In Loving Memory of David Lobo

Trying to decide what to write about my uncle David was very hard. He was a man who was loved by everyone around him and managed to impact everyone that he interacted with. There are thousands of words I could say but I thought the best thing for me to do would be to make a list of my fondest memories of him. Here are several things I recall about Uncle David that I never want to forget:

When you would rub our feet after walking through Disneyland. Even though they were probably really smelly.
Watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and singing along in the car
Thinking Hava Nagila was an Indian song because of how much you sang it while playing the guitar
The beautiful paintings you gifted us for every occasion
Giving me the nickname “Fajita”
Walking on your back as children
The way you made us toast every night when I slept over
Your tandoori chicken (among many other fantastic dishes)
Listening to you sing and play guitar at all family occasions
The time we went to the hot tub and it was full of bubbles, so we all made bubble beards
Eating a blooming onion for the first time with you after my high school graduation
When I wanted an octopus but the pet store didn’t sell them, so you bought me an entire aquarium full of fish instead.
When you would cook me whatever meal I wanted for lunch before my golf matches
The times you dressed up as Santa for Christmas
Running up to someone at Great America and giving them a big hug from behind thinking it was you (it wasn’t; I’m still embarrassed to this day)
How proud you always were of Jasmin and Jade
The photo shoot I had at your house when I was about six years old (we still have all the photos)
You driving through a Texas lightning storm to get us some authentic Texas barbeque
Going to a hotel in Palm Springs that had a boat running through the lobby
The way you loved Bella
Seeing Evan Almighty when we were in Arizona
Getting In N Out on the way to Disneyland
The time we were in a full elevator in Vegas. You somehow pinched my thigh from the other side of the elevator. I turned around and glared at the guy behind me for the whole ride while you laughed in the corner
How you and I were the only ones who would go on “Honey I Shrunk The Kids” at Disneyland because everyone else was scared of rats
Visiting your Tahoe condo and making candles in Heavenly Village
The OOCL calendars you faithfully gifted each of us every year
You agreeing to sit in the back of Joseph’s two-door car for a full hour despite how small it is
The turtleneck sweater you got my mom for Christmas that I promptly stole from her
The way people always thought you were my dad because we had the exact same skin tone
Banging pots and pans in the street on New Years Eve
The time you showed me where the Mrs. Doubtfire restaurant was
Watching you sing in the Sunday church choir
When we went to get Chinese food after you had surgery, but you didn’t remember the meal due to the anesthesia and none of us could believe it
When you tricked Jasmin and I that your thumb disappeared and we cried because we wanted you to have all of your fingers
You introducing me to Jergens body lotion. It is literally the only lotion I will use to this day
The way you would pinch my cheeks whenever you saw me, even as an adult
The way you brightened every room you walked into
The way you found the silver lining in every situation
The way you treated me like I was your own daughter