Not Jaz another 'yaya'

We have been blessed to welcome a wide range of people in our hearts and home as the New Year started.  We hadn’t even gotten over our binging from the holiday feasts when we received a text message from my children’s former Yaya Jasmin who announced that she was on board the RoRo to Manila.  She expressed her eagerness to see us with her husband Joaquin before he sets sail for another stint with a luxury liner, which will take him away for 10 months.  They came and conquered our hearts once more with their stories and yes, gifts!  The children love having them because it reminds them of how they were truly loved by their Yaya Jaz.  It makes them so happy to see how her twin girls have grown and, of course, witness her love grow with her husband despite being away for most of the year.

Yaya Jaz was entrusted to us by my mom’s very good friend Vicki Perez-De Tagle. She actually had no choice but to give me a yaya because she’d often call my mom who would visit me several times a year (when they were still based as expats in Singapore). My mom would kindly decline Vicki’s invitations because my mom would always tell her she needed to help me out with the children.  So, to solve Vicki’s problem of not having a chance to party with my mom, she gave me her most trusted yaya’s sister in the person of Yaya Jaz!  I vividly remember her telling me to please take care of Yaya Jaz because she is precious. We had her for six years before Joaquin swept her off her feet and married her. They have since remained in touch with us. We had a nice lunch with the children and shared wine with Anthony, too!

My current staff was so inspired to have Yaya Jaz and her husband Joaquin. They witnessed how the children gave them big hugs and naturally gravitated towards them every chance they could.  My cook, after learning about them meeting and falling in love at my children’s school, declared that she’d bring the kids to school from now on, too! They were amazed at how much Yaya Jaz has leveled up because she gives dollars as gifts.  Also, after finding out that she had been wise in listening to my advice of putting a percentage of her money in various investments, they were encouraged.  Yaya Jaz showed me an update of her mutual funds and asked about it so I explained how much her money has grown throughout the past years.

I always make Yaya Jaz an example to people because her quiet, wise, and humble ways have really made a difference in our lives.  It’s a joy to listen to her husband express his undying love for her and how it’s tough to be away but he sticks with his faith in God and love for his family, which helps him be faithful.

Indeed, people come and go, but there are those who leave deep imprints in our hearts that will forever stay there.  Thank God for such blessed gifts!

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