Not a Goodbye but until Next Year!

At 5:35 a.m. today, the minivan that we rented fetched Yani and family for their 9:10 am flight out of Newark Airport to Detroit.  They carried 3 big luggages and 2 balikbayan boxes .one of which was purely loaded with gifts received during his 8th birthday...and lots of toys for both of them...and , 2 handcarry bags.  Gina had to be carried to the mini van at this early hour but Migs had no problem waking up!.

I spoke with them at around 12:30 as they were taking their lunch/breakfast at  Detroit Airport's Mcdonalds.  Their layover will be  for 3 hours ....then at 3:40 eastern time, they will be off to a 19 hour flight to Nagoya Japan, and finally Manila!

Looking back, it was a well spent, well worth visit, short as it may.  I am both sad yet happy that I have bonded and related well with Gina and Migs.  Sad as I will miss them, yet happy that many things have developed for next year's  plans.

Migs, especially being the older one,  always tells me "I love you Lola"...Of course Gina also tells me she loves me...but Migs since I took care of him till he was 2, still  remembers me well.   Surely,  our webcam sessions helped that they became at ease with us right away.  

Gina is fond of trinkets, hair accessories, fashion dolls, and is so lovable, almost lady-like and very "carinosa".  She will just approach me and kiss me or her mom. She has a very pleasant and sunny disposition and always sings while we are inside the car going from place to place.  She does not need to be asked to sing---she will just burst out whatever songs she can think of: school songs, cartoon songs, Christian songs, and even her own invented songs and lyrics. She eats anything Anne eats...(Migs is selective of foods).  She is also always the prayer leader before we drive off. Last night, Anne asked her to show me her "Tinikling"..which she performed in school last year. I volunteered to be her partner, but she told me, "you have to be a boy"...so Yani was pulled to be the her partner and danced she did on the airbed as we clapped and sang the Tinikling music....She really remembers all the steps and watching her do the dance in her own lovable way is really something to treasure. 

Migs, who has a hearty appetite for baked macaroni and cheese dogs on the other hand, is already a young "macho" kid disliking frills and anything that can be referred to as  girlie or feminine!  He tells me that in his class, one female classmate really likes him and thinks that Migs likes her too---but Migs says---no way....I do not like her.  Kids really...can be so vocal and honest! I kidded him that a lot of girls will run after him since he is a goodlooking kid and that Lola L has to approve of the girls!  He just says---no...no!!! No girls for me! (LOL).  He is very familiar with "technical" stuff ---he changed my cellphone's ringtone, popped up the volume, and changed the color background of my menu in a jiffy!.  Honestly, I can't do these things with my own cellphone and even if I can...it will take me hours to do them.

I brought the kids to my old office (Cintas) and the girls just loved seeing them.  Gina even sang "Its a Small World" to my former co-workers.  I just wished I could have brought them also to my other friends (Arleen, Nery, Linda, etc.) but the limited time did not allow this. Next year, I will make sure to have other friends meet them too.

It was also a happy time to have seen Anne and Yani again and we all had fun eating and enjoying the travels within different cities of New Jersey.  Time flies really---for it seems just like a while ago that Anne herself was a little kid who also loved to sing and dance!  Now she is the mother of 2 lovable and energetic kids. I guess this only means I am getting older!

Rick proved to be a doting Lolo(Yoyo)....he said he never imagined that he will be part of an 8-year old's birthday party...he mingled with the kids with his videocam and gave Migs a bonus chance to ride the "free fall"---a ride even I can't dare take!!..Both kids loved him...especially when Rick took them to the driving range and gave a few lessons to Yani and Anne, and Migs had a kick of holding a golf iron and driver for the first time..and putting a whole 18 holes!  Lolo Rick was the coach, of course!  We did not mind the cold cold climate---we were the only souls in the putting greens.

Anne gave me (and Rick)  a touching note of thanks and kind words, accompanied by lovable brief scribbled separate thank you messages from Gina (she drew hearts around her message) and Migs...(he thanked RIck especially for  the golf which only proves he is much interested in golf!)  

From hereon,  we will be back to our weekly webcam sessions....starting this Saturday night, my time...and will continue to do so until they come back next year with God's help as planned!  We trust that He will once again, make the desires of our hearts come to a fruitful reality!  Meanwhile, I/we thank Him for their wonderful vacation with us.  He is truly a giver and source of good things.