Happy 18th Raizelle!

Happy birthday Aizel, sabi ng mama mo part daw ako ng 18 treasures mo, but the truth is ikaw talaga, you are one of our greatest treasures that God has given us.

Thank you for all the joy and love that you have brought into our family, 18 years ago, when you were still little, and up until now kahit mas matangkad kana samin ng mama mo.

Today I want to honour you by your name’s acronym and some of the behaviors that we are very proud of you, so here we go RAIZELLE:

R - Responsible - For being reliable and accountable in everything that you do.

A - Appreciative - Because you are grateful mostly for everything.

I - Intelligent and Independent - Because you are.

Z - Zealous - For being passionate of the responsibilities entrusted to you - just like your studies.

E - Efficient - For being capable of accomplishing your tasks.

L - Limitless - Because we believe in you! You have boundless potential and opportunities ahead of you.

L - Lovely - Because we all know you are beautiful inside and out, along with your grace and charm.

E - Exceptional - Because you stand out and do your best in everything that you work on.

I am beyond blessed to be your Tita and have an obedient, responsible, kind, and of course beautiful niece like you.

You may not realize it now but you are stronger than you think you are. Not only physically but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually because you have Jesus watching over you and your family backing you up. Solid tayo! No matter what challenges you’ll face in life, remember that you will never be alone, we will be there.

Just like what I told you before, 

• You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Don't let other people's opinions of you define you. Stop proving yourself to other people. 
• You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with, so choose your inner circle wisely.
• You are loved by God. If you fail at something, (don't worry everyone does) just come to God and surrender it to Him. There's nothing you can do for God to love you less or more.

Finally, my prayer is that you will grow to be the woman that God designed you to be. That as you mature, you will get to know the Lord and His character in a personal way. I pray that the Lord will protect you from all harm and distractions in life and that He will give you the discipline that you need to achieve all your goals according to His will. And that God will bless everything that your hands will do.

I love you Aizelle from 1400 miles away and beyond. Happy birthday!