Sports Sunday Fun Day: Maligayang Bati, Papa Jun!

♪Happy ☼Birthday☼♫ to my Dad today!

Go, *Dallas Cowboys* this NFL ☼Sunday!

Throwback: Papa Jun & I en route to our *Dallas Cowboys* game against the Philly Eagles during the ‘BOYS‘ first season at its new home field (then-Cowboys Stadium/now-AT&T Stadium)

Just like any fortunate child who has grown up with a father or paternal figure, I feel extremely †blessed† and grateful to still have mine as a constant part of my life.

Throwback: Papa Jun & I have a good view of *America’s Team* and *America’s Sweethearts from 6 rows behind the end zone!

Papa Jun is one of the most well-rounded people who I know and admire:

• He was a hardworking country boy in his side of the family’s province in the Philippines 
• He served over two decades in the *United States Air Force* both Stateside and overseas
• He continued his almost two-decade aviation career after retiring from the military
• He stays active as he plays tennis and roots on our football and basketball teams
• He taught me many fundamentals, from math to car maintenance to politics

Even as an adult, I still keep learning from my Dad, who always enlightens me everyday, through his example and his wisdom as a prayerful soon-to-be first-time grandfather with whom I attended Church today. Cheers, Pops!

Maligayang Bati, Papa Jun, at ♥Mahal♥ Kita!

✌ R.I.P., Flip Saunders of the NBA ✌

Sunday Fun Day: Grandparents Day

Happy National Grandparents Day!

I dedicate this video to my parents ~ who expect to become first-time grandparents this HOLYday season (I’ve always considered them as grandparents to my A&A and my sis‘ Coco, yet this time it’ll be for real) ~ as they’ve traveled around the world together while making many meaningful mini and milestone memories during their almost four decades of marriage.

During our ☼Sunday☼ brunch, we reminisced about my own grandparents, my parents’ parents, and since Papa Jun pointed out an article that he came across in the ☼Sunday☼ paper  about older figures influencing the youth, I realized some of the attributes that I’ve acquired from each of my grandparents:

My maternal grandparents, mother (directly to my seated grandmother‘s left ~ at bottom right) and her siblings cerca 1950s

• sanitation to an OCD level from my Lolo Tico (my paternal grandfather) ~ who also didn’t like to get his hands dirty
• teaching from my Lola Rosa (my maternal grandmother) ~ whose letters she wrote I’ve saved through the decades
• compassion from my Mama Eufemia  (my paternal grandmother) ~ who cared about everybody despite their faults
• determination from my Papa Pedro (my paternal grandfather) ~ who exhibited strong will and mental toughness

My paternal grandparents, father (the only Dispo Bro without a ‘fro ~ at top right) and his siblings cerca 1970s

Then when we had our merienda, Papa Jun mentioned how his own paternal grandfather told him stories about how he and his eldest son/my dad’s oldest uncle on Papa Ped‘s side served in the Philippine Army together during WWII, when Japan invaded our native Philippines ~ during which my paternal great-grandfather and my oldest paternal great-uncle had survived the brutal Bataan March as they looked out for one another to dodge the Japanese’s weapons. Listening to my father’s account brought me greater admiration for him and the military heroes of our family from generations before and after.

†GOD† bless all ♥Grandparents♥ and our *Military Heroes* ✌ …

& Go, *Dallas Cowboys* who kick off their regular NFL season in ☼Sunday☼ Night Football!