lounging in our new apartment...

The Apartment in Bitters...

this is hubby and mee before he goes to work...
a real man stays in the kitchen and makes koolade for wifey...
wifey first time in uniform... an accidental guard... the premier of Sex and The City

my interview experience at the USEM

my interview experience at the US Embassy Manila
dated April 24, 2008 - 7am Philippines


my appointment was 7am... i arrived around 6am...

i saw a long line infront of USEM but dont go where the crowd's at... ask the guard infront coz the K3 K1 lines are way shorter than the others... show ur appointment letter when u get there and a Valid ID... then they will tell you where to fall in line under the tent.. then one by one you'll get to the entrance where u need to have ur things xrayed... and after that you just follow the arrow going to the immigrant visa unit.. the guards will show you where to sit.. then per row they will tell you when to get your number ( when u get ur number, prepare your forms with you make sure signed and all the photos are attached, and all the details are answered, plus the appointment letter)... then just wait for the number to flash on the screens.. there are a lot of screens there so u wont missed it! at first my number flashed for window 22 and it was pre screening... others got to get finger scanned first before pre screened.. the numbers dont flash consecutively so make sure u pay attention to the screens... after the pre screening, the guy (he's gay and very very accomodating, friendly and had a little chit chat with me... so it was like talking to a friend telling him how did my love story started and a few other details, the packet my hubby sent was sooo thick that he didnt asked for more proofs except for the Affidavit of support and the documents needed for that - such as w2 1040 tax transcripts pay stubs and certificate of employment from petitioner..), i asked him to take some of the photos i have prepared, so he considered taking them.... after that he told me to wait for my name to be called probably for finger scanning at window 16... so it was called... after that... went back to sit with the new friends ive met there... and the long wait began!! the wait for the consul is soooooooooooo freaking looooooooooong!! more than 3 hours of waiting... i got there 6am, i finished almost 12noon... but the interview is sooooooo short... it was an american gurl around mid to late 20's, was nice.... and smiles whenever i answer a question she asks...

questions are the following:
1. made me swear first that everything written in the docs are true...
2. who is my petitioner...
3. how did we met...
4. when did we first met...
5. how many times did he visit...
6. what does he do..
7. mode of communication...
8. what do we talk about everyday...
9. do we ever have fights...
10. how do we resolve our fights...
11. what are our similarities..
12. how long have he been working with the company...
13. is it my first marriage...
14. is it his first marriage.. and reason for divorce..
15. any kids???
16. what did i do in qatar... how long did i work there...
17. is it scary in Qatar????

thats it... and she told me that i am approved.. and just wait for the visa to be delivered... i asked her when can the visa be delivered since my hubby is excited to buy the tickets... and she said she cant really tell.. she said just wait for the visa before buying tickets... then after that step... waited outside for my name to be called from window 37.. the releasing of documents... its the same gay guy who pre screened me so i was comfy talking to him and had our chit chats again... asked him the same question bout the visa... he said it depends on the finger printing... sometimes around 2 weeks time, sometimes less than a week... so he said the same thing,... to wait for the visa to be delivered....after that he told me to go to delbros and pay for the delivery... thats it!!!!

make sure you bring FOOD snacks u can munch inside coz the waiting is tooooooo loooooooooooooong!!! and for sure u will get hungry... so have something to munch on...the process is very easy... dont worry you will do fine... God Bless and congrats!!!!! hardly they deny visa's unless you really dont have supporting docs and even if you dont have enough

My Home Project!

my home improvement project III

the made up bedroom...

the best place to relax, sleep, cuddle and so much more!!! :)

My Home Project!

my home improvement project II

empty kitchen....
after food shopping and a few touches...
bedroom before....
next post will be the newly rennovated bedroom... watch for it!!

bought a box spring for the bed frame... had a new bedroom set beddings...

a golden brown curtain.. and a few touches in the walk in closet...

My Home Project!

my home improvement project I

the living room before

the living room after

computer desk from goodwill... costs 14$ with tons of stickers

on it... geeez had a hard time removing all of it.. mind you it has

stickers on both sides, youre just seeing one side of the picture...

used alcohol and cotton to remove the stickies...

the desk after removing stickies and doing a spray paint job!

jet black!! hehehhehe...

here's the final mini office area...

planning to put up different sizes of book shelves at the back wall...

and a good area rug on the floor, and some colorful throw pillows..

and this will turn out to be the mini library section of the apartment...

check our body paints!

July 08, 2007

tattoo parlor : 3rd level Robinsons Galleria

Tattoo Artist: Gene Testa's assistant
Time Started: around 11am

Time Finished: around 1pm

Design: Font American Script

Healing Time: 3wks to 1 month

Price: 2000.00 pesos

comments: it tickles at first... but majority - OUCH! pain is only during the

process....when done, pain depends of movement!

Tattoo Artist: Gene Testa
Time Started: around 1pm

Time Finished: around 630pm

Design: tribal cross by TattooJohnny.com

Healing Time: 3wks to 1 month

Price: 8000.00pesos

comments: first time i saw my baby never ever smiled! He regret doing it

while on the process, but he said its worth it in the end! so brave,

so proud of you stinky!!!

healing process: HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR TAT!

right after the tat... we're expecting them to bandage it... but... they just put tons of petroleum jelly on it and said its better that it's left uncovered since the wound is still fresh and the bandage will only stick to the wound, which will make it painful to remove later on...but since we got a dinner date later on that night with my gay friends.... what we did was....

1. we bought sterile gauze and bandaged it ourselves...

2. we avoided too much movement (sucks!!!!) stiffy adam and grace!

too much movement will stretch the tat and may change the looks of the tat when it's healed

3. we lubed it!!! no matter what, just lube it!!! petroleum jelly works wonders!

before and after shower! just lube it!!!

4. avoid getting it wet for the first few weeks... as much as possible!

greasy tattoo area it was! so careful when taking shower.. very funny :))

5. avoid laying on the tat area when sleeping...

me and my baby miss sleeping on our back so much, the funny thing about that is no matter how hard we try to avoid laying on our backs, sometimes we just catch ourselves awake in the middle of the night laying on our backs! (we're both guilty of charge !!) hehe

6. bandage it when going out so as not to scratch the ink from the tat!

our next tat plans... him my name and me a cute little sexy fairy...

we're looking forward to that!!!!!

a short warning!!!

it can get sooooooo addictive!!!

choose the best place you want your tat coz removal is a pain in the butt and in the wallet!!!

no pain no gain!!! its an art!! and i love both of our tattoos!!

meeting the family...

if there's an odd way of meeting the family, i guess thats what we did!! the typical Filipino style is doing the "pamamanhikan" (asking for the hand in marriage)... but that is a very long complicated process for us... so let's do the speedy route! yupyup... he never met my family until the day after we got married... well, a few cousins was introduced during the wedding day, but most of the family met him the next day..

what are their reactions???? hmmmm...any guess??? the fact that i didnt introduced him before getting married and all...(but they know beforehand that im engaged to be married!) whats the normal reactions of parents??? you can never really please anyone.... some may support you for your decision and be happy for you and wish you the best of luck! some just put their worst grin and say the things that we dont wanna hear (well at least not infront of us, geeez)... and i say back, hmmmmm im in the right age, remember?? and who is going to get married? and oh yeah, i wont decide to get married if its not what i wanted ayyyt???? geeeeeez, c'mon folks! just smile and say.... "COngratulations!" anyways, when im happy, you are happy right? hahaha... so??

but im still lucky to have supportive family members.... and majority of them supported me... well cant blame the haters, but they say what they gotta say and i aint care... LOL!!!

meeting the family isnt as fun... but at least we survived! they prepared a lil something for us, which is very thoughtful even if we know that theyre in a tight budget too...but still... we insisted that they dont.... but you know how Filipino families are... yes we will kill the year raised pig no matter what!!!!! hahahaha... how i wish ive taken more pics...

some of the inuman (drinking session) with the cooks and the guys are in 35mm camera... too bad wasnt able to scan them, just picture my baby seated among the guys joining the drinking spree. :)) was worried he'd get drunk, good my baby was practiced by the army! hahaha,,

august 23, 2007... my cfo experience...

just want to share my CFO seminar experience... i attended the seminar as a requirement for the renewal of my passport... i went to CFO website to check on the time schedule for the seminars... and ive decided to attend the 1:30pm session.. http://www.cfo.gov.ph/.

in the CFO website i found the nearest place for me to get the seminar from... since im from quezon city, ive chosen SMEF-COW which is located in Araneta Avenue Cubao.. its infront of PSBA school and along St. Bridget School, and just beside the katipunan LRT station... both near Katipunan area ( where ateneo, miriam, and UP are nearby located ) this is their website... http://www.smef-cow-phil.org/ (location so easy to find)i got there 20 minutes before 1:30pm last august 23...

as soon as u enter the good shepherd convent gate, there's no way that you'd missed their building since its just behind the gate, its the first thing that you'd see as u enter the gate... i hurriedly went inside and they let me filled-out some forms (had my ID's and old passport photocopied) and paid 250.00 pesos.. then, after filling out the forms (make sure u know ur husband's address, phone numbers, educational attainment, job and all that), they asked me to stand infront of the webcam to take my picture for the certificate that will be given later on.... then after that... went upstairs to watch a film showing about domestic violence... took maybe around 15to 20 minutes, then had a 30 minute discussion afterwards...

then... after that session, they asked us to go to the respective rooms (depends on the country youre going) to have the seminar proper... group discussion about american culture, adjustments, visa's and everything that you need to tackle moving to the US... then the one on one session follows....during the one on one... they asked how we met... how long have we been dating before marriage... if he's divorced, what are the reasons... even asked a copy of divorce decree.. good thing i brought it with me... the counselor is very accomodating... a little bit strict but, she jokes around once in a while....then, after that she will give u ur information sheet that u filled out earlier and give it downstairs to the lobby... their they will give you your blue certificate...

then you have to photocopy the certificate, and go to the CFO office just behind their building... in the CFO office, you will have to give your photocopy of blue certificate, copy of your visa (if you already have your visa), your passport and your payment 400.00 pesos... then you have to wait til they give your passport back together with your receipt and your green/yellow certificate and will be asked to sign their logbook... for me they said that a photocopy of that certificate is what i need for the DFA requirement... and that i have to go back when i already have my visa so they can put the sticker in my passport!!!! (that is the most important thing!!) i just have to show my certificates... fill out another form from the SMEF-COW and give it to CFO, and a copy of my visa!!!! that was it!! finished the same day at around 5pm...

was so hungry after, so better come with full tummy for the entire session!we were around 10-15 people at the film showing, and trimmed down to 7 in the seminar proper... they can accomodate so much more than that, so no need for appointments... just be there on time!!!

the seminar is very informative, im sure you'd pick up some tips from them when it comes to luggages, what to bring and not, how much weight and dimensions...and so many other things!good luck to you all!!! God bless you!!

Our Very Funny Wedding Day!!!

July 05, 2007, Thursday… 11:00am
Quezon City Memorial Circle

"LOVE is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing;

a confusion of the real with the ideal never goes unpunished"

~Goethe~

Our journey was never easy…like most of us here… it all started in a very unexpected, yet so ordinary way… yes, we may find acquaintances and even a start of a very lasting friendship online, but a few brave ones would go on for the lasting tying the knot kind of relationship…. Yes, like what you guys did! We tied the knot…

After 2 years and 5 months of getting to know each other, hi hello’s , my likes and dislikes, unstoppable imissyou’s and iloveyou’s, we tied the knot!! Yes! We did!!

That day when he came back to the Philippines after a year of our first meeting… We both know that this is the moment we’re waiting for.. this is it!!!he always say… YOU’RE IT!! We are in it! We prepared all the necessary papers needed for our civil wedding, the very next day he landed, after catching up with lost times of not being together of course (wink)… it was all worth the wait… but you know how it feels when you haven’t been with your love for the longest time…. ITS NEVER ENOUGH!!! Hahahhaha… yeah, was never enough!

July 05, 2007 – woke up early morning… got ready… butterflies in our stomach… we went straight to MAX’s resto in Quezon city circle ( to have the wedding and reception at the same time… so no need to go anywhere!! ) we waited for our ninong’s and ninang’s (witnesses) and the minister… one by one they came… and so the ceremony began…say I do’s… the funny part in that wedding was…. LOL… we were caught off guard.. we know that it’s a very very simple way of saying I do’s…. and we never expected that the minister would ask us say our own VOWS to each other… we were like looking at each other laughing… giggling… so I started…i told him my love.. my care till death do us part.. even remember saying that made everyone laugh…. “NO DIVORCE OK?!” hahahha… and the witnesses were saying at the background!! Oh yeah Go grace!!! No divorce!! My husband was laughing, I know he was just trying not to blurt the LMAO kind…but at least so happy to see him smiling J…. He was never really prepared for the vow… he doesn’t like being caught off guard.. all I can remember him saying is that “I love you sooooo much… and will always be there to take care of you…”awwwwwe…. So short yet touched my heart in a very special special way….

Well… the main blooper of our wedding was when the minister stopped in the middle of the ceremony just to say…. “Ahhhmmmm…. I just want to tell you that there’s another 5000.00 pesos fee for the paper works…” (what the heck??? I was like in shocked!! My husband was so afraid to say NO thinking that the minister will stop the ceremony… geeeeeeeez… if only looks could kill.,.. man… that minister is sooooooo dead…anyways… after paying him another 1500.00 which was the agreed payment at first… we paid 4000.00 again.. geeeeez.. we had bargained for a thousand less) that was a total ripped-off!!!

But at the end of it all!!!! We’re married! And that’s all that matters… we paid max’s around 4thousand… so much food… even had doggy bags.. J only 10 attended our wedding but its all worth it.. pictures were taken (of course!!! Very important… proofs remember???) well… enjoy some of the pictures below… and may our love story inspire you guys out there who are in the same boat as we are...

More to come… wedding was just the beginning of our married life… and now we are… Husband and Wife….

“Love Never Fails”

my first entree....

" Books are judged by their covers... and now... by their BlOGGS!" it doesnt make sense.. lol.. let me take you for a ride instead...

my first entree... going on bare.. before you can create a blog... you have to have something full of sense in mind... before you can create an audience, you dont have to be extraordinary, but at least entertaining... before fellow bloggers can learn from you... you have to post blogs of real happenings... this isnt just A diary... its the persona in meee that most of the people around me doesnt know of... sharing wont necessarily mean that you'll get something out of me... but hoping at least, would help you in any possible way... the way its helping me... geeeeeeez... dying to get out of this skin... :)) to my baby... iloveyou so much... this is for you!!! to my friends! hoping to keep in touch with you all!!

enjoy my bloggs... like the way im enjoying yours!!

peace ;P