Category: Uncategorized

It took a physical birth, a paper to state Oliver was born, a trip to the city center to get another paper to say that Oliver was born, $200, a three week wait for an interview, and a bus ride to get here. Just to get yet another paper that said that Oliver had been… Read more

We spill into the gym, my babies and I, since nowadays we can´t but make an entrance. Athletes chug along with their prescribed routines. Hands grip bars and thrust themselves up while the steady rower fans exhale tired breaths. It´s a typical day, but it feels all wrong. No laughter and no booming voice to… Read more

You´re out on the street at 7am waiting for a bus ride to the gym. A normal woman, carrying a draw string back pack stuffed with a change of clothes for work after the gym. Your hair is pulled back and nothing about you is fancy. No make-up. Old shoes. All skin except hands and… Read more

Machismo is me being told not to marry a Mexican because I don´t know how to treat a king. Machismo is the women around me commenting, ¨At least he didn´t hit me.¨ Machismo is a restaurant with women creating three course meals named after a man. Machismo is men afraid of me because I choose… Read more

Everything is a taco. In the evening the modified bicycle carts travel down the thin streets. The locals discard the locks and push up the metal curtains. Simple plastic chairs with beer names engraved on the back are taken off the tables and leaves of deep-red hibiscus flowers are thrown into enormous jugs of water.… Read more

Jesus was in the desert for 40 days.  Noah in a flood for 40 days. My whole Catholic city of Cholula in prayer (or in parties) for 40 days. But, I became the 40 day rebel. Clearly, there is something sacred about 40 days. Historically and traditionally the importance is profound. And the post-partum tradition… Read more

Stocky feet in his face and noise never less than a weed-eater, baby Oliver has survived his first month with the cord cut. This baby with Grandpa’s dimple chin and mom’s 29 years of worry lines pasted to his forehead is growing up so differently from his brother, while still claiming stake in our family.… Read more

Excruciating pain now unbearable as uncertainty has joined in. The tables have turned and all control is lost. In an emergency, the trusted and encouraging care-providers passed me over to unknown strangers in white robes. Instead of nurturing questions about how I feel from earlier in the day, the nurses force fingers inside me without… Read more

Today I obtained a license by pure grace. After a week of looking through worthless materials in search of a driver´s manual, I was overly nervous for my appointment today. I shouldn´t have been. Misa warned me that getting a license is easy, it´s just a business. If I provide the money, the privilege to… Read more

With some ultrasound results of a two-week large baby and doctor recommendations to stick around home the weeks leading up to the possible birth date of our baby, we had to cut the plans to take advantage of Misa´s two week school vacation. Instead of enjoying the crowded beaches of Veracruz through Semana Santa (Holy… Read more