Post-humus Birthday Party of my Aunt

Last Dec. 12 I went to the city with my mom. Her older sister who died this Feb would have celebrated her 96th birthday then. So her son a priest invited all family and friends to go to his new Parish because he will celebrate his mom's birthday. Every year they do that when she was alive and he said even if she has gone ahead they will continue to do it.

Since my mom was the only sibling here in Iloilo left, I had to bring her. Her younger sister is in Manila and the younger brother in Dubai. All her elder siblings have gone ahead,

So while at the Parish convent waiting for the other guests, there was a group who did some Christmas caroling. They were pretty good and my cousin (the priest) passed a paper bag around and they got a big amount.

They even had costumes like same t-shirt and hats.

We are a large family and we love to take pictures. We would gather where all the "olds" are and take pictures with them .Since only my mom was left we all gathered at the sofa to take a group picture. From nieces and nephews to grand children to great grand children. This is just about 1/4 of the family or 1/8.

There are 3 very old statues of the Santo Nino in the Philippines and the 3rd oldest happened to be in Iloilo in my cousin's parish. He allowed us to go and see it in his bedroom.

Inside a glass case. There were some older capes of different colors outside but I forgot to take a picture. They were all encased in glass.

Then we transferred to their hall for dinner and some singing. We really did not stay that long because we had to travel back to the province and it takes at least an hour. It was good there were 8 of us in the vehicle.

As usual another group picture before leaving. I love the big family on my mother's side, even if their parents are gone they consider my mom to be their mom too.

This is my cousin the priest in the dark t-shirt and jeans right behind my mom. The other one is a Monsignor Mao. My mother and his mother are sisters and my father and his father are brothers so we are so very closely related. I am happy when I see my cousin all go to my mom and kiss her and hug her. They make her feel special since she is the only one left here.

My family also had a sister or nun but she died 2 years ago of Leukemia, a group of nun monks, secluded and they don't talk. A direct first cousin. We also have a celebrity in the family A singer - Jed Madela. We have doctors, nurses, engineers, businessmen and teachers. I think the only profession we don't have is a lawyer, but there are still young ones going to school. Maybe there will be one. someday.

PICTURES ARE ALL MINE