The Story of Sarah & Juan
When you fall in love with a commercial :) Video courtesy of Extra Gum
Posted by Love What Matters on Thursday, October 8, 2015
What My Husband Has Taught Me
The sweetest “I love you” is felt. It’s even sweeter than the ones being heard.
All things happen for a reason - even if you have no idea what that reason is at the time. Tests of faith are indeed blessings from Him.
You can be better or bitter. Get that positive outlook at all times.
Life is a choice - as is how you handle the pitfalls along its bumpy road.
Always be happy so you can have the guts to make other people happy. You have to decide or choose to be happy.
Sometimes genuine happiness is found at home.
Learn how to say no and never feel guilty.
Accept what you cannot change.
I’ve just realized that I have learned a lot from him. I just hope he also has learned a lot from me.
And I know there is a lot more to come.
Getting married for four years and so much in love more than eight years, hubby and I do not live a perfect married life. We have our own ups and downs, petty quarrels, arguments, misunderstandings, pillow fights, and the like. Though these circumstances do not happen often, we always manage to settle things out or just have it passed by without even saying sorry or anything.
On the brighter side, we believe that after each usual “tampuhan” between a husband and a wife, we tend to be more in love with each other.
And yes, I would always love to wake up each morning with him and our kid/s at my side. Nothing beats the kind of happiness I feel every time I see my loved ones – families, relatives and friends around me.
I will forever look forward to a new morning with you, Dad. As we grow old together, I pray that we live longer, happier and healthier to face each morning – side by side, holding hands.
This is indeed a lifetime for you and me. We’ll grow old together because the best is yet to come.
Ang pangarap mo'y pangarap ko... 
A Must-Know for the Husbands: A Pro-Wife Blog Post (I guess, I’m a Wife after all.)
Appreciation In Married Life
One of the greatest sources of discord in the early days of marriage is associated with lack of what the wife calls "appreciation" in the husband. The average man is a busy person with his share of life's responsibilities and demands upon his time. If he has married the girl he loves and is not of the analytical and hypercritical type, he is generally perfectly satisfied with his life-partner.
Perhaps he omits to tell her so at regular periodic intervals, as if he meant it, and it takes a very clever woman to be satisfied with quiet appreciation without demanding verbal expression of her husband's feelings. Most wives, especially most young wives, delude themselves with the idea that it is the man who talks most about his affection who is the most desirable husband.
The Secret of Married Happiness
They want what they call "appreciation," and the man who gives this to his wife easily, gracefully, and in abundance is wise (and probably admired and dreamed of) in his generation. The converse is also true. It is the appreciative wife who keeps her husband's affection when her hair is turning gray and her figure has lost for all time its girlish outline. It is the wife who can judiciously convey the impression that she appreciates a husband's best qualities who brings out the best in a man.
In one sense, appreciation is the secret of married happiness, because behind this quality lies an immense amount of tact, understanding, and unselfishness. There is no doubt that human nature tends to depreciate what it has already gained, to get accustomed to the possession of what has at one time seemed ideal.
The greatest joy of the newly engaged girl lies in the fact that she is keenly, enthusiastically, and sensitively "appreciated." The man who is honestly in love discerns qualities in a girl which the rest of the World may not perceive, but which are there all the same.
The Divine Spark
Deep down in every one of us there are possibilities, latent qualities for great deeds and high thoughts of which the world has no conception. Love sometimes brings them out, and the commonplace man displays unexpected capacity in consequence. In the same way, the woman who is capable of an absorbing and unselfish love has the best in her brought out at that time.
The divine spark that is in everyone burns brightly for the time being at least. She receives for the first time appreciation from the one person in the world who counts. This appreciation is like a stimulant, an incentive. Alas! so long as human nature is what it is, it does not endure, and if a woman's sense of humor and understanding fails at this juncture, disillusionment will probably result.
It is the wife who is exacting when the ardent lover emerges into the everyday man, who nags her husband into ill-humor. The woman who has a sense of perspective knows only too well that the first ecstasy and ardor of love inevitably settles down into everyday affection, comradeship, and domestic love.
By useless brooding and resentment over the inevitable, discord will arise, and the barque of matrimony will sail into troubled seas. Tact and unselfishness are the only qualities which will steer it safely beyond the rocks, and these include the quality of appreciation.
The Power of Appreciation
The wise wife cultivates the power of appreciating the good qualities her husband possesses and lets him realize that she does. It is the weak woman who nags a man when the first ecstasy of love begins to subside into quiet acceptance and renewed interest in work and everyday affairs.
At the same time, the Woman who has studied the art of appreciation can do almost anything she likes with her life-partner. If he is punctual, orderly, and reliable, she will cultivate the same qualities, and thus save the inevitable jars that the unpunctual woman prepares for herself when she is invariably five minutes too late. She will not ask the impossible from him, and will see that the busy man absorbed in working for her cannot be expected to remember to tell her that his affection is unchanged perhaps three times a day. he man who is apparently not affectionate by nature may hide a capacity for strong love under his silence and undemonstrativeness.
There are men, and these are not invariably the best of their sex, who have the art of pleasing women in little things. Small courtesies, little kindnesses, and thoughtfulness may mean much to the woman who has no absorbing interest to take up her thoughts. She will forgive a great deal in the husband who remembers to inquire for her headache, who plans a treat for Saturday, and brings an occasional bunch of white roses home in the evening.
But there are many types of men, and the wife who has married the undemonstrative type is only making unhappiness in the home when she expects him to display the qualities which are not part of his nature. He may have far deeper and better traits. He may be more faithful, more trustworthy, although he is not naturally sympathetic in trifles and incapable of realizing a woman's point of view.
The great need of most women's lives is affection, and the husband who can give the wife the small tokens of affection, the signs of appreciation, makes life's journey smoother for himself in consequence.
Flattery is not Appreciation
Everybody loves appreciation. Those who realize this fact can get almost anything out of people that they wish. Appreciation is not flattery, which is a less powerful weapon because it is insincere and false in so many instances. Appreciation simply means the power of realizing the good, the kindness, the ability, and capacity in others.
We all know that we work far more for those who appreciate what we do for them. Appreciation brings out better service, finer work from the individual who gets it. Tempered with judicious criticism, it is the most educative factor in daily life. The wife who knows how to appreciate the good qualities can afford gently to criticize and point out where there is room for improvement.
But appreciation requires verbal expression in most instances. The majority of husbands know very well that their wives are unselfish and thoughtful on their behalf. Most wives realize that the average husband is a good-hearted, hard-working individual, anxious to do his best for his wife and their family.
Married Happiness
The woman who wishes to be happy must never allow selfish, depressing thoughts to absorb her. She must cultivate the power of appreciating the good qualities of other people and especially of her nearest and dearest. Petty criticism and resentment of qualities she dislikes brings out not the best but the worst in the husband. In this world we get what we give. If we give kindness and appreciation to others, they somehow come back to us. Particularly, this is also true in married life.
The wise women, the clever women especially, if they have a sense of humor, make the best of their husbands and their marriage. They realize that a little disillusionment comes to every one of us, and that very often it is due to some fault in ourselves. Too many women let themselves drift into a morass of discontent and disappointment simply because they do not appreciate the great amount of good that is in their lives and turn it to account.
Every woman can be happy if she likes, especially if she has a husband and child to work and think for. Happiness, like all the other good things of this life, has to be cultivated and earned. Mutual appreciation is an important factor, and if husbands also would realize what an enormous difference to the happiness of the wife appreciation and small attentions make, a condition of affairs somewhat approaching the ideal would result.
After the first mysterious glamor has worn off, marriage must inevitably descend from the realms of glorified idealism to those of prosaic common-sense; it is merely a change of state. That change of state, however, for always may remain ideal, as ideal as it was when first contracted, but it will not do so if left unaided.
Mankind is frail and mortal, fretful and petty, and these, his characteristic traits, are the bitterest foes of married happiness. But the gift of mutual appreciation is a force - perhaps it is the only force - strong enough to grapple with and overcome these enemies.
Acknowledgment: Chest of Books Dot Com
Mai: Yes, daddy! I know you perfectly love me. But I still need to hear it sometimes. Let us talk about "us" - reminiscing happy and sweet moments, rekindling wedding vows. I love you.
Though I am so thankful that we're taking it one step at a time - thanks for that sweet date last Wednesday. It's a good start, I should know. =)
♥♥♥ Mommy Mai ♥♥♥
AN ADAPTATION… Thanks to Mr. Ramon E. Mendoza.
I intend to share this very inspiring story that has made me as well as a bunch of my closest friends cry. And I do hope you can also pass it on… Share this story online, post in your Facebook walls and in your FB notes. And I am telling you, it’s worth every tag. =)
Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly.
She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man!
That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!
With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.
She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.
The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.
When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.
In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.
This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.
She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.
I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.
My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.
On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.
On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.
On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.
She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.
Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.
But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.
I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.
She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.
Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.
At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.
That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.
My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce.-- At least, in the eyes of our son--- I'm a loving husband....
The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!
If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you.
If you do, you just might save a marriage.
Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
A CHRIST-CENTERED MARRIAGE IS A MARRIAGE THAT IS SURE TO LAST A LIFETIME.
So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. Matthew 19:6
♥♥♥ Myraine ♥♥♥
You’ve got an Email!
Date: March 16, 2007
Re: Happy 3rd Wedding Monthsary!
Our Lifetime Commitment - You're my lifetime Love.
Mommy Mai…
I love you so much!
My pledge to keep hanging to
our vows will remain forever.
No matter how much trials, pain
and misfortune it may require.
I'll be your only man...
And, you're my wife.
And not a moment too soon
Without a minute to spare
You touched my heart
When I didn't have a prayer
In my darkest hour
With my world filled with gloom
Your sweet love saved me
Not a moment too soon.
♥♥♥ Daddy Rainier ♥♥♥
Well, I am so glad and thankful that we’re still so in love and overwhelmed despite and in spite of it all… seems like it was only yesterday. I pray that when we rekindle our wedding vows on our silver and golden wedding anniversaries, the feelings that we have would still be the same. If not, it has to better, best. I love moments like these – love, love and love.
♥♥♥ Mommy Myraine ♥♥♥
Dim the lights and cue the mood music, it's time for some ... Romantic Words and Moments with my better half...
