“My life is better with every year of living it.” Rachel Maddow

Rachel Maddow

Feliz Prosperó Año Nuevo, Happy Prosperous New Year!

This was a week of Firsts.

First New Years in our new home……….but sadly asleep before the ball dropped in Times Square (one of my goddaughters was there soaking wet and soaking the experience – gotta give her kudos for her adventurous spirit).

First Birthday in 🇲🇽 started with a stack of homemade pancakes with real maple syrup and ended with a lovely dinner of fresh trout cooked to utter perfection and washed down with a good bottle of Sangiovese from the Guadalupe Valley – Mexico’s wine-growing region in Baja California. And of course, there was one of David’s beautifully hand-made cards plus: texts, phone calls, and emails from friends and family…….muchas gracias to all!

First time signing papers to purchase a car in Mexico …and there goes another forest. Mexico sure does love its paperwork. I have always named my cars and why break with tradition? My new love is called Teresita (a reference to St. Teresa de Avila?)

First-time Christmas decorations are still up after December 26th (!!). On January 6, most of the Hispanic world celebrates El Dia De Reyes, the Epiphany. It’s remembering the day when the Three Wise Men, following the star to Bethlehem, arrived bearing their treasured gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the Baby Jesus. I grew up celebrating the Three Wise Man; we had no chimney for good ole St. Nick to slide down and the reindeers would have suffocated from the Habana humidity 😂

The first time we commissioned 🖼 a gorgeous flower painting with a hummingbird and also two natural palm fronds that are beautifully hand-painted with peacocks for our “Pavo Real” guest room. We met the local artist, Gerardo Diaz, several weeks ago at his gallery showing. We’re quickly adding fabulous Mexican artwork to replace any left behind.

The new year brought the most gorgeous sunset to date. We’re blessed with a daily show provided by Mother Nature ~ we sit and watch the spectacle unfold in awe.

The new year also brought great news ~ my oldest nephew, Eddie, and his beautiful wife, Susie, are expecting their third child. SHE’ll arrive sometime in July swaddled in Pink, Laces, Ribbons, 🌸 ‘s, Buttons and Bows … after two boys we are having a GIRL. Upon hearing the news David was ready to shop for dresses… if the boys were hip, this new 👶 will be a fashion icon!

I spent hours on the United Airlines website booking mileage award tickets for our upcoming Mediterranean 🚢 in November. The long search ended with the least stops and layover time … resulting in a very interesting route: Guadalajara > Panama City (Panama) > Istanbul (Turkey) > Venice (Italy) … don’t feel bad it’s all business class 👏

Thursday was pizza and “trivia night” at Purple Garlic Pizza Brothers with our friends, Daryl, Mike, Morgan, and Philippa. It was a fun event – we placed somewhere halfway among the nine teams (lots of tiebreakers). Who knew that Barbie had a last name?! And it’s not Mattel … if you think you know the answer let me know, for those who don’t, I will reveal her last name next week (as per game rules, NO Googling allowed!).

We’re off to Oaxaca City this week as part of our combined 🎂 🍰 & Tres Reyes celebrations.

As I reflect on 2018 and look forward to 2019, it comes to mind one of my favorite mantras …

For all that has been,
THANKS
For that will be,
YES