Mama mary's birthday

I had a hard time saving my old blogs at multiply. I do not know how. I did copy paste my entries for 2012. I wonder if I would have time to retrieve the rest.
I intended my birthday to be entirely different this year. So I went to the Pilgrim shrine of the Virgin Mary at Simala in Sibonga, Carcar City.I almost could not keep the promise I made when i went there last August, because I had classes and the only available means was a fastcraft which means I have to be in Cebu at 11 PM which was already too late to knock at my daughter's house since the couple work in the evening. So we went to my sister in law's house where we were able to get lodgings for the night.

This was how my feet looked after lining up in the muddy path.

At four the following day we sneaked out of the house. My nieces who were aware that we were leaving kissed me happy birthday. We were at the terminal by six and by seven we joined the queue to the shrine. We learned that there was a mananita for the Virgin earlier. Queuing up took two hours so that by nine we were able to go up the miraculous image and pray. With cramped legs due to too much standing, I slumped on the floor, saying my prayers quietly. Then we went out of the prayer room and wrote and deposited our petitions. By then the mass was about to start.
It was a beautiful service with the Archbishop and Bishop officiating. We decided to miss the serenade by the students who came in uniforms from diffirent schools of Cebu as I was fasting  and planned to break my fast at lunch time. Indeed I was famished.
Before we departed for Simala, my sister in law (who just had an operation and could not come with us as she did on the previous occasions) advised me to leave my new bag (gifted to me by Mikol) and cellphone as the place could also be infiltrated by snatchers and pickpockets, so I did not bring anything except a small clutch bag containing my precious lipstick and hairbrush and some loose change.
But no such untoward incident happened to any of us there. Everything was so orderly and just fell into place. People formed queues everywhere, at the toilets, at the communion rail, at the eateries and even at the tricycle stands.It was a grand celebration for Mama Mary's birthday and I was beside myself in happiness that I was part of it.

I got two birthday cakes. One I blew before I left, as a surprise from my  staff and my daughter in law the other  was given by my daughter  in Cebu which I blew while hubby looked surprised mesorry I am still new to all these here at blogger I can not do the lay out right. will anybody help?

hello and goodbye.

How does one say goodbye?

A teardrop on this yellow bell says it all.

But good bye doesn't always mean the end. 
It can also mean trying out new avenues, the road less taken.
and hope it makes all the difference.