Moenalisa

Hello, Beautiful! Welcome to my domain! I hope that you will benefit from my miscellaneous posts! My main goal is to vent and share some of my life's wisdom and journey with you! I hope that this will inspire you to speak up about your own.

[moenalisa]

February 1st 2025

This little dumpling melts my heart like no other! Auntie Moe Moe misses you baby girl!! Love you soo much!! Can't wait to squish you! 😍🙏💋✨️💖

A little back story from my perspective:

I've prayed for Rylee to come into our lives. My sister didn't always have it as good as one might precieve her life to be from the outside looking in. She struggled and fought hard for everything she has. Even before my sister got pregnant I was talking about her having another child one day.

Not too long ago for Christmas, I gave my sister dangly green clover leaf earrings that she wanted to give back to me because she couldn't wear certain materials and it wasn't her style. I said, "Sorry no returns" LOL and told her to give it to her daughter someday. Little did she know that she would have a 3rd child the following year! And even less that it would be a girl!.. But Auntie Moe Moe knew better. Even Rylee's due date: 11/11 (Nov. 11th) was a date that I wasn't fond of for many years (for personal reasons) had shifted my mindset because they are Angel numbers, and prompted me for redemption of what used to be. 

Earlier last year in 2024 I was ecstatic to learn my sister was prego again! I knew Rylee's arrival will only bring us all closer together. She and her brothers mirror our sibling trio, making my sister her opposite. I know Rylee will make my sister feel the true essence of mothering/parenting a daughter. And I know her brothers will love and protect her just as our brother and I have with her. Rylee is very fortunate to be born into our loving family and on the year of the Dragon too! I couldn't be more proud!

On another note, I've come to accept that my husband and I can't have children of our own for more reasons than one. However I always felt that there's other ways to fulfill this void, having amazing neices and nephews that we help raise is one of them. They make us so happy and we love them to bits. ❤️🙏✨️

[moenalisa]

Kitty Kingsley

May 8th 2010 - July 24th 2023

It's been 40 days since we said good bye to you Kitty Pie.. our home feels so empty without you. We keep thinking we can hear you and see you still. Letting you go will always be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Thank you for having mercy on us and for guiding us to let you go as fear-free as possible. I know this Rainbow was Heaven sent for you along with the first rainfall in months. Even the birds were flying South that morning and gave me a sense of overwhelming peace that you will no longer be in pain.

Kingsley, my love, you are one of a kind, with the sweetest soul and silliest antics. You are my hero and my best friend. The way you fought so hard to be with us, shows how much you loved us and just how brave you were. If I only knew sooner how sick you were I would've given you more freedom to eat and do whatever you wanted and spent more time with you.

You have given us so much joy and wonderful memories. I miss holding you and how your cuddles would put me at ease. I miss watching you sleep and drink out of your big water bowl. I miss how you always just show up whenever I needed you. Thank you for teaching me how to love and for softening my hard shell. I will carry you in my heart for always.. I miss you so much boo boo and I love you with all my heart. May you rest in eternal peace, until we meet again, over the Rainbow Bridge.

❤️🐾✨️🌈🐱💦🕊✝️

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[moenalisa]

December 19th, 2022

[moenalisa]

April 20th, 2022

Covid and Mental Health

[moenalisa]

Eric Cardeno 11.11.1982 - 08.17.2021

November 1st, 2021

Eric Cardeno

11.11.1982 - 08.17.2021

I’ve decided to write this on Eric’s Birthday month, just 10 days shy of what would have been his 39th Birthday. You can tell a lot about someone’s personality from their date of birth. Eric was born under the influence of the Scorpio; an intense and passionate zodiac sign. Although I didn’t know him well, I agree that he was kind, humble, creative, talented, authentic, inspiring and spiritual - a few of the characteristics that were mentioned at his Vigil.

The Master of Ceremony made some very profound points. One that stood out to me was, “Grief is the ultimate price we pay for love.” He also went on to say that Mental Health and Covid plays a significant role during a Pandemic. It was a humble reminder that we are not invincible to either one.

A little overview: On August 17th, 2021 Eric Cardeno was found in the Fraser River by a civilian. This was on the 4th day of a grueling search for his where abouts. His disappearance had hundreds of us praying for his return, putting posters up, going on search parties, spreading the word on every inch of social media, and coming together in community. This was a true testament of the impact that he had on us.

His loving wife Niki, expressed publicly that he was “called home.” As much as all of this was more than she could fathom, she followed their spiritual guidance and openly stated that Eric felt no pain and was greeted by a little girl.. which is none other than their baby that they loss years ago or the spirit of Niki’s niece Phoenix that passed away back in 2012. After receiving the worst news in her life, Niki posted without hesitation:

“You will always be my person. To my husband, my bestfriend, the love of my life - there will never be another like you for me and Kaya. I love you. We love you. And I will spend the rest of this life loving you until I see you again.”

This broke my heart even more. It made me think of my person, my husband and my loved ones, and just how precious our time is with each other.

Niki - you are an amazing wife, mother, woman and person. I'd imagine that Eric would want you to embrace all the wonderful qualities that made him fall in love with you. I also hope you know that your love story is one of a kind, and that this is not the end of it. Everything that you do will be a reflection of your love for one another, it will be present in the way you feel, the way you give and the way you live.

Kaya - you are his daughter in the name of courage, compassion and love. May you always carry your beautiful moments with him. He must be so proud of you for everything that you’ve overcome and the person that you are today.

My message to Eric: Your presence was felt in our home and our hearts especially in those 4 days. We prayed that you would come back to Niki, Kaya and your army of family and friends.. knowing that the only thing worse than finding you this way would be to not find you at all. Rest easy my friend, you are so loved.

To many people, Eric was well known as DJ @wundrkut. He devoted his time to mentoring the youth at Table Tutors and inspired so many Artists through his passion for music. His record collection was impressive, and so was his scratching skills! Link below is to one of Eric’s DMC World Battles, he was truly a master of his craft!!

https://youtu.be/_EjdW2-tXro

[moenalisa]

[moenalisa]

World Mental Health Day

This should be addressed everyday. Sure enough, either we ourselves or someone we know is battling with some form of mental health crisis right now or at some point in life. The first step to tackling anything overwhelming is to show vulnerability and admit that we are capable of enduring grief, pain, hurt, trauma and injustice. It is time to break the silence and speak up about the built up anxiety and sadness it brings. It is time to let go of negativity and heal our wounds. Lets all be advocates by relating, empathizing, understanding, listening and by offering a shoulder to cry on. It is time to raise awareness and make our mental health a priority. ❤

#worldmentalhealthday#mentalhealthawareness#mentalhealthdayiseveryday #mentalhealthisreal#mentalhealthadvocate

[moenalisa]

May 2021

To those of you that still think it's stupid to get vaccinated:

I am a Covid Survivor. Did I ever think that I would get Covid? Of course not. The rare time that I did go out, I was always careful. I washed my hands, stayed a safe distance, wore a mask, and I still got infected. I was home sick for days before I could confirm it was Covid, that's where things took a turn. I was so sick with a fever and a few other symptoms of a regular flu that I started hallucinating and did not realise that I was slowly overdosing on my mental health medication. I normally treat flu symptoms naturally because taking flu meds would interact badly with my mental health meds.

It wasn't until I was at the ER that I found out I had Lithium Toxicity. After being on Lithium for more than 10 years this was new territory for me, and so was Covid. I had trouble getting up, could not walk properly, could not write, my speech was slurring. I could have died. I was then kept in hospital isolation for 3 weeks where I battled Covid and also my mental illness; Bipolar Mood Disorder. I could not take my regular meds and had yet another manic episode. I was relocated between hospitals because my case is a bit rare. They had to watch me closely and find a new treatment regimen for me. I had no human contact. I was lucky enough to call the people that I remembered the numbers of at one point. Since Covid forbids any visitation, the only way I could see my mom and husband was by waving from the window of my room to them in the parking lot.

I had several tests done including extensive MRI, CT scans and blood work. For me, to be able to post this and be almost 100% again is nothing short of a miracle. I am out of the woods but I look around me and still sadden by this debilitating disease.. people refusing to wear masks and refusing to get vaccinated. These are measures we should be taking to protect our families. It's simple, if you believe in medicine and science, man up and take it! Don't wait until someone close to you gets it and has to learn the hard way. I know that I am one in so many cases but my voice matters, especially from experience. Yes you have a choice, and I am not hating on you for being afraid or against it but please consider the benefits and other perspectives. It's been very surreal for me and my family. This is an extra layer of protection. I wish you all well, and I can't wait to hug everyone again. 💛

[moenalisa]

My thoughts this Christmas..✨

Looking back on these many months, I can hardly believe that 2020 is coming to an end. Not that I'm complaining, it just seemed to fly by even though the Pandemic couldn't go fast enough.

On the flip side, every cloud has a silver lining; I learned to use the sewing machine and made many masks for people in my community and beyond. I also started a Youtube cooking channel that I been wanting to do for a long time. Both of which feed my soul with creativity and joy.

I also just turned 40, which I wasn't looking forward to because I felt like I haven't done all the things I wanted to by the time I'm 40. However I'm reminded to trust the timing in my life and to celebrate how far I've come in the last 4 decades.

The other night on the 21st for the Winter Solstice and Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, I caught a glimplse of the "Christmas Star." Let me just say this, it felt magical! I only saw it for a few seconds before the clouds rolled in but I felt it's warmth and beauty.

So what I'm trying to say is:

1. An epic Astrological event happened in our lifetime.

2. 40 isn't that scary.

3. A Pandemic really puts things in perspective.

4. Making masks and wearing it DOES make a difference.

5. Health is Wealth.

6. I really miss my family and friends.

7. Good things are happening.

May the New Year bring us altogether again. May you all find contentment from being safe, healthy and loved. May there be positive changes in the world. May we all be kind, courteous and good to ourselves and one another. ❤️✨

[moenalisa]

One year ago around this time, my nephew Nixxon entered the World. I am so proud to say that I was the first human he looked at when he first opened his eyes. These pictures were captured just seconds after his birth. He was so curious to see who that squealing energetic voice belonged to. He winked at me, I swear! I will never forget that special moment when our eyes locked. It was the best kind of knots in your stomache and heart racing so fast that it must've skipped a few beats. . Nixxon, you make Auntie so proud! You are one heck of a mean mugger but when you smile it makes me want to hand over everything I have to you. I am and always will be hopelessly in love with you and Mase. Thank you for adding so much more meaning into our lives! Can't wait to see more of your firsts. Dream big my darling kmouy. Auntie Moe Moe will always have your back. Xoxo . #NixxonDrai #Sagittarius #BirthdayBoy #December7th #ChristmasBaby #AuntieMoeMoe #9thsign #firesigns #heisONE! #mynephew #LaoCambodianVietnamese https://www.instagram.com/p/BrFyKWsgZzNEM-PCEh1dfGD8sXNQw4unOkENDg0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wqmedyfrd8xf

[moenalisa]

Above photo: Anthony Bourdain in Cambodia. . I was hesitant to post this at first because it hits too close to home. My heart goes out to him for smiling while he was crying inside. I know all too well about this remarkable man's facade. What a lot of people don't understand is that depression is a silent killer. When someone is clinically depressed it's not a matter of "shaking it off" or "getting over it." The feelings of profound sadness and hopelessness are indescribable. . Anthony Bourdain: Through your pain, you brought happiness into so many lives. Thank you for sharing your passion with us. May your soul rest in peace. 🙏 . If you catch yourself or someone else with thoughts of suicide or ongoing sadness or any signs of depression, please call for help! There's the Crisis Centre of BC to speak to a trained professional or call 911. You could SAVE a life! #crisislinebc 1-866-661-3311 #depression #anxiety #mentalillness #mentalhealthawareness #talkitout #stopthesilence #youarenotalone

[moenalisa]

Very proud of this woman for speaking her truth. Everything she said to People Magazine is real and I can definitely relate to the crazy highs and lows. I must add that everyone battles it differently, just like the human brain, it's something far too complex to comprehend. So be kind the next time you see someone that is different from you. Don't judge. It's more than a "mood" disorder, it's a chemical imbalance, sometimes I can be very sad for no reason.. The severity depends on one's lifestyle, experience, profession and DNA. The best treatment is consistency in meds, diet, sleep, routine and surrounding yourself with positive people and things. People always ask me why I don't drink and long story short I will say cuz "I'm on meds." I deprive myself of coffee, alcohol, and a lot of sugar to avoid the catastrophic reaction with my meds. The struggle is real! Especially with coffee!! This is a humble reminder that she is human and a magnificent one at that! #MariahCarey #Hero #sotalented #singer #bipolardisorder #manicdepressive #mentalhealth #balance

[moenalisa]

~How It Feels To Be Your Aunt~ From the moment my sister told me the big news, I was so excited for them. I couldn't express how happy I was other than by breaking into tears during a family get together. I am talking about MY baby sister having her BABY! She still makes fun of me for not knowing how to change a proper diaper but I have no problem reminding her that I used to rock her to sleep (we are 6 years a part), I'm just out of practice. LOL. Umm about 30 years out of practice! For the months to come, I couldn't wait to help with baby shower plans, anticipating the baby's sex, the name, what he or she would look like.. I found myself going to baby stores and baby aisles and talking to strangers about my unborn nephew. When my sister told me that she wanted me to be in the delivery room with them, I couldn't have been more honoured. Having done it before for a good friend, I knew what this would entail but even I didn't expect such profound thoughts and feelings. I appreciated motherhood even more than I have always and I was just so content knowing that my sister's child will teach her so much about herself. I was confident that from this moment on, my sister will have this small precious being that will look to her and depend on her for his every happiness. I also knew that becoming a mother was going to fill a big void in my sister's life, a love like she's never known, for that I share in her joy and triumph. Long story short, my sister was in pain for 50 hours, that's FIFTY hours! I can't even have a stomach ache for 15 minutes! I always knew that she can do anything she puts her mind to because it's in our blood, we don't give up easily especially when it's for someone we love. With that said, she still amazed me with her complete control of the situation. She knew what she wanted or needed, whether it was silence, to not touch her, to stand, to sit, to piss, to drink, to breathe and to be in tune with her mind body and spirit. I played a messenger for the rest of the family who were sleep deprived yet beyond nervous and excited. After nearly 48 hours, she was almost 10 cm dilated and it was time to push. She really gave it her all, I can only imagine her pain and exhaustion. I remember feeling helpless but I prayed to the good Lord to show her some mercy. At the same time, I was standing on the lower end of the bed while her husband was on the other side holding her hand. I was helping to hold her leg up, and I COULD NOT look away from the miracle in front of me. So Mason, when you're old enough to read this, I'm proud to say that I watched you come into this world but if you ever get smart with me, I have plenty to blackmail you with! I first saw this hairy lump come out and as the Doctor turned his head upwards, I saw something that was no short of magic.. The most mesmerizing and beautiful sight I have ever laid eyes on. My nephew's face was a work of art, I couldn't have painted a more perfect canvas. Soon after they pulled him out, the sound of his crying made my heart want to leap out of my chest. It was such a joyous and satisfying sound! Unlike the tears rolling down my cheeks right now, I was too in shock and ecstatic to express it at the time. All I could do was play paparazzi as my sister wanted pictures of EVERYTHING. So I happily captured her labour of love. ​All in all, there's no experience like it and I truly believe that besides our own kids, our nephew or niece's birth is the next best thing. Today marks your 2nd birthday Mase, and I just want to thank y​ou for making me such a happy Auntie, I'm so proud of everything you do and I have loved you long before your grand entrance. You're going to make such a wonderful big brother! <3

[moenalisa]

With my gorgeous Sis on her Wedding Day! #soemotional #baciceremony #laosversion #edwedsfred #cambodianbride 😂😘

[moenalisa]

Trying to take a decent pic with my nephew has gotten so much harder! Lol #mrsquirmy #masonkhai #lovehim #movingday #houseblessings #sundayfunday

[moenalisa]

#ilovethisman #humble #kind #polynesiantatts #jabronibabe #onlyreasonwhyiwatchwrestling #theROCK #dwaynejohnson #soHOT #soKOOL #PEOPLESCHAMPION #alwayshasthatSMIRK 😏😝🤗😎💪🏾

[moenalisa]

Tears of happiness are like rain drops from heaven..🙏