My lovely wife and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary yesterday. Well, we didn't actually celebrate it yesterday, since yesterday was a Monday and a busy work and school day for our family... not the best for scheduling an evening out. So my wife and our 8-year-old daughter and I instead celebrated our wedding anniversary as a family on the weekend immediately preceding. On Saturday, we all went to a special performance geared for kids, and on Sunday, we had a really nice Sunday-only brunch buffet at a very nice and historic restaurant, complete with some really awesome Bananas Foster for dessert.
Reflecting back on the past 18 years, we're truly grateful for all of the blessings we've had, especially our daughter. Although we've had our share of hardship and struggle along with all of the wonderful times, love truly overcomes all. Those 18 years have gone by very quickly, and it's hard to believe that at the half-way point of our 18 years, on March 5, 2003, my wife was less than 4 months pregnant with our daughter.
We didn't take any photos for our anniversary (too busy enjoying the Bananas Foster I guess), but I've posted a relatively recent photo below of the three of us together during our trip to the Philippines in July/August 2011. This was an early birthday party for our daughter at her Lolo and Lola's house. Also, I've included a recent picture of our smiling little bundle of joy, now a third-grader.
aw, lovely family pic! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, tabulyogang!
DeleteCongratulations. Wow 18 years... You guys are great inspiration for newly weds like me.
ReplyDeleteThank you, DoNaH! Wishing you and your hubby all the best, and that is very nice of you to say that we're an inspiration. 18 years goes by so fast!
Deletehappy anniversary!!!....your daughter is pretty.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Reyah! I'll check out your blog in more detail, the Storm Wave post looks really cool.
DeleteWow! Congrats, 18 years being married,that is amazing.Great family pics, your daughter has a good combination to both of you and she's a sweethearts. You know, I remember about taking photos in the restaurants before, my husband doesn't want it, this time he understand me before we eat he lets me take photos for my blog..hhehhehe, if I forgot he will remind me for my blog.hhehhe.
ReplyDeleteMy apologize, I thought your wife is the one who is blogging? Could I ask you if you don't mind? is your wife dual citizen or she relinquish her Filipina? I am searching about my citizenship this time, to have one citizenship or make it dual?
Thanks and appreciate it.
Hello Mhie,
DeleteThanks so much for your congrats and your kind compliments! Yes, I definitely am now accustomed to the Filipino tradition of taking photos in restaurants before the meal, which was something quite different to me when we first got married. It sounds like your husband has adapted well too. My wife is truly the photographer in the family, as my skills are not good. Looking forward to checking out more of your photos on your blog.
Yes, I am the one doing the actual blogging/writing/posting, but my wife helps me out considerably with ideas for posts and content, some "copy editing" and advice, and especially in providing new photos or access to the many photos she has taken in the past. The blog would truly not be what it is without her input.
Regarding your question, no I certainly don't mind. My wife became a naturalized U.S. Citizen several years after we married (I think it was 5 but can't remember), and she remained solely a U.S. Citizen for quite a number of probably about another 10 years after that. Finally, she had heard that the Philippines Consulate General in New York sends its officials/emmisaries out in mobile "outreach" missions once in awhile and they come to larger cities. We were fortunate that they came very near to our place (and that we would not have to drive all the way into NYC and wait in a busy line to be helped), so she thought that it would be worthwhile to go to the outreach meeting and get her dual citizenship. It was held in a city park on a nice summer day, and there was lots of Filipino food brought by local/regional attendants and a local Filipino group who had helped organize the outreach day. It was SO convenient that we didn't have to make the trip into NYC, and they brought I think 2 SUVs from the Consulate General office filled with computer equipment and all of their photography equipment, stamps and seals, passports and equipment, etc. along with maybe 5 Consulate officials. Here is a link to the New York Philippines Consulate General outreach program with some of their outreach locations and dates (this covered CT, ME, NJ, and MA):
http://www.philippinesnewyork.org/news/1670/572/Consular-Outreach-in-Massachusetts/d,phildet/
If you live in a region covered by another Phils Consulate General Office(for instance, Chicago), then I would assume that they also probably have mobile outreach programs, too. You can probably check out their website, which is on this page:
http://www.philippinesnewyork.org/index.php?page=consulate-finder-ny
Dual citizenship is perfectly legal and acceptable by U.S. law. The cost of getting sworn in again as a Philippines dual citizen was not very much (I don't remember exactly), and it does have some advantages.
Hope that helps!
Hi,
DeleteThank you so much for the input/ideas. Actually, I like to have a dual citizenship.I will review all the information in their website and go for there. I appreciate for taking time to answer and gave some links for me.Thanks again
You're very welcome, Mhie. The mobile outreach program is great, and if it saves you a lot of $$ by not having to travel into a metro area like NYC or Chicago and having to pay for parking, gas, and perhaps a hotel (like it did for us), it might even be worthwhile to check out their schedule and just wait for them to come to a smaller city nearest to you.
Deletethank you. That's a good idea. I will keep on eye of it.
DeleteIt's so charming to know its the husband talking and telling the story! Great picture, and Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, littleyana! Do you by chance have a blog too?
DeleteBest regards!
what did I just miss??? oh my.. Happy Anniversary.. a very late greeting..
ReplyDeleteyou make a good combination..you're daughter is really beautiful.. :D
and the cake was awesome...
I wish you a more blissful years together with your wife and daughter...
and somewhere inside my brain..I had this urge to make a post like this..
I guess I have to wait for a long time then...
my more active blog: http://planetofclai.blogspot.com
Hi Clai,
DeleteThank you so much, that is very kind of you! All the best to you and your family too. I will definitely come and check out your more active blog; have been so busy that I've not been blogging too much lately!
Take care!
Thanks for the follow ! I am now back reading your posts and I know It is kind of late but belated happy wedding anniversary to your and your wife. That was a beautiful picture of your family. Feel free to visit me at my blog and drop a line or two.
ReplyDeleteHello Sarah,
DeleteThank you too for following, and thanks so much also for your happy wedding anniversary greetings! Thanks for your kind compliments on the picture of our little family; I am going to post more recent photo tonight that we took today for Father's Day. I will indeed drop by your blog and say hello with a few lines (I've already visited your blog a bit). Looking forward to reading more of your blog.
Best regards!
Wow! Congratulations on your 18 years together! You have a lovely family here, a beautiful family photo. Your wife is gorgeous and your daughter is so adorable! More years to come! :)
ReplyDelete