It’s our 6th Wedding Anniversary. I thought I’d share my wedding memories. To be honest, the events of our wedding is mostly a blur to me. It’s like it happened so fast, and I was just going with the flow. It’s like I had tunnel vision, and I was only reacting because I was just so overwhelmed. If not for the photos, videos and my especially-made wedding rites, I would not be able to remember some of the bits and pieces of it.

We didn’t go traditional on the wedding, because I didn’t want it so long. Also, I was limited with what we can really do, keeping it simple was the best option. It has a mixture of Catholic-Filipino-American ceremonies. I am so happy that  Father Blais, the officiator, didn’t insist on doing the Traditional Catholic Matrimonial Mass, and he was open to do the Filipino-and-American Symbolic Ceremonies.

And although, I am so grateful to my friends who helped us with taking the photos and videos, nothing beats wedding ‘photo and video’ professionals, that we didn’t hire. We concentrated on the ring, the cake, the flowers, and our wedding attires; and of course the food for the small gathering after the wedding ceremony, which by the way were prepared as favors by friends. We ordered the flowers from the nearest flower shop and my mother and I made the corsages, while hubby prepared the candles and ordered the wedding cake from Yokota. And our wedding attires are bought and custom made in the Philippines.

It was a cold and snowy in Nagano that day, I don’t know how I’ve survived in that dress.

Read about the days leading to the wedding:

• Our Love Story, In His Words (Part 1)
• Our Love Story, In His Words (Part 2)

Our Wedding

Michael and Charlotte
March 7, 2004
Okaya Catholic Church
Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Pre-Ceremony Wedding Song

I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You

Wise men say “Only fools rush in”
But I can’t help falling in love with you.
Shall I stay, would it be a sin
If I, I can’t help falling in love with you.

Like a river flows, surely to the sea,
Darling so it goes, some things are meant to be
Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I, I can’t help falling in love with you.

Like a river flows, surely to the sea,
Darling so it goes, some things are meant to be

Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I, I can’t help falling in love with you.
No I, I can’t help falling in love with you …

The Walk Down the Aisle

It was a short walk down the aisle. I was looking at everyone but not really seeing. But when I saw hubby’s smiling face as he was looking at me, I just kept smiling myself.

Exchange of Vows

We made our own vows. I remember I was so touched and teary-eyed after hearing hubby’s wedding vows that I grabbed his face to kiss him, but he stopped me and told me – it’s not time. Everyone was laughing.

You will always be my angel… -Michael

I will always love you no matter what … - Charlotte

We did the traditional vows as well.

I take you to be my lifetime partner
to be none other than yourself,
to have and to hold; for better or for worse;
in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish
both freed and bound by our love
for as long as we both shall live.

Blessing and Exchange of Rings

The wedding ring is the outward and the visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond, which unites two hearts in endless love. The circle, the emblem of eternity, and gold, the type of what is least tarnished and most enduring, are to show how lasting and imperishable is the faith now pledged. Let the rings, a fit token of that which is unending, be a symbol of the value, the purity, and the constancy of true wedded love; and the seal of the vows in which is pledged in the most solemn and sacred honor.

For we will laugh and cry,
Support and be supported,
Grow and then move forward into a greater world and
Through our love bring more love onto others,
I give you this ring in solemn token and pledge
Of my constant faith and abiding love
And as a seal of my vows to you,
Whom I will love and cherish above all others, forever.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.

Candle Ceremony

Two candles that represents the bride and groom are lighted. The candles symbolize the Light of Christ, the same light they received at Baptism and now receive again to lead them in their new life as a couple. Our candles were lighted by the Best Man, Phil and my mother.

The Best Man, Phil

Mother of the Bride

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
(John 1:1-4)

Lighting of the Unity Candle

From the American Wedding Tradition, using each candles that represents the bride and groom, the center unity candle is lighted. This ceremony symbolizes the union of two individuals, becoming one in commitment.

Then Jesus spoke and said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
(John 8:12)

Veil Ceremony

The veil ceremony is one of the symbolic ceremonies of a Traditional Filipino Wedding. A white veil is placed over the shoulder of the kneeling couple. The veil symbolizes living under God’s protection and being clothed as one.

Veil Ceremony with Friends, Patrick and Lucelle

The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
(Gen 2:23,24)

Cord Ceremony

The cord ceremony is another symbolic ceremony in a Traditional Filipino Wedding. The cord is looped in a figure 8, the symbol of infinity, and placed over the couple. It represents the ties that bind the couple together who will now walk through life as equals.

Cord Ceremony with Friends, Arvin and Grace

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures forever. Love never fails.
(1 Cor 13:4-7)

Marriage Prayer

O God our Father, we honor You in thanksgiving
for the joy, the beauty, and the sacredness of this hour
and for the gifts of life and love;
in life and love, for the gift of Matrimony.
We thank You for our lives, which we now pledged
to live for You, and for each other.
Lord, use our married life according to Your will
and make our love strong yet gentle and true.
In all that we are, let us glorify You.
O Lord Jesus Christ, You are the True Light.
We come before You as unique individuals,
but now clothed as one and bound together in unity.
Together we ask You, to bless us and our marriage.
and with Your light, enlighten our path and warm our hearts.
Strengthen us in the trials of life.
O Holy Spirit, be in our midst.
In the joining of our lives, grant us Your gifts.
When selfishness shows itself, grant us generosity;
when mistrust is a temptation, give us moral strength;
when there is misunderstanding,
clear our minds; give us patience and gentleness;
in pain and in sorrow,
grant us compassion to comfort each other,
strong faith and an abiding love.
Grant that we see long and happy days
and be united forever in the kingdom of Your glory.
Amen.

Nuptial Blessing

The Officiator – Father M. Blais

We call upon You, Almighty God.

Let each of us now ask God, in silence, to bless Michael and Charlotte, His children as they begin their married life.

(From the book of Common Catholic Prayers)

Father, by Your power You have made everything out of nothing. In the beginning You created the universe and made mankind in your own likeness. You gave man the constant help of woman so that man and woman should no longer be two, but one flesh, and You teach us that what You have united may never be divided.

Father, by your plan, man and woman are united, and married life has been established as the one blessing that was no forfeited by original sin or washed away in the flood. Look with love upon this woman, Your daughter, now joined to her husband in marriage. She asks Your blessing. Give her the grace of love and peace. May she always follow the example of the holy women whose praises are sung in the scriptures.
May her husband put his trust in her and recognize that she is his equal and the heir with him to the life of grace. May he always honor her and love her as Christ loves his bride, the Church.

Father, keep them always true to Your commandments. Keep them faithful in marriage and let them be living examples of Christian life. Give them the strength, which comes from the gospel so that they may be witnesses of Christ to others. Bless them with children and help them to be good parents. May they live to see their children’s children. And, after a happy old age, grant them fullness of life with the saints in the kingdom of heaven.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Declaration of Marriage

For as much as you, Michael and Charlotte have consented together in Holy Matrimony before friends and loved ones, and have pledged your faith and declared your unity. I now pronounce you, husband and wife.

- The Officiator

The Commentator, Susette

After-Ceremony Wedding Song

Looking Through the Eyes of Love

Please, don’t let this feeling end,
It’s everything I am, It’s everything I want to be
I can see what’s mine now, finding now what’s true
Since I found you – looking through the eyes of love.

And now, I can take the time,
I can see my life as it comes up shining now;
Reaching out to touch you, I can feel so much
Since I found you – looking through the eyes of love.

And now, I do believe
That even in the storm we’ll find some light;
Knowing you’re beside me, I’m all right!

Please, don’t let this feeling end,
It might not come again, and I want to remember
How it feels to touch you, How I feel so much
Since I found you – looking through the eyes of love.

The Wedding Entourage	The Wedding Entourage
With Friends of the Groom	With Friends of the Bride

Click photos to enlarge photos.

This is the 2nd part of our love story. You can find the 1st part at ‘Our Love Story, In His Words (Part 1)‘

During the weeks that followed we would chat online and call each other on the phone getting to know one another better. On the weekends, Michael would drive to Shiojiri or Charlotte would catch the train to Yokota so we could spend the weekends together exploring Japan or just lounging around watching movies. Sometimes if one of us had days off during the week we would make the trip to visit each other and have a longer weekend together. Day by day feelings grew for each other until one day we each realized that we were in love.

I can still remember the very first weekend he came to visit me. He took the train. I asked him once to bring me a flower, and didn’t mention about it again. I waited for him at the train station. He wasn’t hard to spot among the Japanese people in the station. I was hiding just observing him and he had his neck so long looking for me. He was in jeans and long sleeves polo shirt, carrying a black backpack and a single yellow rose in his hand. It wasn’t a test. It wasn’t a big deal if he had forgotten, but he didn’t forget about my flower … and my heart just melted. I still have the pressed yellow petals.

Between me and him, I was the one who said “I love you.” first, the very first time. He responded with, “I know. I can tell.” Thinking about this makes me want to strangle him. But, we have been lovingly saying “I love you.” to each other everyday since then and he usually say it first.

Yokohama Sea Paradise, Celebrating Hubby's Birthday in 2003

We both like watching movies. That has always been something we shared. But on our dates, if we weren’t just lounging and watching movies, we went to places that he not been through, which is outside Yokota Airbase. He has been in Japan for a little more than 2 years before he met me, but he has no place outside the base that he can speak of having explored. So with my minimal knowledge about the great places of Japan, I gave him the taste of Japan, got us driving to Yokohama and to nice places in Nagano, got him to go to church with me, visited Japanese parks, castles and shrines …

Okaya Yamabiko Park, Japan, Photo taken on 2003 Oct 18

In November of 2003, Michael asked Charlotte to marry him and she said YES. Michael wanted to get married in January 2004 with the belief that a new year with a new promotion and a new wife was a wonderful way to start a new life together. But Michael also wanted to give Charlotte a wedding with family and friends and since Charlotte was Catholic it would only be fitting to have a Catholic weddiing at the church Charlotte attended in Okaya, Japan. So, on the 8th of January 2004 we were legally married and we had a Catholic wedding in Okaya on the 7th of March 2004 with our family and friends.

By Christmastime 2003, just about 5 months after we first met, we were already engaged and had all the dates decided. On Christmas morning, among other Christmas gifts, he gave me a jewelry box. Inside it was a diamond ring … my engagement ring.

First Valentine Together, 2004

Originally, we were planning a wedding in the Philippines. During the planning stage, he showed me a map of the Philippines and he wanted to make sure where exactly was my hometown even though I had told him over and over the name of my hometown, and the location. I pointed out in the map my hometown at the tip of that big island in the south of the Philippines (Mindanao). Then he said to me in a really sad face, “I can’t go there.” Well, I kind’a knew that before he told me that! I knew it was a long shot to have our wedding in my hometown in the Philippines. It was the height of terrorism in the Philippines at that time, that tourists were highly discouraged to come, especially in my part of the country.

In February 2004 we got a house on Yokota and started moving Charlotte’s belongings from Shiojiri to Yokota, because after our wedding in March 2004, Charlotte was quitting he job to be with her husband in Yokota. In March 2004 we had a Catholic wedding officiated by Father M. Blais in Okaya, Japan with our closest friends and Charlotte mother who came from the Philippines from the wedding.

My mother came to Japan for the wedding. A few friends attended. It was small, but special. I am so glad that Father Blais, the officiator, didn’t insist on doing the traditional Catholic Matrimonial Mass but went along with me on doing just the Matrimonial Rites with a few tweaks to combine the Filipino and American matrimonial traditions. I asked some friends to take the photos and videos, and even asked some of them to cook for the reception. Ordered the flowers from the nearest flower shop and my mother and I made the corsages, while hubby prepared the candles and ordered the wedding cake from Yokota.

We had our honeymoon at a ski resort in Nagano, but neither one of us wanted to ski …

Our Wedding, March 7, 2004

We have been together for over a year now and have been married for the last 8 months.

Each day that passes we become closer than ever to each other and our love grows by each passing minutes. Our lives have been wonderful since the day we met each other and neither on of us would change a minute of time we have been with each other.

We have been together 6 years now. Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. Our lives together is not without issues and problems, struggles and compromises but his statement above remains true until this day.

This is our statement and it continues …

Read about our wedding …

Papi and Baby, Malling, Photo taken 2003 Sep 12

When we were applying for immigration visa for me to be able to come and live in the United States, hubby did all the paperwork. All I needed to do was make sure my name was spelled right and fix my signature.

Anyway, the fun part in the application process for me was the ‘Statement of Initial Meeting and Ongoing Relationship’ , where we technically had to state our love story. The better part of it is that – hubby wrote it.

Here it goes … our love story in his exact words. I have to adlib though…

22 August 2004

The following statement is explaining the circumstances of initial meeting and ongoing relationship between Micheal and Charlotte.

On 18 June 2003, we met through a mutual friend, Phillip R., who is the supervisor of Michael at Yokota Airbase Japan. At that time Phillip was dating June Y., Charlotte’s friend. Phillip invited June to Yokota to spend the weekend together and June brought Charlotte with her from Shiojiri, Nagano Japan near Matsumoto where Charlotte worked for Epson as a Software Designer.

Nagano, where June and I lived and worked, is 4-6 hours commute by train from Yokota Airbase. June didn’t want to go by herself, and asked me to come along. I went with her because I really wanted to see the airbase, but I think Phil didn’t like that I was there – the unwanted third wheel!

Phillip asked Michael to pick up Phillip, June and Charlotte from the train station in Fussa just outside Yokota Air Base. We were introduced and from that moment Michael believed he had met an angel.

I have to laugh at reading the statement – that he believe he had met an angel. I have once told him that he is only saying that to make me feel special, but he has been really consistent and he is really sweet like that…

Okaya Yamabiko Park, Nagano Japan, Photo taken on 2003 August 23

For Charlotte, it was a different story. Charlotte thought Michael spoke too fast and too loud and had a hard time understanding him and had thought she had met the devil.

I didn’t actually thought I had met the devil, but I didn’t like him at first! I thought he was too loud and swearing and cursing all the time. That on a casual conversation, his sentences would have swear words in between other words, plus talking fast, with that American accent. He was just so hard to understand. At one point, while hearing him talk, I keep asking what is wrong with this guy?, I could understand Phil, they are both Americans and they’re suppose to sound the same at least, but … he’s just weird.

But, as the weekend went on and we talked and spent more time with each other, Charlotte realized that she had met a wonderful man and not the devil.

What really softened me to him, is, at the night we arrived (Friday Night), while the four of us were hanging out watching a movie at Phil’s place, Phil and June were, well on their own, while I was stuck with him but completely ignoring him, Michael took my hand and softly bit my finger. I was really shocked at this gesture, but I thought it was funny that he must really like me that he was really trying so hard to get my attention. Anyway, as the weekend progressed, he played the guitar for me, talked about his grandparents and I just started to listen to him more.  Saturday night, we watched the movie ‘We Were Soldiers’. The next thing I know,… I was telling him to kiss me and he did.

Michael and Charlotte in Red, Yokota Airbase, Photo taken on 2003 Nov 01

By the end of the weekend on 20 July 2003 we knew that meeting each other was a wonderful thing that happened and thought we should continue seeing each other.

Well, actually I left it to him if he wanted to keep in touch with me. I left him my number without taking his. It was Sunday morning when we left Yokota. Sunday night, I was telling my friend, Susette, about him. She was happy that I had a nice time but she asked, ‘What if he doesn’t call?‘ The truth is if he didn’t call, I thought – it was a great weekend to remember. The reason I didn’t take his number so I would ridicule myself by desperately calling him if he didn’t call, but I was really hoping he’d call like he said he would. That night, at 10pm he called and asked about my travel back and how the rest of my day went. I was so excited …

Continued at ‘Our Love Story, In His Words (Part 2)‘.

From one my favorite book, ‘ The Gifts of Life and Love’ by Ben Zion Bokser.

The thin kindling wood gives off a brilliant flame, but that flame cannot last, and does not give out warmth. It’s function is to ignite the heavy log, which will burn with less sparkle, less glitter, but with the most glowing steadiness. The fire of later years is not as brilliant as the blaze which burned at the beginning but it is firmer, surer, warmer.

Let us not permit the kindling wood to flare up and burn itself out in a beautiful but brief exhibit of flame, without being sure it ignites the thicker log for the more enduring fire.

- Ben Zion Bokser

To my loving hubby, my Valentine,

There were sparks and fireworks, and most especially there was you.
But the sparks and fireworks – they come and go throughout our years together,
and what remained constant, enduring, and ever so loving and kind,
I’ll never trade for sparks or fireworks or anything else,
You.

To all my family, friends and readers,

Have a great Valentine’s Day!

It’s Alabama’s first taste of snow this winter! It has been forecasted to snow yesterday, and it finally did just before lunch time.

Matthew had so much fun in the snow. As soon as we were out, he knows what to do – which was to make snow angels! Later on, when hubby joined us, they had snow ball fight. I was by the tree, chilling. Just happy to see Matthew’s delight over the white snow.

Click photo to enlarge photos.

Just a few months after hubby and I got married, I made this dish that has been a hit in my family in the Philippines – Escabeche (Sweet and Sour Filipino Style) but rather than using fish, inspired by a Filipino Cookbook, I used breaded pork chops.

Everything was done from scratch especially the sweet-and-sour sauce, which means I had to mince the garlic, and slice the ginger, and every ingredients are fresh. (I could have used some ready-made Sweet and Sour sauce that is readily available at the BX (grocery ), but I didn’t!) Anyway, I was so into my cooking. I lavished the aroma in the kitchen. I love this dish and I am so excited to have my dear hubby have a taste of it for the first time. Hubby would drop by the kitchen once in a while, look around and drop comments like – ‘Looks good.‘, ‘Smells good.‘, ‘Is that ginger?‘, like he is curious and interested, and that is so encouraging to me.

I was excited to announce when dinner was ready. Then hubby said he’s having sandwiches for dinner. With surprise, I said, “But I cooked.”. And then calmly he said, “I don’t eat ginger.” Sigh, this information would have been really useful before I started cooking, heck, while I was cooking so I didn’t have to cook a lot!

Later on, on a similar circumstance, I found out that hubby doesn’t eat pineapples on dishes as well. He’ll drink pineapple juice, or even eat pineapple fruit slices, but won’t eat any dish that has pineapple on it.

While in Florida, the day after Christmas Day, Hubby and I went out to watch 'Avatar'. If there are some things that we both enjoy doing, that's watching movies ... and being silly at the photo booth. Photo taken on December 26, 2009, after watching a movie.

Six years later, hubby and I, together – we have survived crossing continents, relocation, having 1 child and 1 more coming. We are still hoping for more years to count. There are more familiarity now; and we are more comfortable with each other now compared to years back. We still kiss ‘Good Night!‘. I may have lost some mystery but I still manage to make him laugh once in awhile. And he still silly and never ceases to amaze me.

We used to celebrate our wedding anniversary on March by dining out at our favorite steak house. But as time goes by – Matthew came along, work and reality get in the way that celebrating our anniversary more often gets postponed or it simply becomes an ordinary day.

I honestly don’t mind not celebrating our anniversary because whenever we can, we go out on movie dates, which I enjoy very much.

Christmas Morning

Matthew with Mommy and Daddy, Christmas Morning

Crazy Tongue, Matthew with Daddy and Grandpa, Christmas Party

Family and Friends, Christmas Party

As most of you have probably suspected, we celebrated Christmas with the in-laws in Florida! We were in Florida for a week.

On the days leading to Christmas Day, we have to tell Matthew how many days until it’s Christmas Day. It’s the day he can open the presents. Every morning, as he wakes up, he’ll tell us “It’s Christmas Day!” but then again, we’ll tell him not yet.

The wrapped presents that were already by the tree has gone through Matthew’s thorough inspection. It’s so funny how the biggest one has the sides of the sticker tag lifted from his little fingers tinkering on it; and some little torn and scratches are so obvious. Over and over we have to tell him that those presents are not for him when he is over by the tree but he has tried everything he could possibly can to try to open them, from hiding behind the curtains and grabbing the presents to just crying over it. But I am proud to say that he has not opened any of them without our permission,… or well, he is always caught before he could even make a move.

On Christmas Day, Santa was good to him. An overload of toys happened for him! He just couldn’t get enough of unwrapping, and getting amazed He just couldn’t settle down the whole day just playing those toys alternately. The few clothes and books he received were appreciated more by me than him. But this is how it has always been. It’s so funny too how he loses interest after seeing it’s not a toy in the gifts. A few times, we let him help us unwrap some of the presents that weren’t for him. As soon as he sees that they are not toys, he turns around and moves on. However if they are toys you could literally see the sparkle in his eyes and he would tell you about it over and over. He actually played with all the new toys the whole day. He couldn’t get enough of them.

Santa was also good to me this year. As I was unwrapping the present hubby got for me, I was so curious because I wasn’t expecting a gift from him. I finalized what I wanted for Christmas which was a HD video camera. Hubby wanted to get the bigger capacity kind (costly) so we resolved to get one for my birthday as a Christmas/birthday gift, since anyway I wanted to use it for when the baby comes on April. So I was unwrapping this gift from hubby and I was so shocked to disbelief that it’s a HP laptop! I was almost going to cry, but I managed to hold it. I was just so speechless!

Early on, while deciding what I wanted for Christmas, I was conflicted between a netbook or HD video camera. While looking at the netbooks and seeing that they don’t have the specs I wanted – they are just slower than the desktop PC I’m used to, I was discouraged. So I decided on the HD video camera which will be more useful when the baby comes. But then hubby figured that he’ll get me a laptop instead with the specs that matches the specs of our desktop PC in a size of a netbook. And it’s perfect! So all those time, hubby was just misleading me, having conversations that we are going to get a HD Video Camera on my birthday. Deep inside, he knows that I really did wanted a small laptop I can take to bed and blog with at late night, and that’s what he got for me!

As happy and overwhelmed as I am, in times like this, I am also sad that I didn’t manage to get him anything nice or surprising! It is always hard to match him. I hope my day will come, when I will surprise him, make him happy and overwhelmed him as he manages to make me feel over and over each time.

Compliments of the inlaws and friends, we also received a digital frame, bottles of perfume, bag, towels, wrist watch for hubby and lots and lots of nice stuffs! Compliments of my mother-in-law, we had a great Christmas meal shared by family and friends. It was a wonderful Christmas, however I wished I had taken more photos!

I’m digging thru the piles of hubby’s pictures for something to post here. I was looking for something a little more candid but, oh well, I found this – not at all candid. I think this was taken during their glory days in the gulf war.

Hubby at Gulf War

Click here to see hubby at 17-years-old and in the Army.

Hubby served in the US Army for 23 years. He was already serving for 20-years or so when I met him, so I didn’t exactly experience the Army life with him. And our kids will only experience the military life thru pictures and stories from their Dad. But come to think about it, hubby is not exactly the type who voluntarily tells stories about his experiences in the military. I guess, there’s just too much to tell, he doesn’t know where to start.

On one hand, I wished I had experienced all the drama of being an Army wife. But then, that we met when he’s almost done with that phase in his life – I won’t have it any other way. I’m so proud of hubby for services and sacrifices for his country. And it will be something that I know our kids will be so proud of. I’m so glad he survive it, and that he’s done with it and I’m so glad that right now, we can concentrate on our life together.  (Does that sound too selfish of me? Oh well.)

To all US Veteran’s out there, enjoy your day!

Photo taken on Sept 29, 2009

Photo taken on Sept 29, 2009
Daddy and matthew, with me and baby in the photo.

Can you tell I’m three months pregnant? I can still fit in my skinny jeans but I have to unbutton and unzip when i’m sitting down.