Give the Day a Chance to Start

Sunday, June 19, 2005

Fathah's Day!

"I really enjoyed this day," my Papa said as we drove to the hospital where we were to help bring Lolo and Lola safely to their room.

To hear my dad say that clinched it all. In a sense, it was proof that Mama, Ate, and I were successful in making the day extra special for the numero uno man in our lives.
Happy Father's Day, Papa! This photo is kinda (err... make that VERY) blurry, but it's the only photo taken of my dad today. It'll have to do.

We jump started the day by surprising Papa with a big gift box wrapped in baby blue (whoa, how very masculine! mark the sarcasm) paper. That nice green polo he has on in the picture is just one of the goodies neatly packaged in that box. I'm so glad he liked it, and that he (we three ladies agreed) looked great in the color.

After a hearty Sunday family breakfast, we went to church, which was followed by an even more hearty lunch where a couple of other family members joined us. When my family gets together, meals never takes less than two hours because we all just have this innate gift of gabbing and chatting the minutes away with one another. That's not to say that more talking takes place than eating. We've got that eating part covered pretty darn well, if I may say so myself. Anyway, since it was Father's Day, we allowed (if I can even use that word with my dad) Papa to order and eat this absolutely decadent piece of moist chocolate cake, topped with a hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream--a la mode is what they call it, I think. Since it was HIS day, we let him satisfy his sweet tooth. So, starting tomorrow and every other non-special day of the year, we get the license back to keep strict watch over his diet. I'd like him to be around, healthy and strong, much much longer. Heehee...

We hung out at the mall, buying a few things and having our traditional coffee fix before heading straight to my grandparents' house.

Commercial Break: Starbucks FrapLight is back! Sing wit' me now... "HALLELUJAH!!!" If ya'll are laughing at my incredibly dorky smile at the photo down there, I guess you have every reason to. I do look like a sugar-high, crazed kid enjoying the sweets at a candy shop. Only... what I'm glugging down is absolutely sugar-free! Yahoooooooo! Still, as you can see, it still makes me as hyper as any sugar-high coffee-addict would be. Hmmm...

Back to the real world. *ahem*

Since I'm on the topic of fathers, I guess it's only fitting that I talk about my Lolo.

He and my lola, parents of my dad by the way, have been confined in a hospital for roughly two years now. My lola has been bed-ridden, yet in relatively stable condition, while Lolo's condition had been quite erratic, what with his mild stroke, hypertension, and yes, all other types of physical deterioration that comes with aging. I watched my dad lose lots of weight because of all the stress, both physically and emotionally, of having to be a doctor, the eldest, and main man in charge of two sick parents. To make the incredibly long story short, God granted us the miracle we'd been praying for by slowly yet surely giving Lolo back his strength, and stabilizing his overall health. Yesterday, Lolo and Lola spent the night at their real home after months and months of hospital care, and even though they were brought back to their hospital room today, Papa went through all the hassle of transferring them to and fro just to grant Lolo his request to be brought home even for only a while. It did my old folks good, I guess, to be away from the hospital after such a long time of being confined to the four walls of their room. And to be brought back to see and stay at their home must have been a real joy for them. Little by little, Papa plans to wean them from hospital care so that they can comfortably and finally reside in their humble abode. Lolo had a huge smile on his face the whole time I was with him today, by the way. I was delighted to see him in such good spirits.

My dad and my lolo are without question two of the greatest, most respectable fathers in the world. One day is not enough to honor them for all their sacrifices. But I'm glad that we were able to give them their due this day--their official day--by simply making them happy.

I will end this entry by greeting the most important Father of them all: my Heavenly Father. Happy Dad's Day! Thank you, Lord, for being the ultimate example, and for choosing me to be your child.