Farewell to My Island Once Again

Once again the time has come where I end my time here on the island- leave my little room with the mattress worn through with my body's weight concaved into the center and return to my other life in the states. My entire life I have lived divided between these two places (my mother in the states and my father on the island) yet leaving either one has never gotten any easier - in fact, it has become slightly more difficult each time the older I get...

These little red flowers will forever be such a significant part of my childhood memories in Puerto Rico. My cousins and I would pick them and pull out the super fine thread-like inner stem in the center of the flower and drink the droplet of juice that came out- over and over again. Then we would take one flower's empty stem and insert into the now empty center core of an other flower and make a delicate, natural chain of flowers we could use as crowns or necklaces.

Jazmin & Alexi's Wedding

What laying back at the beach looks like. I have traveled to Europe, Greece, Hawaii and Mexico and gone to beaches in all of those places and never have I ever experienced any beach like those of my Puerto Rico. The warm, clear ocean water envelops me in a way I have no words for- only sensation.

Paseo de la Princesa - The Princess' Path - every year I visit I walk it - either alone or with fam- this year was no exception.

Saying Goodbye to 'Hershey' a local, wild, free and perhaps abandoned dog (sadly like so many others) that I befriended.

Some Supermarket Spices- thankfully there are still native industry products made.

Getting inked at home by my brothers personal tat artist. In this pic you can see my beaded arm and hand being held by that of my cousin's hand while I get inked with a Taino petroglyph of the sun on my foot. Three of the Nuyorican cousins visiting for our cousin Jazmin's wedding got inked that day.

My niece Chami and I - who didn't give me a moments rest while I was in Puerto Rico but who at this moment along with my dad- I miss the most and am finding it most difficult to balance out and justify being away from.

This will be the last Puerto Rico post for a while and stay tuned because while I was away my amazing husband worked his magic on the chicken coop and just you wait until you see that gorgeous thing!- Ciao Amarettogirl

A Puerto Rican Wedding and a June Bride

Despite the fact that I return to Puerto Rico yearly to be with my father, brothers and family, this summer's visit held an extra-delightful purpose...my brother Michael's wedding. Meet Sharon Ortiz...whose name I'm sure has something like 'de Diaz' as part of it now. I have been blessed to share with both Sharon and my brother as a couple for the past few years and have even had them vacation with me here in my home in the States. The greatest gift however is that Sharon is now my sister-in-law.

The wedding which was held at their church (Casa de Avivamiento), was absolutely beautiful flanked in one of my all time favorite colors orange! Their Pastor Javier Rodriguez was their officiant. He made a powerful sermon of their wedding vow exchanges, considering that both my brother Michael and his new bride Sharon are long standing, active parishoner's and are in the process of building their own branch of the church.

Unlike me or our other brother Chayanne, Michael has both 'been chosen' and has chosen to follow in the divine path of preaching. Where as I am more spiritual than religious, Michael has found an extraordinary community, purpose and goal in life through his church and their religion.

Sharon's dress was absolutely gorgeous! And Cheers! to whoever designed the format of the wedding decorations which were stunning with coordinated drapery, columns, flowers and table linens...designing that effectively requires great artistic vision!

The cake was delicious and also designed in such a sophisticated and elegant manner, complementing the decor flawlessly! It was truly a spectacular event...check out the flower girl my niece Chamirelis!

Here is our side of the family, My brother Chayanne (Chami's dad), my father, Sharon and Michael, my aunt (Micheal's mom), and me.

I have a lot more images but I will be posting them all on my new FLICKR site soon (in a few days).

My Husband (Gregg Emery) and I made our six year wedding anniversary just a week before Michael and Sharon's wedding and here is our toast to Sharon and Michael:

We wish this young couple the great happiness, deep friendship, and un-bounding love that we (Gregg and I) have found together. Marriage is a lot of work and it takes clear, constant and caring communication, those of us who survive it, know that the ease of wedded bliss comes only with trust, clarity, mutual support and shared dreams. You are beginning a new nucleus, a new unit, a new family... begin your own new traditions and share the growing pains together (there will be pains and of course great joys)- the reward is indescribably beautiful. Never take the companionship for granted, for life is mutating and changing constantly and in each other you seek a changing constant not a familiar presumption. Respect each other's minds as library resources, as well as mirror reflections. Discover life together the beautiful and the ugly - for it is these experience that will bond you both to each other...no object has that power.

Puerto Rico's Portals - Doors and Windows

Well, I haven't been keeping up with my blogging as well as I should have because I was traveling again. When I travel to my other home (Puerto Rico)- it's country living and very difficult (although getting easier every time) to have internet access at my every whim. I generally visit PR every year since my father, brothers and much of my mother's side of the family have always resided there. Every time I go I visit Old San Juan either by 'Carro Publico' (public transport vans) on my own or in a car with friends or family. My favorite shops the bookstore Cronopios and Lace shop (The Linen House) are faithfully there every time I return. I have started a collection of images of Puerto Rico's Portals (windows and doors) that I would love to share on this blog much like the images of my trip to Europe this year. In addition to my usual Puerto Rican escapades, this time I had another extraordinary event; my brother Michael's wedding so you might see some of those images coming up soon too!