Adios, Muchachos!

Bet you thought I was gone for good, didn't you?

Almost! The last few weeks have been crazy busy, as we try to pack and get ready to go amid all the obligatory family get togethers and despedidas. We made a trip to Puebla, which is a terrific city that I will write more about later, and a trip out to the coast.

The idea of the coast trip was to meet the cruise ship carrying my Dad and his wife in Huatulco and spend the day with them. My exceedingly generous brother-in-law Ulises and his exceedingly generous wife Lorena decided to invite the all three families (ours, their own, and sister-in-law Temy's) to stay a couple of nights in a sprawling, five star resort on the beach. We'd all go together, one big happy family. Who's going to say no to that?

As we were caravanning out, I drove over a speed bump too fast and broke the oil pan on the jetta. Staying and fixing it wasn't an option in the one-horse town we were in, up in the mountains, so we left it there and squeezed into the other two cars. Every child on a lap for a six hour drive. Good thing we had decided not to bring the dog.

The trip was lovely, and the hotel was terrific, and I got to swim in the ocean until I was exhausted. We are left with terrific sunburns. Dad and his wife got off the ship and we tooled around town for a few hours, looking at pretty churches and more touristy merchandise than we really cared about. It was Bibi's birthday, so we bought a giant cake and found a restaurant accommodating enough to let fifteen people troop in and have a birthday party. They loaned us plates and forks and provided the soda pop and beer.

On the way back, we picked up the jetta and dumped oil into it continuously until we got home. Homero was able to solder the oil pan. He also replaced the suspension, which was long overdue. With all of us driving home together in a jetta (plus the dog) there is precious little room for our stuff. The trunk will be taken up entirely with Homero's tools. The kids get a backpack each, as do I. All of our clothes have to fit into a single suitcase, which will go on the roof. I had hoped to bring home more - a few tapetes, some art, perhaps. Instead I am leaving behind many beautiful gifts given to me by my family.

Assuming all goes according to plan, we will be arriving in Seattle on wednesday or thursday. Unfortunately, we aren't really going HOME homer for another couple of months. There's a long story here, which I have no time to write right now, but it involves the tenant in our rental house getting kicked out for non-payment of rent. We are going home broke. There's possibly going to be an ugly scuffle when we get there, and we might be coming home to a trashed house. I sure hope not. Even in the best case scenario, we will be coming home to an empty house, with not even an air mattress to sleep on or a pot to cook in.

That, however, is a story for another day. Now, I want to express my deep gratitude to my amazing family. It blows my mind that my mother-in-law was sincerely happy to share her house with us for an entire year. She has done everything imaginable to make us comfortable and welcome. My other in-laws have been equally welcoming and generous. There just isn't anything they wouldn't do for us. I am humbled and grateful to be a part of this family.

Wish us luck!