US... Right Here, Right Now

This photo was taken today at Clearlake, on our way home from an overnight camping with friends. It is pretty tough to get us all in one photo together since I am behind the camera most of the time. When we do, however, there's always someone doing something else or looking somewhere else. This photo depicts our current life - a very busy one with two highly strung boys. Despite all the chaos, I wouldn't trade this life for anything else in this world.

Credits: Template - Jessica Sprague; Papers - Jessica Sprague, Jan Crowley, Meredith Fenwick, Katie Pertiet; Font - VT Portable Remington

A couple more...

Here are two more digital layouts from the Beautiful Evidence class:

Journaling: I never thought of myself as creative until I found my niche in photography and scrapbooking and a little baking on the side. I love taking photos, creating paper or digital layouts or momentos. I'm so glad creativity has found me! I sure hope it's here to stay!

Credits: Template - Jessica Sprague; Papers - Jan Crowley, Jessica Sprague, Katie Pertiet; Font - VT Portable Remington

Credits: Template - Jessica Sprague; Papers - Katie Pertiet, Jan Crowley, Jessica Sprague; Font - VT Portable Remington

New Layouts

The Beautiful Evidence class over at Spraground is currently in full swing. I created these two new layouts for Days 1 and 2.

Here is my title page. These are my treasures in life... the moments that make me smile... the moments that make me thank God each day for a blessed and fulfilled life... the beautiful evidence that I live a charmed life:

Credits: Papers - Jessica Sprague and Jan Crowley; Font - VT Portable Remington

Here is my "Me" page. Since I live with 3 boys, I have to infuse my life with pink from time to time to remind me that I'm truly a girlie girl at heart... :)

Credits: Papers - Jessica Sprague, Meredith Fenwick, Jan Crowley; Font - VT Portable Remington; Signature - my handwriting

New Digital Layouts

I created three more layouts from templates and quickpages. Here they are:

Credits: Template - Liv Esteban; Easter Kit - Brenda Mascari

Credits: Template - Tracy B; Kit - Jessica Sprague's Echoes of Asia

Credits: Quickpage - Mega-Doodle Inspired

Goodbye Tita Cory!

I was in third grade when Ninoy Aquino was assassinated. I couldn't understand all the flurry around me then and why my family looked worried, or why my parents were always glued to either the TV or the radio. I was in sixth grade when his widow, Cory Aquino, united the nation to overthrow a dictator. There was no other show on TV except what was happening at Edsa. The spotlight was on the Philippines because of a bloodless revolution that catapulted Cory Aquino to the presidency. I would probably be in Edsa had I been old enough to go. It was, after all, history in the making right there.

The Aquino government was faced with turmoil - lots of it. The economy was in such a bad shape, there were a number of coup attempts to overthrow Cory's governance. In the end, Cory's faith in God prevailed and she was able to complete her term with much admiration from the world.

I can truly say that Tita Cory was the president I remembered the most. She was the president during my adolescent years. I admired her humility, dignity, simplicity, devotion to the Lord, and strength of character. Too bad there isn't anyone in our government today like her.

Her failing health worried me, and from someone who witnessed a loved one suffer from cancer, I knew in my heart that it was just a matter of time. Thus, it was no surprise when I saw in the news that she succumbed to colon cancer in the morning of August 1, 2009. What amazed me was how much she was truly loved! Her entire wake was full of people clamoring to catch a glimpse of her. Her trip from the Manila Cathedral to Manila Memorial Park (where she'll be laid to rest) took 9 hours because of the number of people joining the procession. It was indeed a heartwarming sight to see. I watched the goings-on on her wake on TV, and was glued to the TV to watch her funeral. God knows I've shed tears watching her children and other people close to her speak so highly of her. I do not personally know her, but I do feel sadness in her passing. As Fr. Soc Villegas eloquently said "we will not meet anyone like her for a very long time".

Goodbye Tita Cory. You will surely be missed!