From a full-time career woman in the Philippines to a hands-on, then stay-at-home mom, and now working mom in Australia, Rovie Divinagracia-Peralta shares how their family of three spent Father’s Day in Sydney, Australia.

Titled “Men Of Connected Women,” this series pays tribute to the wonderful men in our lives who’ve made an impact in our lives. These are the men who’ve inspired us, helped us, mentored us, raised us. Because behind every woman is a man who has made her who she is today.

Yes, the blog title is inspired by the now trending Netflix movie To All The Boys I Loved Before. But it’s not because I want to talk about the boys I loved before. It just seems fitting to express the love I feel for my boys.

We recently celebrated Father’s Day in Australia. I know you find it weird. Father’s Day in Australia is three months behind the normal celebration in the UK, US, and almost anywhere else, including the Philippines where it is celebrated every third Saturday of June.

I was confused at first, imagine having two Father’s Day celebration in a year. I almost didn’t greet my grandfather in June this year because I had no idea it was Father’s Day until Facebook reminded me.

Blame it on the so-called holiday fatigue here in Australia. They decided to celebrate Father’s Day late because of too many celebrations during the first half of the year—New Year’s Day, Australia Day, Anzac Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, and the Queen’s Birthday.

Anyway, to celebrate the goodness that is my husband, I decided to bring my lovely boys to Central Coast for Father’s Day. Central Coast is a charming area in New South Wales (NSW) where you can literally live by the coast without hurting your pocket. I have heard so many good things about the Central Coast. It is just an hour-and-half drive from Sydney thus making it a perfect getaway spot.

As per my workmate’s recommendation, I brought my boys to The Reef Restaurant in Terrigal. It is one of the best NSW restaurants I’ve ever been to. The view was amazing and the food was just fantastic. Their sous vide salmon is pure melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Apart from the amazing foodie experience, we had so much fun gazing at the beach using the binoculars the restaurant provided. I think our little boy had the most fun.

Funny, I must say, but Paolo and I have joint bank accounts. So bringing him to a place like this and paying for a nice meal actually defeats the purpose of a surprise. I wanted to give this to him as a gift but because the banking apps here in Australia actually show your real-time spending when you tap your card or phone, Paolo knows the cost of this particular surprise. But it’s the thought that counts, right?

This celebration may not be enough to express my appreciation for my husband but I’m glad that through this quick trip by the coast, I was able to give him the relaxing experience he deserves.

Living in Sydney has been very challenging for us. Away from our families and without other people to rely on, we only have each other and our little boy. With both of us working and taking care of Leon full time, Paolo has been doing his best to help out. In fact, I have never seen him very hands-on in taking care of our son. I can definitely rely on him during tough times such as when Leon gets sick or when I’m not around.

He works really hard to provide the best for our family. To be honest, I have also never seen him become this devoted to Leon until we moved here. And I thank him for that.

Every day, I thank Paolo for making my dream come true—to be a mother. Before I go to sleep each night, I look at my boys and it makes me realize how blessed I am to have them in my life. Having Leon is a miracle and having them together is everything I could ever wish for. Our life is hard, my life is hard, but being with the boys I love makes my life beautiful.

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