21 October 2010
She would've been 41 years old this year. And if she were alive today, she would've been in the thick things - seeing Luis and Rocio grow up so fast. Luis, who is now 12 years old, sports thick Tekken-like hair, just the way he wants it. Rocio, on the otherhand, will be turning 11 years old this November, and is as bubbly as her Mom would've been. She is always craving for ice cream and chocolate, the latter of which, she is allergic to - just like her Mom. Each time I see them, I see parts of Aimee that remain so alive, so vivid, and so memorable. From the way they eat, talk, their moods, even with the ocassional allergy or two, they all seem to be bits and pieces of Aimee that remind us so much that she lives through them, and you just want to rush and hug them. And more often than not, I do. I do give them a quick hug and they put up with the hugging and they smile through it and Luis and Rocio fully know what I mean.
(L to R: Luis & Rocio with their cousin, Marella)
(L to R: Luis, Miguel Mercado and Rocio)
Miguel, with Luis and Rocio, remain very closeto us. Rocio and my 13 year old, Marella are BFF's. Luis is like a very cool kuya to my 10 year old Jose and my 3 year old Matteo. We have the ocassional get togethers, family dinners, trips out, and this makes our parents quite happy and content to see all 5 grandchildren in their midst. My mother, Carmela, continues to subject all of them to the same kind of discipline Aimee and I grew up with: no elbows on the table, Sunday's best for Church, and so on and so forth. And all the children bask in the bliss knowing that that is how exactly their Moms were brought up when we were their age.
Aimee is my one and only sister. And just like everyone who knew her, we all miss her terribly. But the great thing is, we also know that we have one bubbly, stylish angel hovering, watching as she would over her 2 lovely children, and over the rest of us.
(L to R, The Villaseñor women: Rocio, Poteet, & Rocio's BFF, Marella)
