tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97711042024-03-08T11:02:05.438+08:00Dayz of NullahLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-75782484095727208932011-04-17T12:06:00.000+08:002011-04-17T12:06:54.286+08:00Something NewTime really goes by so fast. A lot of new things going on.<br />
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First of all, we now have a new automated Hematology machine in the clinic. Patient diagnosis has never been easier. We were fortunate to have acquired this machine during our holiday trip back to Manila. It is a big investment but it is worth it. We are slowly reaping the benefits. Busy is always good when you have your own clinic. <br />
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Second, the kids are finally enrolled! Tomorrow is their first day of formal class. We have brought them to the school several times just to get them acquainted with the place, the teachers and the other kids as well. I am so glad they like to come back. We had fun shopping for their school supplies, with them having a choice of what they want. All things are labeled and neatly arranged, even their clothes are ready. I think I am more excited than my boys. I hope they would have a really good schooling experience. Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-35566946405211182222010-12-17T18:34:00.000+08:002010-12-17T18:34:24.228+08:00Holiday RantNovember has gone really fast. Went back to Manila to escort a patient. I was so happy to be home even for just 5 days. It was swift and busy, not a moment wasted. <br />
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Then came December, slow December. I've always been excited during the holiday season. Now that I'm working, I dread it. Holiday means no income. To top it off, I think Papua New Guinea has the most lazy government. Every little thing is celebrated and declared a non-working Holiday. I am feeling the crunch of paying my employees' undeserved holiday pay. Imagine, they get to have 10 days of paid non-working holiday, while I on the other hand, lose income. It's not good from my standpoint. I'd rather work! Never thought of myself as a workaholic, but when you need to pay the bills, the more patients the better.<br />
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The only thing that excites me this holiday is to see the look on my kids' faces when they open up their presents. Other than that, I wish it were January already.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-7563470583693174052010-09-12T09:43:00.000+08:002010-09-12T09:43:38.676+08:00!@*?":PFeels like ranting but I couldn't release what I want to say. The past few days just pushed me off the edge. I'm just irritated, tired, and mad as hell. I'm running out of patience. That's all I can say. Now, I'm getting home sick. Wish my dad and mom were here.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-91983082584601355342010-08-28T17:05:00.000+08:002010-08-28T17:05:48.823+08:00Adios, Mi Abuela JuliaMy Apo Julia was laid to rest today. She was 95 years old. Apo is the best grandmother one can ever have. She was caring, thoughtful and very loving to her kids, grand kids and great grand kids. I am her youngest grandchild, and my dad is her youngest son. We were spoiled rotten by her. I remember she once told me that she wouldn't go to rest until she sees me give birth. She did not only wait for me to give birth but she was able to see my kids too. Even though she already had senile dementia and could not really recognize people that are even close to her, she still knows and seek for my kids. It's unfortunate that I was not there to bring her to her final destination. I will surely miss her and all the things she has done for us. I will always keep you in my heart, Apo. Rest in peace +Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-64331392477171393562010-08-17T18:39:00.000+08:002010-08-17T18:39:45.217+08:00A hard habit to breakI'm officially hooked to online shopping!<br />
Living in Papua New Guinea, there isn't much here in terms of shopping. In fact there's nothing here!<br />
For the past few years, for us to get a decent piece of clothing, we had to buy our things whenever we go home to the Philippines. From clothes, shoes, toys and the ever important underwear, we had to get from somewhere else. So imagine my happiness when finally, I was able to order "the necessities" from the internet. It opened a whole new world for us. It made living in PNG more pleasant and comfortable.<br />
Now, I'm thinking of making a business out of this compulsion. I would love to be someone else's personal shopper. Doing what I do best and getting paid for it?...Not bad at all. Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-68572040073738996192010-07-27T17:19:00.000+08:002010-07-28T13:49:31.964+08:00Down and outI miss blogging. Things have been busy lately that I rarely find time to organize my thoughts...much more put it into writing. The stress is too much lately. I've been down with Malaria two times in a months time. As if I haven't had enough, Flu came in next. What's going on? Is my body telling me to slow down, or perhaps de-stress a little? <br />
Anyway, I am well now. Thank God for that! I miss playing with my kids and doing my daily routine. I wouldn't want to stay sick forever.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-47803162076684537612010-05-16T21:57:00.000+08:002010-07-14T15:01:05.174+08:00My Bestfriend's WeddingI have waited a long time for this moment to arrive so imagine the excitement when my best friend, Joy told me about it. I was literally jumping and screaming with delight. I haven't seen her in a long time and I don't really know much about her anymore. For her to ask me to be her Matron of Honor, still is a big deal for me. I know that she already have some new set of close friends that could probably relate to her more...but best friends will always be best friends no matter what the distance.<br />
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As the wedding day drew near, I prepared myself and flew to Manila. I am by the way living in Papua New Guinea now. I'll only be in Manila for one short week and really have so many things to do. First thing I did was to call her and ask if she needs me to do something for her. She just asked me to go to the couturier and fit my gown for repair. She also reminded me to prepare a speech for the party. Now, this was harder than I thought. Come wedding day, I went straight to the church where the ceremony would be. Everybody they hold dear were there, and I was happy to be amongst the witnesses. This was the first time I'll be meeting the groom. I don't really know much about him. When I saw Eric, he greeted me as if we have known each other forever. That was a nice feeling, and I can sense some good vibes from him. I can tell that he really is a good man, worthy of my best friend.<br />
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</div>The entourage was already inside the church and getting ready to march, I still haven't seen Joy. Finally, her car arrived and she peeped thru the slightly open window and called me. When I saw her, my heart pounded really hard...this is the most beautiful she has ever been. We hugged and got teary eyed, holding back tears just so we can save our make-ups. Standing, waiting for her to make an entrance I keep telling myself that I will not cry. But as I saw her coming near, I just couldn't help myself. I let go of a river of tears...of happiness of course. This was the day we have dreamed off and it turned out really well.<br />
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While we were all waiting for the newlyweds to arrive at the reception, I took the time to make my speech. Yes, I only did it then when I had a year to prepare for it. Anyway, I wasn't able to eat because I was anticipating that they'd call my name anytime for the speech. A very bored crowd, two song numbers and five speeches later, they call me. I had my piece written so I wouldn't choke but as soon as I took my place in the podium and looked at the couple, I started trembling. I got so emotional that I was not able to read what I have prepared. Damn those tears! The best part though is when I was done with my speech, almost everyone was in tears and applauding. So, I think I did a good job, and delivered a heartfelt message to them. After all the crying comes party time! It truly was a lovely and memorable night.<br />
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</div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1176020674440320032007-04-08T16:24:00.000+08:002007-04-08T16:24:34.440+08:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5149/726/640/9443/SP0004.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5149/726/320/30527/SP0004.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a> Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1176020630390125892007-04-08T16:03:00.000+08:002013-08-20T19:43:20.335+08:00It is timeI'm back! Remember the secret I've been keeping since January...here it is. You can see me on this months' issue of SMART PARENTING magazine. This was taken last January 5, 2007 when I was still 7 months pregnant with my twins.<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5149/726/640/578628/SP0001-1.jpg"><img style="display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5149/726/320/766639/SP0001-1.jpg" border="0"></a> The bulge is gone now and I've already given birth last February 16, 2007, 1:09am and 1:10 am to two adorable boys. <br>It was around 10:30pm, I was watching Maging Sino Ka Man at home with my mom while munching on some peanuts when I felt the urge to urinate. I tried to slide out of the bed when my waterbag broke. At first I thought it was just urine but when I stood up, lots of water came gushing out. I told my mom, "Manganganak na yata ako." She started to panic, called my dad who started to panic too. I called my husband on his mobile phone and asked him to go home immediately for I might go into labor. Then we called my OB, she told us to proceed to the hospital and have myself admitted. It was not until 11pm that my husband arrived and we went to UST hospital. I was brought directly to the labor room, had my contractions monitored, had an UTZ and I.E.. Both are still in breech position. When the Anesthesiologist arrived, I got transferred to the O.R., and had a CS. <br>My baby boy Holiday got delivered at 1:09am followed by baby boy Hunter at 1:10am.<br>Finally, they're out and I was already put to sleep after taking a glance at them. <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0"></a>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1168339154953113492007-01-09T18:04:00.000+08:002013-08-20T19:43:01.615+08:00Counting downI've been a little busy this past week doing what i do best, shopping! Funny how one's priorities change when you have a child to think about, more so if you're having two. With all the sale going on, I couldn't buy something for myself. I'm feeling guilty about spending. However, I feel like I'm in shopping heaven when I'm at the kids department buying things for my babies needs. I only have a few weeks to prepare for their arrival and when that time comes, I want to be ready. My dad has been so patient driving me around town. He's not much of a traveller and he definitely hates going to the mall. I know he's also as thrilled as I am that's why he gives in to my requests. Talk about emotional black mail.<br><br>Anyway, I met with my bestfriend yesterday. She's the first person I have on my list of Godmothers for the twins. Probably, the best one for the job. It's unfortunate that we didn't have the luxury of time to spend together this time. Nevertheless, I'm glad for the time we had however short it was.<br><br>Counting down, just 3 more weeks before J arrives, and 7 weeks to go before I give birth to my babies. I hope we make it to 37 weeks. Time flies.<br><br>P.S. I've got a little secret and it won't be out til April.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1167646702257529682007-01-01T18:03:00.000+08:002007-01-09T18:03:13.523+08:00Welcome 2007Happy New Year, everyone!<br />I hope you all had a wonderful feast.<br />Having to celebrate the holidays without J was hard. Though I had my parents and his siblings to cheer me up, it's not the same without him. I tried to show I'm happy but the longing kept haunting me when I'm alone. Still, I'm doing my best to face each day with glee and excitement for my babies sake.<br />As for me, I started a countdown...<br />4 weeks until Jayson is back, 8 weeks until my babies come out!Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1162448000765780762006-11-02T13:50:00.000+08:002007-01-01T18:02:42.450+08:00Halfway ThereThank God! I'm halfway through the pregnancy. The twins are doing well, growing right, and healthy. The OB-Sonologist said that we might be having two little boys but she hasn't confirmed it to us yet, not until the sixth month when we can see the organs more clearly. Nevertheless, we were happy to know of the possibility of having boys. So thrilled, I started buying some baby clothes in neutral colors.<br />Every week, my belly is getting an inch larger. I got my appetite back. I'm starting to feel those back pains and leg cramps and it's getting harder to sleep and breathe. I'm not complaining though. I love being pregnant!<br />Anyway, my husband, Jayson just left for Papua New Guinea yesterday. It wasn't an easy thing to go through especially with the hormones I'm battling with. Emotions ran high and I just couldn't stop crying. I miss him every second of the day. I'm so used to him by my side that I feel incomplete. I know that he'll do what he's supposed to do there. I just need to be strong for our babies sake. That's it for now.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1155796708680318002006-08-17T13:44:00.000+08:002006-08-17T14:38:28.770+08:00It's good to be back!<br />I just had the longest three days of my life. <br />Spotting... bright red fresh blood. It scared the hell out of me...and the whole of our clans. There was a dark cloud that hung over us. Having these precious babies in mind, we sought medical help and was admitted for <span style="color:#ff6666;">Threatened Abortion </span><span style="color:#000000;">(<em>intrauterine bleeding, with or without contractions, a closed cervix and no passage of products of conception</em>).</span> I had to stay at the hospital for two days for observation and complete bedrest (with no bathroom privileges). <br />At first, I thought the bleeding came from my urinary tract (assuming that I may have a small stone) but the urinalysis didn't confirm my hunch. Fortunately, the ultrasound showed that the twins are doing well, growing fast, very active, and there was no sign of bleeding from within. So, I had to take some medicine and had to be confined to the bedroom for two more months. I can't even go downstairs, much more go to the mall. The price I have to pay is high but I wouldn't want to risk having to lose my little ones. I don't think anybody would want that. <br />I thought something like this this won't happen to me but it did.<br />We're just glad that for the meantime, I'm feeling fine. <br />We're so grateful for the prayers and support that we've been getting from our family and friends. Most of all, I'm so thankful for having a husband like Jayson. I know he's tired but he never once complained.<br />Got to go and rest now. Til next time.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1154575149036769202006-08-03T11:09:00.000+08:002006-08-03T11:19:09.063+08:00Love Times Two<div align="center">Well, what do you know? We're having <strong><span style="color:#ffcc00;">TWINS</span></strong>!<br />I'm still at loss for words.<br />Here they are, making their first appearance. </div><div align="center"><br /> </div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5149/726/1600/Love%20x2-1.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5149/726/320/Love%20x2-1.0.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />La Vie D'amour kit by Michelle Bradley @ Shelby Digital Design Shoppe<br />Twine and glass freebie by Sara Carling</span><br /><br /></p>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1153806232849205142006-07-24T12:45:00.000+08:002006-07-25T14:29:51.776+08:00Sixth Week<div align="left">I'm now on my<span style="color:#9999ff;"><strong> </strong></span><span style="color:#9999ff;">6th week </span><span style="color:#9999ff;">of gestation</span>. About two weeks ago, I had a hard time sleeping, wondering when my period will come. I've always had a longer than usual cycle (30-33 days) that's why we had to wait a while for us to assume that we're pregnant. The instance that I had the slightest hint was when I had an <span style="color:#ff99ff;">Implantation Bleeding</span> (pinkish vaginal discharge). At day 35, I started feeling nauseous the whole day so we decided to take a <span style="color:#ff6666;">home pregnancy test</span> that night. My heart was pounding hard and fast, I couldn't bare to look as the two lines appeared on the test. I waited a few more minutes, trying to convince myself that this time it's true, it's positive. Slowly. I walked toward my husband to show him the result. I've never seen him that happy for a long while. Finally, we're having a baby! Not long after a few moments of celebrating, we told our parents. They were very joyful as they will be grandparents for the first time. </div><div align="left">A week after that here I am, always craving for wanton noodles! Aside from the sore breasts, uncontrollable sleepiness, frequent trips to the lavatory and refrigerator , I'm doing fine. I guess the hormones haven't kicked in much yet. Being pregnant is the best thing that has happened to me so far. I've been informed that getting pregnant with <span style="color:#66ffff;"><strong>PCOS</strong></span> isn't going to be easy. For a while I started to doubt the possibility. I've been bombarded with medicine just to have the slightest chance of conceiving. I still am under medication and I'm glad I was compliant or else, none of this would have happened.<br />My dear hubby is so supportive and attentive to my needs and wants. I couldn't ask for a better partner. Anyway, here's a very special thing I did entitled "<strong><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Sweet Beginning</span></strong>". It's my first pregnancy layout.<br /></div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5149/726/1600/SS_HipMommy_Beginning.0.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5149/726/320/SS_HipMommy_Beginning.0.jpg" border="0" /> </a><p align="center"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />Hip Mommy Kit by Summer Simmons @ Sugar Giggles </span></p>By the way, thank you to everyone who wished us well. We really appreciate all the good things that you have to say. And before I forget, here's something that I want to pass on to other women who is desirous of conceiving a child. I've always said this <span style="color:#ffcc00;"><strong>Prayer for Motherhood</strong></span> before I go to sleep at night. All it needs is a little faith.<br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5149/726/320/QuietMeDown_Prayer.0.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:<br />Quiet Me Down Kit by Valerie Fowler @ The Digichick</span> </p>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1153104771566557202006-07-17T10:48:00.000+08:002006-07-17T10:52:51.566+08:00Fresh<a href="http://www.snugglepie.com"><img src="http://www.snugglepie.com/ezb/568214.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's all goood, baby! I'm off to my first Prenatal Check-up.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1153114903106887222006-07-16T23:34:00.000+08:002006-07-17T13:42:38.876+08:00Are you having a baby?<br />If you are, there's a new kit by Summer Simmons called <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Hip Mommy</span></strong>.<br />It's a funky kit with bright colors and lotsa elements.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5149/726/1600/SS_HipMommy_500-796769.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5149/726/320/SS_HipMommy_500-796769.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You can get it <a href="http://sugargiggles.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=205">Here</a>.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1151648568784354512006-06-30T13:50:00.000+08:002013-08-20T19:47:35.480+08:00Something to look forward toI am NOT dead... at least not yet. I'm so ashamed of leaving my blog empty for a while. Not that I don't have something to tell, I just feel so lazy this past few days. I guess being broke and jobless really pumps out the energy in me. Anyway, I have some great news too.<br>The clinic inspection went well and is already approved by the PNG Medical Board. But the thing is, they still want us to expand the clinic to accomodate patients from neighbouring provincial hospitals. Wow! Isn't that just awesome news? Before we we're thinking whether we'll be able to have a number of patients. Now, I'm wondering if we could handle the volume. I guess it's better than having no work at all. At least, we have something to look forward to. It's just a matter of time before we get our working Visa which is long overdue. Fixing the requirements held us back for a year...a very long year! Sometimes I wish I could have gone into residency training just to kill time. On the other hand, if I've gone into training it would be harder for us to conceive and have the treatments. In line with that, I'm on my second month of taking 150 mg of Clomiphene Citrate. I must be responding to this dosage because I finally broke the cycle of having PCOS every other month. That alone is good news and if we'll be able to have a baby, that would be a great blessing.<br><br><div align="center"><span style="color:#33cc00;">* * *</span></div>In othe news, designer <span style="color:#ff6666;">Michelle Bradley</span> is having a birthday on the 4th of July! As a birthday treat, she is offering a freebie on her site at <span style="color:#3366ff;">Shelby Design Shoppe</span>. Grab it before its gone! It will only be available for a limited time.<br>Go here in the forum: <a href="http://www.shelbydesignshoppe.com/msgboard/index.php?topic=35.0">http://www.shelbydesignshoppe.com/msgboard/index.php?topic=35.0</a><br>or Her blog: <a href="http://shelbydesignshoppe.typepad.com/shelby_digital_design_sho/">Shelby Digital Design Shoppe<br></a><br><span style="color:#00cccc;">Mari K</span> is also having a 50% sale over at <span style="color:#663300;">The Digichick</span> in celebration of her daughter's 2nd birthday. Sale ends on June 30. Lots of great stuff and new kits up for grabs. Don't miss it!<br><br>That's it for now! Have a great weekend!Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1150597541876958432006-06-18T10:25:00.000+08:002013-08-20T19:56:28.491+08:00That's my dad!It's <span style="color:#3366ff;">father's day</span>! Happy day to all the father's out there specially to my dad. I'm so broke I wasn't able to prepare something for him. I know he understands...he always does and I'm so grateful. When I was growing up, I wasn't able to see much of my dad. I just see him in the morning before I leave for school and in the evening when I'm about to sleep. He was a workaholic! Nevertheless, when he's not so busy tinkering with his car, he takes me out to go wherever I want. <em>"Wherever"</em> for him means anywhere in Makati. We'd go to church at Greenbelt Park where the chapel is surrounded by a pond. Afterwards, we'd go to Pancake House and order our favorite Taco. I've always known that I'm a spoiled child. I get whatever I want and enjoyed being a child...mostly because of how my dad treated me. I miss those times but right now, I'm enjoying every day that we are together.<br><br><center><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/256/2771/640/SuperDad_That"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/256/2771/320/SuperDad_That%27s%20My%20Dad.jpg" border="0"></a></center><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Credits:</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Super Dad kit by Mari Koegelenberg @ The Digichick</span></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#9999ff;">p.s.</span> If you have time, you might want to check out her blog: <a href="http://marikcreations.blogspot.com">Mari K Creations</a> . You just might get lucky.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">In other news, our clinic in Papua New Guinea has just been approved by the inspector from the medical board. All we need is documentation on their part so we could apply for a working visa. This is great news for us! Eventhough it took longer than we expected, at least there's some progress in that department. We're so excited to go and work our butts off. Then perhaps, there will be better days for us all.<br></div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1147576677445806302006-05-14T10:50:00.000+08:002006-05-15T14:18:17.576+08:00It's My Party...and I'll cry if I want to. Yep! Today is the day. I'm thirty one and I want to stop counting from here on.<br />When I was YOUNG-er, I was so excited about my birthday. I couldn't sleep waiting for midnight to come when all my friends would call me up and I'd be on the phone for hours. I used to be excited about a new birthday dress to wear, giddy about the celebration to come. Those were the days.<br />Today, I'm just happy to wake up to a new day! No birthday cards to read, no presents to open (except for that red envelope mom & dad gave), aside from that I know so well that there's nothing for me today. Dad woke me up with a greeting as I in turn greeted my mom a Happy Mother's Day. It doesn't bother me to share the limelight with all the mothers out there, coz if it weren't for them, there'll be no birthdays. I felt neglected somehow. Mom took off early to go to Pampanga and attend one of my cousin's wedding. Dad opted to stay home with us.<br />I went to Church early ( which is very rare) with my hubby just to thank the Lord for all the blessings He had showered upon me. I am not a deeply religious person but I know how to give back what God has given me.<br />Maybe we'll celebrate later. I'm glad Clomiphene hasn't started kicking in yet or else, I'd wind up a famished grouch. I'm feeling...Italian.<br />I have only one wish for my birthday... <span style="color:#99ffff;">**********</span><br />I think you know it by now.<br /><br />Have a great day everyone!<br /><span style="color:#ff99ff;"><strong>Happy Mother's Day!</strong></span>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1146747338195349362006-05-04T20:53:00.000+08:002006-05-04T20:55:38.196+08:00CTM of the MonthLookie, lookie!<br />Guess who's being featured this month?<br />See it <a href="http://www.marikcreations.com/spotlightmay.html"><span style="color:#33ccff;"><strong>here</strong></span></a>.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1146735670373872382006-05-03T22:49:00.000+08:002006-05-04T20:53:15.746+08:00Road TripSo, what's new?<br />We travelled 1100 kilometers by land.<br />Can you imagine how long we've been sitting on our butts?<br />We left Saturday Morning at about 3AM. It was still dark but I know we could handle navigating the first stretch. When the sun rose, we were already at Quezon Province. I've been there a couple of times before but haven't reached the boundaries. It was a grueling ride! The road is awful, much like the surface of the moon! To make things worse, there were no restaurants opened at 7am. Good thing we saw a roadside eatery called Delicious. As usual, I ended up ordering Wanton Noodle Soup which is my favorite. I didn't expect the food to be that good. I particularly liked the egg noodle and the wanton with the shitake mushrooms in it.<br />As we went on our way, I realized that we had to go through the zigzag road along the mountain. I didn't get to sleep through the whole trip. We passed by the fishing villages of <span style="color:#ffcc00;">Gumaca</span>, Quezon, the coconut plantations of Camarines Sur, and some other scenic places.<br />It was 11AM when we finally reached Naga City. We were able to get accomodations at Naga <span style="color:#33ff33;">Regent Hotel</span>, by far the best hotel we could find in the city.<br />The wedding's at 2Pm so I immediately started preparing. Jayson took longer to get ready. I was starting to get frantic when we couldn't find the church. When we got to the church, I thought that the mass has started already which really made me pissed. Good thing it was the wrong church. We were lucky enough to reach <span style="color:#cc66cc;">Our Lady of Penafrancia Basilica</span>. The reception was held at an indoor garden more similar to the place where we got married. We don't know most of the people around so were seated with a couple of locals. It was a beautiful wedding full of traditions and love overwhelming. It was worth the trip.<br /><br />Sunday morning, we left Naga and headed further south to see the infamous <span style="color:#6666cc;">Mayon Volcano</span>. We made a stop at the <span style="color:#3366ff;">Cagsawa Ruins </span><span style="color:#000000;">(an old Spanish Colonial church that got buried during the volcano's eruption in the early 1700's ) where all that is left was the bell tower. It was a little cloudy when we got there so we never really saw the peak of Mayon until later in the afternoon. </span><br />Then we went on to find the white sand beach of <span style="color:#33cc00;">Masibis</span><span style="color:#000000;">. The way to Masibis was steep. After reaching the end of the road, they said that we have to take our vehicle with us on a ferry ride across the river because there's still 5 more kilometers of driving before we reach the place. We chickened out and couldn't take that risk. We headed back, disappointed and a little rattled about the situation. We passed by the beaches of <span style="color:#333399;">Kalaykai</span> and <span style="color:#000099;">Bacacay </span><span style="color:#000000;">where the water is clear but the sand is so black. Far from what we had in mind. </span>It was getting dark and we just wanted to find a place to stay. We were lucky enough to find a decent and private resort in <span style="color:#ff9900;">Mullner's</span>. We went for a swim in the warm water and dark night. I didn't stay long because I felt my face burning and itching from the saltiness of the water.</span><br /><br />Monday morning, we woke up early hoping to have a clear view of Mayon volcano but it rained on the most opportune time. I'm afraid that it was going to be a bad day to travel. After breakfast, we started heading home. Our tank's almost empty and we couldn't find a nearby gas station that accepts credit cards so we had no choice but to pay in cash and sacrifice our lunch money. I was the one navigating so I chose the shorter road to take. It was too late to turn back when we realized that we will be travelling for hours in a road beside the mountain cliffs of <span style="color:#993300;">Iriga</span>. I couldn't move or say a word. There was silence in the car. I guess we all got petrified when we saw that we had to pass by the eroded part of the mountain. It was like being in Jurasic Park without the dinosaurs. I saw the <span style="color:#66cccc;">Island of Catanduanes</span> on my right side with the white sand we were dreaming of. The view was breathtaking but still, I couldn't even move a finger to get a shot. Is this the way that I'm going to die? I started praying to all the angels and saints to keep us safe! My gosh, it was the most exciting and horrific part of the trip! I never doubted Jayson's driving abilities, and I know that was the time to believe in him. We got to the plains safely, and God granted us with sunny skies through the whole time we were at the mountain. I've never been so happy to see rice fields again in my life! It was already night time when we reached the nearest City which is Lucena. Famished and tired, we screamed at the sight of <span style="color:#ff0000;">Max's Fried Chicken</span>. After that, the trip home seemed faster. We reached Manila after 12 hours of road trip. I'm just so glad to be home!<br /><br /><br /><embed name="photoFlick" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" align="middle" src="http://www.picturetrail.com/photoFlick/m_magnifier.swf" width="400" height="320" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" loop="false" quality="high" flashvars="magOn=1&wait=6&amp;img1=http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1186/4615966/10075438/144200394.jpg&img2=http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1186/4615966/10075438/144200395.jpg&img3=http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1186/4615966/10075438/144199884.jpg&img4=http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1186/4615966/10075438/144199892.jpg&img5=http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1186/4615966/10075438/144199876.jpg&img6=http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1186/4615966/10075438/144200392.jpg&img7=http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1186/4615966/10075438/144199871.jpg&img8=http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1186/4615966/10075438/144200389.jpg" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain"></embed>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1145849867133362612006-04-24T11:37:00.000+08:002006-04-24T11:37:47.236+08:00Bilateral Polycystic Ovaries, again?<br />I am so screwed up!Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1145624125038403162006-04-21T20:23:00.000+08:002013-08-20T20:05:01.616+08:00Still hopefulI'm still here, folks. I'm so terrible when it comes to writing that I don't do it much. Well, nothing has changed much except for my crowning glory. I thought that my hair had a life of its own, getting harder to manage each day. As if it's not enough that I 've had some troublesome days! <br>Anyway, I was so disappointed about having another unwanted monthly period that I couldn't talk about it. We certainly had our hopes high but to our dismay, nothing good came out of it. I guess that's the price we have to pay for some leisure. So, I decided to move on in silence, taking things astride. Another round of Clomiphene and the whole she-bang, another series of ultrasound. For a while, I got used to being in the lithotomy position that I didn't care anymore. <br>Meanwhile, my dear husband started applying for his residency training in Surgery. I, on the other hand, didn't go with him. This time, it's just a matter of priorities. I don't know how we'll be able to make a baby with both of us on duty, with different schedules and all stressed out. Not to mention the very low salary that's just enough for his food and gas allowance. Staying home might be the more sensible choice for us. In any case, the monetary compesation is not really a big issue. The better end of this deal is the amount of knowledge and skill that he can get from this experience. <br>We haven't given up on our upcoming career abroad. It's just that things are taking longer than usual. Honestly, we don't know what to do anymore. The Medical Board of PNG's really squeezing out every last bit of patience we have. If I may say so, I think they're just a bunch of morons who doesn't know what's good for them! We gave them all the requirements, our clinic is almost done, the only foreign doctor in the area has left already, and all that's missing is us. It's the end of the month again and time for them to congregate. I hope this months meeting will be more productive and favorable. *Fingers crossed*<br>And so amongst all this chaos and uncertainty, one thing is for sure... I love the way my mom cut my mane! I feel ten pounds lighter!Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9771104.post-1144310811260963992006-04-06T14:53:00.000+08:002006-04-06T17:55:47.833+08:00Trip to the IslandsI don't really know where to start so here it goes.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff99ff;">March 29 Wednesday</span></strong><br />- Roadtrip from Manila to Port of Batangas; 2 hours<br />- Got on a Roll-on, Roll-off (Ro-Ro)ship from Batangas to Calapan, Mindoro: 2 hours<br />- Roadtrip from Calapan to Roxas, Mindoro; 4 hours<br />- Got on a Ro-Ro ship from Roxas to Port of Caticlan; 5 hours<br /><span style="color:#ff6666;"><strong>March 30 Thursday</strong></span><br />- waited for sunrise to get on a 15-minute boat ride from Caticlan to Boracay Island<br />- Checked-in at Orchids Resort in Station three<br />- German Breakfast by the beach<br />- Swim til Lunch Time<br />- Lunch at Gustoph in Station Two<br />- Stroll at D'mall - souvenir shops and dining places<br />- Dinner buffet at Bar Grill in Station Two<br />- Watched a Reggae concert at Bom Bom<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff9900;">March 31 Friday</span></strong><br />- It's our 14th month anniversary<br />- Farmer's breakfast at the resort<br />- Island hopping boat ride<br />- Snorkling near Crocodile Island<br />- Shop for souvenir pearls and accessories at Puka-Shell Beach<br />- Lunch at Hey, Jude! in Station Two<br />- Had a Henna tattoo<br />- Dinner at the resort Patio<br />- Watched a fire-throwing show at Cocomangas, had some drinks and the Pizza is a must-try<br /><strong><span style="color:#ffcc00;">April 1 Saturday</span></strong><br />- Breakfast at Bei Marc and Beck's<br />- Afternoon swim<br />- Banana Boat ride - an inflated boat shaped like a banana being pulled by a speedboat; the objctive is to turn the boat over and drop the passengers into the water<br />- Shop for Souvenirs<br />- Dinner Buffet at Dalisay Paradise Restaurant<br /><strong><span style="color:#33ffff;">April 2 Sunday</span></strong><br />- Morning Walk from Station Three to One and back hunting for South Sea Pearl vendors<br />- Willy's Rock<br />- Crepes for Breakfast<br />- Pack things for departure<br />- Boatride from Boracay to Caticlan<br />- Roadtrip from Caticlan to Roxas City, Capiz<br />- Lunch at Ramboy's in Kalibo, Aklan<br />- Watched a Pistol shooting competition at Capiz Gun Club<br />- Dinner with our friend, John's family in Roxas City, Capiz<br />- Stayed at their Resthouse in Ivisan, Capiz<br /><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">April 3 Monday</span></strong><br />- Lunch at Capiz Gun Club<br />- Had a Pistol Shooting lesson from the Club members<br />- Had Authentic La Paz Batchoy at Ted's<br />- Bought dried Squid and Fish (Danggit) for Pasalubong<br />- Dinner at Dodoy's house<br />- Pack luggage<br /><strong><span style="color:#9999ff;">April 4 Tuesday</span></strong><br />- Roxas City Airport, flight to Manila<br /><br /><center><embed id="smilplayer" name="smilplayer" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="http://img98.imageshack.us/slideshow/smilplayer.swf" width="426" height="320" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="FFFFFF" flashvars="id=img98%2F3379%2F1144312288q81.smil%3Fnocache%3D1144317015"></embed></center><br />That was the end of our week-long vacation. The best part of it was experiencing the warm hospitality of the people we met along the way. I would love to come back someday! I'm missing the island life already.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02358192042987009446noreply@blogger.com2