Celebrating Friends...

Today is Cynthia Garza Weber's birthday.

Cynthia and I have known each other since Kindergarten at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School days.  Celia, Cynthia and I...in that basement classroom with Mrs. Lopez.  And unbeknown to me was that when Celia was born at McAllen General Hospital, Cynthia was just down the hall in another room...destined to be best friends with Celia forever.  I love you, Cyn.  Hope you have a wonderful birthday.

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Several years ago, while visiting Corpus Christi, Ralph and I met a lovely couple, Peter and Wendy Smith from England.  Yes, just like in Peter Pan.  They were just darling people.  They were traveling through the valley birdwatching.  Their plans were to head to McAllen the following weekend.  Soooo, I invited them to my daughter Samantha's high school graduation party that was set the following weekend.  It was the traditional McHi Kicker Dance.

The following weekend Peter and Wendy arrived and attended our graduation party.  Wendy and Peter couldn't believe their eyes!  They loved it!  No one knows how to celebrate better than Texans!

Over the years we've kept in touch exchanging Christmas cards.  This year we got another visit...Mandy and Wendy (Mandy is Wendy's daughter).  They had already been two weeks on the road visiting Texas sites and photographing our birding bonanzas (I say that because the Valley has one of the largest bird residencies in the U.S.)  The Smiths and Mandy belong to a Bird Club.  They take pictures of all the birds they site, take them back to England, and everyone has a smashing time identifying their trip cache.

Wendy, Ralph and Mandy.

We spotted several birds in our back yard and showed off our beautiful cacti blossoms...unfortunately the ones shown are the few I had photographed.

I don't know the  name but this one has a crown of flowers that bloom perfectly in a ring .

Next time, I'll photograph them when they're all blooming.

It's a small world after all...

Celebrating Friends...

From Mission High School Class of 1970 - Mission, Texas

GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN!!

Today is Celia's Birthday...

Celia Munoz Badiozzamani

Born May 23, 1952, left us November 21, 2006...

None of us can forget Celia...she left an indelible mark on our hearts.  I get to visit Celia often since she's a stone throw away from my in-laws at Valley Memorial Gardens...her and Jaime Barrera.

Several years ago, Cynthia Garza Weber purchased a plaque with left over monies from donations from classmates for Celia's flowers.

The family did not accept it.

(We respect their wishes but hope someday it will be besides her.)

Celia,

     Girl, I can't believe it's been this long.  I miss you.  It's not the same, Celia...without you.  In the past if I thought about you, I'd pick up the phone and call...you had an easy number...the last four digits ended in S H I T...that's how you taught me to remember it...remember?  Cynthia and I talk about you all the time.  We wanted to share with you that two of our daughters are getting married...on the same day, December 10th.  Cynthia and Tom will be in Austin; we'll be in Kyle...thirteen miles south.  Cynthia's going to have a special table with pictures of all the family members that have gone before, your picture will be among them.   Cynthia says she knows you'll be attending.

We'll be having our 41st class reunion on Friday, June 17th, Celia.  Drop by, won't you.  You'll get to hear the #1 complaint:  "We never thought growing old was going to be like this!"  If you were around, we'd be laughing at that...probably ROFLMAO!!!  (I know you kept telling me you were not computer literate and you left us before Facebook became so big so I hope you can figure out what it stands for.)

Well, you know the state of things in the world, Celia...please pray for us.   HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CELIA!  

Love you,

Di