Our Lady of Manaoag

Bored? Anxious? This is a good time to start a hobby that requires patience. Cross-stitching!

Sharing with you another pattern that I got. I didn't make this one but I wanted to do it. With Our Lady of Guadalupe still in queue, I don't know when I will ever get this done.

Credits

Come back from time to time to see updates on patterns.


Click HERE for the pattern. Do let me know if it doesn't work.

Belittled Soul

" I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him."  

 Booker T. Washington

I loved that saying ever since I stumbled upon it with the nuggets of wisdom booklet, but sad as it may seem, my heart is full of hate. 

My soul has been belittled ever since I can remember. My memory is stretched that far. I cannot understand why YOU are always very critical of me. Your love for me has always been conditional. You can love me the way you want to if I am going to do what you want, if not, then I am nothing and I worth nothing for you to deserve that love and that hurts.

I want to say I love you no matter what, but that's not the case. I need to forgive YOU, but in order for me to do that, I need to forgive myself first for allowing you to hurt me, for letting you control over my life. 

This life of mine has been a constant struggle for power, and of control. This is MY LIFE and NOT yours to navigate wherever and whenever you wish.

I can understand little of what you want because I cannot bring myself to listen to YOU anymore. I know that you want to mean well. I would like to think of it that way. But the words that come out of your mouth doesn't heal me, they only create more wound and scars that are never concealed. 

I want to bring myself closer to you but your lashing words kept pushing me away. And I don't want that in my life anymore. I don't want that for my son either.

I have struggled and have come this far to turn back to that miserable life. On this day forward, I will let go of your demeaning ways towards me. You exist but will not be tolerated. The harder you push, the harder I will push back. 

I am me. If you cannot love me, then I will love myself. I am tired of being so hateful and angry and hurt all the time. I deserve something more. I do not need to do anything just to please you, I am no longer twelve. There is nothing to prove. Goodbye.

Highway to Hell

I am into my journey with no possible direction. Nothing seems to interest me, even living sounds dull and dying seems inviting.

Coming to America, I thought it would liberate me. What was I thinking? I have become a living prisoner. Prisoners are luckier than I am. They can have the free speech. That's the least that can be afforded to me. No back talks. They can insult me, criticize me, make fun of me and whatever it is they fancy, yet, they don't expect me to retaliate. BUT that is just isn't me.

I am a straightforward person, plain and simple. How can a person who taught me to tell the truth and say what is right is so angry for voicing out myself? That person can and will humiliate me when they want to, the way they want to but CANNOT, I say CANNOT accept me to tell the truth about them. It speaks volumes. I am a reflection of that person.

That person treats me like I am a stupid woman who is raising a son. That I do not know anything. That I cannot do anything. I know better, but my self-esteem right now is going downhill. Way too fast. I will not wonder if one day I might just believe that there is truth in what that person says about me.

Somehow being a nobody, with nothing on my name, well, maybe except my son, keeps ringing in my ears. Just like some song that you kept on hearing over and over again the whole day.

Taking Off

I can't believe that the day will come that I will have to leave this country to be with my family. Real family. I used to look into the sky whenever I see an airplane pass by, envying the people that are leaving. Now, it's almost my turn. I can feel it.

Am I ready to take-off? I don't know. I do know that I look forward to the new opportunities that I am going to encounter. I also know that I am afraid, but I have to take risks. That feeling fear is normal because I am going to move away from my somewhat comfort zone.

There will be many memories that I have to bring along with me. There are plenty of sad stories and bad memories to let go, and too many good ones to cherish.

I hope that when the time comes that I will have to leave, aboard that plane I will cast away everything that worries me, leave anything that hurt me, and forgive the things that stagnates me.

When I arrive to my destination, I want it to be a clean slate. A fresh start, a new chance, and a positive vibe. Hard as it may seem, but I am looking forward to that.

Our Lady of Guadalupe - Counted Cross-Stitch *updated

When I was pregnant, I started this cross-stitch of the Our Lady of Guadalupe but I didn't get to finish it until now. I wanted to finish what I have started and I am proud to say I am almost there halfway!

In a way, I did it to protect myself and my baby for whatever is out there that can harm us. 

Anyway, I think I can finish this off in two months provided that I won't stop.

I will share the pattern of this one in the next few days.

Here's my progress sometime in March;

Our Lady of Guadalupe

                                                                            This is going to be the end result. Beautiful isn't it?


Well, well, now I am back with the Our Lady of Guadalupe cross-stitch patterns. They're FREE so feel free as well to download them. But do understand that some of those patterns were already highlighted but you can still view them if you zoom out the pictures.

I DO NOT own them, nor made them but rather bought them and now I am sharing it.

Click HERE for the pattern.



Come back from time to time to get some FREE CROSS-STITCH PATTERNS. Have fun stitching!

For questions or clarifications regarding the OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE PATTERN, please email or message me.

Tickle Your Taste Buds - Pork Nilaga

Photo Credits here

One of easiest recipes I learned to cook was the Pork Nilaga (Boiled Pork). It is one of the good food being cooked anywhere in the Philippines.

Yesterday had me craving for it so I cooked it for my partner and kid. I am glad my baby liked it, although I only fed him a piece of the potato and soup.

I am in the mood of sharing my favorite food so I will let you in my 'secret' recipe(smile).

Pork Nilaga Recipe

Serves 4-6 persons and takes 45 minutes -1 hour to prepare.

Ingredients:

1 kg Pork Bones (Or any bony part of meat of your choice) cut into serving pieces
1 medium onion, sliced
2 pcs. tomatoes, sliced
1 inch ginger, sliced lengthwise
2 Liters of water
2 Large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 Chinese Pechay/Wombok, cut accordingly
Lemon Grass 
Salt to taste

This serves 4-6 persons.


Cooking Instructions

Boil water in a casserole and place the pork meat or bones and bring it to boil. Remove water, drain the meat and clean the meat residue in the casserole.  (I do this to remove some of the oily parts of the meat)

Place pork with 2 liters of water and boil. Once boiling, put in the onions, ginger, tomatoes, and leave it for 30 minutes until the meat is tender.

Add the lemon grass, and potatoes. Add salt to taste.

Add Chinese pechay and cook it for about 3 minutes.

Serve hot.

Good to eat when the weather is cold. Heaven.

Tickle your taste buds - Kare-Kare

Photo Credits from Kamayan

Living in Pampanga for the past two years has had a great effect on my diet. This is because a lot of them are such good cooks that you just can't resist to try something new to you.

Coming from Mindanao and a fan of veggies, certainly coming here was drastic since the place I live in doesn't really favor eating leafy greens. But I can't complain.

My partner's father cooks the most delectable Kare-Kare for my palate.

He cooks this pork hind/front legs into this tenderness that it almost melts in your mouth, it has peanut sauce, vegetables, and shrimp paste. Mouth-watering. Just Yum!

Spoiler: It's not advisable to eat it all you can.