I remember waking up on my birthday feeling so loved.
I moved to the US three years ago. I was born in the Philippines on January 8, 1998. So, when the clock strikes 8:00 in the morning of January 7 PST, it’s already my birthday!!! (Because it’s the 8th in the Philippines.) So, basically, my birthday is 30 hours.
Anyway, I took the day off on Tuesday and Wednesday. On the 7th, we were booked for Disneyland, so I woke up early to prepare myself and my daughter for Disney!! When I went downstairs, my boyfriend had put up a “Happy Birthday” sign in our dining area. Then, on the table, there was a box and a card.
A little back story, I have this stuffed toy, Doggy Brown. I’ve had him since the first grade. He’s always been so special to me. He was the only one I took with me in grade school, high school, and college, even when I migrated. He’s like my home away from home. I’ve traveled back and forth from the US to Manila, and he’s always with me on the plane on every road trip. Gosh, my heart aches just thinking about my doggy brown. I miss him so much. I took him everywhere with me. Even when I migrated three years ago, he was the only tangible thing I had that felt like home.
In November, unfortunately, my boyfriend lost him…. and it broke me. Losing doggy brown was the cherry on top of the challenging year 2024 😦
So, back to January 7, 2025. In the box was a little stuffed toy that looked exactly like Doggy Brown. He even had the same “Aurora” tag, which is the same brand as Doggy Brown. He wrote that we would continue to look for him. I broke down… I miss doggy brown so much…but this little doggy brown helps. I named him “Lil,” which is short for “Lil’ Doggy Brown.” HAHAHA, anyway, he feels and looks like doggy brown, and for now, he will do. I genuinely appreciate that gesture. It’s like a band-aid on a broken heart. I’ve been extra anxious since Doggy Brown went missing, but I’m still hoping that I’ll find him.
So we spent the entire day at Disneyland, and the first cast member who helped us gave my daughter and I some Disney pins! It was really windy that day, so Mia and I just walked around while my boyfriend went on rides. Mia had so much fun playing with other kids at ToonTown. We were supposed to stay for the fireworks, but due to the winds, they were canceled. So we decided to go home at around 7PM. Took a shower and tried to stay up until 12MN, but failed. Lol.
On January 8, 2025, I woke up to instagram posts by my best friends. My best friends, who are a thousand miles away from me, made me feel so special. They always do. I am just so incredibly lucky that they are my people. Our love for each other is so genuine and empowering. I am so thankful for them.
We took it slow that morning. I was still tired from the day prior so I took my time in getting ready. We headed out to Jollibee for brunch at 11:30. We were unsure about returning to Disney because of the wildfires in LA. Still, in the end, we decided to go anyway because the weather in Anaheim was pretty warm, and Disney was five minutes away. We went to Disney’s California Adventure, which was extra fun!! We did the Monster’s Inc. ride and the kiddie dance party, and then Jared went on the roller coasters while Mia and I walked around, ate good food, had a drink, watched the sunset, and watched the color light the show, which was amazing. It was so much fun.
I had a nice, intimate birthday this year with my little family. My heart is filled with so much love and gratitude! Aaaah I’m 27!!!! I feel brand new!!
The Whole 9 Yards 
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