Milestones

My Mother (Adela Lota Guran)
Today, April 6 is my mom’s birthday. If she had lived to this day, she would have been 80 years old. I miss my mom so much. There isn’t a day that passes that I don’t think of her. I could still hear her laughing and crying at the same time. When I called her, she would always ask, “When can I see my grandbabies?”

When I became a citizen, I filed a petition to allow my parents to come to the U.S. They were thrilled to know that they would finally get to be with their grandchildren. There were more visits following the very first one. There were more memories made of them and us.

Then, the unexpected happened! Just months after they returned to the Philippines from the U.S., my dad suffered a debilitating stroke. This hindered them from traveling any further. Then, the family decided that it was our turn to visit the Philippines. During the summer of 1994, we arrived in Manila. Before the trip, this place was just a blurry picture in the minds of my husband and my children. Now, the Philippines was a real place to them. We had many great memories. For the first time, my family met cousins and other relatives. It was overwhelming, to come back after 14 years. This trip coincided with my parents’ 49th wedding anniversary. More memories were made. Oh, how sweet they were!

This would be our last chance to see and visit with my mom. She died the following year (June 4, 1995) at age 66.
Happy birthday today Mommy! I love you!

My Dad (Samson Moralde Guran)
Life had to go on for Daddy after Mommy died. He missed her a great deal. He missed the companionship that she had given him for most of his life. She had taken good care of him.

Yet, despite the loneliness of not having my mom by his side, he still managed to have a good outlook on life. From his seat in a wheelchair, he would visit with friends, sing, and tell jokes as part of his everyday life. I remember one joke that he told us. He told us that even though his body was not good; his mind was still very good. The punch-line was that he could still remember everyone who owed him money. He could recite the complete Gettysburg Address. What a smart dad I had!

My dad lived 9 years after the death of my mother. On May 18, 2001, he closed his eyes for the last time and opened them in heaven to see Jesus and Mommy waiting. My dad was 76 years old.