Dear Joseph and Lucia,

Do you remember Father Isidore? You met him on our trip back from California.  At the time he was pastor at the church in Taylor.  I’ve reconnected with him.  He’s now the pastor at St. Thomas More.  That was the parish we first attended after your mother and I married. At the time he was an associate priest at St. Mary’s cathedral.  That is how we met during the Easter week of 1993 when I joined the church. He was still in school completing his Master’s degree.

It wasn’t long before he was appointed as pastor to his own church in East Austin.  We attended there and frequently visited him at his house.  He has a great sense of humor.  At one time his mother came over from Uganda for medical treatment.  While she was staying with him, I had the honor to meet her. Her first comment was there were no gardens here.  She was used to growing her own food.  That evening, I took her to Wal-Mart and bought everything needed to make a raised bed garden.  She laughed and laughed when I actually paid money for manure. (Paying for poo… hee hee)  I spent the rest of the evening tilling the soil with her new shovel and building her new garden.  It wasn’t very big but room enough for her to raise a few plants.  I’ll never forget the tearful kisses she gave me.

Always be willing to help someone when they least expect it. And never be afraid to think outside of the norm.  You are both loving and smart.  I’m sure you would have done the same thing.

Love,
Dad

P.S. I miss you guys. Never forget.