chelseabms’s Blog

While we were in the car on the way to El Cerrito, I thought it was going to be a straight drive to Carmel. But noooo! My auntie and the driver told me that we’re going to take a couple stops here and there. BLAAAH! I wanted to go straight to Carmel! I was so tired in the bus! We made a stop at Oakland. Were I met my new friend Melinda. We didn’t really start talking until the 3^rd day actually… BE QUIET!! I know you’re laughing. It was a really long drive to Carmel! I wasn’t sure how long because I wasn’t really looking at the time.

My favorite stop was probably at Cupertino. They had this good Chinese Bakery in Cupertino named, “Sheng Lee’s Bakery”. IT WAS SO GOOD! I MEAN THE CURRY AND BREAD! GAAAAAH! Man, just thinking about it makes me hungry again. I miss the bread. We bought like, 17 for the whole trip and I ate it all within 20 minutes. Jesus, I’m a beast.

I was honestly really bored during the whole trip. I mean, don’t get me wrong, but the scenery was beautiful. I was just really bored because my phone was close to dying etc. etc. Eh, it’s whatever though. I fell asleep until we made it to the motel. It was called, “Silver Surfer”. It was a 5 star. “Not bad at all” I mumbled. As we went inside, it was close to getting dark. That night while my auntie, grandma, and I were in the room, my auntie and I were watching Court TV. They had a show about the Blood and Crips gang. It was a really interesting story actually. While I was watching, I fell asleep.

Yawn… “OH MY GULAY! GET UP ATE! WE’RE GOING TO BE LATE FOR THE BUS!” I ran into the shower and took the fastest shower I could and tried to be clean at the same time. As I got out the shower, I changed as fast as I could. “RUN RUN RUN TO THE BUS CHELSEA!” I sprinted as fast as I could to the bus and told them to wait because of my Grandma. A real slow one. (no offense!) Well, when we finally got to the bus, the driver announced, “WEH AH GOOENG THO THA HURST KASTUL TUHDAY” in his funny Chinese accent. I asked Melinda once he finally translated it in Chinese, “What did he say earlier?” “Haha, we’re going to the Hearst Castle today.” “Oh… Thanks.” I said with a smile. She just nodded. Hm, Hearst Castle.

When we got to Hearst Castle, it was packed! I mean just to get onto the bus. You have to take a bus all the way to the top of Hearst Castle. When we got in line, my auntie was chatting with Melinda’s auntie and mom for a bit. I had my own little convo with Melinda as we were waiting to get our pictures and hop onto the bus.

When I hopped onto the bus, I could’ve sworn this was the only bus I’ve ever seen that was filled with Asians. It was cool, but loud. On our way up the hill they started telling facts about the Castle. It was pretty cool. The owner bought some animals and now there are many of them roaming around. We saw this one shelter that caught my eye. It was brown and wooden. Very simple, yet very eye catchy.

We arrived at the Castle and it was very packed with so many people (as expected). All of a sudden a white guy pops out of nowhere. He says he’s going to be our um, what you call it? Oh yeah. Tour guide and that his name is Bob. HA, Bob. Cool name. We took a tour around the Castle and it was finished in like, 2 hours? Well, I don’t know. Something like that. My favorite place however, was the Neptune Pool (picture of the pool is above the story). It was very pretty! Oh and the indoor pool as well.

On our way back, we almost ran into a Zebra! It was so awesome! A REAL Zebra! Right in front of me! Jesus, I love this place. This was my favorite site before we went to Carmel. Once we got to Carmel, I was eye stunned. It was the most perfect and beautiful place I’ve ever seen in my eyes. Well, so far I mean. Hey! I’m only 12. Anyway, Carmel is like a little town. They had beautiful boutiques and the best restaurants.

When we hiked around Carmel, the wind was blowing in my hair. It was the most perfect place. I can’t really explain how, but it was just breath taking to me. I’ll never regret going to Carmel. It was so beautiful, I guarantee you’ll be coming back for more.

(The Roman indoor pool is on top of the Neptune Pool which is located outside}

My auntie however, was feeling a sharp pain and felt sick while we were shopping. After we went shopping, we went straight to the house. In the car I felt funny for some reason. Like, something is going to happen. Not sure what it was though. I was just so clueless and let my hair blow in the summer wind.

When we arrived home, my auntie really needed to take a bad poopie. She had terminal cancer and was using oxygen tanks at that time. Harsh wasn’t it? Anyway, my dad took the wheelchair from the back of the trunk and helped my auntie on it. He pushed her as fast as he could to the bathroom. Once she got to the bathroom my dad left to help my mom get out of the car. As I was walking out to unload the car, I hear, “CHELSEA! COME HERE!” from her tone, my sister and I went back to the bathroom.

“Stay here with me” she said. She held my sisters’ hand through the whole time. For some reason, she fell forward, he face in the chair, and threw up. Not just any type of vomit. She threw up the water that was in her lungs. It was a bad sight. She was coughing and wheezing, I had no clue what to do! I was scared and was panicking. As I was about to walk out the door to call my parents in, I ran into my mom. “What’s wrong Chelsea?” she asked. “ATE VIRGIE!” that’s what woke her up.

She wheeled to her bathroom (it was my parents bathroom my auntie was in) and was starting to panic as well. “DAD! RAMSEY! HURRY UP AND COME HERE!” I was so scared, I ran out the bathroom and towards the living room hallway. I started crying wondering what was going to happen. “She blacked out” etc. etc. etc. That’s all that I was hearing. My dad and my brother but her on our bed, then my dad went on top of her, and tried to pump her heart.

No use. Her lips were turning purple. She was stiff. She was DEAD. I couldn’t believe it and still don’t. I always think that if I could’ve called my parents to help sooner, she wouldn’t be dead. However, I’m happy she’s gone. No more suffering for her. She’s in heaven with God. I never wanted her to suffer in the first place. That’s good. I’ll always love you Ate Virgie. R.I.P (rest in paradise) Virginia Smith July 28, 2008.

My parents were neighbors in Tondo Manila, Philippines. They went to the same school however, different grades. Their parents weren’t exactly, “close”. However, they knew each other. My mom told me that she had a crush on my dad since 7^th grade! WOOOOAH. That’s pretty long!

My mom said she kept seeing my dad walk back and forth from where ever he may be coming from because he was, “all over the place”. When my mom saw my dad, or whenever she saw him, she would always stare at him. Stare at him like he was the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen in her life. Wow, cheesy huh? Anyway, she’d always snap away from him when he caught her glimpse. She said that when they met eye to eye, she’d just look down and pretend she never saw him.

My mom said it started from puppy lovin’ and a crush. As they got older, they got to know each other more. My dad started going up to my mom and talk to her. You know, when people want to get to know you, they’d start talking to you? Yeah. Like that. In November, 1980, my mom left the Philippines with all my aunties and uncles to come here to the U.S. She left my dad! That sucks, doesn’t it? Well, my mom started to write letters (or what I call LOVE letters) to my dad.

They would always send letters to each other and my mom would always be happy when she got letters from my dad. January 1995, my mom went back to the Philippines with my Grandma to take care of things. When she arrived, she was happy to see my dad. After the visit, she came back here and found out she was pregnant! WITH ME! HOORAY!

She told my dad about it through the phone and he was surprised. He thought she was just playing around because she didn’t have proof. So my parents got in a fight then she called him back a couple days after the fight then they started arguing again. After a long discussion, my dad started to FINALLY believe my mom.

While my mom was going through the 9 month process, she told my dad every single step she was going through. She hid anything from him during that pregnancy. My mom was thinking of 2^nd choices. (Ugh, abortions for people that don’t know what I’m talking about!!) My mom said she wanted to abort me because of her paralyzed condition, she thought she wouldn’t be able to take care of me without my father being there, to help support her.

However, my godfather Ron, was a counselor for people with disabilities. He was my mom’s best friend and mentor. He helped my mom open up her mind and to continue with her pregnancy. Until I was born, it was a difficult time for her to be pregnant because of her disability. When she was pregnant people couldn’t tell she was pregnant because of her belly. Hahaha. My family wasn’t really supportive with her decision of keeping me.

They just couldn’t believe my mom kept a relationship with my dad because, it wasn’t exactly possible to keep trust with my dad because they knew my dad was a “player”. Well, my mom knew the consequences, and she still went ahead. She did not give a damn. She had a feeling that God will make things right. And she was right. She had me, and here I am. She petitioned my dad here, and they got married on December 26, 2005. Here’s my family. No one can take away what we’ve been through. It’s even true when they say, “First love is always the one you end up marrying.”