The journey between here and there

May 25, 2005

So Laura and I are sitting at the table talking and I say to her that when we get back to Canada I’m going to teach her how to make some chocolate chip cookies.
She says, “Why do I have to learn?”
I said, “Well, so you can learn how to bake and cook.”
She says, “I don’t have to know how to cook.”
I said, “Why not.”
She just shrugs and smiles.
I look at her and say, “Well, Laura when you move out of the house one day and get married you’ll have to cook for your family.”
She looks me straight in the eye and says, “no I don’t, my husband will cook.”
I smiled and said, “ok.. well, what if your husband is at work, then what will you do for lunch?”
She says dead serious, “I’ll have my nanny cook for me.”
I said, “Well, what if the nanny is taking care of the kids, then what will you do?”
She says, still serious, “Well, I’ll have my housekeeper do it.”
YIKES!!!!
“Well Laura,” I said, “I sure hope you marry someone very, very rich.”
She just smiles coyly.
*sigh* this trip has not been a wake up call for my daughter like I had hoped.
Instead she sees that all my cousins have nannies that take care of their children, clean their houses, do their laundry and make dinner for them. So now she thinks the world works like that. My cousins do live a charmed life. If they want something they will usually send someone to do it for them or get it for them. My aunt has 3 houses out here, so since we are here for most of our trip and we’ve only gone down to the poor regions twice while we were here I don’t think she realizes most of the people here are poor. I try to tell her that and point out the rickety houses as we drive around, but that’s just not sinking in. I guess it’s kind of hard to see that as we drive around in a 2005 Nissan Patrol with leather seats and air conditioning. All my cousins drive vehicles that have leather seats and tricked out vehicles. *sigh*

I miss Ryan and so do the kids. The only one that wants to stay longer is Laura. That little princess of mine likes being pampered and she has been enjoying not having to do chores or having to go to school. She asked if we could stay for another month. Joshua has been asking to go home ever since Ryan has left. Everyday he asks if we are going back to Canada today. He’s really excited to go back to school and hang out with friends and see his daddy. Brandon and Mya don’t give a rip where we are as long as they are with me.

Anyway, nothing much has been happening here. I have been packing for home now. I’ve been going to the market to get last minute things and just making sure I have everything ready to go. I am relieved to go home. I’m finally done… I’m done living with my mother. She’s driving me crazy and I’m sure we are driving her crazy as well. It’s time to go back. I love the country and I still love being here and I love hanging out with my cousins, but next time we come we’ll plan the itinerary and our entourage can come with us if they want to or not. One thing I am tired of is every freakn’ time we have to go somewhere we always have an entourage of people with us. We are driving around in a vehicle that seats 5 with 10 people piled on each other injun style.. except now I’m calling it Flip style. I feel like I’m playing that game we played in high school for fun called stuff a bug. Where you try and fit as many people in a car as possible. If we take the patrol that can hold 9 people we are squishing 15 or 16 people in. Seriously.. I’m done…

I swear with Mya I feel like I’m being chased by fans, it’s so annoying. I walk around with Mya and everyone surrounds me and is cooing over Mya and wants to hold her, “Hi Mya, Hi Mya.” It’s driving me crazy. I always try to pass her off as quickly as I can so I can get some space. For some reason people think babies are blind and deaf and they need to be inches away from her face to coo at her. If she freaks out then I’m left to people encircling me and touching her and saying, “Hi Mya.” over and over and over again… seriously it’s driving me nuts. Even when I go to walk away, I’m followed by people.. “awww, Hi Mya.” like they can’t say anything else. I’ve snapped a few times and have said, “ok that’s enough” and went to hide out in the bathroom until they found something else to do. Nuts I tell ya NUTS! Sure it’s sweet, but like I said before… done.. I’m done… I could never be a celebrity.. I’d go batty at the constant attention. I’d be one of the celebrities that snap and beat the tar out of people taking pictures of them or something.

Anyway, this will probably be my last email. Today is Thursday here, on Friday we go down to the ocean again, Saturday we go to Manila. It takes about 6 hours so when we get there it will be night. Sunday my aunt is taking us sight seeing to Cohoridor.. it’s some island with a nice beach and a war museum. Monday will be spent going to Tutuban it’s this really cheap place to buy clothes. This is where all the remainder of my money will be spent. Tuesday we will be finishing up packing all the stuff I bought and go to the airport.

Our flight leaves at 5:00pm on Tuesday May 31. We will be arriving in Calgary I think 5:00pm I’m not sure on the time on Tuesday May 31. We gain a day coming back home. Wish me luck and say a prayer for me that I’ll be able to make it through 3 airports with 4 kids. I’ve lost my leash so I’m still trying to find a small dog leash to tie onto Brandon so he doesn’t wander off. I am only taking 2 carryons. One for Laura filled with snacks, toys and books and one for me filled with diapers and extra clothes for the kids. I’ve had tones of fun here and I’ve loved hanging out with my cousins and I’ve loved the shopping, the site seeing and the ocean. I’d recommend visiting the Philippines. It’s great! I’d love to visit here every year if I could, but for now I’m set to go home and get back to the daily grind of life.

so I love ya all! I’ll see you when I see you and talk to you when I get back! Hugs to all!
Love, jo

p.s. tell Ryan he only has a few more days to finish the painting before his crazy family comes back to turn his world upside down again. Enjoy the peace and quiet for a few more days till the Lee kids and the Nazi wife gets back.