Las Vegas: family is where you find it

when i called my mom to inform her of my impending trip to vegas, she excitedly told me that some of my tia's and tio's from mexico would be here the same time as me. tia bertha called yesterday and we secured a dinner for this evening.

what was remarkable about the serendipity of this timing, is that i usually see them once a year at my tia berta's house (mom's sister) but since all my vacation time that i can use has been taken, i swore off going home for the holidays.

and so, i wouldn't get to see them this year, until God brought them to me, and me to them. it was perfect timing all the way around. we had a great dinner, full of laughter (tio jorge does tell a mean joke, though his friend enrique might have upstaged him once or twice). tio eliud recounted to me that he has been taking care of the ranch on saturdays and that their dog "oso" died with just "max" left. tia idalia sat to my left and we all told a few stories and i was asked out of the blue when i'm getting married. it's not just the greek culture people! :)

at the end of a full evening, feeling full of love around the table, tio eliud and tia bertha walked me to the door, seeing me out, sending me with the fullness of their love, as tio jorge and i said our goodbyes and he sauntered off with his friend enrique to the craps table. and the dices roll on.