On this special day I honor the two most important men in my life, the man I call Papi and the man my girls call Daddy.
Papi (my dad) is an incredible guy. He is loved by everyone who meets him because of his generous soul and his sense of humor. He is charismatic, funny, has amazing experiences to share and has a heart of gold. You can always count on Papi to help with whatever you need assistance with because he loves helping others and never asks for anything in return.Papi loves to travel, and with him and my mom (Mami), I have been to over a dozen countries. When I was only 3 years old, he converted a van into a cozy 'apartment on wheels' and we drove from Houston, Texas down to San Jose, Costa Rica... a journey that took almost 2 weeks. Oh, the stories he will tell you (over & over again) about that adventure! Papi also loves to sail and he recently purchased a sailboat so he could fulfill his dream of spending every spare moment on the water. Papi loves to build and repair things. He has transformed their Florida home into something that looks almost nothing like the original home he purchased 20 years ago... home project by home project. Papi is the life of the party. No matter where we go, people will gravitate towards him to hear him retell his hilarious accounts of growing up with his identical twin brother in Puerto Rico, or attending school at Georgia Tech, or traveling through Central America with his wife and child. Whatever story he is telling, he says it with such gusto and humor that it engrosses his audience... even if they have heard them a half-a-dozen times before. ;)
The name Papi has clung to him like white on rice and now everyone calls him that... from his daughters, to his grandchildren, to our friends. Happy Father's Day, Papi!
I didn't think I could meet a man as wonderful as Papi until I met Jon. It was amazing to me to see how similar we were but yet how incredibly different. We were attracted to each other at the beginning because of our similar sense of humor. Very crass, I must say. And it seemed like in social situations, we were the only ones who "got" each other. It was great! Still is. But on the other hand, we are so different. He is practical, rational, logical and a planner. I am impulsive, crazy, wild and a dreamer. We balance each other perfectly!Together, Jon and I have had some amazing experiences. We've traveled extensively and done some wild things... from scuba diving to parasailing... and loved every minute of it. He "gets" my eccentricities and tries to indulge me every chance he gets. Plus, we share a love of ethnic foods and imported beers so meal times can always be an adventure whether we are traveling or staying close to home.
As a father, I couldn't have dreamed of anyone better... he is sweet, caring and dedicated. Sophie & Sydney adore him to death and as a matter of fact, when he comes home from work, I am chopped liver. When we go out to eat the girls fight as to who gets to sit next to daddy. I should be a tad jealous, but I am just so ecstatic that they love him so much... plus it gives mom a little break after being with them all day long. ;)
Thank you, Jon, for being such a wonderful husband and father. Thank you for working so hard so that I can stay home with the kids and realize my dream. I only hope that one day I can do this for you too. :)
