Newtown CT Shooting

The tragic event that transpired in the elementary school in Newtown Connecticut is saddening and disturbing. My heart sank with the news, myself having 2 equally young buys.  I cannot fathom being in that horrible situation, or being a parent of the young victims. I could not even tackle the news without dry eyes. 

My boys' teachers hug each children as they went into the classroom the morning after.  In the afternoon on the way home, they both wanted to talk about "the bad guy" in the car.  Sashimi said, "if a bad guy goes to my school, I will throw garlic naan on his face so he will get messy."  Innocence.

 In the wake of this tragedy, I hug my boys tighter, knowing that somewhere in Connecticut there are parents who have lost a child to embrace.  If I have to deal with my two boys squealing and bickering every day, I will act with more patience and gentleness.  For there is nothing more precious in this world than the children we gave life to and live for.

Happy 10th!

Besides 10 years of marriage, it also means most of my personal belonging are also 10 years old, if I still have them, and maybe it’s time to replace them =] Mr. Hotpot has slated our wedding anniversary weekend for a shopping trip in Buffalo NY, saying I can buy anything I want, skies the limit. Of course, he knows deep down there’s a duty free allowance for cross-border shopping which I won’t go over. Hahaha! And he knows Mrs. Hotpot too well I don’t take advantage of such perks. He can say anything, right?

Seriously, I still get surprises - each birthday, every Valentines, anniversaries, even Mothers’ Day (and Fathers’ Day, too!). But the best surprises are in the everyday, when dishes get washed because he finds me standing too long in the kitchen already, when the kids are bathed because that’s where he can help best because he doesn't cook, when he constantly invite me to eat out so I don’t have to cook and wash every meal every day. Often asking me to buy anything I want is the cherry on top of my ice cream.

I don’t even like maraschino cherry. And most times I don’t even need ice cream anymore. I am just blessed for these wonderful years. 10 years, 10 lbs heavier =[ and 10 years away from where we started out, it seems like only yesterday. We still look back at our wedding photos, videos and soundtrack with fond memories. Besides being partners and parents, we’re still friends today like we used to be more than 10 years ago.

Here's to another 10 years... and more! For those who are asking for one more baby girl, besides being 10 years older now, we're okay, we're happy with our two!

Wedding Playlist

This month Mr. & Mrs. Hotpot are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. It seems like only yesterday we were Getting to Know Each Other (Gerard Kenny). Today I still ask When Did You Fall (Chris Rice)? One thing for sure is How Do I Live Without You (Trisha Yearwood)?

Through the years we’ve shared and sang one too many songs even our iPod couldn’t contain. Music has defined chapters in the life we shared. We keep CD compilations, now MP3, of songs that have meaning to us, usually of movie soundtracks, a common favourite, or one that constantly played around a significant phase of our life. Music has been the thread that stitched the quilt of our years together.

Promise of Love (Martin Nievera) – for our favourite celeb couple who used the same song for their bridal march
All My Life (K-Ci & Jojo) – this was almost for the bridal march, after Miss Universe used it on their evening gown segment
Cherish the Treasure (Steve Green) – for our faith, contract signing
This is the Day (Scott Wesley Brown) – this is the day indeed, church picture taking
At the Beginning (Anastasia) – “We were strangers starting out on a journey,” grand entrance as Mr&Mrs
Love Changes Everything (bAndrew Llyod Webber) – the trumpeted intro was perfect for the parade of waiters
Love Moves in Mysterious Ways (Julia Fordham) – the title alone speaks volume, AVP of the church ceremony
Power of Two (Indigo Girls) – for when our individual set of friends multiplied by 2, AVP of couple pics with friends
Thanks To You (Tyler Collins) – to thank our families for paving the way for our paths to meet, AVP of family pictures
The Perfect Year (Sunset Boulevard) – what our first year together is going to be like
Changing and Giving Ways (Dawn Dineros) – what we’ll do at the onset of the marriage
Getting to Know Each Other (Gerald Kenny) – from the first movie we watched
Ally McBeal theme (Vonda Shepard) – for the TV show we watched in our respective homes pre-wedding
I’ll Never Fall in Love Again (My Bestfriend’s Wedding) – not for the lyrics, but for one of our all-time favourite movies
How Do I Live (Trisha Yearwood) – the first song that said we got something in common – our love for music
Your Song (Moulin Rouge) – “How wonderful life is now you’re in the world!”

This is our wedding playlist. It was played on our wedding day in different segments. Now the songs also reference snippets of our wedding.  Today we still play these songs and reminisce that special day. Even 10 years later.

This is Mr & Mrs Hotpot enjoying the program/songs in the reception.

Do you have a wedding playlist, too?