Life is never slow for The Dahl Family, and today was one of those days where we just decided—literally an hour before leaving—that we needed to head into Cebu City. We had a long list of errands: a medical check-up for Jessa, land papers to settle, and my visa extension to handle. With so much to do, we threw everything into the car and just started driving.
The drive was the usual mix of family chaos and bonding. Jessa took the wheel for a bit, and I couldn't help but joke about her driving skills—or lack thereof when it comes to steering from the passenger side! It reminded me of when I was twelve, and my dad would have me hold the steering wheel while he rolled his cigarettes. Good parenting, right?
Speaking of Liam, he’s like me; he doesn't handle loud music or crowded, stressful environments very well. He’d missed a few days of school because they were practicing for a big event with a lot of noise, so I decided today was going to be a "Daddy and Liam" day. While Jessa was off handling her appointments and the land title papers, I was going to spoil my boy.
We started with a "promise" breakfast at McDonald's. Liam got his chicken and fries, and I had my pancakes and coffee. Once Jessa headed off, it was just the two of us. We hit the G Mall, which is a great new spot in Cebu City. I managed to get my visa extension sorted at the immigration office there—pro tip for anyone visiting: they’ve moved locations, so make sure you check the new spot at G Mall!
After the "boring" adult stuff was done, the real fun began. We found these fancy popsicles for only 140 Pesos (about $2.50 USD), and Liam picked out a green one. He absolutely loved it. Then, I took the car to get washed—which it desperately needed after our hasty departure—and we spent the rest of the afternoon at the mall’s playground. Watching him jump, slide, and play with dinosaurs was the highlight of my day. I even let him have some sugar-free cola and candy—don't tell Mama!
While we were out, Jessa and I were also discussing our living situation. We’ve had enough of renting. Between the water issues and the electrical problems at our current place, we’ve made a big decision: we’re going to build a temporary structure on our own land. We’ll finish the rest next year after our trip to Norway. It’s going to be a busy few months getting the permits and materials together, but enough is enough.
We ended the day with some Oreo cream cake and milkshakes before starting the long, two-hour drive back in the dark. It’s going to be a rough night—I have business to run and won't be in bed until 3:00 or 4:00 AM, and we have to be up by 7:00 AM for Liam’s "Buwan ng Wika" celebration at school. Jessa’s even getting up at 5:30 to organize the food!
It was a long, tiring, and spontaneous trip, but getting those errands done and seeing Liam so happy made it all worth it. Thanks for following along with the Dahl family adventures!
