different shades of blue

spent two mornings in this amazing place in bohol. it was mother's 60th birthday and we wanted something special for her. so we brought her here. this is not our first choice. i wanted beach and ocean... but sisters insisted on this and we did not regret it. we cannot help gushing about how nice it is here. it instantly gives you a calm and peaceful vibe. it's a botanical garden of about 10 hectares. it was really beautiful. our 1 hour hike ended up on this scenic restaurant facing the ocean that looks like it has no end... heaven and earth meeting. different shades of blue in one look = awesome!

 entrance to the garden

cactus garden

 these two love birds kissed for about a minute before another one joined them. a three-some!

 les "expertly" playing the kulintang ( a native instrument in mindanao)

 kulintang - ... it gives a distinct, happy sound.

 sister and mother. they look good, yes?

 family.

 i wonder what it would be like to wake up to this every morning :-) awesome view. you can just sit here all day. 

faith is what makes life bearable, with all its tragedies and ambiguities and sudden startling joys" - medeleine l'engle

week full in instagram :)

i've had a very busy past 2 weeks. juggling activities and schedules. it was a fantastic week; with lots of learning,  realizations and education.

 bachuchay playing outside SM mall while waiting for the ride.

 gin and tonic in the morning? lol

 i was accidentally thrown about to attend a child protection policy conference for compassion partners. i was not scheduled to but i end up appreciating it more than i expected. like many of the compassion's training programs, it made me re-evaluate my ministry and passion for the welfare of the children. 

 one sleepy moment during the conference. cheetos kept me alive.

 children's camp. 90 kids came and join. sleep over. too much hyper-activity in 20 hours. but the result is really life-changing. for the kids. for the staffs. for the australian visitors.

 output for children's artwork :)

 it rained 3 days out of 7 in one week. it was almost a storm. there was also a 7 point something earthquake. but we only felt a little shaking. thankful that it did not cause so much devastation like the last one though.

and i also had my first try of authentic korean food. spicy pork is awesome. and green chili is not as hot as i thought it would be.

 sleeping was a struggle. this was taken @ six in the morning. waiting for the sun rise.