Nelson-Atkins Museum

Last Friday, Shaun and I visited Nelson Art Museum in KC. We had a great time looking at the giant Buddhas from Thailand, sculptures from Egypt and Rome and Italy, paintings of known and unknown artists, and other stuffs under the name of art. It was a memorable experience but the most memorable of all - is our dinner in the Italian-inspired restaurant inside the museum. The ambiance, the smell of food, the lighting and the water fountain was so perfect we thought for a moment we were in Italy. 
There is one thing there though that Shaun and I love - the beef noodle vegetable soup. We love it so much that we plan to go there every Friday now :)

My San San

Fleas jumped in and out of her fur as the lady handed her to me.  

She was a chubby, black ball of fur, white furs wrapped her dainty little feet like socks. I knew i was in love the first time I laid my eyes on her.

She was a month-old baby owned by an old lady who lived near my grandma's house. The lady wanted to give her to grandma to look after her garden. But for 100 pesos i got her for myself. I paid 350 pesos just to transport her on the ferry from my grandma's to my own place in another island. I named her sansan. 

My family loves her as much as I do. I remember my sister staying late at night to tend for sansan while she was whining due to painful vaccination. I remember walking with her on the cool dewy mornings and hot summer nights chasing big dogs. Some people said she is an ugly mutt, but for me she is the most beautiful puppy - because i bought her with my own money, we spent lots of time together, we are the best of friends.

One year passed, then the time came for me to leave her. I have to go to the USA to be with my sweetheart. Leaving sansan is the last thing I want to do. I cried so many tears thinking about me leaving her. I gathered my luggage and said my byebye to everyone except sansan. She crawled under the bed and curled her legs when I tried to reach out for her. It broke my heart as much as it broke hers. Tears were streaming down my face as I knelt n front of the bed looking at sansan and saying my goodbye to her. I told her to eat well, to take care of her future puppies and that she will always be my sansan bop. She looked back at me as if to say she
understands. Then i got up and left. Just before I went out of our door, i felt a nudge on my legs - there was my beloved sansan giving one wet nose kiss and I know she will be waiting for me until I see her again.

Are You Blessed

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness,
you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle,

the loneliness of imprisonment,
the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation,

you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment,
arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost
three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator,

clothes on your back, a roof over
your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change
in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare,
especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful,
you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand,

hug them or even touch them on the shoulder,
you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over
two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in ways
you may never even know.

-author unkown-

The Music Man

Last Sunday, August 03, 2008, Rose - a very nice lady friend of my hubby invited me to watch a musical - The Music Man at the Starlight theater in KS (my first time to watch a musical show)

It was a melting temperature I have to fan my legs to keep them warm! The music were wonderful but it makes me miss home and my own country's wonderful songs too. When the Old Barber's Choir sang the Star Spangled Banner - my first time to hear the USA national anthem being sang live and saw the US flag on the display screen, it finally dawned on me that I am here in the US soil.

Rose and Eugene Rose

Starlight Theater