My Dad and his siblings have come a long way from that small town in Portugal where they were all born and grew up. The small town that gave birth to them and had watched them grow and make something of themselves. They were now adopted children of this wonderful nation, and this wonderful nation was now their adopted parent. It would feed, clothe, and nurture all of them and their families. They had all made great lives for themselves and their children and now their grandchildren. They came with nothing, pretty much the clothes on their backs and without a pot to piss in. But while holding on to each other, helping each other, they survived. They had all found wonderful homes, they found steady jobs, had beautiful families of their own. I wish she could see us all now, how much we've achieved, how far we've come, how many grandchildren, and great grandchildren she now has. I wish she could see the success we've all found, the lives we've all made for ourselves. What a blessing its been!