Meeting Family

I started a draft of what happened during my trip about a week after returning, but time has again gotten away from me. It has three weeks since my last update and it feels like a lot more and a few days at the same time. The three days in Puerto Rico and two travel days felt like two weeks. It was such intense time. I was blessed beyond measure to have been able to finally meet my brother and sister. There is always stress associated with memorial services, which in this case was compounded by the excited and apprehension of meeting grown siblings for the first time!

I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for your prayers and expressions of love and kindness. I have felt the prayers and the closeness of the presence of the Lord in the midst of all of this.

I arrived in PR on Wednesday August 29 in the evening. I had exchanged Facebook messages with my brother and I was able to call him on Thursday, when I arrived in PR, but he was working, so I wouldn't be able to see him until the service on Saturday. I was able to talk with my sister, Emil Carla, for the first time and then we were able to meet for the first time! I was a bit nervous, but the time was a sweet blessing. I was overjoyed to learn that we share a common faith in Jesus Christ. The time flew by and we were able to have a lot of awesome conversations just getting to know one another. I learned that I have a nephew, Shawn William! It is hard to believe how surprisingly amazing it was to pick things up when there had been nothing there. My sister posted a photo of us when we had seen each other when I was 9 and she was 6 months old, the only photo I believe we have. I am so thankful for the time we could spend together and get to know each other.

My Sister Emil (6 months old) and I (9 yrs old)

My Sister and I now

Shawn William - My Nephew!!

On Saturday was the memorial service. I went with my mom and I met for the first time in more years than I can remember my uncle Hector, my dad's brother, one of his sons, Hectorcito and his daughter, Evyan. I remember them from our childhood, but too many years have gone by. I also met Evyan's husband, Hectorcito's wife and kids. 

At the memorial service, I also met my brother Omar. It had been way too long. He was about two when I met him and now here he stood at 21. We have so much to catch up on!!!  How strange is it to be an adult and barely be meeting so many family members!  This was the first time together!

 Evyan, Hectorcito, myself, Omar, Emil

Hectorcito and Shawn William

There were far more impressions and things that touched my heart deeply, but I am still processing some and  I am out of time for the blog today.  I will communicate more soon.