The Perfect Gift

Before anything else, 

I want to greet everyone...

It's Christmas eve and while the whole family is waiting for the clock to strike midnight, I took this time to write my Christmas post. I have so many things to be thankful about. :-)

This particular Christmas is a special one for the Estante's. It's because all the members of the family are here. Eejay's dad came home from abroad after years of not being able to spend Christmas with the family.

For Eejay and I, it is even more special because of the perfect gift God has given us - a baby boy who is well on his way in less than 2 months from now. 

Indeed, if not for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, we won't have the life, grace and blessings that we are enjoying now. Because God loves the world so much, He chose to become like us. He was born as a human child in a manger, and eventually died on the cross for our sins. He became poor so that we might become rich. He became sin for us so that we might become righteous. 

Christmas is not about material gifts, preparing a grand feast, and all commercialized meanings the world has invented to make money out of it. It's about remembering the Father's great LOVE for us through the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and acknowledging that He was born to live and to die, so that we might live and enjoy an abundant life today. 

May you have a meaningful and happy Christmas, 

and a blessed New Year, too! 

God bless us all!

Count Your Blessings

Now that I'm not working and staying at home most of the time, I get easily bored with my life and I have a tendency to feel down and anxious about a lot of things. I also can't help but miss my family in Manila and our life back in Iloilo. I know that these feelings are not healthy for the baby, especially that I am fully aware about the risks of prenatal depression being another emotional health concern for every 1 out of 10 pregnant women, aside from postpartum depression. I refuse to be a part of that statistic!

So, one sure way to drive the blues away is to see beyond my lack and start counting the blessings God has given me. I just want to take this opportunity to share what I am thankful for. :-)

Family and Friends

The support we are getting from our family and friends is very overwhelming, even from the beginning. Thank you for celebrating our victories, for lending us a hand whenever we need help, and for lavishing us with prayers, love, words of encouragement, and also for blessing us financially and with other material things without asking for anything in return.  

Hubby's New Job

When we decided to stay here in Koronadal, my husband also started looking for a more stable online job. In a just a few weeks, he was able to land a full-time article writing job for a big SEO company that does not only pay well, but also cover our internet bills. My husband is even more blessed because he finds the job very easy and only works 5 to 6 hours maximum per day instead of 8 hours. This is because he is simply fast and good at what he does. Haha! Thank you, Lord, for your favor and for giving us the strength and wisdom to produce wealth.

Unexpected Blessings 

As I've mentioned in my previous post, even if we're staying at my in-laws' house here in Koronadal, we are still maintaining an apartment in Iloilo where we plan to go back to on April next year. That means, we are still paying for the rent and utility bills. Surprisingly, a friend from Manila asked me the other day if she can stay there for an indefinite period of time, since she will be temporarily assigned by her company to work in Iloilo. She agreed to share half of the rent payment, and as a result, we'll have extra money to put in the bank for our baby. Indeed, God is commanding blessings to fill our storehouses! Thank you, Jesus!

Daily Provisions

Ever since we stayed here at Mama Daday's (my mother-in-law), we have been enjoying God's daily provision of our basic needs, such as a home to live in, food and water, free OB check-ups, and a supply of prenatal vitamins and milk, and even occasional treats (trip somewhere, new clothes, etc.). 

Loving Husband


I am just happy and thankful to God for giving me a husband who is always there to cheer me up and show how much he loves and cares for me. He just knows what to do or say whenever I'm feeling down...whether it be a kiss, a hug, or bringing me to the mall to eat pizza or whatever I'm craving for. He is simply the best! He is not just my husband, but my best friend too. I love you, Honey!

How about you, what are you thankful for?

Jesus Loves Me!

JESUS LOVES ME, THIS I KNOW!

Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me, He who died
Heaven's gate to open wide
He will wash away my sin
Let His little child come in.

Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me, He will stay,
Close beside me all the way
He's prepared a home for me
And some day His face I'll see.

Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

I sing this song to the little one in my tummy and to remind me that even though our baby is still a tiny bean-like creature inside me, Jesus is the strength and the life that sustains him/her. Jesus is the only one who can see our baby right now. With that in mind, I know that God is taking care of him/her inside me. And that whatever happens, the truth shall remain...Jesus loves my baby and Jesus loves me!