To My Dearest Husband, Family, Friends, Brothers and Sisters in Christ and Colleagues

September 25, 2007

To my dearest husband, family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ and colleagues :

How can I thank you all for that wonderful evening spent w/ all of you, dearest and closest to my heart, at my birthday surprise party last Saturday. I was really fooled into believing that we were going to Nora and Jim’s Anniversary Luau. It was a very memorable and fantastic surprise to see you all there! The biggest surprise was to see my twin sister form Iowa, Shirley. I have not celebrated our b-day w/ her for ages and in fact I was requesting her to be here this year.

My sweetest and darling hubby, Robert, how can I thank you for planning this big bash for me and Shirley? I know that I am not the easiest one to fool especially that I am always w/ you! I still don’t know how you did this because I am so nosey in all you do and I ask you tons of questions when you want to do things w/o me. Oh well, of course you have your right and left hands with Grace and Riza doing a lot of leg work, planning, calling people, shopping, e-mailing, cooking, organizing, decorating and just acting as your cohorts! I love all the sweet treats at the party, GraceDiaz-Font and Riza Mauricio (my sisters who complete our Triumvirate)! You know I need them, haha! Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart and I can not thank you enough. You are just gems in my life! I appreciate all your love, support and genuine friendship!! I had a marvelous time that night and had a birthday to remember forever, all because of your help!

To my thoughtful daughter , Myrna who came all the way from Austin so she can be with me on my b-day , getting that big b-day cake and helping keep me away from Robert that day, I thank you for your love and for being there for me. Thanks too for the numerous presents that you and Foti Kallergis (my famous son in-law) have given me for my b-day and for all other days. You guys are just too much and too sweet. I love your cards too!!

Thanks to my quiet and lovely twin, Shirley Molitor for sharing this big day with me. It really meant a lot and my biggest surprise. Thank you Marc for treating your Mom and Dad to come and fly here from Iowa for our birthday celebration. It just gave me warm fuzzies to see my twin there like good ol’ days when we celebrated our b-days together. I was really so surprised to see her there with my quiet brother in-law Dennis Molitor. Thought I was dreaming! Thanks for the gifts of love and for the presents from Iowa, Kambal! I love my necklace and my outfits!! Wished Dean and Neal were there too.

Thanks too to my hard working and thoughtful sister Gloria and work horse brother in law, Jose Quinagon together w/ my charming niece Cherylle Hicks who labored in that hot kitchen all day to prepare that sumptuous feast .You all outdid yourselves w/ the food. It was simply delicious! Thanks for your labor of love and for your sacrifices to make the day a happy celebration of family and friends.

Thanks so much to my only dear brother, Jon Parado who together w/ my sweet sister Celna Conforti and equally sweet brother in law , Al Conforti, waltzed in to the party even w/ their jetlag they had after their trip to Greece and Turkey., arriving the night before the party. Thanks guys! I was so happy to see you there. Thanks for the presents and for the joy you brought to my heart. We already use the Red Lobster gift card, bro!

Thanks a million Angelo Medrano (my funny brother in law), ever-ready to help, Guy Font, and my famous Treasurer ,Danny Lindog for giving up your Saturday morning doing the heavy job of arranging the venue w/ the tables and chairs. Guy , thanks for the drinks and for helping out clear the venue after the party. Could not have done it w/o you! Of course my top girls, Luz Reyes, Sabrina Galarion, Grace Diaz-Font and Riza Mauricio did an awesome job decorating the Luau. I thought I was in Hawaii! You guys overextended yourselves and I am so indebted forever! I thought I was really in Hawaii for true! Muchas gracias for the sweat that you offered for my birthday. I will never forget that night of surprise! Thanks again and again (na paulit-ulit!)

Nora Peralta, my sweet innocent pal, you fooled me! I thought it was your wedding anniversary with Jim for real. I was clueless and I had no earthly idea that you were in with Robert’s gig. And, I am not usually fooled because I am nosey, as Robert will agree! Thanks for emceeing that night and for coming in spite of your feeling under the weather. You are a true gem and a sweet friend! Thanks for the sweet treats. I know that you know how much I love Jeanette’s “turron”. Wished she were there too. Thanks again for everything you did to make me smile and cry that night!

Nini Ramirez , thanks dear for the DJ and for the luscious cake you especially prepared for me. It was so good, a sure labor of love! Thanks for starting up the dance and making the celebration lively. You kept the party going. It was nice meeting your hubby, finally. Please thank him for me for coming. Looking forward to working with you more closely this next term.

Luz Reyes, my adding , my dearest Rosnela and Brian Hardesty, Nina Lumbera , Shela and Luther Ecobiza, Sabrina and Cyrus Galarion , sweet Stell Trimble,Rey and Alex Tapia and Manang Merl and Manong Ed, I know that you were there in spirit w/ me even in your absence. . I know where you were and all I can say is, I thank you for being my sisters and brothers and for all the love and support you give me all these months. I know you guys had to work so for this year, you all are excused too. You touch my soul and my spirit is singing because of you!!! Thanks for the gifts too, Rosnela.You are just too super for me, sister! You all are just too sweet. I love you guys! Thanks for providing the party wares , Stella. We could not have eaten well w/o the pastic wares and paper products you donated. Thanks a bundle! Sabrina, I am sure the cake made w/ your loving hands was delicious. Everybody loved it so much I did not get to taste it. There will eb a next time , I know.

Thanks too for all the delicious food that you all brought to the celebration (can’t remember them all now). Manang Merl and Ed Velasquez, Cecile and Chris Bauri, Marvic and Boyet Collado and Olivia and of course my dear Rey and Alex Tapia, the lechon was so yummy and I could not get enough of it, full cholesterol dosage that night. Thanks so much for celebrating my old age! Marissa, thanks too for being there w/ your Mom to celebrate with us. You guys are just too wonderful and thoughtful!! I was so delighted to see some of you , my UST pals there. Boyet, you gave me a big kick that night with your Indian talk. You are such a clown and you always make me laugh. Thanks for the belly laugh and for being a sport!

Mrs. And Mrs. Mangahas , I just appreciate you being there to celebrate w/ us and for the delicious huge birthday cake you gave us. You are just two awesome couple. We love you! Everybody loved your cake and I only eat Gold Ribbon cake and nothing else and that’s the naked truth!

It was a pleasure to see my long time friend Edna Simbulan and Jim her hubby there too. Happy b-day Jim!! I love my lovely pasmina , Edna. It is beautiful and I am sure I will be using it soon in our cold weather. I thank you for the gift of friendship most of all and for being my pal all these years. Thanks for coming to celebrate with all of us. I always have a kick whenever I speak with you. You are as crazy as I am!

I was so happy to see my spiritual sisters and brothers in Christ there too, Brother Jun and Tess Alquiza, and brother Gene and Donna Duremdes. So sorry guys I was unable to spend too much time w/ you all. Tess and Jun, how did you know I like Estee Lauder? I love perfumes. You must be psychic! The perfume set will be put to good use soon. Sister Donna and Brother Gene, wow, I love the Shannon Crystal bowl. How did you also know that in my past life, I collected Shannon crystals? I love it! Hope to get together again one of these days. Miss you all! I wished all our CFC brothers and sisters were there too. That could have been so much fun to see them there also..

Emee Nisnisan, Becca De La Cruz and Remy, you three just made my night and you really touched my heart with your lovely voices and songs. That was so awesome listening to my friends like yourselves, and dedicating your songs to me. I thank you so much for your friendship and love. How I wish I could sing to you three back also and tell you how much I appreciate your gesture of friendship, but I better not! Thanks again dear friends!! Thanks for your gifts too guys, I love them all!

Emee , you are the sweetest little sister any one can have, so thoughtful, so caring and cheerful. Thanks for your support and for being there for me all the time. Wished Jhoey and the girls were there too!

Eden Cadiang- Gopal and hubby, I was so happy to see you both there .Your smile is so contagious , Eden. I feel your support and dedication every time I see you. Wished you and Emee could have stayed longer too but I know that you have other things going on that night so for now, you both are excused! Thanks for celebrating with us, Eden, Luv ya!

Nena Bonuel, my dear friend , it was fun seeing you at my birthday party. At last we got together even for a few moments. I know that we have to get together more often. Thanks for your precious gifts, for your friendship and support. I love the jewelry set! Wished Chelsea were there to join the fun. Velma and Marcy Medrano, my dear sister in-law and niece, thanks for coming too and for the helping out with the menudo trimmings. We just love that stuffs! Thanks too for the scented candle. It’s now sitting in the upstairs powder room.

Zenny Pancho, my teacher friend and colleague, I was so glad to see you there! I know that you are not a party animal like me but yet, you were there to celebrate my old age. You made me feel so special. Thanks for your support, love and friendship.

To my friends, Jonathan, Bong and Eden, wow, I was so happy to see you there at the party because I knew that we would dance the night away with you three there. That was so cool seeing you there, dancing and having fun with us. Thanks again for gracing the occasion! Thanks for the beautiful present as well. I truly appreciate the gesture of your friendship and love.

Marina Del Mundo, Marilyn and Ralph Rillo , Annie Concepcion and Cynthia Jocson with son from St. Albert Church, thank you for showing up and just being there at our birthday bash. It was so much fun seeing long time friends form St. Albert. I miss our old group and hope to see you soon again. Thanks for the beautiful pictures, Marina and Cynthia. You are super friends I will never forget. Wished Willie was there too…How do you know I love Pappas? Thanks for the gift card, Marina. I need good nutrition! I missed the rest of the crew from St. Albert. Hope to see them all too soon.

I was so happy to see our beautiful children and grandchildren there at the party! Thanks for coming to celebrate my b-day, Chris and Gary Heymeyer with grandkids, Kamran, Garrett and Juliette. It was good seeing you Anna, Clive and grandkids Ethan and Christian. Boy! Have they’ve grown and beautiful kids at that! It was so good seeing you Lisa and Richard. I had fun watching you guys danced. Wished Renee was there too. We missed Tony, missy and Emma. Maybe next year you all be there? Thanks for the beautiful photos. These will be our keepsakes forever! We love you all and wish we could see you more often.

My ever thoughtful sister,Ching Vicerra from NY, my dearest mom Felicisima Parado and loving and sweet little sister Charito Kuylen and my wonderful brother in-law Richard , nephews Ryan and Robin and of course my only son, Geoff could not be there at the party but sent their love and wonderful presents. I love my giant diamond cocktail ring, Mng. Ching and my beautiful outfits, Chato. You know that these will be put to good use in my many parties that I attend. My only beloved son ,Geoff Sloan, thanks a lot for the b-day Dim Sum! I truly enjoyed it. I did not know that you knew about the party. Wished you were all there to share the fun, the food and the love all over the place. You were the ones who could have completed my happiness that night. I could have experienced Nirvana if you were there! Missed you all!!!

To my nephew Daren Hicks and Ransley, niece from PI, Jam and her hubby James Lopez and their baby, thanks for coming in spite of your exhaustion arriving from the Philippines that very same evening of the party. Boy! You are troopers! I was so astonished seeing you there since I did not know when you were exactly arriving here or New Orleans. It was a very pleasant surprise indeed.

Thanks my dear friend, Pam Windle and hubby Ron for gracing the occasion. I was so surprised to see you there. I thought that you were out of town, Pam. It was a very pleasant surprise! Thanks for coming and giving a time in your very hectic schedule. It meant a lot to me. Thanks too for the classy pearl necklace. I love it!

Thanks to you Doming from HMLC and Leo, Myrna’s best pal who came and celebrated with us. Thanks for helping out w/ the clean-up, Leo. Leo , thanks for entertaining us with Myrna with your dancing. I appreciate all you did to make my day bright! Wished other Lions could have made it too.

Olivia ,from Holy Family Parish office, thank you so much for the “Menudo “ and for helping Robert out with the place. You were one great help and one great cook! Thanks a bundle and I appreciate all your assistance before and after the party. God bless you!

Again, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for making my 2007 birthday a very memorable event in my life. Thanks to you my family and friends!! If I missed any one, I thank you and hope you forgive this old lady with Sometimer’s Disease. I love you all!!!!

To the rest of my friends who were not there for one reason or another , like James and Thelma Puspos, Marilyn and Bob Blodgett, Linda and James Claire, Jessica and Dan Tecson, Cora and Alex Boquiren, Letty Caeg, Carmen Duque and hubby Ron, Eufe Chua and hubby, Ampy and Fred De La Paz, Gerri Gardingco , Beth and Steve De Guia, Lennie Olfindo and her hubby, Ana Buenavista, Lina Dannug, Chere’ and Bart Anderson of the Chameleons , and the rest of my UST, PNA, CMSA, CFC and colleagues, I missed you all and I apologize if you did not get a call for the invite. It was a surprise to me and I was so surprised not to see you all there! Thanks for being my friends.

Thanks Gloria Beriones and Cleo Robinette for remembering my birthday. Thanks for the e-mails and the phone calls greeting me.

Cheers to you all and God bless!!!