Happy Birthday Papi

Happy Birthday Papi....I think you must be around 7 years old in this photo (my dad is the one on the left). I really love this photo. You look really happy and it seems like you are celebrating something, so I thought it would be fitting to share it with you on your birthday.

It is now about 50 years from the time you took this photo (yes, folks my dad is 57 years young) and you still look almost the same....just a little taller and the belly is a little bigger. But more handsome than ever.

You know I was remembering today how crazy and silly you are....

When I was a teenager/young adult my dad always used to introduce himself as my brother. It used to drive me insane and he thought it was very funny because most of the time it worked. I thought, "How in the heck are these people going to believe he is my brother...I mean we are 22 years apart." Okay, dad I must admit that now that I am 34 and Luka is 2 I realized that I will NEVER be able to pass as his sister and I am a little jealous. I didn't realize what a blessing it was to grow up with such "young and cool" parents. I didn't think so at the time, but we did have a lot of fun.

I will leave you with another story of how my father liked to fool people...

When I was in 11th grade I went on a school trip to DC. We had roommates from other schools across the country. My roommate was from California. I noticed that all week she left everything locked up and was acting very paranoid when I was around. I just came to the conclusion that she thought all Cubans from Miami were thieves. Finally on one of the last days of the trip the phone rings and she says, "It is for you. He has been calling all week, but you haven't been here. It is your parole officer." No, I didn't have a record. It was my father trying to perpetuate the stereotype that if you are from Miami you must be a criminal. Now I laugh when I think of the story, but I don't remember laughing at the time.

Happy Birthday Dad and thank you for always being a great brother..I mean father.