I took some breather early this week from the heightened activities that Mama Sez and I have been experiencing since the start of the new year.  The rest was not just by choice but was also necessary as I was down with a throat virus like everyone else in the family, except for Rica, due to the colder and wetter than normal weather in the Philippines.

We did launch a new website that plays to our passion and strength as entomologists. Moreover, Mama Sez has teamed up with me in providing lectures and consultancy work in pest management as we decided to focus on this area this year. Therefore, for me to be more effective, I forgo my teaching commitment in a university also starting 2011.

What also kept us quite frantic was a stomach flu episode that hit the kids early January.  Having it all behind us now was a huge relief and we learned a lot from it such that Mama Sez shared the experience and the information she gathered about viral gastroenteritis at hubpages.com.

Therefore, we had to make adjustments to our commitments to our writing and posting in our sites and blogs including here at Parenting Journey. We can just realistically do so much. But hey, you won't find me complaining. Nagkukuwento lang :)

It’s a typical Friday afternoon except that I’m not feeling well and decided to forego the parenting seminar my husband and I wanted to attend. My eyes are swollen, itchy and red because of allergic conjunctivitis and I’m having this mild head and body ache…must be the hormones because the red flag is up. Red eyes and red flag, hmmn the message is clear, I had to stop and take a rest. I’m staying home, alright!
The kids arrived from school and they found me singing and watching the music video of “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift. I learned about this artist through my daughter as explained in this hub Taylor Swift: Music, Movies and Mansion I wrote a few days back. Here I am having fun singing with this beautiful artist and memorizing every line of the song, instead of resting. I even downloaded the lyrics. Well, I must admit, I found it more relaxing than just lying down.

My daughter gladly accepted my invitation to sing with me and there it goes...the mother and daughter tandem with Taylor Swift on the background, singing our hearts out, enjoying the song and living for the moment.



You Belong With Me (lyrics)

You're on the phone with your girlfriend, She's upset
She's going off about something that you said
She doesn't get your humour like I do

I'm in the room, its a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And she'll never know your story like I do

But she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming bout the day when you wake up and find
That what you're lookin for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along so why can't you see?
You belong with me
You belong with me

Walkin the streets with you in your worn out jeans
I cant help thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on the park bench thinkin to myself
Hey isnt this easy?

And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town
I haven't seen it in awhile, since she brought you down
You say you find I know you better than that
Hey, Whatcha doing with a girl like that?

She wears high heels, I wear sneakers
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming bout the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along so why can't you see?
You belong with me

Standin by, waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know that?
You belong with me
You belong with me

Oh I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry
I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your dreams
I think I know where you belong. I think I know it's with me.

Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?
Been here all along so why can't you see?
You belong with me

Standing by or waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know that
You belong with me
You belong with me

Have you ever thought just maybe
You belong with me
You belong with me

Who said I’m sick? Uh uh, I said I was just not feeling well. My eyes are still red, swollen and itchy...I’m having a bout of allergic conjunctivitis and the red flag is up but I’m not letting myself down. Taylor Swift, her song and the duet with my daughter just made me feel better.