So Elle and I head over to the restuarant, where we meet up with my dad. He is sitting there looking so handsome as ever! My dad is a cutie, as you will see later. Anyhow, we order drinks and start eating chips and salsa. With our orders in the kitchen being made, my dad tells us that he has something he needs to confess to us - Immediately I bust out with "Are you gay???" and he almost chokes on his chips and immediately answer that NO, he is not gay - but that he does have another daughter. UHM - I'm 22 - I have NOT ever heard of this other daughter.. what the??? He proceeds to tell us that we know her and have known her our whole lives and that she already knows that he is her father because he had told her just a few months before this meeting. So both Elle and I turn to each other and then turn to our dad and say (in unison) "it's Iva?" - and he says, 'yes'
Rewind!!!! - ok.. I have to give you some back story... when I was around 5 or 6 my dad lived in another city with his brother E and his brother's wife M - my dad met his sister in law's (M) sister named V. V had just seperated from her husband so she was single and started to go out with my dad. So they dated for a couple of months and it didn't work out and I think she went back to her ex-husband. How ever long later(9months), she ended up having a daughter (Iva) and no one thought anything of it or questioned who was the dad.. they all thought it was V's ex husband. Anyway so this is how Iva has been in our lives the whole time - as a cousin to our cousins. So we knew her, not well, but she was a part of our lives in some way.
ok.. back to the restaurant where both Elle and I have our mouths open and wondering how we could have missed that! So we ask my dad why didn't he tell us sooner or why haven't we had her in our lives.. really it was more WTH?!?!?!?! but anyway he went on to tell us that he never knew that she was his daughter but anytime he would be around her, he could tell that there was something different about her. Like he could sense that she was his daughter. So he asked Iva's mom for a paternity test and it came back positive for my dad being a match.
I was sooo excited to have another sister. I wanted to call her right then and there and be her bff. But we didn't. We chilled out for a few weeks maybe even months . I don't even remember how we came about talking to her, but I just loved it! Oh and here's a pic of the four of us on vacay - super fun! (btw.. isn't my dad a good looking guy.. and no he is not single anymore...oh and sorry about the picture quality - its a picture of a picture...) - from left to right, me, dad, elle, and Iva.
I know that my relationship with her is not as close the relationship I have with my sister Elle - it will never be(close, but not quite) because Elle and I share the same mom and dad and that makes for a tighter bond. Even so, I love Iva very much and she is forever my sister.
So ffwd to now. Iva's birthday is tomorrow and I LOVE sending her stuff (she doesn't live in the same city as Elle and I do) for ANY holiday or festive day - Valentine's, Christmas, Birthday, Easter, etc. I just want her to know that even though I am not in the same city or we haven't talked in 2 months, I am still thinking about and caring about her very much.
I bought the cutest gift but decided against sending it for her bday and instead I am going to hold it until Christmas. So I was searching and searching and I found this cute little bag at Target but of course, FORGOT to take a picture of it... so, I found something similar to it - except that the one I got is black on the inside and has beige polka dots on the outside AND is reversible!! Bonus! this bag however has the general look of the bag I bought - cloth like.
In the bag I put a lovely card and a copy of this book:
The book synopsis is:
There’s more to life than computerized slippers and sexy ring tones. The world revolves around something greater than ourselves, and we all burn for intimacy, crave community, and struggle for eternity.
This is a book about sex, sushi, and salvation – a book of snapshots – the ups and downs, the failures and fortunes.
If you hunger for a raw faith that satisfies the soul, this book is for you.
Since humans were made in the image of God, we have three basic passions—intimacy, community and eternity. We burn for them, save for them, pay for them and pray for them. But only the God who fulfills these desires within himself can perfectly fulfill them in us. In these chapters, I retrace my travels around the world, from pagan temples in Greece to Transylvanian mountains in Romania. I confess my lust and love, my struggle with truth and my quest for Christ. Fasten your seatbelt. It’s going to be a wild ride. And along the way we just might discover that the God who satisfies us with himself joins us for the journey.
Sounded interesting and I thought that the title was kind of catchy!! Yeah right... I was kinda embarrased to buy it.. with the S word on the front! lol... but it does sound interesting though, right??
Happy Birthday Tomorrow Iva!
Hasta!
Adri.
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