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Kierce of TigerDMaster's Celestial Orb Clan!

Lux: À true chosen one. A warlock marked with horns by a nearly forgotten threshold deity. In exchange for the ability to shift their form to reflect their inner truth (you know, the nb dream) they are tasked with resurrecting the god. How does one resurrect a god you ask, fuck if lux knows.

How do I explain in words the two most insightful months that I have lived so far? How do I describe my new understanding of humility, decency and acumen? How do I thank a pair of strangers that became my family and my source of inspiration? I’m fairly certain that Shakespeare, Cervantes nor Hemingway could elucidate my gratefulness at this moment. Grace and Sergio are the principle agents of my new adventure. This past summer, they opened their doors and provided me a gateway (a huge room/bathroom in their basement) as I transitioned into Washington, D.C. They treated me as their own brother/son, even though I didn’t have the same germs as them (it’s a joke; you’ll get that one later on). But, I don’t want to talk about Grace and Sergio. You know how wonderful they are; you wouldn’t be reading this blog post if you didn’t know that. I want to talk about Santiago and Natalia, a pair of kids that changed my outlook on life. As a preface, I’d like to share a list of funny/peculiar phrases that the munchkins said during my two-month voyage at the Rivera-Robiou’s house. (Disclaimer: Many of you won’t understand the context of these phrases, but that’s all right. Just picture Santi and Nati saying this with a huge smile on their faces). 1. They're going to see that man's boobies! (Santi) 2. You are zero. Papi is a zillion. (Nati) 3. Does Gerald have the same germs as Mama and me? (Nati) 4. I'm tapped. (A Spanish reference for having her nose congested) (Nati) 5. That's not green, it's toycoyse. (In reference to the color turquoise.) (Nati) 6. You can't eat me. This is skin and you won't like it cause you're not a shark. (Nati) 7. Morgan Freeman is that guy married to that girl from Atlanta, right? (Santi) 8. I can open this door because I'm the boss. Papi's the boss, Mami's the boss, and Santi's the boss. You're not the boss. (Nati) 9. Gerald: Rock. Paper. Scissors. Shoot!... Nati: It's not shoot, Gerald, it's shoe. Rock. Paper. Scissors. Shoe. (Nati) 10. There's an ant on my arroz!! (Nati) 11. What are you talking about? I'm not going to sleep. I'm the boss of the house. (Nati) 12. Your butt is squishy. (Nati) 13. I love broccoli more than you do. I love them till the end of the rainbow. (Nati) 14. I'm going to put some ice on mommy because she's hot. (Nati) 15. Every time I go to the dentist I don't have any caries. You know why? Because I brush my teeth really good, and I always get two stickers from the lady. (Nati) 16. You're not my best friend anymore. We are not playing. (Nati) 17. Boys can't play piano. (Nati) 18. Mama just showed her armpit. (Santi) 19. Skin protects your bones and blood, that are private parts. (Nati) 20. Food is our electronics. (Instead of energy.) (Nati) 21. You're funny when you lift your foot up. (Nati) 22. Ok, I'm going to eat this with my hands. Don't tell my mom. (That was actually Sergio) 23. In the summer, the sun stays up ‘till late. Sometimes, it plays cards and takes a long time to brush its teeth. (Nati) 24. Are you aware that we have Doritos? Are you aware?! (Santi) 25. Be quiet, I'm going to whistle. Wait! I have to stop laughing first. (Nati) 26. I don't know Bob the Builder, but I do know Twinkle Twinkle, ABCs and Wonder Pets. (Nati) 27. Your shirt has a lion. Look, I'm going to scare you. Rawwrrr!! (Nati) 28. In math camp, there's a girl who's really psyco. Her name is XX (her name cannot be disclosed. (Santi) 29. I don't like when you play with Santi and not me. I wish there were two Geralds. (Nati) 30. Ooouu Natalia! You kicked me in the ba... In the wiener! (Santi) 31. I'm a high school kid! You're a low school kid. (Nati) 32. TJ Maxx is for girls. I actually have to go there; I need to buy panties. (Nati) 33. I love food. I'm always thinking about food. (Smile) (Nati) 34. Gerald, the moscas are always in the sala. (Nati) Santiago is a winner. Period. That kid never quits. He gets hurt and he gets right back up. He’s a quiet leader, and his curiosity with technology and sports hints that he will be an amazing innovator in the future. Apart from all of these remarkable attributes, he’s got a huge heart. I remember during a mid-June supper, Santi mentioned in the dinner table that he was excited to attend the same school as his sister because they would walk to school together. If that isn’t decency in its purest form, I don’t know what is. Natalia is the boss. Period. That kid is a leader, a sales-woman and a curious intellectual. At the tender age of four, she can play the piano better than most of my friends, and she knows five different routes from her house to her school. Her laugh is contagious and her relentless pursuit to play Hide-and-Seek or Freeze-Tag is rejuvenating. From a young age, you can tell she’s a go-getter, a person who can’t sit still because life has too much to offer for us to be wasting it by sitting down. And, as you now know, she loves broccoli… Needless to say, she’s going to be a healthy woman. Isn’t it interesting how much children can teach us? They aren’t baffled by the day-to-day complexities of life. They ask questions, interact with their peers, and learn about absolutely everything that surrounds them. While adults crave a moment of silence, they crave a moment of excitement. This is how life should be lived: unsteady yet demanding, with an innate desire for joy and content. Thanks to all of Grace/Sergio’s advices and connections, I was able to secure a wonderful apartment that’s walking distance to my amazing new job. I’ve been living in this lonely yet comfortable studio apartment for a couple of weeks now. As I return home every day, I imagine Santi and Nati running up to me and asking me to play with them. Just the thought of it brightens up my evening. That’s why, every once in a while, I like to pay them a visit. Last week I was in their house celebrating Santi’s birthday party. As I said goodbye to Grace after a great afternoon, she gave me a bear hug and told me “te quiero mucho,” which roughly translates to “I love you.” It was that sort of “I love you” that a sister or a mother tells you. It was exactly what I needed to hear and exactly when I needed to hear it. I love this family as if it where my own. I’m a new man after this summer, a better man. All I can say is thanks for everything, and, go Nats! August 2013