accomplished. And maybe...one day, flourish in the lives of their future daughters  who may also become a mother. (Remember: You don't physically have to give birth to a child to be a mother, you can adopt or raise a child who becomes your own.  Think of those children in CPS looking for a good mother and father, or those children in an orphanage, or be like all of Hollywood and adopt from around the world - you become their hero)


My girls and I always call each other the "Jr.'s" of our mothers. For example, I am Norlita Jr. and we laugh and give each other a high five while laughing hysterically in total agreement.  And as much as I want to say I  will not be like my mother or I don't want to be like my mother or not everything I do will be like my mother, there is always a part of my mother that will become a part of me.  As children, we look to our mothers as our inspiration, our role model and say to ourselves  "I want to be like my mother one day,"  or it could be the opposite.  But no matter what, in every mother lies the seed implanted by her mother, and her mother before her, and so on.  So when my time comes (which is in 4.5 months), I will be sure to implant a motherly seed in my children that will grow and fertilize their children.

I know that I am focusing on the mother daughter thing, but our son's don't become mothers, they become fathers, and that is totally in left field.  Sorry guys.  But think of it this way: For all you men out there, look at your woman, look at their mother, and you will see what your future wife may become.  And yes, that may not always be the case, but we do learn from our mothers and fathers; and eventually share that with our children.  It's like tradition, we carry it forward.

I decided to Google "definition of a mother" and here a couple of definitions I picked up: 

"A woman who has given birth to a child."- WorldNetWeb.com

"A female person whose egg unites with a sperm, resulting in the conception of a child." - TheFreeDictionary.com

 "A woman in authority" - Merriam-Webster.com

"Maternal tenderness or affection" - Merriam-Webster.com

"A woman who has, conceived, given birth to, or raised a child in the role of a parent" - Wikipedia.com

"Hysterical passion; hysteria" - Brainyquote.com

"Something or someone that gives rise to or exercises protecting care over something else" - Dictionary.Reference.com

"A woman exercising control, influence" - Dictionary.Reference.com

"Mom is the one who loves you no matter what" - random comment from the Gardenweb.com

So, to all of you who take the time to read my mind: What is your definition of a mother in one word?

I will end with a poem I found online:


What Is a Mother? 

A mother is someone to shelter and guide us,
To love us, whatever we do,
With a warm understanding and infinite patience,
And wonderful gentleness, too.
How often a mother means swift reassurance
In soothing our small, childish fears,
How tenderly mothers watch over their children
And treasure them all through the years!
The heart of a mother is full of forgiveness
For any mistake, big or small,
And generous always in helping her family
Whose needs she has placed above all.
A mother can utter a word of compassion
And make all our cares fall away,
She can brighten a home with the sound of her laughter
And make life delightful and gay.
A mother possesses incredible wisdom
And wonderful insight and skill -
In each human heart is that one special corner
Which only a mother can fill!

- Katherine Nelson Davis

Norlita Jr, and Norlita (Thanksgiving 2008)

Beanie Weenies

Today i wanted to eat Bush's Baked Beans with Sausage, and my wonderful husband so graciously prepared the meal.  so good.  Oh and don't forget, I am Filipino, so my dinner comes with rice. and tonight's leftovers will be tomorrows breakfast. :) I will top it off with my homemade chocolate chip cookies.  How yummy to the tummy and my baby.

So anyways:

I am currently sitting at 16 weeks and 4 days. Amazing.  So here is a quick list of how its been so far:

Gained 13lbs
Went from what i call a 1/2 A cup to a Full B Cup (I've gone from limes to grapefruits-LOL)
My ass and my belly will soon be competing for the World Cup
I've always wanted hips, and now I've got them.
I can take advantage of hun with what i feel like eating, because I'm pregnant, and that's what we are entitled to.
My feet swell
I get daily leg and back massages courtesy of Michael Leong
I love spicy foods
I have extremely strange and disturbing dreams
My hormones take me up and down, up and down, up and down
I am showing, and its beautiful, the whole pregnancy is bee u ti ful.
My Ob Gyn told me at my last visit that i should only have 1 dessert a week - HA. No way that's happening!
I've been doing my best to make it to the gym, if i want to teach my child to be healthy, i gotta be healthy.
I PEE a lot more than i used to
I love water
No particular cravings, but if someone suggest something appetizing, you better believe it will be on the weeks menu.
We will find out if he-she will be a girl or boy mid August.
I love dressing up even more that i used to, it makes me feel good and pretty
I can't wait to park at the parking slots saved for those with children.
Overall its been a good miserable journey that i would NEVER take back for anything in the world.

Oh and I love to cook and bake a lot more than before.  SO if you need a good meal, CALL ME.
If I'm to lazy to cook and you have something good to eat and SHARE. CALL ME.  just remember it will be +3 (hun, me, baby)

One plus One equals Three

After marriage comes the endless harassment of "When are you going to have a baby?"  "Now that your married its time to have a baby!"  I say BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.  Mike and I wanted to spend more time together.  Get to know each other.  We never lived together prior to marriage. We did not spend time with each other every day or every other day.  So we spent the first years of our marriage dukin' it out:

I'm right, your wrong
Why do i have to do it your way
What makes your way better than mine
I do not like that
I won't eat that
That's not the way to fill the dishwasher
Don't mix t-shirts with jeans
Why do you wash your dishes that way

and so on, and so on. 

The last 3 years has to be the most challenging years of my life and till this day it still is, but its pleasant.  We worked out our differences and learned to give and take.  We put the puzzle pieces of our lives together to create one big picture that works.  Every once and a while we lose a piece, but we somehow make up for it, and make it fit.

We are now ready to face a new challenge and create a new puzzle in our lives. April 23rd 2010 at 2 am my over the counter pregnancy test showed positive!!!  Yes, i cried with excitement.  I was so THANKFUL and just SURPRISED.  We both wanted this but we didn't expect it.  It is very true what people say that when you think about it constantly it will not happen. 

So lets rewind.  Mike and I agreed that after our trip to the Philippines last year, we would begin planning our future.  Well like i said, the more you think about it, it won't happen.  We tried for 6 months.  I got extremely frustrated so i told him that i didn't want to try anymore and maybe i need a new goal in life.  That new goal was to lose weight and get healthy.  By the way, love and marriage add pounds. So i worked at it.  I lost 10 lbs from mid December to mid April. (note: your body really does slow down after 25.)

So now back to April 23rd at 2am:   I'm PREGNANT!!! What a blessing.  Finally it won't just be the two of us.  I will say that we've grown a lot with each other the last three years that we can take on this new chapter in our life and share it with someone else and the "getting to know you" cycle will roll around again.

So I'm extremely excited to share that I am currently 14 weeks and 4 days.  Our lil' Leong's arrival date is December 27.  This will be the first grandchild for my parents and the second for my in-laws.  We are super thrilled and overjoyed.  Every day of this pregnancy has been a surprise and learning experience.  Thanks to all of my friends and family who are supportive and loving.  God Bless

Here is our first meet and greet with baby leong.  I was 8 weeks and 3 days.