every year, i do the same thing on my birthday. i stand near the cake, make a wish, and blow the candles, which is my favorite part. but still every year is always special. on that one day that i celebrate the day i was born, i FEEL special. my friends, family and all the people dear to me gather around, singing at the top of their lungs the Happy Birthday song i never get tired of hearing. they look at me with joy and hope that i would grow into a great person and be blessed with all the great things in the world. and when all the flames of the candles have been blown on my beautifully made cake, the smile on my face won't go away and i'd wish that that moment would last.

having all the people i love be with me for just half a day is already worth a million gifts. my birthday is not just about me being the center of attention. it's not about the gifts either. what i love is that i learn how much i've touched the lives of my loved ones and that i do make a difference. i remember one friend saying, "Buti na lang andyan ka. Kung hindi, ewan ko na lang kung anung mangyayari sa'kin." I was so moved by what she said that i almost cried. being told how important i am to that person means so much. it's like i forget all the pains and frustrations i have and everything just falls back into place again.

It's the simplest things that mean everything to me. i'm not that hard to please. my friends know that. a real corny joke would be enough to make my day. my love for laughter is what makes me want to bring happiness to the people who have been a part of my life. it's the least i could do. i may not always be physically present to comfort them when they need me but i could be the person who'll put a smile on their faces.

For the eighteen wonderful years that the Lord has given me, i am grateful. very, very grateful. if i may say so myself, i am the wealthiest person alive because i found the greatest and most precious treasures that even Captain Jack Sparrow couldn't find-----MY FAMILY and MY FRIENDS! :)

When I was 6....
I watched an Adam Sandler film and said to myself, "I'm gonna marry that guy.."

When I was 7...
I received my first award ever, Second Honors.

When I was 9....
I had a big fat crush on my school mate who attended classes in the afternoon. My bestfriend and I fought because I found out she had a crush on him too. haha.

When I was 15....
I was in third year high school and I came back to Pangasinan (we moved to Laguna when i was 10). My friends in elementary didn't recognize me because I was so tall na. hehehe. X)

When I was 16....
Papa got mad at me because someone was courting me. He caught me texting at one in the morning and he shouted, "HOY! TAMA NA YAN! KUKUNIN KO YANG CELLPHONE MO!" i later found out na nagsumbong siya kay mama. apparently, nagseselos. haha.