"the blaze of glory."

congratulations to ryan and jenelee for getting engaged saturday night.

this weekend was definitely unexpected.

it started out chill on friday night. met up with dub at the gym and then we dined at boston kitchen afterwards...we both had a hankering for some foo chow fried rice, garlic spare ribs and deep fried squid with pepper salt. the next morning...the two of us headed over to culver city with arthur for the rock and republic sale at sony studios. the selection was decent, the price was good, and we each came out with at least a pair. we saw glimpses of the sylmar fire when were in la but came home surprised to find a fire over in corona. immediately made my way over to riverside (dodging traffic and madness) to drop off parent letters at the retreat. by the time i got home, the fire got bigger and was over in yorba linda and anaheim hills. had lunch at lucille's for izzy's birthday. it was really nice to see my cousins and their families. i'm glad that a lucille's is now conveniently located two miles from my house. good food as always with a food coma as usual. another tko courtesy of lucille's bbq.

when i woke up, it was dark outside and the fire was even bigger. at this point...i really didn't think it would reach chino hills, let alone my neighborhood, so i went out. met up with joseph, yonas, matt duarte, matt elias gaby, noel, christian, and bojie to pray a holy hour. had dinner at yard house with christian, mike b, bojie, arthur, jen, and devyn. i came home around 11pm to find out on the news that the fire is getting more serious and it was making its way through carbon canyon. minutes later...my family realizes the fire is in chino hills state park (which we live near the entrance of) but not yet in our city boundaries. i decide to stay up while my parents sleep.

around 2:30am...i decide to step out of the house and see what's going on with the fire, only to be shocked at the sight of the fire slowly but surely engulfing the hills by our neighborhood. at this point...i knew we weren't safe anymore and we had to leave asap. i immediately woke up my parents and we rushed to pack up our cars with essentials. while i maintained a calm mood...i was definitely nervous and scared. i was worried about my cousins and relatives who live in the area. i was thinking about friends and their families. so many thoughts all at once and there wasn't much time to stop and take it all in. it was an adrenaline rush that didn't seem to end. the fire really put things in perspective, like what really matters and what is truly essential. three cars packed with the belongings we can't live well without... everyone in the neighborhood was running about packing up and checking out the blaze. my car stuffed to the max with 10 years worth of my life. i have never experienced a war zone, but this felt like one. the panic, the fright, the danger. one thing i noticed was that i have never seen my neighbors so united, so caring about one another. we all helped each other out and gave whatever comfort we could. while i didn't think much of it in the moment, it truly was a grace and a reminder that love is what ultimately matters, what will definitely last. the fire was both a sight to behold and something to fear. it lit up the darkness, but it covered the sky in smoke and threatened to destroy my home. i went through the house as if this was the last time i would be inside it. i had much hope, yet i acted as if this was the worst case scenario. packing up and leaving the house was extremely heartbreaking and hard for my mom but my dad and i were able to support her and help her depart. it was so difficult to not give in to my emotions...i had to step it up for the people i love. finally, upon finding out that some roads were to be blocked soon and the window for getting away from the fire was closing, we left for my grandparents' apartment in chino. the sight was unbelievable on the way there. the streets were filled with spectators, law enforcement officers, and firefighters. fire engines, fire trucks, and cars speeding about. people stocking up supplies and camping out at gas stations and the local albertsons. we met up with eric at the apartment. after spending some time to calm our nerves and get updates on the news, my parents left to check out the fire site while francis and tita susan picked eric and me up to return to the site and bring over more of their belongings to the apartment. confusion and panic was in abundance during this time, but that didn't really matter because the sun was rising and we saw the fires being contained. it wasn't before long that we found out that our houses were safe and that the houses of my friends and family were okay as well. this is clearly some of the best news i've ever heard. the five of us came back to chino were we rested up, and by noon time...my family was back home.

although i hope no one experiences what i have endured, i learned a great deal from this and saw many good things. i saw my family come together to get through this ordeal and persevere. i witnessed strangers treating each other like loved ones. my strength and endurance was put to the test and i grew from it. firefighters rose to the occasion, risking their lives as heroes. fires engulfed acres of land but failed to send our spirits into ruin. while these flames burned brightly and illuminated the sky...the fire within us, our passion and love, was greater and stronger. i saw the human soul prevail last night and it was awesome...right down to the wire, even through the fire.

ended the weekend with mass for the retreat and dinner at sandra's with the crosstrainers. as today comes to a close, i look back in sheer awe of what has taken place...and i look ahead smiling with faith, hope, and love.

this was just my experience...and it's crazy knowing that others had it much worse than me. i'm incredibly blessed and thankful to still have what i got in tact. please pray for an end to all the fires going on right now in southern california as well as for the victims and anyone affected by them.