THE LOVE BUG

This is Reanna. She is three and a half months old.


(Look how much I've grown!)


Lorenzo and I call Reanna our "little ladybug". She is the latest addition to our garden of love in Modesto, CA, joining our two bumblebees, Lance and Troy.

Unfortunately, another sort of bug is stalking our household. A tiny, infinitesimal speck of malice called a virus. Lance was the first to fall victim, throwing up his pizza after swimming in our backyard last Saturday. We thought it was because he swallowed too much water. We were mistaken in our diagnosis. The next day, it was Troy's turn to be under the weather.

For the past few days, my boys were a tag team in sickness and in health, trading places in the quarantine area (their bedroom). They couldn't have chosen a worse time to be sick: Lorenzo flew to New Hampshire on business early this week. I had to deal with this health crisis, ALONE. I couldn't wait for Wednesday, Lorenzo's scheduled return. All this misery was wasted on one.

Finally, Wednesday dawned. The boys woke up in good spirits. Could it be the worst was over? Lance was actually excited to go back to school. I knew then that he was out of the woods, and breathed a sigh of relief. Rest at last!

Of course, I ended up jumping the gun. My sense of well-being didn't even last until noon. By midday, the short-lived languor at the Sereno residence was broken by a piercing wail from my precious baby. I rushed to pick her up and found her to be feverish.

By the time we got to the doctor's office, spots had erupted all over her torso. My poor little ladybug had a full-blown virus courtesy of her loving kuyas, who loved to plant kisses on her chubby cheeks when Mommy wasn't looking.

And so Reanna gets sick for the very first time. And she sailed through the ordeal with a minimum of fuss and tears. Her sunny demeanor still shone through, as evidenced in the above photo. I'm just happy she could still smile, despite her discomfort.

Now if only Mommy could get some sleep...

HORROR-SCOPE

The day January 12 started out just like any other day.

Little did I know when I got up that morning that my world would be turned upside-down before my head hit the same pillow again.

I got the first warning sign when I checked my e-mail after breakfast, casually glancing at my horoscope to see if there was anything interesting.

ARIES
"Though everything is still going well for you, dear Aries, today a sudden upset of some kind, probably involving money, is likely to throw you into a momentary panic, wondering if your good fortune is all going to end as quickly as it began. This probably is not going to be the case; the situation is temporary. With a little effort you should be able to straighten everything out and put yourself back on track."

"Hmmm..." I thought, "this doesn't sound too good,"

But I didn't take it seriously. I wasn't about to let my horoscope dampen my day. I take a selective attitude when it comes to my stars, only choosing to believe the positive, weeding out the woesome. I even chided myself. "You're a Christian," I told myself. "You shouldn't really be reading horoscopes anyway. Serves you right for checking the darn thing out."

I dressed the kids and took Lance to his preschool. When Lance was settled in for lunch, I called my sister-in-law, Selina. I was about to go to her house with Troy, part of my usual routine, and I wanted to see if she needed anything before I headed over.

Selina answered the phone with a grim tone. When she heard it was me, she told me to come to her house straight away. I asked her why but she wouldn't tell me, only saying that she was talking to her husband, Gino, on the other line. She repeated firmly that I should come over, and quickly.

My stomach did a somersault. I didn't like the sound of it. I wasted no time, strapping Troy into his car seat, whispering a little prayer on the way to Selina's. I remembered the ominous horoscope. I was expecting bad news.

My husband, Lorenzo, is a Production Scheduler/Planner. Everyday he commutes 80 miles to his place of work, Microgenics Corp., a biotech company. Since he spends a lot of time on the road, my biggest fear has always been a car accident. However, that particular morning, he carpooled with Gino. I noted this with a measure of relief. Since Selina was talking to Gino this very moment, it was a good indication that Lorenzo was all right.

When I pulled up to her house, Selina was already in her driveway, only adding to the sense of urgency. My stomach was bursting with a mixture of curiosity and dread. She ordered me to get into the van with her, announcing that we were going to the Bay Area. When I asked her why, she hesitated, then asked me a question which filled me with foreboding:

"Do you want to hear it from me now, or wait until Lorenzo tells you himself?"

I put on a brave front, full of false bravado. "Tell me."

And then I heard the words which made my blood run cold: "Lorenzo was fired. We're going there to pick him up."

It was like the wind was knocked out of me. I heard something about my husband sending an e-mail which someone took offense to, but it got lost in my mind's clutter, filed for later review. I was on autopilot. I walked back to my van in a daze and attempted to unfasten Troy's car seat, but my fumbling fingers were shaking so hard, they were useless. I knew I had to steady myself, trying to ignore the sinking sensation at the pit of my stomach, but I was too weak in the knees to find strength in any member of my body.

Good thing Selina was there. She efficiently herded Troy and me into her minivan, strapping Troy into his car seat, remembering to take Lance's booster seat with us so we can pick him up from school safely. She even had the sense to go the the drive-thru window at McDonald's to buy the kids lunch. I, of course, had no appetite.

It is interesting to note that Selina's horoscope that day read:

VIRGO
"Unexpected responsibilities could interfere with plans to take a trip of some sort. Someone might need your assistance, and therefore you could well have to put your own activities on hold for a few days. This could be frustrating, dear Virgo, but it only delays whatever you've got going. It doesn't stop them. Take care of whatever you need to do, and then continue with your plans. You'll feel better if you do!"

Selina is Lorenzo's only sister. She is just 6 months older than me but I call her "Ate" anyway, since this is how my husband addresses her. She and I are close, and we sometimes bicker, just like sisters. But on that particular day, she dropped everything to be there for me. She was my ROCK. And I will always be thankful.

And so we drove to the Bay Area, Lance and Troy chatting gaily in the back seat, oblivious to the panic welling up from within me. It was the longest hour of my life. I couldn't wait to see my husband. I wanted to hold him in my arms to comfort him.

I tried to keep my composure. I had to think clearly, taking stock of our situation. The Christmas holidays were barely over. Our financial resources couldn't possibly have recovered yet. I was also four months pregnant. The timing couldn't be more ironic.

Seeking solace, I called my mother. When I heard her cheerful voice, I finally broke down, choking in sobs. My Mom tried her best to reassure me, promising to help us out financially the best she could. And she made good on that promise. I will always appreciate that.

We finally reached my mother-in-law's house in Milpitas, where Lorenzo was waiting for us. My heart went out to my husband, who had to car pool on this, of all days. Another of fate's ironies. Since Lorenzo didn't take his car, his Manager had to drive him to his parents' house after breaking the bad news.

In retrospect, I'm glad it happened that way. It pains my heart to even imagine my husband driving those 80 miles home, all alone. I'm happy that I was able to be there for him (and WITH him), sitting on the passenger seat as he drove Selina's van back to Modesto.

Oh, just for the record, Lorenzo's horoscope that day read:

LEO
"A temporary upset with a partner might distract you to the point where you aren't able to function as effectively as you normally do. Don't let your anger get the best of you. The situation is probably due to a lack of communication, dear Leo, and could be cleared up with explanations, understanding, and an agreement as to how similar situations should be handled in the future. By the end of the day all should be well again."

Almost seven months have now passed since that fateful day in January. It hasn't been easy, but somehow The Lord was always there for us, and we thank him for His provision. I guess it was in His plan that all of these things happened when they did. A few weeks later, I was confined to bed rest to prevent preterm labor. I don't know how I would've managed if my husband weren't home with me.

And so Lorenzo was right by my side as I went through another high-risk pregnancy, holding my hand for prenatal checkups, encouraging me to hold my bladder for Level 2 ultrasounds, stroking my hair in between contractions. I will always remember how well he took care of me when I was pregnant, cooking me food and taking over household duties. He was also there for me after our daughter's delivery, looking after our boys so I could concentrate on the new baby. I love my husband all the more for this. I married a good man.

And through it all, I always believed in him. I knew it was just a matter of time before my husband bounced back. I also knew that, in God's time, he would be able to find a much better job. I tried not to worry, just lifting it all up to Him. And indeed, the Lord had better plans for our family. Plans that included the stregthening of our bonds (since Daddy could stay home with us now), and the addition of a beautiful, healthy baby girl, Reanna Loren. And now that the household has finally settled down and our daughter is already past the newborn stage, it's Daddy's turn to SHINE once more.

Indeed, in the last week alone, Lorenzo has already received six callbacks after sending in his resume to prospective employers, from big companies like Hormel (for a Production Supervisor positon) to biotech giant Genentech (for Production Planner/Scheduler). He has also joined the prestigious organizaton APICS (the American Production and Inventory Control Society), and will be working on his certification later this year.

Seven months ago, I told myself that when Lorenzo finds another job, I would publish these horoscopes and tell the tale behind them. I am now happy to be doing just that. Earlier today, we were informed that Lorenzo is now the new Production Planner/Scheduler of Brown Cow Farm, a subsidiary of East Coast-based Stonyfield Farms, with a starting salary that is even higher than what he was getting before. As always, The Lord came through for us.

Congratulations, my love. Once again, you do me proud.