Always So Thankful...

Thanksgiving Day is here again and as I reflect on all my many blessings, I want to share with you some things I am most thankful for:


1. I am thankful to God for His care, goodness, love, mercy…and His grace which is more than enough for each new day. I am thankful for my faith which enables me to have extreme confidence in all areas of my life, knowing there is a divine plan for everything.


2. I am thankful for the kindness, compassion, patience and unconditional love that I got from two of the most important people in my life - my wonderful parents who taught me everything there is to learn by mere example of their lives.


3. I am thankful for the wonderful family that I have been blessed with...my parents, my brother, my grandparents, my aunts, uncles and cousins from the Flores, Lopez & Aguila sides. We have always been extremely close and I have always felt blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.


4. I am thankful for the family I found when I married Ryan. The De Guzman’s and Mendoza’s have always been supportive & so loving, and are truly a good substitute for my own.


5. I am thankful for getting up each morning to the warm kisses of my husband. He’s such a wonderful man who inspires me daily, works so hard, and loves and understands me no matter what, like no one ever has!


6. I am thankful for my daughters who give me endless happiness and sometimes, headaches. They give me the reason to get up and keep going everyday. I’m thankful for being able to watch them grow and learn, and for all the games, stories, hugs, kisses, laughter and love we share.


7. I am thankful for all the love from family, relatives and friends I experience in my life every single day which makes me see the beauty of life.


8. I am thankful for friends near and far…in real life & online…for the joy and laughter they bring…for all the memories they help create.


9. I am thankful for my creativity, my artistic mind and hands…that bring smiles to my loved ones’ face & heart and even to mine.


10. I am thankful for having my heart broken, so that I can better understand what I have now, what a blessing and a gift love truly is!


11. I am thankful for nature which my family loves...its wonderful color that pleases my eyes... the lake and the sea where Ryan and Clarise could fish...the beautiful flowers, butterflies and birds that give Cherlin delight.


12. I am thankful for the hard times. Hard times keep me on track. They give me great empathy and some wisdom. I learn from them, and they make me proud to see myself growing, adapting, rather than shrinking away afraid.


13. I am so thankful for modern science…for phones…for the internet…for yahoo…for facebook. Keeping in touch with my family & friends from anywhere in the world is a lot easier!!!


14. At this very moment, I am so thankful to my very good friend Carmi for inviting us to spend thanksgiving with her family! If not for her, I'll be so busy today and won't get the chance to write this. (",)


Life is tough, and it is so easy to give in to the stress of daily life and complain about all the things we think are wrong with our lives. We always see what we don't have instead of what we have….bad things instead of good ones. But life is good and God has given us a great deal to be thankful for! We should just open our eyes and learn to count our blessings more than our sorrows, never overlooking the small ones. Remember small ones add up to a bigger one…


I do thank each of you for the part you play in my life. Without you, it would be a little or maybe a lot different.


I love just the way my life is…


Happy Thanksgiving!!! Make EVERYDAY Thanksgiving Day!!!

Clarise is star student again!!!

It's recognition day at Sheffield Primary today...and Clarise is star student again!!!

Sheffield’s Star Student Award is given to deserving students for their Academic Achievement and Good Character. Every nine weeks, two students are chosen to receive this award from each class. A student can only receive this award once a year. I’m so proud that Clarise has always been chosen as one of the 1st nine weeks’ Star Students from Kindergaten up to now. For the past two years, it has been a great motivation for her to give her best until the end of the school year…and I believe that it will be the same this year.

Let me share with you her teachers’ write-up from Kindergarten to present on why they chose Clarise as a star student.

Kindergarten:
By Mrs. Pamela Perkins
Clarise came to Sheffield from the Philippines. She speaks two languages fluently and is a wonderful reader and writer. She is a leader in our classroom and often helps other students who are struggling with completing a task. She loves to learn and is very curious, often asking questions to find out information, Her love of learning, her classmates and her school make her a Star in Kindergarten.

First Grade:
By Mrs. Crystal Owens
Clarise is a very responsible student. She always knows what to do and follows directions. She makes her day every day. Her work is excellent. She is patient and helpful to others. She is a very active listener and participates in class discussions frequently. She asks lots of questions to help her understand the concepts we are learning about. She is also a good friend to all in our class.

Second Grade:
By Mrs. Dorothy Carroll
Clarise is a dedicated worker and is eager to learn new things. She has a great attitude and takes direction well. Clarise volunteers frequently and makes wonderful contributions to the class. She enjoys books and reads extensively. Clarise has many friends and is well liked by her peers. She possesses good self-discipline and is respectful to others. Clarise is capable of achieving anything she puts her mind to! She is truly a shining star!

Clarise has always shown great academic performance since she started school, and as her mother, I’m so proud of her and all her accomplishments. I thank God for the gift of wisdom that He gave Clarise...and I pray that He will guide and lead her all the time. She still has a long way to go...but with God's loving guidance, I'm sure she'll always be in the right path. (",)