Christmas So Far

Last Sunday, I was able to hear simbang gabi ¹. I did not sleep the entire night, I decided to wait for the simbang gabi of 4:30 am. Hmm... After that I went straight back to bed. Sad to say, after two early morning masses, I could not do it anymore. A lot of activities were slated for me that Monday, the third of the nine masses to be completed.

I have never completed all the nine masses, closest I got was six masses out of nine. I hope next year I'll get to finally complete it. I really want to. Not because I have a wish, I did not make any wish for all these years that I have been trying to complete them. I just really want to.

Also, last Sunday I got to go to Market! Market! with my boyfriend and my not-so-little sister. It was the first time in so many months that they got to spend some time together again. My sister's comfortable around him, I mean she laughs and jokes about and that's enough for me. My other two exes pissed her off, so much she won't even bother a slight smile. Kudos to my boyfriend a.k.a. Boyoyong hehe...

My sister who insists she's all grown up insisted that she go around the mall on her own. I had to make her call my mom so I know that it's okay to let her loose in the mall. Hmm... Apparently she is a bit grown up already. *sigh* She has grown up so fast.

She bought her classmates and friends some gifts while I also scouted for gifts for my brother and some friends. I'm still not done shopping, it's quite a shame really, I got so many gifts from friends and I did not give out a lot of gifts. I did not have much time with my teaching load at NCC.

Speaking of NCC is okay. I mean my students do their assignments. Sure they're late most of the time but we're doing good. We're still on schedule. Like we all have a choice, we really have to follow the syllabus or else... Time will not wait for us.

Anyway, after Market!Market! we dropped my sister off because she has believe it or not, her quarterly exams. She's doing okay in school even without studying much and she figured since she's in her senior year, she doesn't have to work her ass off. Why did I not figure that out then? She's so smart I tell you. :D Going back to my always-interrupted part of the story, I got to go to the Christmas Bazaar and I got myself some stuff. My boyfriend was able to buy gifts for his godchildren and officemates... Note to self, must buy gift for my inaanak within striking distance. I got to buy two bags! I also saw really cute Precious Moments dolls! I told my sister about it and she was telling me how she wants those dolls. Oh well... I thought she wouldn't appreciate them. Maybe we can go again some time before Christmas. We can ride the bus because I sure don't want to drive going there... super traffic. Or maybe we can go early during the day to avoid the hassle of playing Trip to Jerusalem with twenty cars.

My boyfriend and I decided we were just going to take a peek at the bazaar since I had so many things to check and record and he had to go home early so he can prepare for the following day and spend some time with his family too. Lo and behold, we spent three hours in the bazaar, maybe even more. I lost track of time.

After the bazaar, I felt kind of sad when I realized my boyfriend was sad because he was going to go home late again. I mean it wasn't my idea to go there that day. I already told him we did not have to go. I could have gone on my own anyway. That way he would not have to feel so bad that he was going home late again.

This made me re-evaluate things. Am I stealing too much of his time from his family? True, most of that week was spent outside of his home. Monday last week he came from a basketball game and picked me up. Tuesday, he was color coding and I figured maybe I could come around and pick him up this time around only to realize when I got there that he drove his father's car. We decided to have coffee instead, and this made him go home a lot later than he should, or probably intended. Wednesday, he picked me up again and I think we went to MOA to have some Starbucks stickers (remember my addiction, I don't go there to drink, I go there to acquire stickers)... or was it Blue Wave? Thursday I went to MOA to have dinner with co-faculty members. I got to drive someone else's car that night hehe... My palms were all so sweaty! But I pulled through! He met us there since he also needed to buy a gift bag for his Kris Kringle. He got home late again since I had some hot choco and he had coffee (guess where... ) and then Friday, he picked me up again from UP so he got home late again. Saturday, we went to MOA to meet someone and to buy some presents and then Sunday.

I guess he did really not see his family. Anyway I figured that so this week, I decided to let him go home early. :D That way, he get to spend time with his family and I get to spend time with my siblings and friends. A relationship after all is about growth and we grow through others too.

¹ The simbang gabi is a Filipino tradition done nine days before Christmas. It begins December 16 and the last mass is December 25. According to our chaplain, the Misa de Gallo is an offering to Mama Mary. Most Filipinos believe that if you wish for something, and complete the nine masses, their wish will come true.