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...