I remember you when you were very very small and when my uncle Roy married your mom. I think you were either 2 or 3 at that time. From that point on you were family...sure you may not have been blood related...but in my eyes there was no difference, you simply were my cousin. Nearly every Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter from that point on my family would come up from the Valley to spend time with our family in Cibolo at our grandparents house. Roy would always bring you guys over for the bbq and fun times. I remember my sister and I playing with Adan and Carla the most since they were closer to our age. You always hung out with my cousin Megan and Catherine when we would get together.
The time I remember the most was when I was in the Air Force and I came down to Texas to visit during Easter. You were there with your family too. They had an Easter egg hunt which was like ritual for us grandchildren since we were like born into the Rey-Esparza family. LOL. Anyway, I helped hide the eggs. Well if I remember right, you were the one that exited the door first as if on a mission from God. You totally skipped the eggs laying right there in plain sight on the concrete slab of the driveway. Instead you went for the eggs all over the yard trying to get as many as you could. You were so proud that you had pretty much the most eggs out of any of the other kids. My poor cousin Megan didn't get as many as you did and it showed in her basket and on her face. HAHA. However she did get some of the eggs that had money in them and that made her smile a bit. But two of the things I remember was that you gave Megan some of your eggs from your basket to make her happy. I thought that was awesome of you to do that at such a young age.....but then it happened. With the downstroke of your arm without a second to think about your kind gesture, you crushed an egg all over the top of Megan's head. (**NOTE**in my eyes this egg conatined the most confetti ever put into an Easter egg**) You smashed that egg all over her hair and she was covered in confetti. I laughed so hard because you did it right in front of me and you smashed that egg down hard. You had the biggest smile on your face from that accomplishment. Megan tried to get you back, but you took off within seconds knowing she was about to seek revenge. I think you hid in the house with some of your eggs. That memory will forever last because everybody at that moment was having the time of their lives.
I remember your mom and Roy telling me that you took up guitar, martial arts, and did I.T./comuter work just like I do. I thought that was so cool that you and your sister Vanessa did exactly what I was doing and had gone to college for. That gave us more of a connection. I also remember the times I would come to visit my grandparents when I was living in Denver; and you and your parents with Vanessa would always have a smile and say hello to me when you stopped by.
I was sad and pretty much shocked to hear of what happened. No matter how far or distant we were as cousins, you are still family to me and in my heart. I know we never got to hang out or talk much, but I know you are now jamming out on the guitar with my uncle Joe up in Heaven as you both look down upon us all. You and your family are in my prayers.
Written 12/28/08 at 1:00 a.m.
"To: God
From: Me
Dear God, it's me and I need you again
I've caught my soul in a wild whirl wind
I know I have disappointed you
I'm sorry God there's no excuse
The look in your eyes brings me so much shame
And though I only have myself to blame
I ask you for your forgiveness for minding my business
And forgetting the real reasons that I'm here in this
Beautiful world you made so bright
I lost sight of the warmth of your candle light
So God if you can find it in your heart to forgive
Your child who still today loves and hurts
Without you God I would fall apart
And beginning again I would know not where to start
Guide me father and help me begin
Again..
For everyone at home
I love you all very much..." -Alonzo Garza
We've been looking at Alonzo's poems and writings. Brittney wanted to share them.
Here's one he wrote to her:
"I love you baby a trillion times is not enough love to describe
the love that I see in your eyes when they lock with mine
there is no time nothing else but love exists
counting nothing I know something I've missed
When I'm staring through the window of your soul
I'm drawn in with your gravity like stars and black holes
I spiral towards you until I find your center
and when I find your heart I enter"
When I took care of Alonzo when he was a baby. I would play with him, him on the highchair i would turn his chupon upside down and he would twirl it back the right way. All with his tongue. I have never seen another baby do that... He made us laugh doing that among other stuff he did but that always stuck to me. We will miss him a lot.
