"Je taime... un peu... beaucoup... passionnemente... pas du tout."

"It should get there by Friday," she said.

"Friday?" I asked.

"Yeah, I think so... I Fed-exed it," she replied.

"Well... what is it?" I asked again.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see! And... see what shape it's in..." she laughed.

Little did I know...

I opened the box, and to my surprise (and delight) found heart-shaped rose petals, chocolate kisses, a real red rose (admittedly dead and molding... but beautiful nonetheless), and four numbered cards proclaiming my certain death if I didn't open them in order...

Inscribed in these cards were beautiful lyrics, verses, and sentiments that (had I not been in a roomful of people) almost caused an immediate overflow from the tear-duct system. However, I managed to tape my emotions together, and locked the happiness deep inside to pull out and examine every time I need a dose of mis hermanas...

Thank you, Tif... what a delightful box to receive!
I love mail, I love chocolate, I love roses, I love hand-written notes, and I love you... siempre.

The New Kid on the Block: EDUARDO!!!

Who also goes by the name of "Edi"... and sometimes "Cesar"... and sometimes "Lalo"... and sometimes "El bebe"... and sometimes... well, lots of different things. If this 14-month-old kid doesn't have an identity crisis by the time he's two, I will be surprised... ;)

"Happy and smiling" - 15% of the time...

"Crying and screaming" - 85% of the time...

"Adorable anyway" - 150% of the time... lol

Michael in "the red hat." I have a feeling this is going to become one of those items that years later we will look back at pictures and realize that every single person at CVE, at some point, (whether knowingly or completely unwittingly) made themselves available for a blackmail photo, and took a picture with this on... lol

So... this is what happens when you leave your freshly-purchased-exquisitely-wonderful bagels in an open sack in the back of your slightly-dirty-rusted-out-red-ish-pickup-truck, and return fifteen minutes later to discover that ravenous, domesticated beings have literally ripped into your slice of heaven.

No, not the kids... the campus cats.

(insert frustrated meow)

Blanca's birthday dinner:

I truly love this girl! Wearing a rainbow hoodie, hair falling down, cake covering her face... and one of the most beautiful smiles (and caring hearts) on the face of this earth...