Mother

You are the one, my mentor, my mother, my mom.

You are my guide, my anchor, and the one I will forever admire.

Under a rainstorm or darkness, you went on with your routine as I have grown mature in mind.

You were a
R-EGULAR
O-RGANIZED
U-NEXCITING
T-YPICAL, but
I-MPORTANT
N-ORMAL
E-VERYDAY kind of mother, so I thought.

How silly I was as a young lady tall enough to be an adult, yet very short in mind to wish you were just like other moms wearing business clothes, high heels, and makeup?

Now I still have many more years to be half as good as you, mimicking your routine as a great nurse many look up to.

COVID-19 Season

After going back and forth with events cancellation, we went ahead and did the Wellness Challenge Kick-Off for 2020. We are a group of 25ish not 250 crowd. It is part of our fundraising, so it is important to us. We had a good time raising money, collecting from participants for the challenge to benefit nursing student scholars. I feel grateful for the smooth event.

Here is the rest of my thankfuls.

• A guiding quote from one of our team members in the PNACO nursing association inspiring us to move more.
• A late-birthday gift from family, a comforter set, so warm and soft.
• A group-texting app for my work-team. There are probably 100 of us, too many. This Group-Me texting works smoothly. I named it St Joseph Intensive Care on my phone not realizing I changed it for the whole group. Nobody complained to the so-techy me though.

• As the antimicrobial soaps and gels run out from the stores due to panic buying, thank goodness we still have running water. We can wash our hands. Don't expect bottled water still being available, though. That is too much to ask.
• Charity Miles app for letting me donate my miles.
• My cute grandchildren pics.
• My grandson loves the reusable feeder pouch with baby food in it. He can feed himself with hardly any mess.

• My city closed our recreation centers and parks through the end of the month to slow down of the COVID-19 spread. I am not ecstatic about that but thank goodness for the open spaces we're still allowed to go to.
• Recumbent bike to exercise indoors.
• A late Filipino Ube cake for me with macapuno strings. Macapuno is similar to coconut. Yum.
• I learned how to podcast. My therapist recommended considering podcasting. If nothing else, it serves as a great stress reliever for me, similar to journaling and blogging.
• We have masks left for working with patients in isolation. I had to save a single mask for the whole day but I am so glad I had it.
• We, care providers, are not required to stay in the hospital yet. Remember we are both the band and the rescuers of the sinking Titanic. Please do not forget us, and pray for us too.

Oh, COVID-19. You are old. It is 2020. Leave, now.

Happy Birthday to Me

Each year my birthday comes, I remember waking up to the sound of my mother singing to herself when I was young, "Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me, ha. . . " She was singing to herself on her birthday morning.

Before I opened my eyes, not sure if the sun was up, I could hear her. Those were the days of my childhood. I doubt if she does it anymore. Or maybe she does. I will find out as she celebrates her birthday this year with me and my sister. She will be flying in from the Philippines.

But this week is my birthday week. It's my week. I turned 49. I received flowers, a plant, and an organizer. My daughter, not pictured, gifted the organizer box to me. I think she is suggesting something. :)

Family time on my birthday

I went back to Dutch Brothers to get some "kindness." They got my coffee right this time, "dairy-free." No surprise visit to the bathroom after. They were being kind.

I got my little grandson as a handheld walker to assist with walking. He would not stand upright with it though and literally act like a noodle with it. But when "mom" or "dad" pull it up to be his swing, he loves it and giggles. Oh well. I am grateful they use it. :)

Oh, and I learned how to Podcast. Thanks to Anchor.