"In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." –John 16:33

Year: 2025

Lorena’s birthday 2025

We have been celebrating Lorena’s birthday for the last week or so and we only have about a week more to go! Here birthday was on a Tuesday and I had to work so all se really did on the actual day was to run down to Shake Shack to get a hamburger. We made up for it big time on Friday. Grandma Conchita and Tíos Lauro and Lynn came over and we went to our favorite taco place, Sonorense in the El Centrito neighborhood of San Pedro. Afterward, we all came back to the apartment to sing Las Mañanitas and eat mango cake from Pastelería Leti. I definitely did not adhere to my diet in any of this. Today, we ran down to the Chili’s at the mall where Lorena had chilaquiles and I had chicken fried chicken–a very nostalgic moment because that is one of the places we frequented when we were first married. Tomorrow, we are going to have our church meeting together, then probably have lunch with Lynn and Conchita. On Monday, we are going to watch the inauguration of President Trump and then head up to the hill to see the remodel progress on the house because, supposedly they will have hit a major milestone in the work on the first floor.

I am truly grateful to have spent more then thirty years with this beautiful woman. Each year just keeps getting better. We hope, God willing, that 2025 will be our final, big, cross-country move, close to the kids in a place that has easy access to a lot of infrastructure. We are looking forward to one more push to make that happen, but the good news is that we have done it so many times before that we do not get too stressed over all of the little things that go wrong because they WILL go wrong. Good thing we are just passing through in this life–it is great to have such a spectacular partner with him to take the journey.

Working with Christian

Christian has gotten permission from his employer to help me in my work doing image processing algorithm development in bioscience (cell culture). He is doing very complicated signal processing work about which I know very little. The thing that is most amazing about working with him is that he is so structured in what he does. Without asking, he is preparing to document and deliver what we need at a level to which our little company is not accustomed. The thing that makes it even more complex and interesting is that it is a science project and we do not even know whether what we have asked him to do is possible so structured methods and documentation are essential. I am enjoying this very much.

Beautiful sunset

This is the view from the terrace at the apartment tonight. It really is spectacular. Lynn made a guisado (stew) tonight in the ceramic pottery bowls on the grill. It was fabulous. A calm and fun evening.

Virginia

This post is just a marker for the time Lorena and I decided not to build a house in Texas, but to move to Virginia so we can be closer to the kids and see them on weekends. More soon, God willing.

First carne asada de 2025

Kind people

Our friend, Jill McDonald, sent us a couple of pictures that must have been taken around 1998 or 1999. Both of Jill and Lyle’s sons were very good with our kids, always paying attention to them when they were little. This is Mark, reading to both Kelly and Christian.

It really was kind of an amazing time because this was just about the time that Kelly learned how to really read on her own, but before she could read well enough to entertain Christian (which she did a ton, once she got the hang of it). We read and read and read a lot and they never got tired of it. It was nice to have these guys who were gentle and kind to the kids, talking to them seriously and answering endless questions (mostly from Christian) and showing them toys and just making it fun and interesting for them–something that did not always happen. We are grateful for those times.

Shopping with Lorena

Here is how I go shopping with Lorena. We go to HEB, she walks me to the coffee shop, buys me a coffee and a doughnut, sits me down, and then calls me when she gets through the cash register. Then when we get home she tells me what a great help I am and how much better it is if I go with her. I am glad to be so value added in this way. I wish I could say I did all the heavy-lifting, but that would be a lie.

Starting the New Year right: Huevos rancheros

Lorena made us huevos rancheros with instant Nescafé. We are going to eat a burger at Shake Shack a little later this afternoon.

Spectacular holiday

We had one of the nicest Christmas/New Year holiday this year. It was quiet, but gave a chance for truly quality time with Kelly and Christian over Christmas in Washington, D.C. and with Grandma Conchita and Tío Lynn for the New Year in San Pedro. This picture is from pre-Christmas dinner at Pastis in D.C. We hope to be able to celebrate next year here in Mexico if the kids can come down. God willing, we hope to celebrate Thanksgiving in Texas next year.

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