Belén's Birthday

Marga's sister, Belén, turned 28 on Friday. On Sunday, we had a family meal.

Juan and Marce make scrambled eggs with gulas.

Marga looks admiringly at her grandfather.

Mmmm! Chicken!

The girl with her eyes closed is Maikel's girlfriend, Jenny. Maikel is Marga's cousin.

Marce models a lacy apron.

The birthday girl was dressed like a zebra.

Alejo gives a hearty laugh.

Cake? Check. Candles? Check. Fire?

Check.

Her boyfriend, Gorka, instructs her on the proper blowing technique while the rest of the candles are lit.

I love this picture.

Whoosh!

We also went to the one-year anniversary mass for Marga's uncle, Jose Luis, who died last February. It's pretty stupid. The poor widow has to pay the priest to get her husband's name mentioned in the "And we also pray for..." list at the end of the service, and 50 family members and friends have to sit through the entire half-Spanish, half-Basque church service. It'd be one thing if it was more like a funeral, and the deceased was actually talked about. But the priest just has to read a name and collect the money. Having 50 caring people around did way more for the widow than the priest's words. Of that, I'm certain.