My Favorites of You and Me

A post of @ARTicLEE entitled "Siak dayta" gave me an idea to accumulate some of my favorite pictures of my husband and me over the years. I shared in my article Random Questions for Taken that my husband and I have been in this relationship for 13 years and I apologize for misleading you guys. What I meant here was that it's a total of 13 years, six years as married and seven years as boyfriend and girlfriend.

We have known each other since 2005, classmates since freshmen and are part of a group of friends. It was only in our senior year that we became a couple. After college, we had been in a long-distance relationship and then tied the knot in 2015. We are blessed with our firstborn after five years of being married.

So, today, I browsed my Facebook profile pictures and then picked up some of my favorite photos so I can compile them into this article. Let me share with you where these images were taken, the story behind them, and more.

Silhouette at Bugnaw CE

Kay bisa'g tigulang na Basin katapusan na ko ning kanta
Ikaw lang ang higugma-on
Samtang buhi ko, ikaw akong lipayon!
-ossified

The image was posted on February 17, 2011, and honestly, I can't recall the specific day that we went to this beach. We were so young, I was still slim (sana all) and we love to go out and explore beaches and places. This beach was empty when we arrived. We didn't swim though but we just observed the surroundings, we had a lot of talks about how beautiful the skies were and so we thought we should take a remembrance photo.

We got no tripod at that time so we just placed my phone in rock and the timer was our friend! We did a couple of tries, this one was the best out of the many but if you noticed, I had my tongue sticking out. I hope you are not disturbed by that.

Ikaw ug Ako in Dumaguete

Opening up this image on Facebook, I didn't know why it doesn't have any captions in it. But, this image was taken in Dumaguete's Baywalk, our first out of Cebu province trip to celebrate our anniversary. I believe it was our third anniversary as boyfriend and girlfriend.

At that time, we realized it was super fun to travel and it had awakened our love to explore our country together.

Bantayan Island's Virgin Island Getaway

I want to hold your hand when we are 80 and say that we have made it. 

This is one of my top favorite portraits of us, aside from the fact that I was still skinny at that time, James and I were both looking so happy and the image has a candid feel plus the place is just so beautiful! Thanks to our good friend Carlo for taking this picture.

We were already working during this time and that part of the perks of working in the BPO industry is the free trips sponsored by clients. I tagged James along with my team during this trip to Bantayan Island. This was our first time in Bantayan, we have been to the island four times already.

Before I Let You Go

This was our last photo together before traveling to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I decided to work overseas to help my parents and save up for our future. I worked there for two years and which means we were in a long-distance relationship for two years as well, although, I went on vacation every year, it is still different when we are together.

When I returned to the Philippines after two years, we tied the knot and it was the start of the many trips we did as a couple.

Honeymoon in El Nido's Seven Commandos Island

Our honeymoon happened a few months after our civil wedding. Our destination was El Nido and we fell in love right away with it. One trip which we treasure so much we have promised to come back to El Nido if chances would allow us.

So far, we have not gone back to El Nido yet but I can't wait for that day when we can explore this beautiful place again. This time, with our baby boy, Matti.

First Anniversary in Baguio

Adventures are not going to the most exotic places or doing the most insane things. Our adventures were unforgettable laughter and unpredictable kisses.

On our first wedding anniversary, we traveled to Baguio City, the summer capital of the Philippines and we love it here. I developed my love for cold places, wearing jackets, hoodies, sweaters, and anything that keeps me warm.

It was a three day stay and what stayed in my memories really were the beautiful flowers in Burnham Park. They were just blooming!

Mayon at the Background

Our trip to Legazpi and Albay was one that we truly treasure because this was the most relaxing and our expectations about it were all met! Perhaps, even exceeded. First, we won't forget how fun it was to ride an ATV going up to the lava front of the Mayon Volcano, then we took a zip line ride from the lava front back to where we parked our ATVs, then we had the best taste of Bicol's delicacies.

Chili icecream? Yes, we tasted it here! And one for the books was the experience at Sumlang Lake, we were in a raft with the view of Mayon at the background. We stayed in another covered raft for sometime, just having a conversation and observing how the clouds try to cover the top of Mayon and then we feel asleep. It was refreshing, we could hear the sound of the wind and the birds. I wish we can go back!

Batad with Love

With you is always an adventure. Happy anniversary langga !

Our second wedding anniversary was spent walking around Batad. It was another tick off our travel bucket list. I won't forget how we climbed to the end of the viewpoint and mesmerize with the view of the rice terraces. We finally saw with our own eyes the marvelous work done by our ancestors, pure dedication and hard work!

All smiles for this view, we seemed had forgotten the almost vertical climb.

If you want to see the best rice terraces, then skip Banaue and go straight to Batad.

I won't forget as well that we had gone to Sagada after Batad. Our love for exploring the Philippines grew stronger.

Buwakan ni Alejandra

happy 3rd wedding anniversary langga!

On our third wedding anniversary, we went to the mountain area of Cebu and spent the entire day appreciating flowers and gardens.

Also on that same month, we went to Negros Occidental and stayed in a house on top of a hill. I can't find a photo of us with that trip though on my profile picture album only this one below:

The experience of living in this fully furnished house on top of a hill was extra ordinary. There's an open shower room, then there's a filtered water system, this is also a solar powered house, a refrigerator inside, a 50 inch tv with a hard drive filled with movies and cooking essentials are also available. Anyone can stay here for days and won't get bored at all!

Lake Seloton Tulips

Life is a flower of which love is the honey.

Another favorite trip we had was in South Cotabato. We were with the entire family and we stayed for a night at Sunrise Garden Lake Resort in Lake Seloton which is one of the three lakes in South Cotabato and of which one of them is the famous Lake Sebu.

The tulips were very pretty as they bloomed that morning and of course we can't miss that opportunity to take a photo of the two of us riding the Owong, the traditional dugout canoe of the T'boli people.

This post is becoming lengthy so I am making a second part of this collection. Stay tuned for more!

xoxo,

mommy jean of momentswithmatti

Love harder than any pain you've ever felt.