start the year with a prayer

for our family, 2006 started, not with a bang, but with prayers. hehe.. our morning of 01 january was spent at the daughters of st. paul convent along FB harrison. our rivers community held its live tv mass there :)

before the mass started, the sisters invited us to join them in their morning prayers. admittedly, i wasn't used to praying the way they did.. with a prayer book and antiphons and canticles (i often couldn't figure out what page to turn to hahaha). but praying and singing along with them gave a sense of peace and serenity. it helped to calm the mind and spirit. hmm. i guess it was a good way to start the year :p

after the mass, some of us in the community went to have lunch at aristocrat roxas blvd. hehe. the food was good and (once again) i was stuffed!! *groan* i just know i'll gain back all those pounds i've lost.. :( time to diet, diet, diet!!! (hahaha.. just like friend eya said, this is probably going to be a year of dieting)

we then went to have our caffeine fix at starbucks. guess which starbucks branch we visited? we went to.. (drumroll please!!!).. MEGAMALL!!! hahahahahahahahahaha.. that was just so funny. i thought we've avoided that place for once.. but nooooo!! hehe.. it's not that i don't like megamall. but it's been a second home to me (literally!) for the past 10 years - what with us being there at least twice a week, every week since 1995. haha. owel.. guess it's hard to get that place out of our system now :p

by 4pm, my parents and i *finally* left megamall. we proceeded to manila doctors to visit an aunt who recently underwent brain surgery (she had a malignant cyst removed from her brain). it was surprising to see her recovering so quickly just after the operation. only 3 days after her ordeal, she was already speaking coherently, laughing, able to make full use of her arms and legs and looking generally healthy. i suppose this is one miraculous healing from the Lord.. and we are very fortunate to witness it first hand :)

so went the first day of this new year :p now, it's back to work for most (but for me, work starts tomorrow). slowly, the days will go back to their usual routine.. and whatever 'magic' of the holidays will wane. but that's ok. 2006 started out pretty well. i just hope and pray that the next 364 remaining days will turn out just like yesterday.. if not better :)

live life to the fullest!! happy 2006 to all :p