hold on

Hi friends! Hope everyone is enjoying their extended weekend (or making lots of money if you have to work)! This time last week, I was running around town stocking up on goods with my daddy, brother, Jaisen and Evelet. Our daddy lives in Medellin, Colombia, South America. This was his first time back in North Carolina since July 2014 and let me tell you, we sure did make up for lost time. It pretty much rained the entire time but we dance in the rain and bring our own sunshine. Saying we had fun would be a complete understatement. We painted the city.

My grandma (his mother) and her boyfriend Wilson came from Wilmington as well. I took plenty of photos on my phone (and a few on my camera) and snap chatted a lot (username @feelthybeauty). I’m a big snap chatter anyway but made a point to capture plenty of moments so my sister could see. As many of you know, she is currently in Korea. Well, at the moment she is in Japan but was in Korea at the time. I missed her terribly while our Daddy was here. It seems we’re always missing each other….never all together at the same time. Last time we were all together (our daddy, myself, Kimberly and David) was in 2012. Hopefully we will all be able to be together sooner than later…

For the long weekend my Daddy was here, we pretty much went with the flow. We went out to eat, did some shopping, hung out at home… See that’s the thing with my daddy. If he taught me anything, it’s not where you’re at, it’s who you’re with… You bring the fun. Time spent together not time spent somewhere is what really matters. Whether we were in the car riding from one destination to the next, in the isles of grocery store or in my living room, we were on another level of fun and laughter.

I am fortunate to say my mother and father are still “cool.” We can still enjoy both their company simultaneously and not just for a special occasion. Besides, everyday is a special occasion if you ask me. Saturday evening we had dinner at my mama’s in which the first photos EVER of my baby and her maternal grandparents as well as the 4 generations were captured. Two things I didn’t count on having.

My brother decided to follow his bliss and join my father in Colombia. I dropped them off at the airport around 4:30am Monday morning. You know those moments in life that just make you flinch? As they were walking through the sliding doors, I was watching as they faded into the distance. I noticed my brother was treading a little slower than my father and then he did something so simple… It surpassed my tough hard shell with such grace and ease… bolting like lightning straight to my heart. He looked back and he smiled. Not just any smile. That smile only he knows how to give to his sister. That smile with his eyes and from his soul. That smile that says, “I see you.” I quickly waved and drove away as the tears began rolling down my face as they are in this brief moment.

If you’re reading this and you have family close by, say thank you right now. Say it to the sky or to the nearest chair or the morning air if you must; but just say it. Out loud. And mean it. Family is so precious…I hate that mine is never together but extremely fortunate we are all healthy, happy and well. We all possess a love unmeasurable and bond unbreakable. This reminds me of a line from one of my favorite songs/musicians.

“I can’t rememeber all the times I tried to tell myself to hold onto these moments as they pass…” Counting Crows, A Long December

Hold onto your loved ones friends. Even if you’re literally worlds apart and only have an assortment of memories to embrace you, hold on.

On a lighter note, here is a collection of photos and even a video from my snapchat attack episodes of his short visit with us. Kind of random but pretty majestic to me. Hope you enjoy and remember to remember to hold on.