quality friday: family time

over this past week, i have had some wonderful opportunities to spend time with my family on my dad's side. it began last weekend with my cousin sharlina's wedding and continued though a wonderful memorial day gathering. then on thursday, i had a chance to take a break from my ridiculously crazy work week in los angeles, to visit my titas and titos (aunts and uncles) that live there, and on friday night, i had dinner with my cousin leilani before taking a red-eye home to chicago.

i've always enjoyed spending time with my parents, brothers, and the entire cruz family in the past, and this week proved to be no different. it was just a little more special to me, probably because as our move to san francisco draws closer, i'm finding myself a little (okay, a lot) more sentimental, and am feel myself clinging to the moments i spend with those i love all that much harder.

last saturday, when we gathered for sharlina and todd's wedding, i found that i couldn't stop telling my brothers how much i love them and how much i'm going to miss them - and couldn't help but beam inside when my sentiments were reciprocated. i felt closer to them have at any other point in my life, and just yesterday, mark referred to them as "my brothers", which made me just that much happier that we've built a strong and solid relationship with each of them over the past years. both mark and i agreed that this wedding was one of the best we've ever been to with my family. the whole entire family had such fun laughing and talking and dancing, and i don't think a single one of us was ready to leave before it was over! one of my favorite moments from that night was to see my mom and dad on the dance floor together, something i'm not sure i've ever seen in the past!

my family - mark, me, dad, mom, brandon, daniel and jonathan tita julie, my dad, tito nestor, tita dory and tita aurora -

five of the ten siblings at the wedding

handsome brothers

gorgeous bride and groom

as great as the wedding was, my true quality friday moment of the week was spending time with my tita bebe - my dad's sister aurora - on thursday night. as we chatted over dinner, and as i listened to story after story about her life, i realized that as much times as we have spent together in the past, i have never really had the opportunity to get to know her. generally, when the family gathers, the aunts and uncles generally spend time together, and the cousins do the same, so this opportunity to connect across generations was one that i cherish deeply. i learned so many things about this woman that i've known all my life - about how she and her husband, my tito boy, met many years ago when she was in college in the phillipines, and after spending over 40 years of her life as a single woman, just recently got married just two years ago - and was touched by her generosity, kindness, and love for to me that evening.

i am blessed to have such a wonderful family, and this week reminded me, once again, that family time is to be cherished, never taken for granted.

p.s. - happy 26th birthday today to my brother, brandon:)