(Forgot to mention on Thanksgiving night Saul's mom, Sharon, came by pretty late at night and dropped off a plate of food for us. It was weird cos she gave it to my dad and jammed right away, I thought it was weird and at the same time I was really delighted that she went out of her way to come do something nice for us! Earlier in the day Sharon had called me to tell that her mother wanted me to know she's thankful that I'm standing by Saul. She was in tears, I didn't know what to say. I'm very glad I'm able to help Saul's family. Saul's Dad, Juan, called me, too, telling me thank you and all. I've been blessed with great in-laws :D)

Saturday: I woke up pretty late but not too late, I got dressed to meet up Cyrene, Tony, Keil and Tako at Little Tokyo. I was dressed in my new dresscoat and in steampunk stuff cos I was planning to go to LosCon to meet up with MPsy and everyone. We walked around everywhere, went into some shops and goofed around having a good time. I saw all kinds of stuff I liked but didn't buy anything as I need to save my money for this paycheck. We hung out, played games, chilled out, it was fun! Tony had to leave us at Little Tokyo, got picked up to go to the airport back to Oregon. We had a lot of fun hanging out with Tony and I know Cyrene was very happy to see her twinsie!

I was pissed about having to pay $10 for parking after they wouldn't accept my parking stickers for validation, next time I know where to go for the $4 parking!!! When I started driving toward the con, my car was making a noise like I heard before when the brakes dropped last year. I got freaked out so I went home, I didn't want to be stuck out in LA with bad brakes. I was grrr cos I feel like I've been flaking on MPsy and I don't mean to. I don't like letting people down. Thankfully my car's brakes aren't the issue, it's the oil. Lucky me gets to go get my smog checked,too.

Keil, Cyrene, Tako & Tony at Little Tokyo

Keil took a picture of a black-clad me

We don't know who this is but she was being interviewed outside of the bookstore. She had a posse of emo haired boys

Sticker graffiti <3 Every time I come to LA I make it a point to take pictures of as many of these as possible

Tako looking way stylish in these lovely kitty ears!

Just the girlsies!

hanging out, skulking for food

NOT GAY AT ALL! (part 2!)

Down 2nd street

Down 4th street

Off Alameda

Sunday: After my mother and I went to church, we picked up my dad and met up at my grandmother's house to go together to the cemetery to see the headstone that was placed on my grandfather's grave. My grandmother and grandfather have a shared plot so they had to put her name on the stone as well. It was very beautiful, and there was my favourite picture of them in the middle of their names. When we were all gathered at the site, we all joined hands together and the family asked me to say a few words at that moment. I had some time to think about what I would say as my family does look to me for comforting words. I was glad I had the right words to say. We took some pictures of the headstone, then of the family gathered. I know Grandpa was very happy we were all together and still taking care of one another. Grandma thanked me for my words.

We all went together to a little Mexican restaurant to eat a family meal, we ate very well and laughed and joked. I had a HUGE burrito but only ate a teeny piece of it, everyone was making fun of me and how little I ate! When we parted, we all hugged and said goodbye, knowing we did a good thing today and that my grandfather is happy in Heaven and we honoured him. My Uncle Meño thanked me very much for helping out and my grandmother thanked me very much for everything I'd done. It was a family effort, I'm just doing my part.

These last two days have been very crazy, I don't know what to say except there have been a lot of car accidents lately, a lot of family things coming up. It's been a week since my lymph nodes have swollen close to my neck and I'm beggining to have symptoms of whatever it is this virus is bringing up. (cough, headache, body ache, fatigue, nausea, and the lymph node under my chin has swollen now) My Sauli called me today, saying he loves me, he misses me, and some bad news: That even though some warrants may not come up for us to look up on the outside, they could still spring up when he gets out, meaning more of the same thing, more legal things, more time away. I have this vision in my head of our lives together, our wedding, our house and our family. All of these things are being threatened because of what some wicked man has done in his name and I'm saddened by these things but at the same time I'm always looking forward to the day of his eminent release, should be 7 months more and he'll come back to me. This freedom is threatened but so long as we're together, however the circumstances, I'm going to stand by him and be by his side no matter what and no matter how long. I devoted myself to him and nothing is going to change that. I love him, I will have him or no one.

I continue to pray, to stay as happy as I possibly can, and to think things through before I react as much as possible. School is great, I'm still getting good grades while helping out and I'm very excited to learn more procedures and about graduating soon. I'm glad my family supports me, friends who make me laugh and are there for me and I for them, and that I have such a wonderful man waiting for me. Things this year have been so so difficult and so hard but I know down the road these hardships and trials will have been to strengthen us for whatever is to come. I pray that all of our journeys, however they're traveled and wherever they lead, are protected and we get to wherever we need to go in the end. I love all of you and I will try to be better so I can help more people and be well in every way.

xoxo, Merci