Singing, catching, praying

View of the church service at iglesia Esmirna.

It was hard to wake up Sunday after the late quinceañera. But church is important, and I want our kids to have a different experience of church than what they get back home.

Yoli’s old church, Esmirna, is right next door to her dad’s house. It’s a small neighborhood church full of people Yoli has known since she was young. Though I don’t really know any of them, I recognize many, and I know some names.

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Lights out!

Alcides, Aby, Noemi at Aby’s quinceañera

A quinceañera can be a major production. This year it was Aby’s turn, the daughter of Noemi and Alcides. We had swept and mopped, and later set up the tables and chairs.

Then came my favorite part of any special event: forcing my kids to shower and wear dress clothes.

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Meeting Tio Efraín

Don Hector, Tio Efraín, Josue, Alcides and Yoli at the table. Tio Efraín brought a whole pig to Santa Cruz from his farm in Ipatí, which they cooked for lunch.

Saturday morning Yoli went with Josie to buy bread. Jadzia and Ludi were still sleeping on the other side of the city at their sleepover. Yoli had seen on WhatsApp that Tío Efraín, Doña Lucila’s half-brother, was in town and had brought a pig.

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Zegarra’s Factory

Also spotted on our walk home from the book fair: Zegarra’s Factory, a boxing gym that shares the name of Yoli’s family. We stopped for a few minutes to watch a couple guys sparring inside

Anita’s gourmet

Anita’s Gourmet

I didn’t realize my mom had opened up shop down here!

(A nice-looking bakery we passed on the way home from the Feria Internacional del Libro de Santa Cruz)