It's Been a Year

Armando's dad, Armando Sr. passed away one year ago yesterday - May 29, 2008. We took Gabriel to visit his gravesite this morning. Lots of tears on my part as I listened to Armando introduce Armando Sr. to his grandson who also carries his name. I cried some more as I listened to Armando tell his dad how much he misses him but that having Gabriel around makes it a little easier because he can see parts of Armando Sr. in Gabe and he looks forward to teaching him the things that his dad taught him.

In some ways, it's strange. Armando Sr. passed away a little less than a year after we were married. I'd only known him maybe 5 years, and really didn't get to know him until the last year and a half. It wasn't until the last 2 months of his life that I really felt his family was also my family. Not that anyone in Mando's family ever made me feel that way, in fact, they were quite the opposite. They welcomed me with open arms. But for whatever reason, it was Armando Sr.'s death that made me feel cemented as a part of the family. This wasn't Mando's family that was grieving, it was my family. And I felt the loss of Armando Sr. just as deeply.

He would have loved playing, talking and spoiling his grandson. This is the first of his grandsons to bear the R last name. He was so sick the last few months of his life, but he always had a smile on his face and a "Don't you worry about me" attitude. His grandchildren, or his "Squeakys" as he liked to call them, brought him great joy.

I will always remember the last conversation he had with me. We were in his hospital room, Mando had left the room for one reason or another. Armando Sr. had been kinda in and out of it the whole time we were there and I wasn't sure that he knew exactly who I was that day. As I said goodbye to him, he looked me straight in the eye and said "Don't you worry about me, I'm going to be around for a long time. At least long enough for you and Mando to give me a grandbaby. And it's going to be a boy." I laughed, told him I loved him and we would see when the time came around for us to start trying.

Well, Pop, he's here and he's beautiful. I hope you are watching us and are as proud of him as we are. We miss you.