New Year's Eve 2023
It's the close to another year, and it's time for the annual blog post! A Return Visit to California I wish I could say it was for a happy reason. My Uncle Mario passed away on January 15th from complications related to diabetes and several members of the family gathered to celebrate his life a few weeks later. He was a larger than life personality, a favorite family member of mine, and my Mom's next closest sibling in age. "I had a front row seat to his childhood," Mom said at his memorial before she proceeded to pay touching tribute. That is also how I learned the bittersweet truth that I was actually named after him and not my grandmother. I am so glad that the last time that I saw him in August 2021 when we buried my grandfather, I told him that I love him and gave him a big hug. Uncle Mario and me at my Mom's Air Force retirement party, August 2005 All of Uncle Mario's nieces and nephews at the memorial The One Where Will Goes to Bootcamp My husband t
