Birthdays is one of the most significant events in our life to be celebrated, rejoice, and be thankful for giving us the gift of life. It is the beginning of a new chapter of your life to move forward with courage, hope, and confidence in your new endeavor. Each one of us celebrates birthdays in several manners. It depends on our family culture, upbringing, and of course our budget. In this blog, I will share how we celebrated the 21st birthday of my nephew. He was a 3rd-year college student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at Cebu Institute of Technology. He was the only son of my eldest sister. They lived at Northstar Subdivision but preferred to celebrate his birthday with his Lola and his cousins. His father was a Master Mariner and my sister is a Public School Teacher.
They can celebrate the birthday of their son specially or extraordinarily, but they prefer it to be simple since we have family problems that need budget and attention. Instead of using the money for his birthday, they chose to support it with his Lola and his uncle. I appreciated how understanding and humble my nephew was despite being the only son whose parents could afford whatever request and demand.
The Preparation
Since my sister is not fond of preparing food, especially on special occasions, I volunteered to market and prepare various menus for our get-together lunch here in the house of my mother. So early morning I went to the market to purchase some kinds of seafood like fish, shrimp, shell-like scallops, and saang, or spider conch, ingredients for bam-ee and fried chicken.
When I arrived home, I prepared all the ingredients and cook immediately the plan menus. I cooked simultaneously the fried chicken and bam-e, followed by shrimp, and scallops. When done, I grilled the fish which was the milkfish, and then the saang. Whenever there are occasions when I'm entrusted to prepare the menus, I want to handle it on my own because I want to make sure that it is prepared well. I just ask for assistance during the Mis'en Place or the preparation of tools, equipment, and other ingredients needed.
The Sumptuous Meal
When done we set the table very simple under the Mango Tree. We chose to have dinner together in this area because it was very relaxing and we could breathe fresh air. My nephew was very happy even if we just celebrated it very simply. We enjoyed the food and had a full stomach. We were thankful to our almighty Father for giving him a healthy life full of blessings, love, and happiness. Wishing him all his dreams and goals in life come true. May the Lord God guide him every day and protect him from harm and any danger.
Happy birthday dear Nephew. Continue to be humble and always work hard for your dreams in life. God bless you always and we Love you.