Psalm 100:4-5
July 25, 2012
Dear Jesus:
Lately, I have been very lazy with my writing. It's been two months since I last picked up this journal. We are one month into the summer and it's been quite a busy one, but also a very blessed one.
Alex managed to finish his Junior year with one A and the rest Bs. His schedule for next year is going to be pretty tough with three AP classes, three Honor classes and Peer Ministry. I pray to You that he gets his act together since the beginning so he can get accepted into a good university. This summer, he went to the Dominican Republic on a Belen Youth Mission trip. He really enjoyed working with the "campesinos" and helping build a bridge so they have better access to the services they need. Now he is volunteering at South Miami Hospital. This summer has been a big improvement from the previous one. Thank You, Jesus, for the gift of Alex. He is an extraordinary boy with a great personality. He is witty, and he always has a funny remark for everything. Help him to grow into the young man that You want him to become. And help me to be the mom that he needs. Please protect Alex in everything he does and always surround him with the right friends.
Chabeli got accepted into both UM and Fordham for her MBA. Fordham gave her a very generous scholarship. I'm so proud of her. Last week, I went with her to New York and we spent two days visiting different neighborhoods and checking out apartments. She also attended an open house that the university was hosting. It was a tough two days because New York was having a heat wave and the temperature was 105 degrees. It was very uncomfortable to be walking, taking the subway and going to visit the most horrendous apartments that I have ever seen. They were all tiny, cramped, ugly and dirty. None of the buildings had elevators, laundry or security. And the rent for those dumps was $2,400 a month minimum. It was horrible. I felt really bad for Chabeli because she really wanted to move to New York, but in the end, after we sat down and compared the pros and cons for both universities, she ended up choosing UM. One of the big deciding factors is that UM has a 1-year MBA program, so even with the scholarship that Fordham offered her, she's saving a chunk of money and she will finish much faster. I'm glad she made the decision on her own because it really wasn't worth it for her to move to New York, to live in a tiny apartment with no comforts, and then end up with a huge student loan. If she still wants to live in New York, she can move there after graduation. Deloitte has already made her an offer and they have offices everywhere. Please protect my girl as she journeys through life and finds her place in the world. And when her heart is ready to love again, please cross her path with a good, honest, hard-working young man. I know that You have a truly special man saved just for her and she will meet him when the time is right.
My Rafi graduated from Princeton "magna cum laude." I am so proud of him. After all the tears, after all the struggles, after all the health issues, and after all the agony of his years in college which were a rollercoaster ride from start to finish, Rafi graduated and we are bursting with joy and happiness. My parents went with us, and they had the joy of seeing their grandson graduate from an Ivy League. This was the culmination of all the sacrifices they made when they left Cuba with nothing in their pockets.
The graduation activities were like a marathon.The first activity was the 4-hour P-Rade where all the alumni parade by year. The oldest alumni from the class of 1925, a 105-year-old gentleman, opened the parade. Four hours later, the class of 2012 made its way into the stadium. The following day was the Baccalaureate which was held inside the Princeton Chapel. Afterwards we went to an early dinner, and at night, the graduates serenaded us on the steps of one of the university halls. That turned out to be one of my favorite activities. It was a full moon evening, and they sang us their favorite songs: "We are Young," "Sweet Caroline," etc. It was very emotional.
The next day was Class Day and it was storming. Nonetheless, the smart Princetonians decided to have the activity outside. They gave us raincoats but it got so cold that my poor dad was shivering. I had to take them indoors and they missed the entire event. The guest speaker was Steve Carell. He was very funny. By the end, we were soaked from head to toe, and our feet were full of mud. But we made the best of it. The university provided us with box lunches, and then we went to the department award presentations. During the evening, they had a prom for the whole family. We took pictures and celebrated the joyous occasion with music and food.
And finally, it was Graduation Day. Thank You, Jesus, for the sunshine (pun intended). It was a beautiful ceremony. We were so proud of our Rafi. Afterwards we walked to his residential college for the last reception and to pick up his diploma. All in all, it was a beautiful experience and now I have all the pictures to savor for years to come.
Right now, Rafi is traveling through Europe with Emily. Once they return, they will go to California apartment hunting. They both start working for Facebook on the day Rafi turns 24 years-old. Please take care of both of them, Jesus, as they travel and as they start a new life on the West Coast. Please, continue to keep Rafi healthy and help him find a good doctor in California that can monitor his treatment.
Jesus, thank You for entrusting each of our children to us and for choosing us to be their parents.
I love You, Jesus!!!
July 25, 2017
Dear Jesus:
Once again, Rafi and Emily are traveling through Europe. Those two are made for each other. They love to travel, especially to Europe. Thank You for always looking out for them. Thank You for the amazing two and a half years that they spent in California. Thank You for a smooth transition to New York. And thank You for keeping Rafi healthy through it all.
Chabeli continues to work for Deloitte but she never moved to New York. She's truly a Miami girl, even though she's talking about possibly transferring to a different city in the future. Thank You for always taking care of my girl, and thank You for placing Daniel in her path. They are about to celebrate three years together and I see her happy, content, and at peace.
And Alex continues to grow and mature into the young man that You want him to become. He had a few more growing pains in the last four years, but this past year I have finally noticed some positive changes. I pray that You continue to protect him. I pray that you allow him to have a smooth end to his four years in college. I pray that You choose the right company to offer him a job after graduation. And I pray that if his vocation is marriage, that You pick the right girl for him. Even though I still don't know who she is, I pray for her as well. May she share Alex's values and dreams so that together they can always walk in the direction that will lead them to You.
Jesus, thank You for entrusting each of our children to us and for choosing us to be their parents.
I love You, Jesus!!!
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