There's a Jar-jar in the house!

How birth and death are within a breath of each other. As I sat before my ye olde laptop composing a story about my late friend Enrico JL Manlapaz, Jared Franco Jorge Susi was being born at the old Polymedic Hospital in Mandaluyong City, the same birthplace of my two daughters, Kimi and Ida, and my first grand-niece Machiko Skye.

Pao-pao, by the way, is the eldest of three children of my sister Pinky and her husband Rod. Jar-jar's arrival makes Pinky and Rod twice blessed grandparents.

Jar-jar Susi's first photo in his mama's womb

Jared, or Jar-jar as I plan to call him (because we used to call his dad Juan Paolo Lolarga Susi by the nickname Pao-pao and his mom Janica Jorge is nicknamed Jaja), was born by Caesarean section and weighed in a hefty eight pounds. 

The new parents are standing at left (Pao-pao and Jaja) at Jar-jar's baby shower at Cab Cafe in Kapitolyo, Pasig.

Yesterday my family and I spent part of our respective SMS loads asking prayerful friends and family members to offer intentions and petitions so Jaja could have a safe delivery as she was brought to the hospital ahead of schedule.

Answered prayers! Thank you, merciful universe.
 
Our family is in the fullness of its blossoming, indeed.

Jar-jar, Pao-pao and Jaja's photos grabbed from Pao-pao's Facebook account. Flowers from Booboo Babeth's flower farm in the Internet

She can turn my world on with her smile

The title is a re-phrasing of a line from the opening song credits of ye olde "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." This blogger was too young to follow the plot of some episodes in the '60s (and we weren't allowed too much TV). But I grew old enough to watch and follow spin-offs from that show like "Lou Grant" in the mid-'70s.

I was at a loss for words (this happens, sometimes; other times, I'm just a bottomless well of words when it comes to Butones) while looking at my grandchild's photos sent by her mother last night so the lyrics of that  Paul Williams song were the first I could borrow this morning.

In the '60s, the song "You're Gonna Make It After All"  accompanied the image of a woman confidently doing everyday things by herself, striding to her place of work with a big big smile on her face.

That character of Mary Richards, who rose from secretary to TV news producer, broke many ceilings in a medium full of stereotypes: she was not married, she was not divorced, she was not in a relationship, she was not seeking one. She was simply happy, and she radiated this.

 
Happiness, no matter how fleeting, and contentment are all this grandma can wish for her Butones on her birth month.

So Mr. Williams, thank you  for these lyrics:

Who can turn the world on with her smile?
Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?
Well it's you girl, and you should know it
With each glance and every little movement you show it

Love is all around, no need to waste it
You can have a town, why don't you take it
You're gonna make it after all
You're gonna make it after all

How will you make it on your own?
This world is awfully big, girl this time you're all alone
But it's time you started living
It's time you let someone else do some giving

Love is all around, no need to waste it
You can have a town, why don't you take it
You're gonna make it after all

 Photos of Butones Fernandez with cousin Machiko Skye and with her Booboo's just-finished painting to mark the wee shoulder rider's natal day by Kimi Fernandez