Candid Moments, Genuine Joy

 We had such a wonderful day with friends and my cousin. After our Sunday church service, we decided to go out and spend time together at IT Park. Since there was no youth service in the afternoon, we made the most of the free time by enjoying a simple bonding moment with our friends and the moms who joined us. It was a refreshing time filled with laughter, stories, and a chance to relax outside our usual routine. These moments remind us how important it is to create memories with people who make us feel at home.  The girlies I was with included two moms who rarely get the chance to join us since most of their time is devoted to their family, partners, and children. That’s why this day felt extra special—because while their partners were taking care of the kids, they finally had the chance to enjoy and relax with friends. They were so happy, and you could really see how much they cherished the moment, especially since it had been such a long time since they last experienced a carefree day like this.  The one in the green dress is Ate Rege, my brother’s wife, and they have a daughter named Aishiah. The one wearing purple or lavender is my cousin, Rosemarie, and her daughter’s name is Aphiya—a very unique and beautiful name. We truly had a great time together, and before we rode the jeepney going home, I made sure to take this photo of them as a little documentation of our bonding. Moments like these are simple but very meaningful, and I’m glad we got to capture it as a reminder of the joy we shared that day.  We went to Mang Inasal together, and this is Apen with us—one of the “girls” even though he’s actually the only guy in the group. To make it fair, we called Clyde so there would be two of them and Apen wouldn’t feel left out. Everyone was already so hungry, so of course we chose Mang Inasal with its unlimited rice! Apen was holding onto the change from the order he paid for while we were waiting for the food. Meanwhile, Eury kept looking at the receipt of the order he just paid, which made us all laugh even more.  We gathered around a table at Krispy Krunch to rest and have some chitchat. You can really see how talkative my friends are, complete with hand gestures while sharing their stories—HAHA! Apen, on the other hand, noticed the camera and tried to act cute, while poor Eury just bowed his head, probably overwhelmed by how noisy we all were. Almost everyone was talking at the same time, and he looked so confused about whom to listen to first. It was such a funny and lively moment that really showed how much fun we were having together.  We ended up ordering donuts because we felt a bit shy just sitting at their table without buying anything. Since we had just come from eating unlimited rice, we were already so full, so one box of donuts was more than enough for us. Of course, we also got some drinks, not really because we were hungry, but more out of respect for the place. At least by ordering something, we could comfortably stay at the table without feeling awkward. Even though we were full, it was still nice to share the donuts while continuing our fun conversations together.  Wow, Ate Rege was really on fire with her stories—she was so into the conversation that even the usually chill and quiet Apen got pulled in and started talking! HAHAHA! Meanwhile, Eury was making this funny “mouth shut” sign, pretending to close his mouth while hiding his hands under the chair. It was his way of saying the conversation was getting a bit too intense, which made everyone laugh even more. The whole moment was just so entertaining, filled with nonstop chatter, gestures, and laughter that made the bonding even more memorable.  The smiles of these girlies—Charlotte, Myka, and Grace Ann—are just so beautiful. They decided to take a quick selfie as a little break from all the nonstop laughter and endless stories we had been sharing. What’s funny is that their smiles in the selfie looked so composed and picture-perfect, but in reality, without the camera, their laughter was wild, loud, and so genuine—HAHAH! Don’t be fooled, guys, no need to pretend! Still, moments like these are priceless. The joy we shared that day can’t be compared to anything else, as long as we’re with friends and family who make everything worthwhile.  This is Myka and Eury, and I just had to take a photo of the two of them because they looked so cute together. The lighting was really nice, so I lifted my camera and captured the moment. Myka looked adorable with the little clip in her hair, while Eury looked so charming in her pink dress. The two of them made such a perfect combination in this picture—simple, candid, and sweet. It’s one of those photos that really shows how small details like a hair clip or a dress can make the moment even more special and memorable.