Karen had emailed me a couple of weeks ago. She wanted to get family photos taken as a birthday gift to themselves since she, her husband and daughter have birthdays in September. We decided to take photos at Seal Beach, CA because it was one of the closest beach around and a favorite weekend beach location of the family.

(photo taken during the Santos-Balbuena wedding)

Yesterday, we received sad news again about Bro Romy Flores passing away. He was a pioneering INC member not just for Long Beach locale, but the district of Southern California. On the way home from the wedding yesterday we had worked in Irvine, Ryan and I were talking about our memories with Bro Romy.

Ryan said that Bro Romy was the one who admonished him to come early during our Buklod Meetings in order to have enough time to prepare and play the organ. From then on, Ryan was never late… There was a way Bro Romy would speak to the brethren when he would give advice. He did so in a gentle way that made you understand it was for the better and I will miss that about him.

CFO Night this year was planned because he had requested it to happen. Who could say no to his request? Although it was a tough job planning for the previous CFO Night and we didn’t want to do another one until 2010, he requested it in a way that made us realize that we needed to have the program not to give us another tough job to prepare for, but it was for the brethren and their edification.

During an appreciation night for the elders of our locale, Ryan and I were about to sing a song we wrote called, “We Will Carry On”. Ryan made a short introduction and said something like, the song was dedicated for the elders in the church who are still strong in their faith despite their age and years being members in the church. He continued saying that the song we were to sing was dedicated to them. Bro Romy was sitting in the front and after Ryan said that they are our inspiration, Bro Romy said, “Thank you po”. — Ryan and I are the ones who are thankful…

We thank God for giving us the chance to know Bro Romy. He is an inspiration and will forever be one for as long as we live…

Kudos to Johnson and Gerard for being the videographers for this wedding. Gerard completed editing the video for Ka Jewel and Micah this evening! He did an awesome job editing! To view video, please click on the image below. Please be patient while video loads. It’s worth it! :-D . For slower connections, please visit: http://www.vimeo.com/1806556 for the low res version.

My cousin Jodick celebrated his 27th birthday on Sunday, so a group of us Endique cousins decided to eat out at Shin Sen Gumi to get some Ramen.  I’m really not a soup person, but the Ramen is really good! On the way to the restaurant, Ryan, Johnson, Jordan, ate Virmz and I passed by Baskin Robbins and got a birthday cake and candles for him.  Good thing they were still open!  It was really fun hanging out with the cousins again. It’s been awhile and I miss them. HOpefully we’ll get to plan a cousin trip again soon.  Maybe to AZ. Last night, they were talking about camping again… maybe next year… we’ll see… probably a different place than Mammoth this time… but we’ll see…

HE’S ENGAGED!? 

L-R: Me, Mimi, Kuya Rich, Ate Yolleta, and Karen

Mimi and Kuya Rich are wonderful together!  They met through a friend he had visited in North Carolina.  I was asking Mimi so many questions, that I started to feel bad because it was as if I was giving her a job interview… Sorry Mimi!  I just wanted to know all the details… how they met, how he proposed, when the wedding would be, where the wedding would be, the color theme for their wedding… but she was sooooo nice and answered all my questions… 

I found out that Kuya Rich had set it up to propose to her during her birthday.  He gathered friends and coworkers to meet at her parents house.  When Kuya Rich and Mimi arrived to her parents house, she thought it was some sort of surprise birthday party. When they started singing the happy birthday song, he brought out a cake for her. However instead of the cake having the usual Happy Birthday greeting, it read, Will You Marry Me? It was sweeeet! ;)

This evening while we were watching the video, Kuya Mel and Ate Leni were asking Mimi to come over to the kitchen. There was another cake!  Mimi came out of the kitchen and she started to sing Happy Birthday… she brought the cake out to Kuya Rich.

The delicious cake from Kuya Mel and Ate Leni

They are so cute together!!!

You two are so right together! Congratulations! I can’t wait till your wedding day! 

Are you seeking for happiness

Regarding my blog below… – CALENDARS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.. It’s been reserved for the first 40 who responded.

Thank you and sorry if you didn’t get one. :( Next year again :-D

——

I’m giving away 40 of these 2009 Calendars! They usually retail for more than $7 at stores! First 40 people to email me at joan.solitario@es-sense.com will get it.

It’s cool because it’s small enough to carry around, it has a pen with it that can be tucked into the back of the calendar, and there’s lots of room to write your appointments. Let me know if you’re interested in getting one!

One per person only! If someone you know is interested, please have them also email me. It won’t be fair for others if I save 2 or more for anyone since it is first come first serve basis.

Please e-mail me your name and address in case I need to send it to you.

The day Ryan and I were suppose to return to Long Beach, CA from New York City, I received a text from my friend Apple.  She asked if I could take their family portraits because relatives from Canada were visiting. Who am I to say no??  Of course I would love to take their family photos!