My Big Fat Mexican Birthday

You haven't lived until you've heard karaoke Achy breaky Heart and Jailhouse Rock....in Spanish!!! Steve and I attended the birthday party last night of Jesus Banuelos, his good friend and JV baseball coach. It was mostly a family affair (I was asked to take photos) so a good deal of the evening was in a language where I understand about 20 words....on a good day.


Wonderful family atmosphere, children running around on the grass area, teenagers congregating and trying to look cool, women and men for the most part separated...one full table was all men (not sure if their wives were sitting at another table). At one point as I watched the women dancing and the men watching, I told Steven it seemed to be a blend of the wedding scenes from The Godfather and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The last big party we attended that was anything like this was typical white bread; the ambiance was more, 'who can get drunk the fastest' and I just wanted to go home.

As Jesus walked into the courtyard, everyone applauded, and then he began the rounds. Every man, woman and child at the party got a hug, no handshakes, hugs all around. Aunts, uncles, cousins, bothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.....all genuinely thrilled to be here with this man. His grandmother...lined and stooped with age, tears in her eyes... held on to him for dear life, probably for good reason. Jesus was diagnosed with cancer last year and for awhile we all thought he wouldn't live to see this birthday. Steven could hardly talk about him without tearing up and every teacher at the school began most conversations with 'How's Jesus doing?' But he is still here almost a year later and fighting like crazy to stick around to see his young son and daughters grow up...to spend time with the family that is so important to him...and to sing karaoke like there is no tomorrow.