Citizen Cabal

Last Thursday (and apparently ever since seeing as I'm still thinking about it hard enough to blog about it), the Cabal family had a HUGE reason to celebrate. Alvaro went to his scheduled United States citizenship exam and passed with a grade of 100%. He and I were under the impression that we would have to wait until March for the next swearing in ceremony. But lo and behold, he was told there would be a ceremony that afternoon and would he like to attend. So he calls me to see if I can leave work at 1:30 to go with him. His concern was that we have a list of about 25 people who have been telling us for two years that a big highlight in their life would be if they could attend Alvaro's citizenship ceremony. But since most of Alvaro's family are still in Colombia, we decided to attend the ceremony immediately so he could leave the country with his US passport if he needed to make an emergency trip to Colombia.

I figured it would be like running cattle through a line to get your certificate and then while everyone's children were running around Alvaro would say his oath of citizenship and then we'd all herd out. But boy was I wrong! It was an hour long ceremony in which I exhausted at least 6 tissues. A lady sitting in front of us, probably in her 80s, was so touched by the experience that I decided to shed a few tears of joy for her too.

Alvaro has been waiting to realize this dream since he was a young boy. He told his parents early on that he would be a United States citizen and he hasn't stopped his patient waiting through all the fingerprinting, documents and interviews since that time. Congratulations to my sweet husband and his love for both cultures making him who he is. We are richer because of our adoption of each other's countries and cultures.

Are you going to San Francisco - a la Scott McKenzie

Okay, so I wasn't even born yet...but oh how I should have been. I should have lived in San Francisco in 1967 and been able to travel to Monterrey to see Janis and Jimi. But I wasn't. What an awesome place. We've only been here one day and already I'm overwhelmed with amazing people, food, CULTURE, history...We got off the plane today and went straight to China Town to a restaurant that was started in 1920. I had bean sprout Chow Mein. On the walls of the place were these amazing pictures from the '60 of what looks like some neighborhood girls who were coming into society. Then we were off to the ferry pier where I found some great coffee and Alvaro drooled over the meats, cheeses and gelato. How can so many wonderful smells and foods be in one place? Only a poetic collision of cultures can create this experience. We walked down to Pier 39 and watched the Sea Lions for about 30 minutes. They are hysterical...there were maybe 100 Sea Lions barking, swimming, sunning and what seemed like play fighting over who gets to be on the floating platforms. Then we rode the streetcar back to the hotel, changed and went to Little Italy where we had some great dinner. Tomorrow, we're not setting the alarm but will just wake up when we wake up. also, maybe a little more sunblock tomorrow...feeling a little cooked! nighty night.

Family

What is family? My husband's little sister, Beatriz Elena, better known to us all as Nena (the little one), is in town from Cali, Colombia: the same city in which my husband, Alvaro, grew up. Being with his family always brings to me a sense of worldliness...they would laugh at my saying that but I grew up pretty sheltered and not learning much about other cultures. When Alvaro and I are visiting his family in Colombia, we are treated like a king and queen. Not only by his family but by the 'people' of the city and the country. I only thought I was a hospitable person until I first visited. Much that I incorporate into my understanding of Christ's love I get from the Latino understanding of and practice of hospitality . Everything is done with an incredible respect for the recipient and with no expectation of anything in return...only the satisfaction that their guest is "contento"...satisfied...content :) We don't get to see Nena very often and I can't wait for her to stay in our home later in the week. We will have the honor of providing a happy place for her to sleep, visit, laugh, eat and build her family relationships. Welcome Beatriz Elena...mi hermana!!!

Christians....PLEASE!!!!

I left the church last night a little after 8:00 p.m. and was feeling pretty hungry. I love the tofu spring rolls from Pho in Valley Ranch so I set my route to land me there. I just love the family who own and run the place...they know me and they know what I'm going to order ha! I love that I live in a place where there is rich diversity in culture, religion and lifestyle...I benefit highly from it and don't think I could grow much as a person without it. So my spring rolls were ready, I thanked them and paid and bopped out of Pho feeling pretty good about life. I got in my car, got to the stop light and what did I see on the bumper of the car ahead of me???

My mood went from bliss to growling mad in two seconds flat! What is wrong with some Christians today!?!? What the heck is going on around here?!?!? What part of that message is Christlike and loving? How is that 'loving your neighbor'? It just doesn't fit. This bumper sticker may be the best way yet to completely push non-Christians over the edge of distain for Christians. Congratulations! you've done it. That's all I have to say about that!