NORTHERN GETAWAY (A Travel Blog)

Two weeks ago, I was given a chance on a Northern Trip to Zambales City and Baguio City with my team. Because of our good teamwork, determination and good performance, we are rewarded with a four-day trip all for free. Yipee! I feel so blessed to finally take a break from all my roles in life as a working mom, a mother of two, a daughter, a sister, a friend and be able to just be trapped on an island, lay on the sand, stare at the sky and the sea, and be amazed with all the beautiful scenery. God, thank You! You are amazing! I can't keep my eyes off the mountains, the trees, the sky, the sea. Everywhere I look, it just makes me say how great my God is. 

I am not a travel person because I know that I have other things to prioritize financially speaking. But after I experience this kind of vacation, I want more. And there is something in the beach that I can't explain that's giving me a sense of tranquility, peace and freedom deep in my soul and mind. I want my parents to travel often because they're not getting any younger. I want to take my sisters and my kids somewhere we all can be kids at heart. I want quality time with my family. So traveling is one on the top of my list now.

Let me share you some of the photos from my trip with captions on it. Enjoy! :)

I am never really a light packer. I am OA when it comes to packing my things. Haha! Night before, I was doing my outfit planning. Of course, no one wants to look jologs on a trip where people around you take pictures every second. So I really put importance on that matter.

It was 5:00 am when we arrived in Zambales City. We were waiting for the boat that will take us to Anawangin Cove. And this was my phone's last chance to have signal. They have no electricity and signal in Anawangin, so this calls for a real vacation!

TURNING YOUR BREAK-UP INTO A BREAK-OVER

You know, moving on is never easy. In fact, it could be the most horrible step you have to take in your life. Do you remember the scene when Edward left Bella, and she cried all night with pain in her chest? That was the exact scenario of myself crying all night long and begging God to kill me because I couldn't hold on any longer to the pain. I don't know what physics or chemistry that connects the emotional pain and the physical pain, because it really hurts in the center of my chest. It feels like someone is drilling my chest and there's 50 kg sack of rice placed in it, I can't breathe. This is how hard to move on. Just so I give you the idea or a picture how it feels like.

I've tried to move on several times from the same person, but I always fail. I always end up crawling back to him. I've learned that it is because I just put an end to a chapter. But the last breakup, I didn't just put an end to a chapter, but I closed the book. And I didn't return the book in my shelf (because I know I have the tendency to get  it again), but I gave it to my Creator. I told Him, "this is the story of my past, this book is now Yours. Use it in every way for Your glory."

BLACK LUCK

Last December 2012, I got lucky to grab the chance and work with my highschool bestbud, now a professional make-up artist Jerose Mascarinas, together with Baguio's best photographer Randy Benigno who went all the way down to Bulacan for this shoot. And oh! They're also my favorite couple. And it was their first time to work on a shoot together. One heck of a lucky model here! :-)

And because this was my first time to shoot, I felt nervous days before, because modeling was just a dream to me, now a reality. So we didn't waste a single time. As soon as we arrive at St. Agatha Hotel and Resort, I quickly changed, Jerose prepared her make-up stuff and Randy went around to find beautiful spot. And because it was done with so much passion and love, our photoshoot experience turned out so great. Thank You Lord for the gift of friendship. Friends that bring out the best in me! :-)

THE DIAMOND OF THE WOMAN I AM TODAY

Hey ya! So you're here reading my blog post. You might be bored or something. But thanks, anyway! :)

As my first post, I would like to introduce myself, and a little glance over my life, and how did I get to this blogging thingy. I am a 24 year-old woman, mother of two, and a single mother. Yes, single, not by my choice, but I guess it's fate. Let me take you to the dark days of my life so that you can also appreciate how happy I am to be in the light right now. 

When I was becoming a lady, I knew in my heart that I am different in a way I really can't figure out yet. Life was so easy back then. I already had faith in God, confidence in myself, parents that provide everything I will need, sisters I share the same interests with, some friends I always trust. And then one day I fell in love with this guy so hard. So hard that even if God was showing me signs that he's not the one, I would still be stubborn and insist what I wanted. So hard that I was willing to do everything to make him stay, even if it meant dragging myself down to the aisle, and settling to a life I never did wish for. And boom! I found myself married to this guy, doing the laundry, cleaning the house, throwing the trash bag, feeding the dogs with the leftovers, my life totally changed. I didn't feel confident about myself anymore, no parents and sisters to watch TV with, I cut connections with my real friends, the only thing that's left was my faith in God.

Things got even worst. People change, feelings fade. He was not the same guy anymore. After my sacrifices and dedication to be a perfect wife, in return, he used to neglect my existence and worth. I was a battered wife. I don't want to go to details to still protect the identity of my ex-husband. But I felt that it was a long long long night, endless pain, rivers of tears. The only thing that kept me from wanting to wake up the next morning was my faith in God. Those were the years that really crushed me from the bones to the spirit, devastated my soul, and ruined my everything. I still felt that God was watching, that He knew every single thing that's going on. Every night, my faith in God just got deeper and deeper. It's true that when you have nothing, you have everything. God is everything to me.

God knows how far He will take you. And when He put an end to it, He will make sure to provide you the strength and grace that you will be needing along the process. When He removes someone from our lives, it will be a total removal. God protected me and saved me. For some reason I can't explain, when my ex-husband left me, I felt the peace in my heart. That feeling you get when the storm have passed and you see the sunlight? That's exactly how I felt. It was really God taking over my life.

And right now, I am very happy to be with my two handsome kids, to live again with my parents, to enjoy bonding with my sisters and finally to stay connected again with my true friends. It feels so good to be back in love with myself, to bring back the smile in my face, to laugh again, to be confident about myself again, to bring back the groove back in me. Kelly Clarkson was right, "In the end, the day you left was just my beginning." I lost myself once and for a long time, and I am not going to lose it again, ever. What I've been through, I will use it as a roadmap to where I am going, and for where I will never ever go again. The ashes of the lady I used to be turned me into the diamond of the woman I am today.

And now, this is my blogsite officially: thekickasswoman.blogspot.com Expect that I will be posting fashion thingy such as outfit-of-the-day, photoshoot adventures, favorite items and more. And also other things that I love like music, cooking, friendship, and everything else about motherhood. And oh! Jim Sturgess of course! Haha! Feel free to leave a comment each time. Til next time! :)

With so much love,

Angelique

I am posting my favorite shots below. God bless everyone! :)

Photographer : Randy Benigno
HMUA/Stylist : Jerose Mascarinas

Photographer : Randy Benigno
HMUA / Stylist : Jerose Mascarinas

Photographer : Randy Benigno
HMUA / Stylist : Jerose Mascarinas

Photographer : Marck Brendo Alfaro
Stylist : Marse Farinas