Doi Speaks

to my Mom and Dad, Happy 36th year!

Posted on 01 September 2010 | 302 views

Today marks the 36th Wedding Anniversary of my parents. Both of them are Bicolanos. My mom’s from Quidolog and my dad’s from Lupi. These are barangays (i think) in the town of Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon.

inside the chapel where my parents got married

They said that it was a festive day in their barangay the day that they got married. However, due to a fire that ate the studio of the photographer that they hired for their wedding, the rest of those memories vanished. These were the only pictures that survived to remind them of that day.

It was only on their 5th year of marriage when they had my older sister. It wasn’t due to family planning. They were just having difficulties making one. They resorted to different methods just to have kids, including dancing the fertility dance rites in the church of Obando in Malolos, Bulacan. That’s what I remember from their stories. A year after my sister was born, I followed, then my brother. If they had children sooner, we could be a lot older now

I grew up in a typical conservative + traditional family with our parent’s upbringing. They were never too strict on us though but we knew our limitations and when we disobey the rules, they didn’t fail to discipline us. After they got married, they moved to Manila. My sister and I were  born there. And due to my dad’s work, we transferred to Cebu.

As we were growing up, we were speaking three (3) different dialects in our house – Tagalog, Bicolano and Cebuano. This is  the reasons why we sound funny speaking either in Tagaglog or in Cebuano. They required us to speak in Tagalog so that we’d be able to converse with our relatives whenever we went to Manila. My parents also spoke in Bicolano and since I got fascinated by this other dialect, I slowly learned how to understand and speak it, although I am not fluent in speaking in Bicolano. And of course, Cebuano, how can I not speak this? I was raised here and proud to be a Cebuano too! Does this make me a Bicouano?

The last 36 years wasn’t an easy ride for my parents. But despite all the joys and the hardships, they never forgot the promise that they made that time. That no matter what, through sickness and in health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph, they still cherished each other and remained true to their vows 36 years ago.

after 36 years of marriage, these two lovebirds are still going strong

Happy Wedding Anniversary Ma at Pa!

Love you!

P.S. I am the spitting image of my dad. Girl version My sister got her looks from my mom. My brother’s mix-mix. Peace uie!

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