I was saying good night to my girls the other night when Adam and I came home from our date. My eldest child, Gigi, was still awake and cuddled with me on her new twin bed. As we were laying next to each other, she caressed my face and said, “My skin is white. Daddy’s skin is white. Lana’s skin is white. I’m going to pray to Jesus that your skin will be white too.” I smiled and thought how innocent her prayer was for me. Of course, I needed to refrain from laughing because she was so serious and sincere about this prayer.

I rarely think about the difference between my husband and myself. Our girls do not see the difference between our skin. They only see “mommy” and “daddy”. It’s wonderful to see these things through our children’s eyes.

One day they’ll have more questions and probably a deeper understanding of where my parents grew up which was the Philippines. I find how I was raised in the States made a huge difference in my upbringing especially since my parents always kept their traditional ideals of the Philippines. I can definitely say I’ve instilled a lot those traditions even living in the United States. When I was growing up, I didn’t see a huge difference with my own parents until I started elementary school and realized the differences with the other kids in school. I can only imagine how awkward it would have been for my parents to explain the differences living in the Philippines and living in the States. I remembered the constant frustration not being able to do what the other kids in school get to do like having slumber parties and staying out late. My siblings and I were kept on a short leash but never really understood why mainly because it wasn’t never really explained to us. They were strict and didn’t put up with anything. I also remembered driving us to do well in school. I can’t really say all Filipino parents were all the same but I did see a common thread among other Filipino kids in school. Looking back I’m grateful my parents were the way they were especially now since I have my own kids. I have a deeper understanding of why.

I find it amazing that Adam and I met each other. We were raised differently. Yet, our morals and values were a solid foundation to our relationship till this day. As I learn more and more about my husband especially living in Orlando the last eight years, I’ve learned how similar we are and how we still compliment each other in our differences. First instance, today we drove by the house he grew up in Clermont. The new owners totally remodeled the exterior and restored the interior. The excitement in his eyes was like a boy waking up on Christmas morning and finding presents underneath the tree. We’ve driven by this house the past few years and never stopped to talk to the owners. Today, he stopped and the owners let us look around. The life in his eyes and the memories he had as a child brought a sense of love he experienced living there. As the girls and I sat in the car, he soon came out and wanted all of us to experience his excitement with him. It was like an old movie reel playing of his time in this house. My parents still live in the same house I grew up in since I was six years old. My memories of growing up there are still there.

Now that we live in our first house, I can’t help but feel my kids storing all those memories like we did as a child. This is the house we brought home our first child. This is the house we brought home our second child. When I think about laying next to Gigi and hearing prayers about Jesus changing my skin white, it just reminds me that our children will have these memories of this home with us and all the great moments shared laughing and running around in the backyard.