First get-together

MARCH 2:
We siblings have kept in contact through the Internet, and I learned that Monica and my two brothers plan to immigrate to the U.S. My brothers are currently pursuing the complicated immigration paperwork, and I have intentionally omitted their names to avoid jeopardizing their efforts. Monica, who married Luis Carlos last year and gave birth to Sebastian in October, has her passport and plans to immigrate to the U.S. later this year.

My wife, Debbie, and I celebrated our 20th anniversary last October, and the wedding of our daughter, April, in January.
The day after the wedding, Debbie and I drove to Roanoke, Va. for a planned meeting with Ivonne and her husband, Luis. They had seen their daughter, Mia, off to Europe for a semester of study, and we met at a hotel halfway between our hometown and the airport in Washington, D.C.
Though we had not seen each other in almost 44 years, Ivonne and I felt a sense of closeness from the start. Luis spoke to Debbie and me like we were old friends and called me his “hermano” (brother). They told me a lot about my father. We went out to eat, and made plans for future visits. Luis connected us with Monica and her husband, Luis Carlos, through Skype video on Ivonne’s laptop, and I spoke with my youngest sister whom I have yet to meet in person. What a thrill!
Monica and Luis Carlos hope to visit a friend in the U.S. in the spring, and we look forward to getting together with them, along with Luis and Ivonne.