- Being at a Mexican Independence Day party and realizing the song playing is Achey Breaky Heart—but in Spanish—and everyone is doing the Electric Slide line dance.
- Driving to Casas Grandes through small towns, which don't always have adequate signage for speed bumps, and making eye contact with a cowboy standing next to the speed bump as he slowly shakes his head back and forth at me, la güera, as I slam on my brakes and try not to kill the car as I fly over the speed bump.
- Being at a school party at Kari Montessori and leading my past students in American line dances.
- Hearing Jill confidently say her parts in Spanish at the primary program and school play.
- Having my husband be awarded the Honorable Mention POSHO of the Year 2016.
- Singing the National Anthem at the American Independence Day party at the Consulate.
- Crying at the mall because it took me almost two hours to pay a cell phone bill and just wanting to not stick out, understand what was being said, and have things be easy.
- Learning about family situations that make me revaluate judgements that I've previously always subconsciously made.
- Leading my primary children in El Burrito Sabanero while singing my heart out and dancing with all the enthusiasm I posses.
- Playing soccer on a dirt field, littered with trash, next to a busy street.
- Watching my good friend Angela teach my children how to make tortillas from scratch.
- Scoring a goal in the Consulate soccer tournament when I'm one of only two girls and one of only five Americans competing.
- Watching Daniel progress from an angry toddler who couldn't communicate to a confident kindergartener who can talk and be understood.
- Having preschool help me potty train Alice.
- Watching Jeff interact with the teenage boys at church while he was their youth leader (Young Men's president).
- Leading an adult choir and a children's choir at stake conference.
- Listening to Jeff make jokes in Spanish at work with his guys.
- Seeing how much everyone, literally everyone, adored Gordon.
- Singing (and directing a choir) as my best friend Kristin played the violin.
- Witnessing the gentle, kind way Kari Montessori handled Daniel's hitting and yelling problem.
- Having a Mexican man disagree with me when I told him the salsa was spicy and then two minutes later having him admit that the salsa actually was spicy, as his face turned red and tears ran down his face.
- Buying from a man on the street corner the largest sparkler fireworks I've ever seen.
- Being entertained at every major intersection by people juggling soccer balls, juggling fire, doing cheerleading stunts, being completely covered in metallic body paint, or wearing huge inflated balloon butts in their clown pants.
- Living somewhere where it is actually rude to not make eye contact and greet the strangers you pass on the street.
- Giving birth to Gordon with such an amazing team at Hospital Ángeles.
- Watching my kids learn and love soccer, gymnastics, and tennis.
- Having tennis lessons with the amazing profe, Ricardo.
- Watching Jeff compete in tennis competitions at the country club.
Gracias, Juárez, por todo el amor que me ha dado.
Te di mi corazón y me diste el tuyo.
Nunca voy a olvidar mis cortos dos años contigo.
I accidentally bought the flamin' hot cheetos and I am sitting here eating them when I saw your blog post. You are on your way to me, and I hope to save some of this bag to share with Jill and anyone else who wants some, and then I read this and now I am crying too, my heart misses Juarez too, even though I never went there!! I don't know if I miss it because you love it, or because you were so close and probably won't be that close again for a long time, or because it was your first place and this kind of heartbreak is still new (and yet so familiar), but you made me cry. Now get here quick and eat these cheetos with me.
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