The Year that was 2012

So what happened in 2012? The world did not end, the skies did not fall, and life went on as usual. It was a good year. It was a year of many small blessings, simple joys. It still brought its share of frustration and sleep deprivation, but 2012 was also a year of achievements, fun, and adventure. God is good... all the time.

The year started as usual, but it was probably the most lethargic New Year's Eve celebration we ever had- we had a hearty family dinner with extended family members, then we each found our places on the couch, went to sleep, and woke up as the fireworks were about to start. We joined in by lighting our Dragon fountains, sparklers, and fireworks with a prayer for another round of blessings in 2012.

Gianne Graduates from Elementary School
This was the year our daughter, Gianne, finished primary school and went to high school. She was aiming to qualify for two science high schools- Makati Science High School (MakSci) and Manila Science High School (MaSci). During the school year, Gianne had been busy with school work making sure she had the required minimum grade to qualify for the entrance exams, and at the same time she had to make time to review for the tests.

Exam results came out during the first quarter of the year. I was ecstatic to find that she qualified for both schools! Since she was the first in her school to qualify for these Science high schools, her school made a congratulatory poster of her and displayed it during graduation:

Proud parent moment

Wearing her two medals: Honorable Mention and Writer of the Year

Summer
Summer was spent mostly at home doing chores and working on my struggling "business venture." Since I did not have househelp, life revolved around chores, occasional outdoor trips, my favorite halo-halo bought from the corner store, errands, and more chores, and more errands. As has been the trend, the temperature seemed to get higher every year. There were days when I was just completely unproductive as I refused to leave the comfort of a soft couch and a fan on full blast.

Gianne at the Fully Booked Junior Book Crew 2012

My daughter Gianne has always loved books. By the time she was 12 years old, she has read a number of fiction series such as Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. She has also become a fan of Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Though she started her love for fiction with books for younger readers like Nancy Drew and The Babysitters Club, she maintains her all-time favorite is the philosophical novel Sophie's World.

Last summer, Gianne qualified to be among the 30 kids who were part of Fully Booked's Junior Book Crew (JBC). The kids had to go through an application process where they filled out a form with their personal information, their hobbies and interests, and details about the books they've read, their favorite authors, and their favorite genre. They also had to explain why they wanted to be part of the Junior Book Crew. Soon after the last day of the application period, applicants were contacted by phone to set up an interview appointment.

Fullly Booked Junior Book Crew 2012
(Photo by Fully Booked)

Fully Booked gives this description of the Junior Book Crew:

The Junior Book Crew is a month long workshop that will give children ages 11-16 an opportunity to expand their love for books and the written word, plus a chance to experience what it is like to perform certain tasks in the bookstore.