My newly-found Gonzales cousins

The July 14th Gonzales Reunion generated wonderful new contacts and two more Gonzales family members joined the clan:  Kristy and Anna.

How many people take their family for granted in that they have always been there, they've always felt they belonged, they always knew their family members and had photos from the time they were small that included all their relatives?  I know I do.  There were many times growing up that I wished I lived closer to my Spanish relatives in Woodland and Winters, but I lived in Oregon with my mother and stepfather, who was the dad of my heart.  I was lucky that my mother chose so well after her divorce from the Spanish part of my heritage when I was so young.  But happily for me and my brothers, mom and dad always made sure were were part of the Silvan/Ruiz family on our annual vacations to Woodland.  I had the best of both worlds.

For others, their stories join the many who did not have the rememories that I did (yes I made up that word.... author's license, thank you).    The thoughts that run through a child's mind when they are the last child of the last wife before their father dies does strange things to their psyche.  The questions abound, cross over, run through and seep into their confidence and they feel a hole that they crave to fill.  Anna's trip to Winters on July 14th, where she met the living siblings of her father, Alejandro (Red) Gonzales, began to fill in those holes.  Yes, they welcomed her.  Yes, they were delighted to meet her.  Yes, they wanted to be part of her life.  Yes, yes and yes again. 

I am most anxious to meet Kristy and plan to work toward that goal as well as finding Judy C.

Two other Gonzales siblings have connected with me and to my delight, were anxious to share their rememories of their father, John Gonzales, with me.  Bobbie F. has photos and documents and I am most anxious to see them and speak with her again soon.  John G., her brother, wondered where I came from?  (smiled at that).  How great that their half sister, Kristy, sought them out and I wonder if she lived and breathed the same feelings as Anna did, wondering if she'd be accepted into the Gonzales clan?  YES, yes and yes again.

I FOUND A GENEALOGIST IN SPAIN whom my brother, Steven, and I will meet with a few days after we arrive in Spain.  Fernando is based in Seville and our Silvan ancestors boarded their first boat on the pier on the Guadalquivir River in February 1911, floated down the river toward La Linea and later boarded the SS Orteric, the ship that sailed them to Hawaii.  Fernando --- I hope he can help us add the pieces to the puzzle as I continue to flesh out my book, MANUELA'S PETALS.  I am giddy with excitement for my trip to Spain and look forward to sharing it with all my family in a daily blog (based on WiFi availability of course).  For now, I am blessed with more family!!