Christmas 2006, New Year 2007: A Retrospect

I've been inside in my shell hibernating (as they say) for the past few weeks. I was tired to tap the keyboard to blog about my daily musings. At this time of the day, the weather is again frightening to me, with a windblast of 110-130km/hr, that brought me here promptly in the desk to type. If the weather is just as nice from what I "consider nice", my bike will already bring me to somewhere. But today, I just stayed foot and busy my fingers in the keyboard while listening to a Christian music.

We had a nice Christmas party last December after attending the "kerstnachtdienst" (x'mas eve mass). Our home was warmed by friends starting from Christmas eve until the first day of X'mas.

Our table was overflowed by food (which normally Filipinos do).

What is that on the left side?? Ummhh...just a shot of tequila...

We exchanged gifts and played kolonisten. It was a wonderful time celebrating the yuletide season.

Here's the man who kissed me under the X'mas tree :-). He was dragging the sack of gifts.

I had a two-week vacation to feel the air of Christmas. It was also a time to celebrate it was because I passed my exam for my Dutch course. (At last! I'm now on my way to level 3).

(the right side photo) Here we are! Lyn, Vicky & me during X'mas.

We welcomed the new year with peace, love and joy. We still shared it with friends.

Me and Vicky during the New Year's Eve. You might think there's fire behind us.

We were cheered by illuminous lights of fireworks display right in our terrace. It was a brighter sky filled with colorful lights just on time that rain halted from pouring.

Fireworks display. A view from our terrace.

I think I saw thousands of euros bursting and blowing to the atmosphere to think how much it cost every firework or explosives. The night was splendid compared the past year which was very dark, gloomy and icy.

More fireworks show.

We missed "white christmas" since, according to the weather authorities here, this winter season is the warmest ever recorded. There are no snowballs, no flakes, no hales, and no snow. Huh! I am desperately hoping for them..... By February, which will be the coldest month of the winter...might have a pound chance of snowfall, so, I would really get ready for it.

Many things had changed. Time runs so fast. As fast as how the Nederlands weather change from black to white, and from gray to bright. In a minute you are hardly biking against the wind...in the next tick, you found yourself pushed by the wind and arrived to your destination a minute earlier :-) You leave home at your nicest posture, and came back home, soaked and wet. :-) You put your facial colors on, using the famous make-up brands, but just end up retouching more than it is necessary. Is it ironic? Yeah, I'm just trying to say that in some instances, things just changed without you saying yes or no. It just happened and you have nothing to do about it but to face and deal with it. I am not strong...but during the times that we are weak...I realized that's the time that you will become strong.

I am slowly stitching my thread to create a good fabric of life. It might be a difficult cross-stitch, but, I need to get through with it. I am rest assured that for how many times of threads I got wasted from trying, still HE will remain my Provider, giving me more colorful threads to choose from, making an embroidered or an unembroidered piece of life.

Another fireworks...(fireworks photos were courtesy of Don, our friend).

At this time of new year, I missed many things and many people. However, I am a little bit adjusted here and happy, embracing my new environment. One year had past...and one more year to go...I think I will be just more integrated here. I will keep my fingers crossed and pray for strength not only for me and Ian, but for my whole family here and my family out there in the Philippines.

I am wishing a peaceful new year to everyone!