Bridging Fibrosis-Liver Disease Stage 3

A few days ago, we got the results of my husband's liver biopsy.  The final verdict, it is in Stage 3 (Bridging Fibrosis). He is living healthy and totally out of liquor, faithfully drinking more water and natural healthy juices instead of soft drinks; exercising and out of cigarette smoking but the change of his living lifestyle doesn't stop the virus to create further damage. We are persistent that together with God's guidance we will overcome this and he will be healed.

Home made Pulvoron Gift

Cooking and baking are the two daily domestic things I will never become tired of doing.  When I was young aside of fishing in the flood (which is another story of me being adventurous), playing with my plastic kitchen toys made my childhood days colorful.  I had a complete set of kitchenware's from casserole, pan, plates, glasses down to spoon and fork.  My sister, who is a year older than me whenever she had extra coins, she never forgot to surprised me with a piece of plastic kitchenware every time she was tasked doing the grocery at the wet market.  Unlike what you can see from ToyRUs, my kitchen toys were cheap and simple, the one that you can get from buying cheese curls or other non name brand chocolate. 

Self-Triggered-Stress (STS)

Today I learned to identified and eliminate all the Self-Triggered-Stress (STS).  STS as I define it is any thing created by a person or a situation that I allowed to be blown-out-of-proportion if not accomplish according to my own set of standards that adds stress to my day or worse even made my day.  

Joshua and I agreed to undergo a marriage counseling at Pathways located in Jackson.  This morning we were scheduled for our initial meet and greet with the Institution's representative.  

Morning Coffee and Sluggardness

My husband is always an early bird.  He gets up from bed earlier, does stretching and push ups, and after it, he takes a shower.  His morning wouldn't be complete without sipping a hot and freshly brewed cup (or 2) of coffee.  While me, I am an exactly the opposite of him.  I am a sleep lover.  Before getting up, I love to cushion myself inside the blanket and do the fetus position.  Its like a warming up for me.  So whenever his body clock is set for up, he will automatically eject himself from the bed after he greet me, "Good morning," with those I love you words followed by "would you like to fix me coffee?", of course I love too though it was challenging for my body to do something so early in a cold weather rather than to stay in  bed.  

Liver Biopsy

This coming November 19, my husband is scheduled to undergo a Liver Biopsy.  At first I was the one eager for him to have it before starting the treatment for Hepatitis C-genotype 3.  My main concern was to know exactly the medical status of his liver as supported with medical test and to know where we are at in this condition but when I became technically aware about the procedure and how will it be done, hesitation arose on my part.  

A letter to Abigail Exodus

"Finally, the moment of truth had come.  We waited to know your gender for so many months and now that your father and I found it, bundles of unexplainable joy filled our hearts.  The first time we knew that we are having you, your father and I became speechless, being overwhelmed by the fact that God has rewarded us a heavenly gift that not just anyone can receive.  

Pregnancy Fashion Tips

Are you experiencing a little hardship in dressing up yourself because the baby bumps are becoming obvious and bigger?  Is pregnancy fashion becoming so tough to achieve?  You're not alone!  Believe me, at 5 months I myself needed to take out some of my dresses from the closet and tried different outfit in front of the mirror four times before I finally became comfortable with myself.  

Banana heart by the road

My husband and I enjoy our morning walks daily around the Johnson's Circle, or if the weather is too chilly in the morning, we prefer an afternoon walk.  Our main goal is not just to exercise to be physically healthy, but at the same time savoring our moments with each other which is part of our relationship building.  It is like our engine starter.  This is also one of my favorite times with Joshua, for I can open my heart to him and him to me, reflect back to what had happened with the both of us during the past days, telling him about my dreams the previous night and appreciating each other.  We can also call it our peace walk.  We release the baggage whenever the morning starts with a bad moods or unhealthy emotions.  

PayPerPost, a quaff swims like a trash can!

With the desire of earning money without abandoning my primary role as a wife with my wonderful husband and enjoying our 5 months pregnancy while staying at home, I signed up with PayPerPost.com as a blogger.  Since I am into blogging and currently managing our personal blog, an online job is one of the best options for me.  

PayPerPost.com is an online marketplace that connects you directly with advertisers who will pay you to write a blog posts about their products, services and websites on your blog.   (For more details, visit payperpost.com). 

Give in Love Language

It's my husband's 30th birthday today.  After 2 years and 3 months in being a relationship as a couple, its the first time we are celebrating it together, physically near, and not being separated by thousand miles of distance.  Finally we graduated from our skype and yahoo video chat days.  (Hooray!)    

Months prior to his birthday, I was thinking to surprise him big time with budget wise and practical gifts.   I was considering to get him an office chair which he can use daily while doing his online schooling.  The black chair that he was using for a year suddenly collapsed, though we fixed it but the fabric carrying his seating weight was ripped at the side and the screw became loss thread.   

Hepatitis C, unmasking deception!

Thinking how to express my deepest gratitude to God for everything he is allowing my husband and I to experience including all the daily blessings, all of the answered and unanswered prayers that made us to seek and put our confidence in him.  There are no suitable words that I can write to bring back my thanks to him for the guidance he is giving for our family, in re-polishing our plans and making it happened, in sustaining us in our monetary needs, our health, for our pregnancy, and surrounding us with people that entrusted their stories of faith in God to us.  People who underwent and shared with us their physical pain and past-aches that made them more closer to God knowing that only his grace and love can sustain them with strength to combat the agony of physical pain, and filled the void in their hearts.  Their stories encourage us to love him more.   

Almost everyone knows that we just got married, but being newly weds does not mean that we are excused from undergoing situation that is worry free.  

Picture taken during our tooth brushing time

With the permission of my husband, I will unmask some happenings in our lives as a couple that made our love for God increase deeply. 

Pregnancy, Overcoming First Trimester

Yes, I am back into writing!  Its been a while since my last update.  I must say, I regained the will power to do the things that I usually do before becoming pregnant.  Speaking of our pregnancy (I obviously referred "our pregnancy" implying that it takes a team of two heads in this 9 months journey which are my husband, me and of course God's guidance).  

Today we are celebrating the 15 weeks of our pregnancy, the first two weeks of our 2nd trimester (the next 3 months of the entire child bearing).  With the grace of God, Joshua and I overcome the first trimester of tough times experiences as first timer expectant parents.  We were able to calmed ourselves and sort all the necessary first to-do-list and be done with it.  The changes that we noticed and occurs in our first trimester were generally the same with those parents but somewhat different in some ways.  

At fault, I apologized

Daily, God has words for us to proclaim.  Though his messages are loaded with good news there is also use for correcting and training in righteousness. 

Proverbs 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly.  

A few hours ago I lost my cool and became pissed off while talking over the phone with the personnel of Philippine Embassy.  My emotion suddenly burst out when I heard again from the same person for the second time that they didn't receive the completely signed form of Report of Marriage.  For the purpose of understanding, I will cut from here to recall when and where this started.

We are pregnant

It took me a while before writing another post.  We became busy these past days with Herblend Teas, our herbal tea business.  Accompanied to our busyness was the changes I noticed with myself as well as my husband noticing.   

Almost every night, Joshua and I always prayed to God that if it His will to reward us a children, we asked Him to make them healthy and that they will grow up loving Christ Jesus and seeking His will for their lives.

Discontentment, a work of the flesh?

I was being preoccupied for a matter of months of doing a project that I tried to finish several times. This project was enhancing the designs of our personally manage websites to make it more professional and to achieve what it needs to serve with a mission of serving and witness for Christ through our writings and sharing the gifts that we have to bring glory to His name.

My husband and I are wired daily to updates our blogs, mostly Joshua since he needs to comply strictly on his online schooling at Ashford University.  The articles he researched and wrote on his papers were being uploaded to If You Want My Input, his self-maintained blog.  

Bridal Shower

Yesterday, our Christ Community Church family gave us a Bridal shower.  It was organized by the mothers and sisters in Christ as headed by Mrs. Allison, the wife of our pastor.
 
It was an overwhelming experience for my husband and I knowing that we haven't experience anything like it before.  On my part, I couldn't remember attending a bridal shower of my relatives or friends, probably because it was not a customary practice in the Philippines.  Some do it but majorities are not.  Obviously, on Joshua's part, bridal shower is a girly thing.  

Plum Fruit

I found Henderson, Tennessee as a place that is abundant with trees mostly pine trees.  When I first got here in the Unites States, one in my minor list that I was looking forward was to see an apple tree.  But, days had passed I couldn't find one not even a fruit bearing trees.

I asked Joshua, my husband about it.  Neighbors yards are big enough to plant fruit bearing trees, why is that I couldn't even see one.  He simply said that the government is monopolizing the food supply.  

Well that was my husband opinion about it, or maybe it has something to do with the climate.  But if its the climate, I am thinking that there is a probability of at least one fruit bearing tree is seasoned to bear fruit in each four seasons of the country.  I already experience the Spring and Summer and I am looking forward to at least handpick edible fruits from the trees of any kind.

I am not desperate to see a fruit bearing trees, but I found it odd that each household is blessed with a big yard.  But, what I mostly see are grass that being mowed most of the time, tall-flowery-trees, ornamental and flowery plants.

In front of Grammy's yard, there is an old plum tree planted nearby the road.  It is full of purplish with a green tint leaves.  If you will come and see it by yourself, you will enjoy the shades it can give and you will be enamored by its beautiful scenic view.   

This tree was said to be barren and not fruitful for a matter of years.  Even my husband told me that he never witness the tree to bear fruit back then as also mentioned by Aunt Kathy (Joshua's Aunt). 

Last Month, when I first heard that barren story from Joshua, and Aunt Kathy I uttered a breath prayer and blessed the tree to be fruitful and that the curse be removed and be denounced from it in Jesus name.  The curse might be in the form of disease that cause the tree to stop providing delicious fruits but whatever it is,  I trusted God that He will do something about it believing that He gave us every tree that has fruit with seed in it for our food.  

Father's Gift

The Holy Bible says in Ecclesiastes chapter 3:1-2 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. ² a time to be born and a time to die."  

With a permission of my husband, a part of his story as being a son, his few but treasured memories with his biological father, and how his father's sudden death impacted our relationship as husband and wife as shared in this article. 

The first time my husband and I met, he became open to me about his parents' relationship set-up.  He grew up with his mother (my mother in law) without the presence and guidance of his biological father. 

At the age of 8 years old, an opportunity to communicate with his father happened with the help of a relative. This bridged the gap between Joshua and his dad instantly.  As he said, "it was a 15 minutes arranged talk over the phone" and Joshua described it as an "eight years old boy life changing decision".  The decision for him to see his dad face to face was left up to him.  

Failure, retest, and confidence

"Not to be overly confident", these were the words that my husband humbly answered me when I asked him what he learned after he failed to pass the drivers license knowledge test that effects his character. 

Joshua hasn't had his driver license for a matter of years already since he lost it due to driving under the influence of alcohol during the time that he was still wondering in the wilderness and was cold in his relationship with Christ Jesus and that is another story to tell.

Divine Intervention

It's been an efficient day for Joshua and me.  After his morning routine,  he asked me to watched a morning news with him in the living room.  I was a bit sleepy but I couldn't let this moment pass.  Spending quality time with my husband than laying with the pillow is much important with me.  I smiled at him and stretched my hands towards him and waited for him to pulled me up from bed and he did.  

The news was about the United States President talking about immigration reform.  We had a little discussion about the current status of immigration system in the US and those who are illegally living in the US.  As time goes by, I noticed that my husband was almost done with his coffee and not focusing much of his attention in the news report.  It was a red light for me to escalate a request.  "Baba, can we jog around the cloud circle?", he looked at me and answered back with a question, "jog?" and followed by "yes".  

Self-centeredness, enemy's foothold

Today, I am celebrating my three weeks of being a wife and a helpmate to my husband (Joshua) not just in physical level but in the aspect of emotional, intellectual and spiritual relationship.  Both of us are still on the academy of adjustment and learning mostly in meeting each others needs and differences in characters.

I remember one morning,  I became upset towards Joshua because I was waiting for him to greet me "good morning" with a sweet smile on his face but I didnt get what I was expecting him to say with me.  Instead he stood up from bed and said, "Baby (his word of endearment to me) I will just have a shower."  But he was forgetting something, something that for me must be said first before him doing anything else.  My emotions was stirred and I was about to burst out just because of him not meeting my expectations. 

The Master, the wedding planner

Its been a matter of weeks already after our wedding.  According to God's law and human legality, I am no longer a single but a married woman and a wife of  Joshua Adam Haltom, my husband in the eyes of God and men.  I am already Mrs. Lady Lyn Erenio Calderon Haltom.

After almost two months of preparation, including premarital seminar, planning, documents processing, shopping, waiting and coordinating about the things related to the wedding from the Church to the reception program we can finally say...yes, praise God we did it.  Of course the helped and support from our family, and sisters and brothers in Christ were made it easier for us.

A walk to remember of God's faithfulness

The countdown begins, one, oh...yes one day left before our wedding.  Joshua and I are being excited, finally after our long awaits we will be united in marriage, in our covenant with God, and Joshua will be united with me as I am to him.  We will become one flesh, and no longer two, but one.  We will be committed with permanence.  

I am personally amazed how God designed and created marriage.  Girl can you imagine this?  God created us to bring pleasure for His name sake but He is a God who is also concern about the life of His creations.  Isn't it amazing?

Awesome God in a Summer Vacation Learning

Today's routine was different than the past days we had.  We are almost done with the wedding preparations and  just chilling while waiting for our most awaiting day and since the summer vacation just started, most of the kids stayed at home and alas, for the first time I saw kids playing in front of the neighbor house.  During my first day in Henderson, I was wondering why I couldn't see kids and Joshua mentioned that they were in school.  They were picked up early by the school bus.

Grammy's house were filled with laughter and voices of Joshua's little cousins.  Sydney's at her young age of 11 is intellectual and  fond in learning new things, art work and even new language like Filipino language. She's the oldest among her siblings and have a leader like characteristic and she loves to teach.   

While Kyndell, at the age of 6 years old is full of sweetness and charisma.  She knows how to appreciate people and always picked flowers at the back yard and handed to me with her sweet smile on her face.  

The Lamb will come for the bride known by His name

Joshua, my husband to be in just three days and I, together had a re-commitment of our faith in Christ and got baptized in the name of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ at Christ Community Church.  The baptism was ministered by Pastor Michael Rickenbaker right after the Bible study service as witnessed by the whole congregation.  

Years ago, when I was still in the Philippines and while waiting for the approval of the visa Joshua filed, we both desired and planned to be baptized together before our wedding, we prayed about it, waited and sometimes in the midst of our waiting we lost our patience but the good thing about it we both learned to put our hope in Christ and allowed the Holy Spirit to work on it according to His timing and it happened. Truly He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him.  We praise God for all His faithfulness in our lives and in our relationship.

City of Henderson: Don't throw it away, Be Smart. Recycle.

Hours ago, we went to the City Hall of Henderson, Tennessee to check on the One Peoples Public Trust (OPPT) paper work that Joshua dropped off weeks ago but we were not able to have it.  But the good thing about our visit was, we found out that the City has an on going program about recycling involving the residents within the City limits.  The recycling program already existed years ago but not 100% of the residents participate.  Obviously, we just found it now!

The catch is they will provide a pack of Blue Trash Bags, 25 pieces each and they will be the one to pick up all the filled bags of recyclable materials every other Friday.  I believe the main goal is to encourage each household to learn the 3R's which are Reduce, Reuse and Recycled. 

Planting to be fruitful

One of the project that my fiance and I envisioned together is to have an outdoor and indoor herbal and veggie garden.  We talked and planned about it a year ago. Joshua is a natural herbal lover that is why he decided to change his major from Political Science to Complimentary in Alternative Healthcare for he envisions that herbalism and holism is a way of life and since I love administering, and discovering new things out from what is available in the environment, we started to gather the bell pepper seeds from Grammy's kitchen after using it.  Instead of putting it to garbage we sun dried it for it will be beneficial to plant it and be fruitful so nothing will be wasted.  

Gooseberry-Almonds Surprise Cake

Yay! Two people working at the kitchen early in the morning while sipping a cup of coffee.  Doing the measuring, and preparing ingredients for the Baked and Yard sale at Christ Community Church.

Finally, after a 2-hours and a half of preparing and baking, Joshua and I finally got the result of our first baking experience as a team.  Our finished baked product is called Gooseberry-Almonds Surprise Cake as named by Joshua a man behind Herblend Teas.

Amla Gooseberry is very highly concentrated in vitamin C. It enhances food absorption, balances stomach acid, fortifies the liver, nourishes the brain and mental functioning, supports the heart, strengthens the lungs, regulates elimination, enhance fertility, helps the urinary system, is good for the skin, promotes healthier hair from roots to tip and also the color. Acts as a body colagen, flushes out toxins, increases vitality, strengthens the eyes, improves muscle tone, and it acts as an antioxidant. It can improve eyesight. This berry may slow the aging process.  

Child Hunger Charity a click away

One of the fondest thing that I enjoyed a lot is doing the grocery shopping for it's one form of my relaxation. I love seeing fresh vegetables and fruits of different sizes and color that are carefully sorted on food shelves .  Not to mention those canned goods that filled both sides of the aisles that offers a discounted and affordable prices. Walking slowly and pushing the cart around it give me a sense of not being rush by anyone or anything. 

I am blessed, because just this afternoon I had a fun grocery experience with my fiance and his Mom. We found out that through buying participating ConAgra Foods brands we will be able to contribute 12.5 cents for each 8 digit code found at the back of the product we purchased to the Child Hunger Ends Here.com.

Here's how you can help, look for participating ConAgra Foods Brands at a given selected Supermarket like Save-A-Lot and you might help a local food bank receive 80,000 meals.  On our part we bought Banquet TV Dinners and here's how we did it:

In your internet browser go to Child Hunger Ends Here.com and follow these instructions as given on the product.

1. Enter the 8 digit code then click submit

Walk, Jog and Sing around Cloud Circle

This morning brisk walking and jogging with Joshua was different than the past morning exercises we had. It became a musical exercise with the birds, squirrels, trees and the mail boxes. I shall say its more fun and more enjoyable.

We jogged down-hill and up-hill all the way around Clouds Circle, the road right down from Grammy's house where we live.

Wella Cut in Tennessee

My previous healthcare employer back in the Philippines gave me an opportunity to experience another room for growth and improvement in the field of hair cutting. She sponsored me a three days training at Wella professionals and there I took my Essential Cut and Care and had my certificate.

The Wella Professionals Studio is a training center for professional hairdressers, backed by the global training resources of Procter & Gamble Professional Care, and recognized as a training resource by the TESDA for professional hairdresser skills evaluation. The Studio offers certificate training seminars in hair cutting, hair color, perming, hair rebonding, styling, basic salon service shampoo & blow dry, and salon management, in addition to a regular creative Look & Learn seminars by local and foreign platform artists. The Studio also has training links to the Vidal Sassoon and Toni & Guy academies worldwide. 

Wella Essential Cut & Care Batch February 2013

Lady's tasted Milk Chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter

After a long walk from Hawthorn Library located at Freed-Hardeman University my Fiance and I were surprised by a bunch of chocolates given by Aunt Kathy and Mama Tammy. It was placed in front of the mirror and awaited to be tasted. 

We have two packs of Butter Finger, two boxes of Junior Mints, and two packs of Milk Chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Yes, only two people will partake on these and it looks so delicious. 

Bunch of Chocolates

No worries, all I need to do is to work for God

On my way home from the office, I was thinking and planning what will I first do the moment I get home.  My mind was set, focused on one thing and that was home based job hunting.
I reached my destination, and switched on Hp (my laptop name) and evaluate myself. What skills do I have that I can offer online? Then an imaginary light bulb appeared above my head and then AHA! Korean English online tutorial. I started to browsed the web, reviewing some job posting related to it but suddenly I realized that aside of English Tutorial I can also be a Virtual Assistant since I am maintaining my own blog site. Then, my plan and interest suddenly changed. Browsing from link to link redirecting to other link. 

Cashew's Parents Fellowship on their 2nd Year

Cashew Tree House Learning Centre (CTHLC) located at Bicol Hills Street, Area B, Group 3, Barangay Payatas, Quezon City 1119, Metro Manila is one of the services provided by the Asian Students Christian Foundation Inc., (ASCF) . The school was established in 1998 to meet a request from the parents of Payatas to provide a good quality pre-school education for their children. The school is predominantly funded by a charitable foundation in the UK called Asian Students Christian Trust (ASCT) who have been caring for children in the Philippines since 1975 and are commanded to providing an early education to these youngsters under their care.

Cashew's vision seeks to promote excellent academic standards whilst practicing Christian beliefs and principles, to enable each child to achieve their full potential.

Their mission seeks to provide an opportunity of a high standard early childhood education program for the less fortunate families and children who live and work in Payatas Dumpsite.

Cashew Parents & Committee at Work

With God's plan, everything will be in order. Nothing Will be wasted.

I am like once again revisited by a tempting thought of
not surpassing a test that will only last for a matter of  minutes. Everything depends with the piece of papers signed and authenticated accompanied by a thin object that contained a skeletal image of my middle torso and has the ability to saved a bytes of  files . Take note, the words that I will utter are of high consideration too.

They said, the requirements that I have with me are not a 100% assurance for me to get a flying colors and a ticket that everything will fall into place and according to what I desire to happen.