't'was a Christmas of mixed emotions

A blessed holiday season from the Funa household!

This past Christmas eve is something I'd never forget. For one, this was the first time I spent it away from my family in Taytay. It was a bit strange not waking up late in the afternoon to see my mom busying herself in the kitchen for the midnight dinner. It was weird that this time around, it's me who'd be busy in the kitchen! And second, it's because it's the first time in our 11 years that Francis and I spent Christmas eve together. So of course, we had to make it special by celebrating it with a simple Noche Buena--cream dory fillet in cherry sauce, penne pasta in red sauce and chocolate fondue for dessert, all complemented with red wine.

Prior to the Christmas eve celebration, Francis decided to just dine out for the usual 7pm dinner. We headed to the neighboring Alex III resto and ordered a little too much for our tummies--lengua with mushroom and pinakbet sa bagnet (mixed veggies with chunks of deep fried pork). The bagnet was to blame for making us so full.

Anway, a few hours before midnight, I had to prepare our meal. It wasn't as taxing as when I had to prepare dinner for 10 people during our pad's dedication. Our Christmas eve fare was actually exciting to prepare because there's not much slicing and frying to be done. Before long, everything was ready. A few minutes to 12mn, we changed into more decent attire because the dinner also served as a Christmas eve date, complete with candle lights.

As we uttered our prayer of thanksgiving, I was surprised to actually find myself crying--I was so full of joy and I felt so blessed for the life I have now that I cried with happiness. I could not thank the Lord enough for all the blessings He's been showering our way. As a colleague noticed, "marriage life does me well", and I can't help but agree. Being with Francis in this binding relationship made me a better person, and is making me want to become even better than better. Paradoxically, being away from my own family in Taytay has, in a way, made me even closer to them. This whole, new life has changed me in more ways than I had imagined-- it has made me more appreciative and thankful to Him who made these things possible. Some would probably say that I can afford to be grateful and all cheery because this is just the first year of marriage and that there are more challenges in store as the years progress. Sure, I know there are; but I also know that with the Lord as the center of our relationship, and with our family and friends around us who continue to rejoice with us and support us, our marriage life will always be a blessing--and that thought is more than enough reason to celebrate this Christmas season and the many others to come.