1. 5 years later

I can always remember how long it has been since pa died by how old Gemma is. She just turned two and he passed away when she was 6 months old.... it has been 1 year and a 1/2. We celebrated her birthday in the house he loved and worked so hard to get and keep, never taking out a loan because of fear he'd lose the house. In these crazy times where people have lost their houses I understand my father better. I know he's saying 'Ya vez?'

So we celebrated Gemma and the family and we knew who was missing though nobody said anything. I danced with my mother because I knew that is what my father would be doing with her at the party. My brother cooked some mean carne asada and guacamole because that is what we do at parties with my father always leading the way.

I photographed a wedding this past weekend where there was a grandpa who looked and acted just like my father would at parties or any family event. He was happy and full of life and dancing with the bride and steeling the show (my pa would do that a lot). I remember watching him and thinking that he reminded me of the joy my father always brought to the party. A joy I was missing at Gemma's party. Don't get me wrong, we had a great time, but I missed him, we all did.

So here we are, 1.5 years later. Gemma is 2 and we are celebrating in the house that pa bought and protected for us:




And here is pa meeting Gemma for the first time:

Translation:

Thank you, my Lord, for this wish that you have granted me

I praise you and bless you for such a marvelous thing

For this little person

For this jewel

I ask you Lord that you bless her always

Straighten her roads

Shorten her paths, Lord Jesus

You brought her here for something

And something you will make of her

Unleash all of your love, all of your blessings, all of your protection on her

and her adoring parents, Rosaura and Scott

I give you thanks, Lord, because you granted me my wish of meeting her

and to tell you, Lord Jesus Christ, how Great you are, how Great you are

How will I ever repay you

So many blessings

I thought I would never arrive at this point

But I have arrived... and now I can leave

Whenever you wish

Thank you, my Lord, for the beauty, for the love, for the affection...

For all these things...

Good Sport

My father was always up for a challenge, a joke, a new experience (as long as it wasn't drugs, tattoos, or a religion other than the Catholic religion) especially if it made people laugh.

In 2004, just before xmas, Scott and I went to LA to do a pre-Xmas family event since we would be spending Xmas in Chicago. We brought along Karaoke Revolution for the family to play. Everyone played, even my father. :)

He really is an inspiration. Without knowing the song, the melody, the lyrics and even the language, he powered through singing New York, New York with gusto, even making up his own lyrics. Pa reminds me that you just have to go for it and have fun. Don't worry about what other people think, just do it! :) My father had many great attributes and his 'can do' attitude and sense of humor were definitely some of them.

Unfortunately, I didn't catch all the song, but believe me he pulled off the end with a big bang and applause from everyone. This video makes me smile and miss him. But it also makes me laugh. And I especially like how much this made ma laugh too.

Papi, I know you've made a brand new start of it and we love you and miss you...

Adios

Marzo 1, 1934 - Marzo 8, 2008

En Memoria de
Jesús Sandoval

Señor, te pedimos que guardes a nuestro querido
Jesús Sandoval,
en Tus divinas manos y dentro de Tu amoroso Corazón.
Él siempre fue noble,
generoso, ingenioso,
inteligente, aventurero,
gracioso, tenaz, travieso,
pero sobre todo, un gran hombre,
siempre con la sonrisa en los labios,
aún durante el sufrimiento de su enfermedad.
Señor, te damos gracias
por la oportunidad y el honor
de haber conocido a este gran hijo Tuyo,
al que continúas llenando de bendiciones,
que tu prescencia le ayude a disfrutar la vida eterna
lleno de entusiasmo y alegría,
como cuando estuvo entre nosotros.

Jesús siempre estará en nuestros corazones
en cada momento de nuestra jornada,
hasta que nos volvamos a encontrar.



In Memory of
Jesus Sandoval

Dear Lord, please keep our beloved
Jesus Sandoval
safe and close to you always.
He was kind,
generous, ingenious,
intelligent, adventurous,
humorous, mischievous,
strong-willed, full-of-life and
a true survivor
who always smiled even through the
terrible pain of his illness.

Lord, thank you for the opportunity and honor
to know this strong and unique man.
May he continue to
enjoy the afterlife with as much
vitality and enthusiasm
with which he enjoyed his life here on earth.
He will always be remembered in our
hearts, souls and in all we do.

We will always love you.
May you rest in peace.

Good o' Carne Asada

Hello Everyone! This picture makes me laugh because when abuelito cooks he's into it! And I just thank god that god gave tito hands and a passion for cooking...Here's another picture that I took with my phone in his favorite lounge chair with baby chucho.

My First Judo Tournament

This picture is in San Pedro California at My First  Judo Tournament ( you can see my Sensai'- teacher in the background with the snarl in his look ...his name was Mr. Powers) anyhow I'm 9 & my bro Felipe is 11, we are with our Dad .

Had just won the first place trophy for my age group ...Yay!  i remember talking to this girl in my group ...she had her eye bows shaved ... & i was trippying on that ...so i asked this young white girl  why she would do something like that ...she said her mother does it so she can too!....oh well ....she was my next opponent in the tournament & i beat her in less then 1 second ...just picked her up used a common Judo technique a hip thow & slamed her to the ground for the winning point.....sounds harsh but she was light as a feather.....lol!

Long Live Pa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Love Our Dad!

Always Smiling

As usual, gettin' the party started - they call this move the "cabezita"
Daddy's little girl.

Angels first visit to "Hotel Sandoval," May 2002.

Our parents - the start!

My parents met in Mexico City. Here they are while they were dating:
They married, July 26, 1959:

Here they are at my wedding June 25, 2005. :)
This July they will be married 49 years! The had 6 children, 8 grandchildren, moved countries, bought a house, had lots of ups and downs and they couldn't be more opposites - they are truly an inspiration! :)