SNOW DAY!!!!

I have to be honest. I had the worst time getting up and going to work today. It was 5:15 AM and I should all ready have been out of bed...but it was so cold. I had to rush to work still half-asleep in a cold rain but I managed to make on time. I'm glad I did.

My retail day started like normal. We had received a shipment and we were working on a deadline. But as we were working, someone's cell phone rang. I hear, "Snow? In Kenner?" Now we're a tight-knit group of workers but we're not usually a cheery bunch this early in the morning. 

But the word had been said. SNOW. I could feel the elation in the room at the possibility of snow just under 4 years from the last time we saw snow here - Christmas Day 2004 (the last white Christmas was in 1954).  A few minutes later another phone rings. "In Metairie? Really?" Now we're just all plain ignoring work completely and making excuses for sudden breaks. We were underground, after all, and had no idea what was going on outside. But it wasn't snowing yet.

Disappointed, we were going to go into the mall and get some coffee. Realizing I didn't have my wallet, I turned around and told my coworkers I'd catch up with them. Heading back into the store, just before getting to the elevator I turn to hopefully look out the window (in the Christmas Shop) one more time before going back to the dingy and cold basement. 

There it was. Just that quickly. I had turned around for less than a minute and the sleet had become a flurry beautifully framed by two gorgeous, 7-foot tall Christmas trees. Now all bets were off. 

Those of you from here completely understand. Snow in New Orleans is rare. This is only the 3rd time in my life I remember seeing it snow here and I've been here 33 years. Snow falling in New Orleans is an event not to be missed.

Now it was time to play (for just a little while) because we knew this might not happen again for 30 years (or it could happen again tomorrow). So play we did. Like kids. I just love how it lifted everyone's spirits. 

It might just have been me, but the rest of the morning people were walking in with big grins on their faces. Of course we had to take pictures. I've only collected a few so far since I didn't have my own camera on me. I can't wait to collect them all and post them as an album. If you took pictures today please send them to me!

Now those of you who know me know I'm not a superstitious person. This is just something I kind of like to believe. It's one of my few superstitious indulgences. The first time I have a good memory of it snowing here was in December of 1989. That was the year my grandfather, William, passed away. Then, Christmas of 2004. That was the last Christmas I spent with Tata. And now this year we've lost three loved ones and it snowed for a good 3 hours. I just like to think it's their little parting Holiday gift...

Now it feels like Christmas!!!

Happy Holidays to all of you.

Billy

200 Visitors!

I just checked the counter on the website's home page and we reached our 200th visitor today! Not bad for 19 days online.

Now if we could get some more people blogging...

If anyone has pictures they would like me to publish on the photo album page, please get with me. I'll hook you up. You've seen what we've been up to now I want to see what you've been up to.

I hope all of you are well.

Billy

Happy (belated) 18th Birthday Stephen!!!!

18 years old. I am having trouble believing it. I was 15 when he was born - a sophomore at Brother Martin. He is now three years older than I was that year in 1990 when we raced out to Kenner in a raging storm. I remember the day clearly. I still have the "It's a boy!" pin hidden safely somewhere in a shoebox. Now he's a senior at Jesuit ready to head off to college.

I also remember when Rosa told us the news that she was pregnant back in '90. We were in the kitchen at my parents' old house in Terrytown. She gathered everybody together and said something along the lines of, "I have something to tell you," or, "or something special has happened." I obviously don't remember what she said verbatim. I was, however, always an intuitive child so I completely stole her thunder when I blurted out, "You're pregnant!" - Sorry about that Aunt Rosa, but apparently I was right ;)

And sorry Stevo - I meant to blog about this Wednesday night but I crashed out and made it in to work 5 hours late for work on Thursday. So here I am at work today finally blogging about your birthday :)

Stephen's birthday was this past Wednesday, December 3rd. Everyone please join me in wishing him a wonderful 18th birthday celebration, which I am sure will continue well into the weekend. We will be getting together tonight to celebrate at my grandmother's since he was in Baton Rouge Wednesday for a soccer game.

Happy Birthday Stephen - this is where the fun begins :)

Rosa and Paul - this is where the fun begins :(

Love,

Billy

Olivia loves being outside. She is Alyssa's newest and sweetest baby. In this picture Olivia is enjoying a pretty day at a local park. She is no longer the baby in our family since we now have two precious little twins. We cannot wait to meet Pricilla and Penelope!

Jenna

Jenna is also a bluejay fan. She loves to get her face painted.

Bluejay Fans

This is Megan and Emma at Stephen's school. They were tailgating for the homecoming game.

Do you see Emma's mom in the picture?

Happy Belated Birthday!

Well, Tuesday the 25th was Alyssa's birthday. She is now back to only a year younger than me again so the world feels right.

Prima, I hope you are enjoying your cruise. Happy Birthday!

Love ya!

Billy

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Today I will be at my parents' house with a few close family members to share and give thanks. Hopefully we will take lots of pictures.

Before I head over there, though, please indulge me. I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the things I am thankful for:

I am thankful to be able to spend a day with my family.

I am thankful to have been born into such a wonderful family.

I am thankful for my two beautiful godchildren (and the third surrogate one): Megan, Jenna (and Olivia).

I am thankful for my for my very dear friends who have stuck with me through thick and thin.

I am thankful to work somewhere with such wonderful people that I consider many of them an extension of my own family (some of who are the dear friends I just mentioned).

I am thankful for my four beautiful cats: Bubbles, Wesker, Mouse and Kikita.

I am thankful to live in a free country where my voice counts.

I am thankful to have been taught what that freedom means and the cost by which it comes.

I am thankful for all those that came before me who are no longer with us this year (as they were the last).

I am thankful for the privilege to have known those people. Please take a moment to honor their memories:

Estrella

Salvador

Juan Manuel

I am just thankful to be here. Every moment is precious and I know I am never really guaranteed another.

I am also thankful that for a little while today there will be no sense of urgency.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. Enjoy your day.

Love,

Billy

P.S.

HA! Billy finally I can make posts! Yay! Well seriously have to go see the game!
LOL love you!
a u o
u t u
g d
h

Miami

Hey everyone! Its Laura...well of course! It's all the same down here in Miami. It's getting warmer from our week of the freezing (to us!). I'm watching the saints game. They're into the second quarter and winning! Yes!!! Thank goodness my grandpa called and reminded us!What are you going to do for Thanksgiving? I'm so excited! I really need a vacation! Well my vacation starts AFTER Thanksgiving! Me and my mom are going to be cooking and it will be tiring. Well have to go back to the game! Love you!
Love,
xoxo,
Laura

Congratulations to Ray, Ana, Chris and Debbie!!!

This is the email I received from Ray regarding his new twin grandchildren:

"To all my friends and family,

On November 15th at 12:08 and 12:09 PM we welcomed the early arrival of our identical twin girls!!!!!

My daughter-in law, Debbie went through the most difficult and traumatic pregnancy that I have ever witnessed in my entire life. She had a rare syndrome called TTTS (twin to twin transfusion syndrome).

At 5 months she and our son, Chris, were told that the girls were in severe danger and that they suggested to them to terminate the pregnancy. For Debbie and Chris that was not even and option. They were both determined to have these babies come hell or high water.

On 11/09 Debbie started having contractions and a lot of pain, and was rushed to the hospital.

After a week of attempting to stop the contractions, with no success, one of the babies went into serious stress, she had an emergency c- section. The girls weighed in at barely two pounds.

They are about the size of remote control, but perfectly well formed and fighting for their lives.

We were told that one of them was probably not going to make it as she had stopped breathing on her own. They put a tube down her tiny throat to see if would help at all, as a last resort. Low and behold, with the power of prayer and a lot of faith, she opened her little eyes and her lungs kicked back in!!!!!!!

They are both doing much better now and improving every day. They have to stay in the hospital till about January 15th. Debbie will be released from the hospital tomorrow, but plans to visit the girls every single day! Their names are Penelope Grace, and Pricilla Anne, that's why I call them my sweet peas :-)

Please keep them in your prayers as they still could definetly use it! I hope that one day in the near future all of you can meet our little angels, and that you too will feel the joy that we are feeling!

Warm Regards,

Ray and Ana

Chris and Debbie

and The Sweet Peas"

Everyone please keep them in your prayers. What a joyous event to welcome two more members to our family! Let's hope we get to see some pictures soon. - Billy

100 Years - In Loving Memory

Today is a very special day. It is a day of reverence and remembrance. It is a day of sadness and joy. Today is a day of celebration.

One hundred years ago today someone very special was born into this world. You all most likely knew her as Rosa Victoria Fernández Catá (or simply Rosa). We all had our special names for her. To me and many others she was simply known as Tata.

Tata passed away on January 18th, 2005. It's been almost 4 years now, but the pain from the loss never subsided. I realize now that I will mourn her for the rest of my life. But the mourning is not always painful - it leads to happy memories. I have never met anyone like her and doubt I ever will again.

Tata was a kind and gentle soul, who would rarely raise her voice to anyone. I have fond memories of having dinner with her in the French Quarter. After leaving with our leftovers, the first thing she did was find someone in need and give them something to eat. She would do anything for anyone within her means and always gave the impression of being a happy person. Tata was someone who was hard to bring down and she could brighten anyone's day. More than anything, however, her family and her church were the most important things in her life...how she loved the children. She instilled in me the morals and traditions that have helped me become the person I am today.

There's still so much I wish I would have asked her, but I have no real regrets. How many people do you know that get to spend almost 30 years of their lives with a great-grandparent?

But behind the happiness and the love of family and church, there was a sadness which all of the exiles share. At her memorial service, the priest shared with us how much she longed for her homeland. She lived in this country for almost 31 years and never learned more than a few words of English. Her husband passed in 1986 so I know she was lonely, but she masked it well. She took her grief and turned it into love.

It saddens me at times to see the culture slipping away from my generation. As the oldest in my immediate family, I am one of the only ones that can speak Spanish fluently (accent and all when I really work at it), but I was blessed at an early age to have these very special people in my life. Since both my parents had to work when I was a toddler, I spent the first four years of my life with my great-grandmother and great-grandfather (I was his Pachico). At the time, the family stuck together and we lived in this wonderful microcosm of Cuban culture where I learned the music,

 the food, the language - everything it meant to be Cuban. I learned all this without ever setting foot on the homeland of my family. So I guess you could call me Cuban-American version 1.1 (Take into consideration that my American mother had to learn Spanish to communicate with me because at the time I barely spoke English at all).

Today I honor Tata's memory and celebrate her life. I hope you will all join me by celebrating her life in whatever way you see fit. Say a prayer. Light a candle. Sing a song. Commit a random act of kindness. Most importantly, though, remember who you are and where you came from.

I know that wherever I go and whatever happens that I will always have her with me. That goes for the rest of the family reading this blog. She will always be with you. Don't ever forget.

Happy Birthday, Tata. I love you. I miss you. I will never forget you. I will always remember the smile on your face and the sound of your voice as you sat singing: "Ay, ay, ay, ay. Canta y no llores."

Hoy voy a cantar para ti.

Con cariño,

Bilito