Isabelle is as pretty as a doll, what with her dainty pink dress, full bangs and shoulder length curly brown hair. It’s her second birthday and we’ve been invited to her party this particular Sunday at Max, ATC. Isabelle is the daughter of Franjo, my (late) brother-in-law Onib’s second child. In a number of weeks, Sofia, granddaughter of my sister-in-law Papoose, will also celebrate her second birthday.
These are some of the happy occasions my sisters and brothers-in-law, and even our sons and daughters, look forward to as a reason to chill out and catch up on family matters: “Does Jojo have a girl friend yet?” “What about Joy, is she ever settling down?” “Ria is already five months on the way, how is her paglilihi?” “When is Bambi due?” Etcetera.
Most of the answers to these questions we of course know, but we just want to talk about them. Or probably, in our own little way, show that we are family and we are concerned about each other.
Because we’re not really lacking in updates. Everyday, bits and pieces of comments, jokes, reminiscences and even sarcasm easily get passed around the family e-group. Even now, I’m learning interesting shreds of information about Mader and Pader (my parents-in-law Mama Lourdes and Papa Luis) from (their eldest sister) Polong’s hilarious emails. Their brother Pats has his own way with words, murdering English as though in a rampage. I tell you, each of these ten sons and daughters—two have sadly passed away—possesses a unique brand of wackiness, bequeathed by their Papa. No wonder no one wants to be the first to leave these happy affairs. (Only the waiter’s nicely-stated warning—“additional charge po if you exceed use of the function room”—made us dash for the door.)
With birthday celebrants covering practically all months of the year, we do not need more lunches (No more dinner gatherings—seniors must go to bed early.), aptly called the birthday club, but recently dubbed by Polong as feeding sessions. Imagine how oldies with low metabolic rates attack a Chinese lauriat! “Too much feeding sessions,” quipped Papoose, when she felt terribly ill after last Sunday’s affair.
Why the need for these events? “Our numbers are dwindling,” noted Bettina, Isabelle’s Mamita (Lola) as we posed for the customary “picture-picture” last Sunday. As on my side of the family, quite a number of my in-law's’ immediate family members have migrated elsewhere, others to the hereafter; so why not spend more time together while we could.
Isabelle’s recent birthday party photos will soon be emailed, downloaded, filed and maybe soon forgotten. Some things however could not as easily be stashed away. The pat on the shoulder. The request for a prayer. The kind “How are you?” The kiss, the hug. The jokes and the laughter. The expressions of wonder on those little apos’ faces. And of course the realization that these little children, as they have seen in these oldies, will grow up loving and reaching out to their next of kin too.
Unconditional love, that probably sums it up. When family members take each one for who he or she is, and through thick or thin lift each other up. Because honestly, we have a lot lot more than just feeding sessions.
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