NY ING Marathon November 1st -

26.2 miles was no breeze but there were a few factors that made it painfully enjoyable.

* Ran with a fellow first time marathoner who did not mind my quarkiness

* No ipod, which gave me a chance to revel in the fact that there were millions of spectators lining the streets - cheering on the 43,000 runners,

* Little emphasis on miles run but rather, what borough I was running through,

* Seeing my family and friends along the way,

* Spotting random friends in the crowd,

* Remembering that not only was I running for a personal accomplishment but for the DOE Fund - for the men and women of NYC who were formally homeless and getting themselves back on their feet,

* Having fun with the crowd and cheering them on,

* and that pain is temporary - pride is forever!

Sleep was almost impossible the day before the race. Not only was I anxious but it was also the tail end of Halloween festivities with N.

No need for an alarm - I kept on waking up every thirty minutes before 5am. With my running gear on and bag in hand, I left the apartment praying I did not forget anything essential. Of course, there were no 1/2/3 trains going downtown from 103rd Street so I made my way to 96th Street. There were still folks walking around in their costumes although I noticed all the other marathoners with the official plastic ING bag slowly making their way to the subway.

I was assigned to take the shuttle from midtown and upon arrival chills of excitement started to tickle my spine. Hundreds of runners were calmly filing between the police barricades leading to the buses, while ING volunteers were directing us with bull horns. While on the bus, like a preview of the of the marathon route, it dawned on me that at some point I would be trekking through that area.

Another rush of enthusiasm came over me as we arrived at the starting point on Staten Island. A gauntlet of puffy eyed yet energized high schoolers welcomed us with cheers of encouragement.

Thankfully, I decided to bring my fleece and gloves because the autumn chill was present at our 5:30am delivery. Our bus was one of the first to arrive but within the next few hours thousands more weary eyed runner ascended in their designated corrals.

It was apparent who the veteran marathoners were because they were the ones that brought sleeping bags, tents, lounge chairs, patio furniture and blankets. My survival mode kicked in as I grabbed some discarded poland springs boxes and flattened them out for my temporary bed and curled up for a cat nap.

The time was 7:00am and I still had 3 hours before the start of my wave (10:20am). I started wandering aimlessly along with others, collected some snacks, a Dunkin Donut hat, had my pre race picture taken and wandered to other corral areas. I saw one of those outdoor overhead tents packed with hundreds of runners seeking shelter and some shut eye. It was quite a site!

Along the road on the opposite side of the tent were dozens of UPS trucks that later on collected our numbered bags. It dawned on me the magnitude of organizing an event and its intricacies. I realized now why the registration was as pricey as it was. From the entrant fee, to transportation of the runners, the bags from SI to the finish line, the water centers, photographers, the bands, police presence, closing of streets and major bridges, volunteers, media coverage and the list goes on!

Finally the last wave of the Blue group was called to the starting line and as folks were making their way to the front the amount of discarded clothing tossed to the ground, piled high in the garbage cans and strewn on the fences was mind boggling! Of course the marathon planners had volunteers collecting everything that was going to be donated to the homeless. There were articles of clothing all over the road through out the race course.

I was fortunate to meet a fellow first time marathoner (who I later learned went to college together) who I ran with for 18 miles before we lost track of each other after greeting our family members. Keeping in mind that the race was going to take at least 4 hours, my attitude was positive throughout. I did not hit the dreaded "wall" and other than my ailing foot injury at mile 20 - I felt like Superwoman. The other runners around us were for the most part trying to keep each others spirits high though as we completed miles we were seeing more people walking and looking exasperated.

I would say Park Slope and the Upper East Side were the highlights of the course along with crossing over the Varrazano Bridge in SI especially because I would zone out the crowds every now and then.

The erie part of the course was running through Bensonhurst, which was probably a mile or so in distance. There were no people holding signs, cheering, handing out cups of water or lined along the side walk. Some kids shyly held their hands out in hopes to receive an occasional high five.

My determination not stop me at any point in the race though I pushed my limits towards the end as I had to talk myself through the growing pain in my right foot. I knew my pace was slowing after mile 18 but thankfully I knew I would be seeing my family and friends. I was relieved in that brief moment when I spotted my mom, brother, J and N in the crowd and gave quick hugs and greetings.

I may have not finished in the desired time I had hoped for but I crossed the finish line feeling a sense of pride after months of training. I was in the best shape since my glory days in college playing field hockey and lacrosse.

Will I run another marathon? As long as I am chosen in the NYC marathon lottery!

What is the Holiday Season without "Cookies n Chismis Holiday Soiree"?!

This is the third year I've hosted the Cookies n Chismis (healthy gossip) party. One of the few occasions I invite good peoples I have met from different chapters of my life.

I also take pride in my semi professional baking skills and this time around cranked out 60- some sugar cookies that were decorated with the icing with my special food coloring. Ok, that is a slight exaggeration! I had to hold myself back from eating spoons full of the confectioner concoction and crisco. Oh my word!

Here are my essential Christmas songs:

Boys to Men Let it snow

Feliz Navidad (reggae style) Bob Marley

Do You Hear What I hear Destiny's Child

Blue Christmas Elvis Prestley

Pasko Naman Apo Hiking Society

Jingle Bell Rocks Disney

Please come home for Christmas Luther Vandross

Sleigh Ride TLC

Deck the Halls Temptations

We are the world Michael Jackson

Last Christmas Glee cast

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas Frank Sinatra

First of many Firsts......

After almost three years of spending time with Noah he has officially started Pre-school. His first day of course was filled with excitement and anxiety for all of us. He was eager to use his new Thomas the Train backpack that "Ganga" found for him at a tag sale and the new backpack we bought. When we arrived in the classroom the teachers set up a cubby space for him with his name on it.

We were very fortunate to bypass the torment of enrolling Noah in a NYC pre school program after we attended an Open House for our local YMCA. It is a mere two blocks away from our home and we could not be happier with the staff.

Tender Care is a 2 year old program at the Grovsenor YMCA. Noah attends twice a week for 6 hours and he has even conformed to their nap schedule. He has a wonderful diverse group of classmates that he seems to get along with. And he has a special friend named Sophia who is only 10 days older than him and actually looks like she could be his long lost sister.

I spent an hour with him before having to endure his cries to go home with me. But as I slowly crept to the stairwell I heard the teacher trying to sooth him and he immediately stopped crying.

And there is nothing else that makes a Mom's heart melt but the smile and big hug that I got when I picked up Noah. He grabbed his jacket, threw his backpack on and dragged me out of his classroom before I could say goodbye to anyone!

The Filipino Channel - Connect to the Culture and News of the Motherland

I always thought that the only way to access Filipino channels was through satellite but
I stumbled on Time Warner Channel 594 TFC . Within 5 minutes was connected instantly to the world of cheesy telenovelas, real time news and over zealous game shows like Wowowee.

I am hooked and even if I understand 2% of what is said, I will slowly pick up Filipino words here and there.

It has been 6 months since my multiple hospitalizations in November 2008 and two months ago I had my gall bladder removed. The severity of my Acute Pancreatitis was quite a shock considering I did not have any prior medical issues. The prognosis looked bleak according to my doctor but someone was looking after me and though my recovery was not speedy I slowly got back on my feet, altered my diet and reminded myself every day how fortunate I am of my improving health.

After my health scare it led me to make the decision to run in the "world's largest race", ING NYC Marathon on November 1, 2009. The training alone is rigorous as well as the mental preparation to run 26.2 miles through 5 boroughs of NYC, starting in Staten Island. I wanted

I chose the The DOE Fund: Ready, Willing and Able organization to sponsor my entry into the race because I was unable to run the 9 NYRR required races for automatic entry. RWA has been assisting the formerly homeless in NYC for many years by providing temporary housing, employment assistance and legal services. When I lived in the Upper East Side, I always noticed the men and women with the blue shirts, pushing garbage cans and sweeping up after New Yorkers (yes, I said it!).

If you would like to donate to my cause visit DOE: Ready, Willing and Able .

Little Master's Art - Bringing out the artist in your child.

I enrolled Noah in LMA classes this past spring and was so impressed with the art classes that I signed him up for the summer session as well. Living in the UWS and formerly UES, I found that the programs/activities for the younger kids was so competitive, in terms of enrollment, fees and limited physical space but LMA is truly the best kept secret in the UWS!!

I was fortunate to learn about LMA in its inaugural year and has since found a permanent host site at El Taller Latino Americano. The two co-founders have put so much thought and detail into the programming and have focused on providing a welcoming and creative space for all. Amanda is a graduate of NYU in Art History and Studio Art while Narges (a mother of a toddler) has a Master's in Design and Technology with a background

Classes are available for children between the ages of 16mo-18 years with an emphasis on enriching the children with the understanding of the art culture by introducing hands on projects that reflects artists of the day and reinforcing the idea that although art can be messy, it should also be fun! LMA has expanded to include music classes taught in both english and spanish.

If you can't committ to the 12 week courses be sure to check for their monthy, Saturday Workshops!

Information on registration and classes DEADLINE: Aug 15th

Got Pilipino?

The first ever IndioBravo Filipino Film Festival was held this weekend in NYC. Initially, I wanted to see Foster Child (again) because I felt it captured the essence and emotions of being a Foster parent in the Philippines. Though I would say that the portrayal of the eventual adoption of the main character was a little skewed.

A weekend of Filipino movies with English subtitles!? A perfect opportunity to see a glimpse of life in the Philippines, learn about the styles of Filipino cinematography, the actors and especially to learn a little bit of the language!

Since my summer abroad at the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2003, I have desperately tried to maintain the basics of the language that I learned. I bought a highly recommended double volume set of Phil/English Eng/Phil dictionaries, Lonely Planet phrase book, Before You Know It computer tutorial, Learning Filipino book, children's books I bought in the Phils (in Filipino with English translation), downloaded Filipino songs, you name it.

I have since learned that one of the better approaches to retaining Filipino is through movies.
On that same trip a good friend of mine brought me to a dvd shop. I purchased movie titles, which I thought would be of interest. I have watched a couple of them and when I attend Filipino events I make it a point to buy such movies.

It has been a slow process but I don't like to pretend that I the mother tongue when people speak to me. I am determined to teach myself the basics.

If you have any suggestion of movie titles let me know!

Looking forward to next year's Indio Fest!

Model Filipino-American

My good friend Dr. Kevin Nadal and Godfather/Ninong to Noah has written, Filipino American Psychology - A Handbook of Theory, Research and Clinical Practice. I was especially excited to provide him with information about Filipino adoption, which very little is written about.

I was also honored when he asked me and Noah to pose for the cover of the book along with a dozen other Fil-Ams. Noah made the final cut for the front cover and there is a group photo on the back of the two of us!

BUY THE BOOK NOW!

Congrats Kevin!

Honoring and Evoking the Babaylan Spirit

Truthfully, when I told my dear friend I was interested in organizing the Babaylan Conference April of 2010 I failed to realize that it much more than planning a phenomenal event. I have walked into a the epicenter of understanding the role of self in the community and the world at large but how to embrace the essence of babaylan and its spirit.

Babaylan Conference of 2010
April 17 – 18, 2010 at the
Sonoma State University, CA

What is Babaylan?

Babaylan is a term identifying an indigenous Filipino religious leader, who functions as a healer, a shaman, a seer and a community "miracle-worker" (or a combination of any of those). Although the role and function of a babaylan is open to both sexes, most babaylans from the pre-hispanic era are female.

"The babaylan in Filipino indigenous tradition is a person who is gifted to heal the spirit and the body; a woman who serves the community through her role as a folk therapist, wisdom-keeper and philosopher; a woman who provides stability to the community’s social structure; a woman who can access the spirit realm and other states of consciousness and traffic easily in and out of these worlds; a woman who has vast knowledge of healing therapies".^[1] In addition to this, a babaylan is someone who "intercedes for the community and individuals" and is also someone who "serves." Any study of the babaylan must take into consideration the suppression of the babaylan's practices since the onset of European and American colonialism in the Philippines.

Prior to, during and after the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898, the babaylans of Dios Buhawi and Papa Isio of Negros Occidental participated in the struggle to throw off the Spanish yoke. Their primary agenda was religious freedom and agrarian reform; most followers of the babaylan tradition were dispossessed land owners thrown off their property by the Spanish hacienderos and in some cases by Spanish friars bent on acquiring land.

More to come.......

My Little Master Artist

I wanted to find any type of class for Noah and to my surprise came across Little Masters Art
for kids between 2-12 years; the best kept secret in NY. Each one hour class begins with a snack, story time and an activity inspired by a chosen artist of the day. Although Noah would rather toy around with the play dough it seems like he has enjoyed experimenting with different tools and materials. Little Master's also hosts a monthly Saturday Workshop that is reasonably priced; $15 a child.

April - In like a Lamb......

Brooklyn Avenue

The Peace Fountain statue is quite impressive, which is next to The Cathedral Church of Saint John in the Upper West Side. I discovered that Saint John's is the largest cathedral in the world and to think it is a few blocks away from our apartment! I still need to go inside the the cathedral and would like to bring Noah to the free organ performance every Monday at 1pm.


Noah's Ark plaque, I like to bring Noah to see all the small bronze figures of animals and mamals that were designed by youth and adults. Another attraction are the two peacocks that roam the church grounds. One is white while the other has the iridescent green. You will most likely hear their unique bird cries. I was puzzled when I first heard them.

I turns out that the Bronx Zoo has been donating the peacocks since 1973.

248th St. Patrick's Day Parade, NYC

I took this photo shortly after the biggest winter storm that hit the Northeast this year.

A few weeks ago as I was walking along Broadway I noticed a new store that immediately caught my attention. From the window my eyes widened with exuberance as I peered at the displays of sticker letters, embellishments of all sorts, cute cartoon creatures, pens, card stock and other paper; used specifically to scrap book and for someone like me, to make cards, note pads, and photo albums....(for now.)

I have had to briskly walk passed Portrait Bug a couple times knowing I would not be able to hold back from buying the array of colorful everything. Needless to say, I succumbed to my weakness and painstakingly kept my purchases to a limit.. There were a few projects crafted by some of the employees that were on display and I could not help but admire.

I found out about the Inaugural Crop Party at PB and honestly did not know what I was getting myself into. I brought along a file organizer filled with designed and plain paper, stickers and other items from my collection of craft material. It did not compare to the supplies other women brought to this event. I walked into the world of scrap booking that I did not know existed!

Some ladies had totes for their materials while others rolled in travel size luggage with decorative hole punchers, rubber stamps, glitter, contraptions, which I had no clue what their function was and it was quite a distraction from my purpose of making some Valentine cards.

After three hours of chatting it up with scrap book novices, a professional calligrapher/rubber stamper, a gal who has gone to paper crafting conventions and a working mom looking to find an outlet, I did make a couple decent looking cards and more inspired to craft cards when I can find the time!

Webinars are Genius!

I registered for a webinar (a seminar on the web) on The Role of the U.S. Government in Intercountry Adoptions through the Joint Council on International Children's Services. Their mission is to, "promote ethical child welfare practices, strengthens professional standards and educates adoptive families, social service professionals and government representatives throughout the world."

JCICS provided a panel, which included Government representatives and adoption professionals that spent the two hours explaining the often confusing process of adopting, terminology, the role of the Hague Convention and other facets. Additionally, the power point presentation was sent to all participants and with the webinar feature was viewable in real time during the lecture.

Reusable Produce Bags - Etsy


Why didn't I think of this?! A reusable produce bag, instead of those darn plastic bags. Ok, so the thought crossed my mind but I did not jump on the idea fast enough.......

Photo of Unisphere

Flushing Meadows - Corona Park
Location of the 1964-65 World's Fair

Mommy Poppins is the most comprehensive resource for Moms/Families in NYC that I have come across thus far. I only wish I had discovered this during my first year with Noah. It probably would have helped with an easier transition into mommyhood but I survived living in a three story walk up on the Upper East Side for the first year.

If you know people visiting NYC with kids from ages 0-10 years this guide is a godsend to parents who are not at all familiar navigating through the Big Apple.

"Mommy Poppins is the unpretentious parent's guide to where and what to do, see, go, eat, discover, read, make, play, learn, buy, travel, splash, and envy in New York with kids."

The Proud Day for All Americans and the World!

I still can't believe I was considering driving to DC the night before the Inauguration. I suppose part of me wished I was the care free person I once was but with some disappointment resigned to the fact that I would not join the thousands of people in DC.......sigh.

Instead, I woke up early (7:30am) with Noah and listened to CNN until 1pm. I watched as the droves of people descended on the Mall in the early morning hours, checked into Facebook and read friend's statuses who were in DC and happily carried on with my mommy duties.

I can agree with many that for the first time I felt patriotic to my adopted country and was optimistic about the future of America.

"The Moment"