Well, yesterday afternoon we walked over to the next block, where my nephews Jose and Ben live with their families, and spent some time hanging out at the Mangaoang store. The girls played badminton and volleyball in the street with their cousins, and I sat and talked with my nephews Ben and Galileo (the oldest) and met lots of nieces and nephews and lots and lots of children. (A digression, if you please, on the blessing of children. Upon meeting an older relative, Filipino children are taught to take the elder’s hand and raise it to their foreheads so that the elder can bless them. At this moment, my brother has 29 great-grandchildren (including Abigail’s two-week-old daughter, Angel Eloisa), so I’m getting plenty of practice. Although technically, I’m their aunt or great-aunt or great-great-aunt, everyone has
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