We just came back from a family vacation in Baguio. We spent three days and two nights there. This was our second time to go there with our kids. The first time was last year in December. We didn’t plan or expect to go back this soon. But God made a way for our family to enjoy the cool Baguio weather again at this time of the year when it is less crowded.

This trip is extra special and memorable for me because of a number of reasons. Let me share them with you.

One of the main reasons why it is special and memorable for me is because I got to bring my family with me on this business trip. Yes, it was initially a business trip. One of my clients requested me to talk about parenting in their meetings with their clients. Initially, Baguio was not in the list of areas where they were scheduled to have these meetings or forums. But along the course of our preparations, the schedules and areas to be covered were changed and Baguio became part of the list.

I informed my client that since the travel time to and from Baguio is long, I need to bring my youngest child with me. My youngest son, who is almost two years old is still breastfeeding from me. Also, he has never been away from me for more than a day. There was not a night that he has slept without me by his side. Most nights, he breastfeeds before dozing off to sleep. In the past couple of months, he has been breastfeeding a few times during the night or very early in the morning. I’m definitely not leaving him behind for this out-of-town business trip!

But if I decide to bring him with me, his big brothers will surely want to come with me, too. 🙂 So, my business trip eventually turned into a family trip or family vacation as well! Awesome, right?

Thus, the second reason that this is special and memorable for me is that I got to continuously breastfeed my youngest son, Geordan, during our trip. I got to breastfeed him during stops or while the traffic is at a standstill. I got to breastfeed him before and after my talk since the hotel is near the venue of the forum. Third is that he was not separated from me even for a night until now that he is already one year and ten months old. What a blessing!

Fourth, I got to spend the night with my family still. I got to enjoy the amenities of the hotel where I was billeted with them. When I was still single and traveling very frequently because of my job as Training Manager in a multinational company, it was my dream and heart’s desire to be able to travel with my family with me whenever I give talks or workshops. I usually traveled alone in my previous job. It can get lonely sometimes after the day’s activities and I am alone in my hotel room. I dreamed of that day when I would be able to share this kind of experience with my own family. That dream has come true! Our stay in Baguio is one of those times when I was able to live out my dream.

I felt so blessed to be able to still eat meals with them during our entire trip except for the dinner during our first day in Baguio. I was already in the event venue with my client and dinner was served there.

But I was also thankful that I got to go back to my family shortly after my work and we still got to say our night prayers together.

I’m thankful that even though our travel time to and from Baguio was long, I was with my family members and I got to bond with them during this time.

I’m thankful that I got to try new things like a new hotel and a few restaurants with my family. Our new experiences in Baguio this year started with the hotel where we stayed. My client chose the hotel. Of course, they paid for our overnight stay. I was delighted that they accommodated my request to give us a room with two queen-sized beds. It was our first time to stay at Microtel by Wyndham and I’m happy to share that we had a pleasant experience with this hotel. We booked for an extension and requested that on our second night we’d be able to stay in the same room booked by my client for me and my family. Our request was granted. I’m also happy to say that we got a good rate for our second night there. We booked and paid online. I would say that it was a good deal because the rooms were nice and clean. They even provided free water and coffee in their lobby. There is free wifi even in the rooms. There are several choices for their breakfast buffet and the choices were different the following day. The staff was friendly and easy to talk to. It is near Burnham Park and there is a nearby 7-11 convenience store. This is important to us because my kids like to go to the park and bike or enjoy rides. They also like boating. If we will go back to Baguio again (which I think the kids want to happen yearly), we would love to stay in this place again.

 

I’m thankful that after my talk was done, I got to spend a lot of quality time with my family enjoying each other’s company and making my kids happy.

 

I’m thankful that I got to do meaningful work while away from them. My family is very important to me. If I am to spend my time away from them, I want to make sure that I spend my time on things that make me really happy. And that’s what my work does. I find a lot of fulfillment in the work that I do because I work mainly to help people, to improve their lives, to inspire and equip people so they too could achieve their life goals. I’m thankful that I have this client and that they believed in me and gave me this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of other parents. I’m so blessed to be paid to do the work that I love doing! I’m so blessed to be paid helping people and sharing my advocacy!

I enjoyed planning and preparing for my talk. I’m so glad that I got to talk about something very close to my heart — family. My talk was on How OFW Parents Can Raise Successful Kids. I was thankful that I got to share my learning and insights about parenting. I’m also happy that I was able to share my childhood stories to my audience on how my parents raised me. I look forward to the next forums where I would meet other OFW parents from Cavite and Manila.

I thoroughly enjoyed planning and preparing for our family vacation. I consider it an advance Christmas gift from my Father in heaven. 🙂

So, did you count the many reasons our recent trip was special and memorable to me? I lost count! There’s just so much to be grateful for! 🙂

Do you want to live this kind of lifestyle? Do you want to have these kinds of experiences wherein you earn while bonding with your family? I can help you. I can coach you. This is one of my passions! I love helping people fulfill their goals and dreams. One of the ways I do this is through my iHOPE Online Coaching Program. You may find out more about this program here.

You can also try my short coaching program/services here.

Let me end with these quotations from Albert Schweitzer:

“If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.”

“The only ones among you who will be really happy

are those who will have sought and found how to serve.”