Not just my HOBL

My HOBL has always been such a great provider,

to me and to the Riera babies.

Yet, since Anna, his half sister became ill,

I have been privileged to see him in a different light.

One, even after knowing him for 33 years,

I had never seen before.

That is the role he has played as a brother.

From the moment he heard his baby sister

had cancer he kicked in to this big brother mode.

These siblings lives have not been easy and they

have not always been close, but they always

did love each other very much.

Aside from Roxanne, HOBL's step sister, and Anna's half sister,

and Jack, their uncle,

they only have each other when it comes to siblings.

HOBL flew in from Alaska just as soon as he could

when we got the news that Anna was battling cancer.

We both felt that because we were raising a family

and working hard while their mother was ill,

we couldn't do as much as we would have liked for her.

We always had the comfort and the confidence that

Anna was there for her, to care for her

and she did. Not once did we ever have to worry

about whether or not Anna and her partner Dana could or would do it.

So when Anna got sick, right away HOBL and I decided

that not only did we want to, but we owed this to her

for all she had done for their mother.

I can say, without a doubt, that HOBL has been the most

awesome brother and I am so proud of him.

He came in, took over all her paperwork,

her affairs so as to make sure every piece of paperwork

that needed to be done, every phone call that needed to be made,

every thing that needed to be copied was done.

Because of his determination to help,

Anna and Dana will not have to worry about finances

while she is recuperating from this life-changing diagnosis of

cancer and major surgery.

He visited every day in the hospital and even stayed with

her when Dana or I could not.

He has given her all she has needed or wanted while in our

home getting better.

The two of them have spent much time together

just talking, reminiscing, growing closer.

One night we found ourselves, sitting around

our guest bedroom, Anna, HOBL, Dana and I just talking.

It has been fun, like having a pajama party every night.

Their sibling bond is stronger than it probably has ever been

since they were kids in this picture.

HOBL left for Alaska yesterday, but not

before making sure that Anna would be with me the rest

of the week and even longer if she needed it.

Assuring that I would make sure she would

have all she needed to make a full recovery.

Anna made a comment one day to me,

saying, "Boy, I bet my momma is smiling down from heaven

watching me and my brother together."

My wish when I am gone is that my two babies

will be there for each other as HOBL has been there for his sister.

HOBL, I am so proud and love you more than I ever thought

I did before. I would be honored to have you as my brother,

more honored to have you as my hubby, my HOBL

(even though you drive me crazy. Lol)

(Anna, is the cutie in she and HOBL's great-grandmothers lap.

Little boy on the left is their Uncle Jack

HOBL can't be missed as baby boy looked just like him

at that age. The confirmed girl is he and Anna's sister,

Donna who died in 1986 in a car accident.)