Wishing my wife, Rhoda, A Happy 4th Anniversary. It's been a fun and challenging adventure these past four years. I'm so glad to share each moment with her.
I should have known we would be on a wild ride during our marriage. Especially, when we decided to spend our honeymoon doing White Water Rafting on the Kagayan River. I'm pretty sure all marriages are like ours. Just like the Kagayan river, marriage has it's classes of difficulties, from Class 1 calm meandering waterway to a Class 6, a raging waterfall. It's getting through those obstacles or rapids together in the rubberized raft with close friends to help you steer through or around those rapids on the river of life.
We conquered each rapid as we paddled through on the river. A lot of times it was just a class 1, meandering current taking us downstream. Along the way, we've had numerous bigger rapids. The Class 2 and 3's we kind of handled ourselves. The bigger rapids, the 4's, 5's, and sometimes 6's, we depended on Jesus to guide us around or even through each one safely.
Marriage, like white water river rafting, is a team effort. Yeah, you could run the river on a kayak by yourself. It is a lot more fun going down a river with a partner, in this case my wife. It's more fun when we have our close family and friends with us. Either in the same raft or on other rafts, next to ours.
Along the way, people who we considered our friends have jumped ship or beached their raft. Leaving us to paddle the raft ourselves or continue on our river journey alone. Those friends were left on the bank of the river as we continued to paddle our way downstream. Sooner or later, we were able to meet new friends along the banks who jumped in our raft, to give us a hand.
On every river expedition, you still need to have a guide. On our adventure on our river of life, Jesus is our guide. Everytime, we encountered a class 5 or 6 rapid, or even thought of a 4 as a 5. We called on our guide to advise us on how to steer our raft. Many times, He would say, Be Still. And we did. We rode out the rapid putting our faith in Him. When we didn't listen, our raft overturned dunking us into the river. Rhoda and I learned quickly not to overturn the raft.
These last 4 years has been an amazing adventure. I am so glad to be sharing it with Rhoda. It's not an easy journey. Especially, that we have a long distance marriage. You can only imagine how many class 5 and 6 rapids we conquered with the help of Jesus, guiding us. Technology has certainly made it easy, not that easy, but easy, mind you. We chat almost daily, sometimes texting, emails, or calling each other. Unlike the days of the snail mail of the 80's and early 90's.
I'm looking forward to more high adventures with Rhoda and our children.
I LOVE YOU NEN. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
Our honeymoon adventure on the honeymoon raft.
It's good to enjoy your river trip with close friends and family with you in the raft.
The ladies cooling off under the waterfalls. Rhoda, Mele, Alex, and Rizza.
Each stop along the river's edge brings its rewards.
We went from two to three.
Then three to four. We're praying to get more, naturally from within us to add to our own. I want 12. 
Keep Smiling
I thought giving our son Frenfren a chicken to take care of, was a great idea. Even though he is only 2 years old, he really enjoys helping out and feeding the chickens. He started off watching the new day old baby chicks as the men in the compound built cages for them. The chicks actually belong to the property caretaker, where we stay at. In return for helping him, my brother-in-law was given some chicks to raise.
As the weeks turned into months, Frenfren would help with the morning chores feeding the chicks. He would get so concerned with the chicks and their feed. He didn't think they were getting enough to eat. So he'll go back in the house and get the leftovers in the refrigerator and feed the chicks, the family's food or breakfast for that morning.
When the kids were getting ready to go to the family's province. Frenfren decided that since he will not be home to feed his chicken, he will bring his chicken with him on vacation. So the chicken, our two kids, and their Uncle Ronald rode the 5+hour long bus all the way to Butuan City.
When Rhoda first told me that our boy took his chicken with him on vacation. I thought, ok...that's a little bit weird. It's okay. I never thought that that chicken would find it's way back home to CDO. The sensible approach would be to leave the chicken at the family compound. No, not my son, Frenfren, he decided again, that the chicken will go back with him. He can be very persuasive.. That chicken made it's way back to the family home in CDO. That's the only chicken that I know of, that rode a bus round trip and not end up inside a pot.
That chicken is no longer livestock. It's become a pet.
Keep Smiling
A couple weeks ago, my family had eaten spaghetti cooked by a close family friend, Dolly. It must have been really good because my son, Frenfren, picked that dish over his mommy's spaghetti dish. Everytime they ask him, if Dolly's spaghetti is good. Frenfren would say, yes. When asked which spaghetti dish is better, his mommy's or Dolly's. Fren would reply, Ate Dolly.
The other day, Rhoda tried again asking Frenfren, which spaghetti dish he liked...her's or Ate Dolly. Frenfren replied, Ate Dolly.
Rhoda replied back, "Aiii...bad".
Frenz said, "Mommy, I'm not bad. I'm only telling the truth".
ROFLOL!!!
I could not help but laugh at Rhoda's account to me of that day. I have to admit, We raised our children up really good.
The other night. Rhoda was invited to a monthly celebration close to her church. When she told her brother that they are going there for dinner.
Frenfren hurriedly stood up and said, "Wow good food again, let's go papa Bebot". He calls his uncle/nino (godfather), papa.
ROFL...
Larraine does the same thing. She speaks her mind and tells the truth. Sometimes, her timing is really off when she does, especially when she just speaks her mind. But what can we do. We taught her to tell the truth, always. Now were trying to teach her about discretion. Its no easy.
I'm really proud of Rhoda for raising our children up without me there. Larraine and Frenz are very well behaved for their age. I have to commend her for doing a great job.
Keep Smiling.
It never fails whenever I head to the other ranch or meet people at events. That one of the topics we talk about is the military buildup. I hear their concerns about the buildup. All of their concerns are legit. It seems most if not all are fearful of change.
My disclosure: I personally support the buildup, as long as the military stays inside their current footprint.
Anyway, some of my primo's and friends really believe what they print in the media. IMHO, if I should do that, I would get a severe migraine from all the back and forth about the buildup itself. It's going to happen, It's not going to happen...back and forth. The story always changes depending on whose side you're look at it from.
The U.S. military does not have to give proper notice to us, island residents, of who and what they will assign to this island. It's nice that they are doing it now. But they don't have to tell us anything.
Now some can believe the local, regional, and national news about the media. I personally don't take anything in the media to seriously now-a-days. There is a lot of misinformation going on with almost everyone regarding this on going military buildup.
I used to be an assigned driver for my regiments signal officer while stationed at Ft. Bragg. Later, when I went to Germany, I was assigned to drive the Command's Sergeant Major and as an alternate driver to the commanding general. Since those days, I've learned never to trust much that is printed in the media.
The US military does not divulge it's operational plans to the public. A lot of this posturing that is going on is done at the federal level and our local politicians want to get in on the action. Majority of the information coming out of DOD is misinformation. They will only tell us enough of what they want us to know.
So all this hoopla about the military buildup will settle down.
If you really want to know about the military buildup. I can only suggest that you watch and observe what is going on inside the bases. A lot of the construction being done is not even buildup related.
Since I last posted about Scout. I noticed that his hearing came back the other day. Also, he is barking again. He still has the shakes though. It looks like he is recovering from his misadventure. I'll give him more time to recover and heal up. Good thing that I didn't just react to his earlier condition. Looks like the relocation is doing him some good too.
Then three to four. We're praying to get more, naturally from within us to add to our own. I want 12. 
