Roots

Ave Maria:-)

Plans..plans..plans... oh how we make our plans and set our goals and try to get everything organized ..ever conscious of that famous timetable... sometimes we make it..other times we fall short... or hey..something better happens, something that never even crossed our minds.

For 2014... on my father's side of the biological tree... last week-end of June was targetted as the Reunion Date for the Garces -Gaviola clan -- our Adam and Eve would be Lolo Ramon Sr. and then the invincible Lola/ Nanay Feling...Filomena.

My late mother Mama Lydia made sure early in my youth to get acquainted with the bigger family. I am a Manila girl...  my spare parts : from  beloved Leyte of the Bardillon family and then from Bohol , my father Ramon Jr.'s province --- On my mother's side they were only 3 siblings , and one sister died during the war...so I have 3 cousins from Tita Moni : Tessie, Lottie (both deceased) and Mano Boy ... thank God they have children..tho I have lost contact with others but pray God gives me time to re-connect with them.

Now on my father's side : Good Lord ...Lolo and Lola were blest with 12 (!) children.... in the olden days..it was considered small family if you only had 5 children ..those were the days when Filipino families would have 9,10... dozen children.... those were also the days when inspite of the big size and number of mouths to feed.....everyone grew up hale and healthy, there was enough food on the table..and children could get good education, even if it was public school -- it was a high standard  of education...Best for me to stay off that topic.

So from my very tiny turf in Manila...childhood years would be filled with sweet memories of family reunions.

Lolo Amon and Nanay Feling hosted a lot of these when they were alive -- well maybe it shouldn't be termed a reunion since these were the original twelve Injuns haha ... but they planted a precious seed of love, faith in God and unity --at all costs. Except for Mariano, the 2nd son who became a priest and bishop ...everyone married and had children -- so the family grew ....

From any of the 12 we would love to hear stories of their happy childhood years...living in Bahay Daku .... Lola the disciplinarian and Lolo the gentleman -- he was a colonel... their stories could fill volumes of books -- but the values and memories stored in their hearts by their parents fueled them when it was their turn to become mothers and fathers.

Like all families they had their ups and downs, good and not-so-good side ... quarrels , misunderstandings, growing up pains even if already very much adults hehe -- but always and always , somehow love and belief in each other prevailed.  I know in my heart it was faith and love for GOD that helped kept the family together and survive all crisis and come out even better as persons.

Tia Litang , during this 2014 reunion in Cebu reminisced about the war years, when everyone was holed up in Cagting , the family farm... how do you exist in the middle of a brutal war and be so incredibly happy -- they had enough food, Tia Litang says they were more than 50 relatives hiding there.. they would enjoy simple birthday celebrations -- her eyes lighting up at those happy memories... she wanted to sing for us the compositions of Monsignour, funny silly sweet songs ...I hope Menchie or Monet can video her kay wa sya ka kanta ini sa reunion. 

Well.... I'll have to fast forward to June 2014 ---- as this month was approaching..those planning in Cebu were getting apprehensive ... how do we make it happen? Poor Tess always saying plaintively :" Sus kun buhi pa si Monsignour and Tio Danny, di gyud ta magka probema." Because yes... when Lolo and Lola passed away Danny and Monsignour  took over as family patriarchs ... they were focal points , rocks of gibraltar ... they were  our anchors then and the clan gravitated towards them... Later on Tio Nino took over....  and now it is Tio Alex's ..please let no one forget this...
So Tess was understandably worried but.......
  

Oh my everdearest TESS...now you now that Lolo Amon and Lola Feling and Mons and Daddy, Tia Remy , Tio Nino and all dearly departed live on in each and everyone of us. With so many praying both in heaven and on earth.. how could we not pull through?  Pledges and commitments came pouring in.... some of the younger generation saved money from their allowance or earnings --- at then end when dear EMY our in-house fab events coordinator was counting payments for Dakong Bato -- it would seem as tho everyone was abe to pay ... so other pledges could be used for food etc..... Praise the Lord!

Fresh from this reunion , I survived flu and asthma and actually came home feeling much better... strange, strange, strange indeed...( please please Jesus no sick call during a reunion please, please) Well Jesus knows what is best He gave me and everyone present there what He deemed was enough and what was best for us ---- Dakong Bato has no long stretches of white sand --- there was a pool and then right away the deep sea --- becoz if there was a long white beach -- nah ! you wouldn't be able to get hold of the youth --- hahaha...as it was we were in  a way wonderfully imprisoned --- there were no visitors during the 2 days we were there...so twas as if we had the resort all to ourselves .... the other guests arrived on the day we left...alleluia!
Marissa in her Californian accent: "Rich ahhnnnd fay-mouz .....!" hahahaha..... libre ang panaginip.

 
.. I just recall during those days in Dakong Bato..then our last day at Cebu city just hanging out at Ayala mall ...listening to Bunjings silly stories.. listening to their laughter..... my cousins Tess, Veny Monet Dolly Molly's lovely faces - ga lingkod lang mi at Kentucky .... I treasured the sight and sound and feel of them - Roy made it to the reunion btw  , so I saved it all ...stored it in my heart.... Kristiana , Boting's youngest daughter and I holding hands at Ayala mall ...she was soaking it all in ...she got so healed....then she said : "I love Cebu... I love it here....we don't have it like this ..... the family and all ....."

 I just listened.. I could have been a fattened cow and slaughtered later and could not care less ...hahaha.

Lots of our loved ones have passed away ... so I know this is reality---- I will not always see the faces I see now , nor always enjoy their company... but I know for sure that they are there for me and I am there for them ...but it is all just a foretaste of what we will eventually experience in heaven... That's 100% comforting to know our grandest reunion will be in heaven. My goodness.... hahaha wa man ko ka istorya bahin sa reunion.... ah cgue part one lang ni ha?

selfie with niece Vianney:-)

Wanna thank Mark and Tita Nelly becoz they kindly invited my nephew Paolo and his sons who survived Yolanda ...then also Pamela , Pao and Pam nephew/niece from Mama Lydia's side and her 2 sons too to the Family Dinner they hosted at Garnetville. So I was with Gaviolas and then be with Paolo and Pamela and my apos...whom I met for the first time.... God is so good and worthy to be praised.