August 3rd, 1970 marks the day our beloved sister, Maria Veronica, "Rica," was born on this Earth.

Today, she would have been 53 years old.  How privileged Rica is to be celebrating perfect happiness with Our Dear Lord, Our Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Pop and all our beloved departed.

How wonderful it must be to rejoice in Heaven where pain, aging, illness, discomfort, sadness and suffering do not exist.  

Exactly the same time last year, we celebrated her 52nd birthday and present were Rob and the kids, our mom, 5 out of the 7 siblings, together with our sister-in-law, and brother in-law, nieces and nephews... What a parting gift that was for all of us, looking back now! 

It has been 6 months since she had left us and though we miss her immensely, and the hole in our hearts for those closest to her may never be patched, the void never filled,  Rica reveals herself, her presence or a sweet "remembering," if you will,  through so many unexpected yet delightful ways!  In dreams, in butterflies appearing in unusual places, through coincidences and occurrences, in conversations... lovely "signs" that surely, unmistakably, has Rica behind it, nudging us, telling us to weep no more, and to cherish our remaining days here, to live fully, not "partially happy" but superlatively  joyful, as much as we can, because ultimately, we will reunite some day and experience for ourselves, with her, that perfect happiness in paradise she now enjoys.  Until then, we must heed her nudging.

Happy, happy birthday our dearest Rica!  Thank you for the wisdom, the faith legacy, the gratitude and humility, the fierce love, the trust in God, that your death has brought us. 

We will try earnestly, with all our might, to make sure our tears do not blur what still lies ahead of us...

We love you so very much!

Tamesis Siblings

PS

Sharing a photo of a mural on the wall of a building in Mexico.  Good friend of Rica's Margie A. Duavit, visited Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, lit a candle, prayed and went back to her hotel.  She saw this from the window.  A lovely face surrounded by butterflies...uncannily similar to Rica's face.  ;-)