Cousins

This 3-day weekend was a very special one for my mom and for me as well. My cousins Mary Lou and her daughter Eliza came to visit us all the way from Parker, Arizona which is about a 6 hour drive, 360 miles! They arrived on Friday evening and left around 11am on Sunday morning. So we had all Saturday together!


Mary Lou is the daughter of one of my mom's sisters named Eliza. Eliza was born on November 6, 1919 and passed away on November 11, 1951 leaving behind three children; her daughter Maria Luisa (Mary Lou), and sons Florentino and Agustin aka Woody. This is Eliza. I took this photo last year in February when I was visiting Mary Lou's home in Parker. She had this portrait on the wall and this is a photo of a photo hence the glare of the flash.

 I also took the following picture which is the wedding photograph of Mary Lou and her husband Fernando. I believe she mentioned they will celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary in two years. Isn't Mary Lou gorgeous? She looks like a movie star! I love old wedding photographs!

Mary Lou named her daughter after her mother Eliza. My sister is also named Eliza. Here's a photo of Mary Lou and her daughter Eliza. Mary Lou is on the left, Eliza on the right and the woman in the middle is my own dear mom, Tomasa.

Mary Lou has 3 other children, Fernando Jr aka Sonny, Miguel aka Michael, Armando and of course Eliza aka Tweety. (She's gonna kill me for posting that nick-name!) She also had an adopted son Esteban aka Stevie who was killed in a motorcycle accident 13 or 14 years ago.

Anyway...they came to visit my mom and on Saturday we all gathered at my house and we had a wonderful day catching up and sharing news, gossip and insights. Here's some photos:

First off a picture of cousin Mary Lou and my brother Federico aka Fred (we have a lot of aka's in our family, everyone gets a nickname, don't ask what mine is!)

Next, one with yours truly in it. Starting left to right Alyssa, she's the daughter of my cousin Maria Elena aka Mary Helen (she's the one in the beige jacket right next to Alyssa) then me in the background in the gray sweater and Eliza in the red sweater.

Next we have the same grouping except my own dear sister, the other Eliza has now taken my spot in the background. So we have Alyssa, Mary Helen, Eliza and Eliza :-)

This shot was just too pretty to pass up! We giggled and laughed for well over two hours outside. (Don't tell anyone, but we're possibly planning a all-girl, cousins-only trip to Vegas in September or October of this year. Shhhhh, it's a secret.)

Then we have a picture of my mom and her niece, my cousin...Mary Lou. This photo was taken the following morning at breakfast.

Then a photo of my mom with her grand-niece Eliza, her sister's namesake.

Then one final shot outside the restaurant before a tearful farewell. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Pictured here are my sister Eliza, my mom, cousin Mary Lou and yours truly on the end. There is nothing as wonderful as family and especially cousins.

Cousins are the 1st friends of your life. Cousins are there as childhood friends. 

No one will every understand your crazy family like your cousins. 

Thank you Cousin Mary Lou and Cousin Eliza for coming this weekend; for taking that long, long, long car trip just to come and make my mom happy. We Love you ladies!