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 …

Today is my birthday, I look forward to just spending time with my family, to just lounge in the couch. I’m glad hubby’s day off coincides with my birthday, so if the weather permits, he can grill some baby back ribs for me!

Yesterday morning, I woke up to a lot of thoughtful birthday greetings from friends in Facebook. I really appreciate the advance greetings! And I appreciate more what mostly got them to greet me. My sister wrote a very nice tribute for me in Facebook. I got teary-eyed upon reading it, and made me miss her a lot. To top it off, she had to post a very nice photo of us together. What she wrote definitely made my birthday extra-special this year.

My sister and I are just 2-years apart and we have shared so many interesting experiences together. She’s actually the one of my blog influences. Growing up together, she’s more than a sister and a roommate, she’s my best friend.

Get to know her more: Blog Influences, Sisters and Best Friends, Hazy Drift and Chasing Stars

Here’s what she wrote:

I have been thinking about writing about my sister. Our memories together were mostly spent 10 years back.

In kindergarten, my sister got the award for the Highest Honor. in grade school and high school,she was consistently top 3 in her batch (a batch that has an average of 150 students). In college, she was a scholar of DOST (Department of Science in Technology). This scholarship is granted to outstanding students all through out the country. She finished Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and after that worked in Japan for Epson as a Software Engineer. My sister is very good in painting, singing, writing and cooking. she is a positive thinker, you will never hear any bad words come out of her mouth. She is very timid and proper. She thinks before she speaks. She would cry if she is hurt or angry but will never condemn you for making her feel that way. She is very forgiving and understanding. My sister just like my mom, has a very long patience but when it explodes, you might not want to be there. From what I can remember so far, I was the only one who dared to see that side of them, but of course they forgave me afterwards (hehe).

My sister Jessica at age-5 and me at age-7. Photo taken on March 1985.

I remember when we were young, I used to fight with her because I had to wash the dishes all the time. When I wash the dishes at lunch, she would be the one to wash it at dinner and vice versa. My sister is very smart, when I wash the dishes at lunch, she would empty all the big bowls and refrigerate or preserve the remaining food and then tell me to wash everything, including the ‘kaldero’. but when she is the one washing the dishes at lunch, since I am not that keen, of course leftovers are not transferred to ‘tupperwares’ and at night when it is my turn, I get to wash everything still. This had been going on from the time i learned to wash the dishes until I went to college which is pobably 10 years. the good thing about it though is that, I learned to love the job. My sister learned to cook very well, and since she is smarter, i end up buying the ingredients that she needs from the store which is a few blocks from our house.

When I had an assignment in grade school, my sister will teach me how to do it but will never do it herself, even if I bully her into doing it or make her feel guilty(which works most of the time, haha!)….

The last unforgettable memory I had with my sister was when I just turned 18. I had a boyfriend then, my first love who was 7 years my senior. He was notorious with girls and is a good friend of my sister also. This guy had been our friend since I was 12, we hang out a lot and fortunately/ unfortunately, my sister knows his ways. Since I am an expert in choosing the wrong men(unintentionally, even if at first they seem nice), this guy became my boyfriend. One night, we went out on a date. we went on the beach and it was ‘oh-so-romantic’, since i was in love, i was so into the moment and thought that everything was just perfect, until my sister from out of nowhere came out storming and wants me to go home. I was so angry, my anger lasted for more than a month. i made my sister cry. i told her countless times that she ruined everything. Now though, when I look back, I just laugh. Now I am thankful, I realized that she was just protecting me. I am thankful because I did not end up with that guy, haha! It turns out that big sister still knows best.

My sister has her own family now. She has a very beautiful son and in a few months is going to bear her second son. She has a very wacky and faithful husband(so I’ve heard) who loves her dearly (coming of course from kuya mike himself). They live a simple content peaceful life and I know my sister is very happy and is deserving of it.

If there was one person(other than my mother and brother) who I trust with all my heart and who I know will accept me completely, it would be my sister.

Manang, I love you. Although, i’ve hurt you countless times and had been mean sometimes(unconciously), I am just here. I know you almost have everything that you need,but if you want to laugh more or if you just need someone to talk to and make your life a bit stressful(hehe),you always have me. I may be a pain sometimes but I love you dearly!

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)‘.

Lately we had been sick – sore throat, runny stuffy nose, coughing, mild fever, and other symptoms – all three of us. The nights had been difficult as each one of us has to get up in the middle of the just to relieve ourselves from our symptoms – getting up, drinking water, …

With difficult nights, morning is more difficult including morning of Valentines Day. I stayed late in bed, even when Matthew was up and about. I just turned on the TV and had him watching Disney Channel for those early Disney Shows, while I extend to snuggle in bed. Hubby has been up and about from very early morning. Poor Daddy, even when sick has to attend to his cadets. What made me get up is Matthew telling me he’s hungry for bread.

When he headed downstairs, we were delighted by the display of red stuffs in the living room – the cards, candies and chocolate (Thanks to hubby for all these Valentine thoughtfulness.) They’re supposedly from hubby and Matthew for ME, but Matthew got so excited with the candies and chocolates, that as soon as he has seen them – he is not hungry for bread anymore. This time he is hungry for candies.

Valentine 2010, Matthew at 3-years old. Photo taken on Feb.14, 2010

Anyway, the rest of the day went on, with hubby coming and going and still sick. And we just stayed indoors watching movies, etc…

Matthew at 16-months old, showing off his Filipino spot. Photo taken on Jan 9, 2008

After dinner, I let Matthew pick a chocolate cookie. He only picks and eats the chocolates in the cookies, so you can imagine the mess he makes to himself when he is done. With cookie crumbs and chocolate crumbs all over himself, I took him to the bathroom to clean him up. I took off his shirt, wiped him up and dust off crumbs off his shorts as well. While doing so, he was looking at himself in the mirror, and then, pointing to his shoulders, he told me “Mommy, chocolate!”. I thought I’ve missed some chocolates stuff so I wiped him again, but he kept telling the same thing. Then I realized that he was pointing to his own mole at his back just below the shoulder.

For the first time, he discovered the big mole at this back, which he thought was chocolate. Hubby calls this his Filipino spot, since it’s the only Filipino colored spot in his white skin.

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.

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.