Mama's 75th Birthday (Part 4): Her Actual Birthday

Before anything else...HAPPY 76TH BIRTHDAY, MAMA! You're the best mother we could have ever asked for and we will always be thankful for the blessing that is you. We love you sobra, too much, super, to the max!

This post is already long overdue (one year, to be exact), so I had to blog about it today...otherwise I'd never hear the end of it from my family. So, here goes...

Except for Hubby and Caila (who, again, were at work and school), all of us met up on the morning of the 14th of April last year and headed to The Farm at Al Barari so that we could have a late breakfast and early lunch. Mama loves the greenery at The Farm (it's one of her favorite restaurants in Dubai) which was also why we chose to eat there instead of somewhere near the city. Our table was outside of the main restaurant, but because summer had already started, they had closed the area with glass doors and installed an airconditioner in the (somewhat) private room.

Anyway, fast forward to when we were finishing our food. We had requested the servers to bring dessert while singing Happy Birthday and that's exactly what they did.  Mama, being the iyakin and emotional person she is, immediately started crying while everyone (including the diners from the other tables) looked on and joined us in singing.

As we were sharing spoonfuls of her dessert, a bird flew in the room.  Normally, once they're in enclosed areas, birds would fly all around until they go out, right? Well, this one in particular just settled itself comfortably on top of the airconditioner which was just beside our table.  And it stayed there and kept on looking at our group, as if it was observing and listening to our conversations.

At first we didn't think anything of it, until one of us exclaimed "Baka si Papa yan!" (Maybe it's Papa). We immediately agreed. Well, you can't blame us. It was Mama's birthday, after all. And it was the first time we got together to celebrate it, so we couldn't help thinking that way. To us it was like he reincarnated for that day so that he could be with us and be part of the reunion and his wife's special day.

When we decided it was time for us to go, we tried to convince the bird to leave as well. It wouldn't. Until finally upon my sister's instructions, Gabe (I think) took the bird in his hands and handed it to Mama. Then we all stood behind her and watched as she let the bird go.

Before we actually left The Farm, we took photos so that we could have memories of the place that we could look back on.

We then headed to Miracle Garden so that our family of tourists could visit another famous landmark, and because it's also another of Mama's favorite places in Dubai.

It was already afternoon and getting really hot so we eventually separated with plans of meeting up again for dinner later.  The grownups and Sophie went to our home, while Mama's grandchildren went with Ate Ning to her apartment.

That night we gathered at La Mesa, Asiana Hotel...finally complete with Hubby and Caila. Of course, more surprises were in store for the celebrant.

greeting on the television screens

servers with a cake singing Happy Birthday (again!)

teary eyed while looking at her bouquet of flowers

grandkids singing a song from the yesteryears

It was definitely a day full of love for our dear Mama. And although she cried several times, for sure they were all tears of joy because her heart was so full of happiness...for our efforts to make her day a memorable one, and most especially because our family was finally complete to celebrate her birthday with her.

More special moments still to come!

Part 1 of Mama's 75th birthday can be read here.
Part 2 of Mama's 75th birthday can be read here.
Part 3 of Mama's 75th birthday can be read here.