My Loyal Readers sometimes ask me, the girl who said she'd never get married and have kids, what changed my mind. Well, Vince did. He didn't force me to do anything I didn't want, okay. He just made me see things his way! And I'm glad he did! I have never been happier. I'm just so glad he didn't give up on me haha
Anyway, as an anniversary gift to you, you who have been following my love story for as long as this blog's been alive, I'm sharing these photos I unearthed recently! My kids, bored from being indoors for weeks now, asked one night, "Mama, how did you and Papa meet?" So I told them and they laughed and cringed and then said, "Pictures! Where are the pictures???" And so I asked their Papa to take out the heavy red album and we all took a trip down memory lane, all 21 years of happiness.
All of these are old photos, in no particular order, from before we were married and I wanted you guys to see. Because you always ask me about my love life, married life, sex life... Thank you for being so interested! It keeps me interested, too, hahaha.
One question I get from time to time is how did I know Vince was serious about me. Well, I knew from the start. He made it clear from the very start.
[Related: "Well, this was a surprise!"]
And here are my little stories from the many times he showed me just how serious he was about me.
#1
On our first date in Manila (we already had a few in Baguio), instead of going to the mall, he brought me to meet his parents first. That was a complete shock since I wasn't dressed for it and wasn't ready at all. I wore a thin sleeveless shirt and tight jeans—definitely not what I'd wear to impress the parents of a guy I just met. But he said, "You should meet them! Our house is on the way."
"Really? I'm not ready to meet your folks."
"Why not? They'll love you!"
"I'm not... dressed."
"You look amazing!"
And that's how I met his parents. I think everyone was surprised but Vince just smiled throughout the whole thing. Like, he literally didn't say anything. He just let me and his dad do all the talking! He later said in the car, "It's nice to see you with my parents. It looks right."
#2
He asked me, "Do you want to be a June bride?" in May, a month after we met.
#3
He surprised me in the car by suddenly singing to me: "I want to take you home, I wanna give you children, and you might be my girlfriend, oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!" That's from Babies by Pulp. We had just started dating and we weren't even girlfriend-boyfriend yet so babies were not anywhere in the realm of my consciousness so that was pretty scary haha
#4
I lived in Antipolo back then and it floods in the Cainta-Marikina intersection all the way up to the rise to Masinag. His low Toyota meant he won't be able to visit me during the rainy season so he bought a big pickup truck that roared through the flood.
#5
When I started working for the Senate, I was dismayed to find out that they hold your salary until you're regularized. You get all of it in one big bulk but I figured I'd look for another job because there was no way I could survive that long without income. Then Vince said, "I'll support you until you get your money. No problem. It'll be like practice for when we're married."
I paid him back when I got my money, which I think offended him haha
#6
He took me house-hunting. After every house we checked out, he asked, "Did you like that?" And I would say, "It's your house. It doesn't matter what I like." And he insisted, "But it does because it's going to be your house."
I have a plethora of little snippets of how he felt for me. I looked through my diaries recently. Apparently, my 2004 diary tells me I did want to get married after all. It also told me why I resisted. Even though I knew he was the one for me, I didn't know if I was the one for him. He wanted the marriage and the kids and because I had endometriosis and was possibly barren, I didn't want to disappoint him. Well, after all that resisting, it turns out I didn't have anything to worry about.
Sharing with you these last two photos, one from my diary and one from my Facebook Memories.
#1
On our first date in Manila (we already had a few in Baguio), instead of going to the mall, he brought me to meet his parents first. That was a complete shock since I wasn't dressed for it and wasn't ready at all. I wore a thin sleeveless shirt and tight jeans—definitely not what I'd wear to impress the parents of a guy I just met. But he said, "You should meet them! Our house is on the way."
"Really? I'm not ready to meet your folks."
"Why not? They'll love you!"
"I'm not... dressed."
"You look amazing!"
And that's how I met his parents. I think everyone was surprised but Vince just smiled throughout the whole thing. Like, he literally didn't say anything. He just let me and his dad do all the talking! He later said in the car, "It's nice to see you with my parents. It looks right."
#2
He asked me, "Do you want to be a June bride?" in May, a month after we met.
#3
He surprised me in the car by suddenly singing to me: "I want to take you home, I wanna give you children, and you might be my girlfriend, oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!" That's from Babies by Pulp. We had just started dating and we weren't even girlfriend-boyfriend yet so babies were not anywhere in the realm of my consciousness so that was pretty scary haha
#4
I lived in Antipolo back then and it floods in the Cainta-Marikina intersection all the way up to the rise to Masinag. His low Toyota meant he won't be able to visit me during the rainy season so he bought a big pickup truck that roared through the flood.
When I started working for the Senate, I was dismayed to find out that they hold your salary until you're regularized. You get all of it in one big bulk but I figured I'd look for another job because there was no way I could survive that long without income. Then Vince said, "I'll support you until you get your money. No problem. It'll be like practice for when we're married."
I paid him back when I got my money, which I think offended him haha
#6
He took me house-hunting. After every house we checked out, he asked, "Did you like that?" And I would say, "It's your house. It doesn't matter what I like." And he insisted, "But it does because it's going to be your house."
I have a plethora of little snippets of how he felt for me. I looked through my diaries recently. Apparently, my 2004 diary tells me I did want to get married after all. It also told me why I resisted. Even though I knew he was the one for me, I didn't know if I was the one for him. He wanted the marriage and the kids and because I had endometriosis and was possibly barren, I didn't want to disappoint him. Well, after all that resisting, it turns out I didn't have anything to worry about.
Sharing with you these last two photos, one from my diary and one from my Facebook Memories.
* * * * * * *
Update, January 2021: This blog post is part of my first book, Not Invisible, my mom-oir! Grab a copy from Ukiyoto Publishing and Amazon.
This is so nice and sweet. Please pray for us singles in or not in a relationship to help us in our heart's desire to find our true love and have our loving family of our own.
ReplyDeleteI will pray for you! I truly believe that God won't put a desire for love in our hearts if He won't give it. We just need to wait for the right time and right person... and have the eyes and heart open for that person when he or she finally comes our way!
DeleteAwww... my personal favorite is the 2nd photo. Ang babagets at magka holding hands! Hahaha kilig!
ReplyDeleteBeen reading your blog since I was single and focused on career. I found your blog and read all the entries in a few days lang haha! I remember thinking "shucks in love pa rin sya sa asawa nya hanggang ngayon!" at nagka-hope naman ako na pwede naman pala. :)
Praying for your marriage and your family! Keep safe and healthy! :)
Thank you! Haha I almost didn't put that photo kasi mahalay, my legs are so exposed haha kasi mahuhulog na ako. Buti na lang Vince got me. Love and marriage takes work, though. Hindi pwedeng kampante lang. We also went through that phase, maybe twice. But Vince says ako lang daw ang never sure. He just waits for me to get over my anxiety and doubt haha
DeleteBe safe and healthy, too, MJ!
Awwwwwwwww sobrang nakakakilig! Thanks for sharing these stories, Frances! Parang romance book! Grabe I just realized I've been reading your blog long before we met, I read pa your proposal to each other. God bless you and your family!!
ReplyDeleteDid you read the proposal sa Marie Claire? =D I stopped sharing our love story when the kids came. But I keep forgetting my readers like the love story better haha
DeleteLove your love history Frances!!!! Truly blessed and stay happy and in love!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, it's a gift to be with the one you love for even just a day. I'm so blessed I've had him for 21 years!
DeleteGrabe kilig! just the best thing to read on a crazy Friday morning <3 I'm a fan of your love story, Frances and Vince! Keep on inspiring all of us.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Franny! Vince is the romantic one. I'm grateful he's so patient with me especially noon and I'd keep running away! I'm so glad he always stayed put. I finally stayed put, too =)
DeleteHuhu so sweet. :) Man with a vision and a plan. :) God bless.
ReplyDeleteYes, a man with a plan. That's Vince! He can be fun and spontaneous, too =)
DeleteThis is sooooo sweet!!!
ReplyDeleteButi okay lang kay Vince na isulat ko yung sweetness niya haha
DeleteSo kilig reading this
ReplyDeleteAko naman I was so kilig writing it =D
Delete