Gracias, Mexico

Gracias, México

3 reasons I’m thankful for my country-in-law.

Thanksgiving in the United States is just hours away. It is, at its core, a day to reflect on the things we are grateful for in our lives and to thank God for our blessings. This year, I find myself thinking of all I have to be thankful for now that I’m part of a Mexican family.

I am thankful for connectedness

David’s family is over a hundred people strong. They live in numerous states in two countries. And yet, instead of isolating by location or by individual family, they work hard at maintaining their larger identity as a whole family. They are each other’s dearest friends.

  • They seek each other out, visiting for an afternoon or a month.
  • They keep in touch daily, calling and texting and using social media like pros.
  • They have multiple online groups that are busy all day long: sending birthday and anniversary wishes, arranging parties, organizing help for those in need, saying hello, sharing funny memes, saying good night.

As soon as David and I got married, I got a slew of Facebook friend requests from his family members. They had never met me, but I was welcomed to the family with open arms. Now I am connected, too.

I am thankful for delight

To me, David’s easy laugh is synonymous with Mexico and I find that same delight across Mexican culture. I find delight in:

  • Bright mariachi music
  • Swirling salsa dance
  • The joyful colors and lines of Mexican art
  • The warm Mexican sun
  • My Mexican family’s loving welcome

I am thankful for expanded horizons

There are so many things I know now—so many things I have seen and done—that I hadn’t known or seen or done just a few years ago. I have:

  • Climbed the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan
  • Had a snack of roasted plantains with sweetened condensed milk made by a traditional camote seller
  • Seen the Ballet Folklórico de Mexico perform in Mexico City’s Palais de Bellas Artes
  • Been seranaded tableside by a mariachi band
  • Learned to bake a tres leches cake
  • Had entire conversations in Spanish
  • Started this blog

I wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving. May your life, like mine, overflow with connectedness, joy, and new horizons.

What are you thankful for this year?

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