Following the Pope's Trip to Mexico as a Mexican American

I'm currently sitting crisscross (applesauce) in front of the TV in my living room as mom and I watch the meeting between Pope Francis and youth in Michoacan, Mexico. Dancers are dancing the typical dances native to Michoacan. While I'm not from Michoacan, part of my family (the maternal side) is. My heart sings with joy and pride knowing that the first Latin American pope is in the land of my ancestors.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't feel very Mexican. I was born, raised, and still live in Los Angeles. I identify myself as American. My mother jokes that she's more American than Mexican as well because she's lived here longer than she did in Mexico. We both seem to be more "modern" than how my more "old fashioned" father was. Though I've identified more closely to the American culture I've still gotten some of the Mexican culture infused into my daily life because my parents made sure I knew my roots. I think that's why I've been so riveted to our TV, following the Holy Father's journey.

I haven't been to Mexico in several years but some of my fondest memories from my childhood happened in Mexico, especially at churches in Mexico. I shared one of those memories during my second blog post (ever). On December 26, 2007, I wrote:

"I was actually very lucky to have visited him (Santo Niño de Atocha; the original statue) when I was about 11 years old (give or take a year or two). The church looks very humble which makes it even more stunning. I went with my parents and my paternal grandmother (may God rest her soul) to Fresnillo and Plateros as part of our vacation. I was happy but very tired because of the bus ride to and from Fresnillo. My grandmother, who was one of the most amazing women I've ever known, lived in a town a few hours from Fresnillo but she still made the trip with us. Unfortunately, I don't remember much of the trip because it's been about 12 years since the trip but I do remember feeling very excited and happy... and I still have the items my grandmother bought for us while we were there. I hope to go back to Fresnillo some day soon. I'll be the first to admit that I don't like going to Mexico because I always seem to get food poisoning or some sort of stomach virus when I'm out there (the foods are quite different from the ones in the U.S.) but I'd be willing to have a tummy ache or two if it meant seeing the Santo Niño again..."

8+ years later, it's still true. I would still love to go back and visit the Santo Niño de Atocha. I would love to go back and visit the church of St. Michael (Iglesia de San Miguel) in Miguel Auza, Zacatecas where my father and many generations of my paternal family was baptized and married. I would love to revisit the Cathedral of Zacatecas which I don't remember very well but my mom told me we've visited before.

My paternal grandmother -- the one whom I mentioned in that post -- is the one who took me to church with her when I went to Mexico. Well, my grandmother and my Aunt Lola. They both veiled (actually, I'm sure my Aunt Lola still does) and showed me the beauty of covering your head as a sign of love and respect for the Lord. It might not be for everyone but I can't imagine not veiling for Mass nor whenever I'm in front of the tabernacle or in adoration. As someone who has loved the Church since I was a little lady but had lapsed Catholic parents, I am incredibly grateful to my Abuelita and my Aunt Lola for sharing the beautiful Catholic heritage that runs in the family.

Watching Pope Francis in the land of my maternal grandparents (they're from Michoacan) makes me long to explore Mexican churches and cathedrals. Unfortunately, like many other Mexicans (especially those of us who were born and raised here), hearing about the violence and criminal activity makes us not want to go visit. It's a shame, really. I can still remember the beautiful architecture in the various churches we visited. I remember being absolutely enamoured by how the churches looked on the inside. I think I even left quite reluctantly a couple of times. lol.

Catholicism in Mexico has had its ups and downs throughout the centuries. Did anyone watch For Greater Glory? The Cristeros War was harsh. From what I've researched and learned, it seems like my paternal family got a good chunk of that craziness in their towns in Zacatecas and Durango. I think that's why I've hit a wall in my family tree search on that side of the family (stuck in the early 1800s) -- the anti-Catholic government had church records burned in the times of my grandparents. Despite all of that, the Catholic Church has still managed to thrive. Unfortunately, I believe that the rich and beautiful history of the Church in Mexico has been lost because of how hard younger generations tries to modernize the country.

Plain and simple, I fear that Mexico is losing its Catholic roots at a rapid pace. This is what I believe based on what I've seen from my own family and friends who still live in Mexico. Too many things of this world are given importance over God and the faith. It's sad because, as I said, there's such a beautiful history there. Just look at the story of how Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego. I get goosebumps just thinking about it and not just because Our Lady of Guadalupe has been a big part of my life since I was a little lady.

As I watch the encounter between Pope Francis and Mexican youth come to an end, it's my sincerest hope that his visit to Mexico will light the fires in the hearts of Mexican youth (and, really, Mexicans of all ages) to grow closer to God instead of turning away from Him. I've cried more than once during his Holiness' trip because I've seen the outpouring love the country has shown him. Keep it up, paisanos! Don't let that fire die down!

Anyway, I'm just rambling at this point. I'm going to enjoy the rest of this broadcast on EWTN en Español.

I hope y'all are having a lovely week thus far. :D

As always, thanks for reading and God bless! :D

Infant Jesus of Prague; Novel News: I Have the Ending!

How amazing is the novena to Infant Jesus of Prague (I often just call him Infant of Prague)? I've prayed it about 3 times when I was really in need and it's never failed me. I prayed it again today because I had to fast for over 24 hours and I don't do well when I fast. I have to eat every couple of hours or else I get sick. I love that this prayer lasts 9 hours instead of 9 days because sometimes you need your prayer quickly. I would've done the 9 day novena but I didn't even know when I had to fast until the day of so... yeah. It's truly come through for me. I feel better than most other times I've attempted to fast. I also prayed it a couple of weeks ago and it came through for me in a big way. So, if you're ever in need of an urgent intercession, you can always count on the novena of the Infant of Prague. Here's the prayer in case any of you need it:

This prayer is recited at the same time every hour for nine consecutive hours in one day.

O Jesus, You have said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you." Through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.
(Make your request)
O Jesus, You have said, "All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you." Through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask Your Father in Your Name that my prayer be granted.
(Make your request)
O Jesus, you have said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word shall not pass." Through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.
(Make your request)
Amen.

I have such a devotion to the Infant of Prague. I've always loved the different depictions of Jesus as a child; even when I was little and loved the Santo Niño de Atocha (which I have written several posts about before.) :D I dedicated a thanks giving Mass for Him and for St. Timothy coming up this Sunday. Hope I'm well enough to make it to it! :D

Ooh, I have exciting (well, at least for me! lol) news. I finally have an ending to the novel I'm writing! WHOO! I have part of it written already. I also have most of the songs that go with the novel. See, I'm making it a little more interactive and there are certain songs (which are mentioned throughout the novel) that go with a particular scene. At the moment, it looks like Mute Math's "OK" will be the theme song for the entire novel, or at the very least the ending. Did I just give something away? Maaaybee... :D lol.

Alright, well, I think I will try to sleep early. The earlier I sleep, the sooner I wake up and the sooner I can eat properly again! Oh man, I miss food. lol. :D

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Oh, and don't forget to vote for which saint (saints) you would like to see as the patron saint of this blog. Remember, you can vote for as many saints as you'd like. :D

As always, thanks for reading and God Bless. :D
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Picture Special: San Fernando Mission

Today, after Mass and after Fr. Leo made me laugh with his jokes about him not holding Mass on Father's Day until he sees my father there, we drove to the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando, California. Ever since one of my best friends told me about her trip to San Juan Capistrano, I've been curious about visiting the Mission in the San Fernando Valley. Ever since I was a little girl, I've been wanting to go to this Mission. I can clearly remember myself, at age 5 - 7, wondering about how it would look inside and how it would be. Finally, at age 23, I got a chance to visit.

I had an AMAZING time at the Mission. I highly recommend it to anyone who comes to Southern California to tour Mission, or even those who live in the Los Angeles and Santa Clarita Counties that can make their way over to the city of San Fernando. Admission is only $4 per adult and $3.50 for children. It's so peaceful and beautiful. It's almost like you're in another world, thousands of miles away from city life. I honestly felt though as if I were somewhere in Spain, and not California. And, if you're looking for particular holy/prayer cards and other things, you will most likely find it there. Mom bought me a St. Therese of Lisieux prayer card with a piece of cloth that has been touched to her relics. I'm fact, have it in my hand as I type this out.

I took a lot of pictures, though some didn't come out too great because it's hard to take a picture when you're carrying a heavy tote bag on one arm and holding onto a map on the other. I hope y'all enjoy the pictures. You can click on the thumbnails to see bigger versions of the pictures. Once you go to the page where the picture is enlarged, you can click on the magnifying glass on the top right side to get the full version. If you'd like to use any for your own site or blog, please let me know and I can send you bigger versions with smaller (or no) tags.

And now, without further ado, the pictures:


One of the first signs you see before you enter the Mission.


A view of the chapel-of-ease coming out of the gift shop and entering the Mission.


A beautiful fountain in the middle of the Mission.


Statue of St. Francis of Assisi. It's the first thing you see, on your right, as you enter the Mission museum.


Description of and the actual Gregorian chant parchment.


The vestments our beloved Late Pope John Paul II wore, as well as the candle he lit, when he visited the Mission in 1987. It's completely surreal, and beautiful, that I was THAT CLOSE to something the Pope wore, walking the same grounds he walked on his visit.


Friar vestments that date to the time the Mission was built.


The inside of the chapel-of-ease. Sorry it's so blurry, the lights were off and I couldn't use the flash.


Walking on part of El Camino Real within the Mission.


I never found out the name of this rock but it was very interesting nonetheless.


Sign going into the Convento (Convent). They have a lot of different paintings, statues, etc. One of the best places to visit within the Mission.


A replica of the Bishop's Room. I only got part of it because there were bars and I couldn't take pictures of the rest of the room.


Plaque of and the statue of the Child Jesus.


Part of the massive library in the Convento. It smelled so lovely when you walked in. It was like a mix of vanilla and some other flowers.


Wooden Santo Niño de Atocha statue. (Child Jesus of Atocha)


This cross was dedicated to the Native Americans. The inscription reads: "In memory of the 2425 Native Americans who were interred in this cemetery of San Fernando Rey de España between 1797 and 1852. Anno Domini 1997."


Statue of Our Lady of Hope. It's the first thing you see as you walk towards the Bob Hope Memorial Garden. It's a replica of the original that's in Pontmain, France.


Bob Hope's tomb. He is buried here (edit: 9/20/11: and his recently deceased) wife will be buried here in the Bob Hope Memorial Garden at the Mission. You can actually touch it or leave flowers if you'd like.


A plaque outside the chapel-of-ease.

That's all I got, for now. I hope to go back and possibly take video or take more pictures because there was A LOT I didn't take pictures of. I hope you've enjoyed them. 'Til next time, thanks for reading and God Bless. :D
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No Sleep, Dreams, Trips, and Santo Niño de Atocha.

I am EXHAUSTED. I've slept less than 4 hours in the past 35 hours and I don't know how I am still up. I was sure I would've been passed out by now but, for some reason, I still have enough energy to write this blog and do a few other things before bed. I would've slept well if the painters hadn't shown up, unannounced, ready to paint my bathroom. They've been saying they were going to do it for weeks now but they picked the ONE day I went to sleep at 6 a.m. (seriously, I was up until 6 a.m. this morning) to come and disturb me. The first thing that came out of my mouth after my dad woke me up was "Son of a Biscuit!" which means "Darn it!" when I say it. lol. I tried falling asleep on the couch but that didn't work. I've been up since. Oy. lol. I just yawned too. lol. Great. :D

I had a very brief dream this morning where I was chatting with St. Teresa of Avila (or at least that's what I think it was), which was awesome. I think that's because I read a bit of her biography before bed. Still, I love saint dreams. What I don't like are bummer dreams. Two nights ago I had a dream that I was wearing black because I was mourning someone's death. Unfortunately, a death has occurred in real life. This little old lady that "adopted" my mom passed away this morning. My mother works in a hospital and the lady was a patient there. She was the sweetest lady. I used to stop and chat with her when I used to go visit my mom at work. She always asked my mom how I was, too, so the news of her passing is very sad. We weren't close but still, she was sweet and she loved my mother an awful lot. *sigh* Rest in Peace, Ms. Ursula.

Trying to not think about sadness... I will be taking a trip this weekend, which is exciting and nerve-wrecking because this is my first trip out of the country since I became sick. I will be praying that everything goes well because I'm very nervous about potentially getting sick. St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers, right? I will have to ask him to help make the trip a smooth one.

I'm about to crash (I can feel my eyelids getting droopier and droopier) so I'm going to post some of the Santo Niño de Atocha items my paternal grandmother gave me when we went to Plateros and also other things she sent afterwards.

I received this framed picture from her, which is next to her picture in my room.



A night light she got in Plateros that was a perfect gift for me because I used to be afraid of the dark when I was younger.



And just for kicks... a quiz I did when I was bored, earlier today.

Your Personality is Very Rare (INFP)

Your personality type is dreamy, romantic, elegant, and expressive. Only about 5% of all people have your personality, including 6% of all women and 4% of all men You are Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

Alright, well, I have to go do a couple of things before I can call it a night. I have a feeling I will fall asleep the minute my head hits the pillow, which is rare for me. lol. Until next time, thanks for reading and God Bless.

Teeny Little Update

Just wanted to check it with everyone. I'm sorry I haven't written much in the last couple of days. There really hasn't been much to write about -- boredom seems to have attached itself to me. I guess I should be grateful that I don't have much going on but I'm getting way too bored.

Just to recap what's been going on: there have been a lot of changes in my house -- lots of cleaning, lots of throwing things away and a lot of changing ways. Overall, it's a stressful (and that gets boring) yet productive thing. Only highlights of my last couple of days have been the rain we've been experiencing and also the Oscars yesterday. That's about it. lol.

Mom found a framed pictured of Santo Niño de Atocha that my paternal grandmother (may God rest her soul) gave to me when I was younger. I will hopefully have a picture of it tomorrow. I also found this frame picture of Jesus Christ (holding a lamb and being followed by other lambs) knocking on a door that my oldest friend (who I've known since we were little 5 year-old munchkins) gave to me on my 18th birthday. I have completely forgotten I had it. Picture of that also coming up, hopefully tomorrow.

Alright, well, that's my update for tonight. I still have a lot of to do -- a lot to clean up, a little eating to do, and also reading a bit of St. Teresa of Avila's biography before I get to bed. Have I mentioned it's 11 p.m.? Yeah. So much to do in so little time. :D

Until next time... thanks for reading and God Bless. :D

MIA from Mass, Lent Surprises, Irish-ness and Awards Shows.

I haven't written in 5 days. Sorry. I've been so caught up with all the medical stuff (tests and news, etc) that I've been either concentrating on that or sleeping. lol. I got sick again for a couple of days (usual fatigue, lightheaded feeling, etc) so I stayed in bed most days last week. I was sick up until yesterday, too. I actually missed Mass which sucked. I was there for less than 5 minutes before I knew I wouldn't make it through the entire mass and I had to leave... of course, teary eyed and all. I HATE that I've been missing mass but it's beyond my control at this point. :( Hopefully I will get strength to make it to mass sometime this week and I will definitely try again next Sunday.

Even though I've started Lent on a bummer, I am getting little surprises here and there that totally make my day. On Ash Wednesday I received the book "The Life of Teresa of Jesus" along with 2 bookmarks with her picture on it and 2 St. Dymphna prayer cards (which I have been wanting for a while now). (ed. And I need to remember to write about my crazy dream involving St. Teresa of Avila, tomorrow.) I actually ordered these things a month ago and they were actually 2 weeks late. It was awesome that I received these things on Ash Wednesday. Totally made me feel better about not getting my ashes, even though it's obviously not the same. Ooh, and I found out a Santo Niño de Atocha website featured one of my first blogs (from December) and I had no clue about it. lol. Seriously, I have no idea people outside my group of friends would read this blog. :D Well, thanks. :D

I received these really good candies from my good friend in Germany. Of course, I don't speak or read much German so I have no idea what's in them, but they sure are good. Haha. These candies took almost 2 months to get here too. They were a Christmas gift (Christmas letter included) that I just received. Good thing the candies didn't expire or get all weird in transit. lol. And, now I have sweets to last me through Lent... and beyond. Whoo! Today was also pretty awesome because my eldest brother came to visit... and because it was a "cool" 82 degrees Fahrenheit in the city which meant that I didn't have to wear a sweater. :D

You know what I just realized? Valentine's Day is coming up in less than 3 days. You know what else? I'm looking forward to St. Patrick's Day more than V-Day. Haha. I'm serious. Though I do consider myself a hopeless romantic and a sucker for romance and mushiness, I don't make a big deal out of this particular holiday. If I do, it's usually because I've planned a Spa Day with my girl friends. Who says it has to be a day only about romantic love and not platonic or familial love? I actually have a guest blogger who will write about that in the coming days. But, for me... give me St. Patrick's Day and I will be happy.

I have always been in love with the Irish culture. I remember how happy I was when I first sang "Carrickfergus." I absolutely loved it, and I actually still do. I also remember a very young me telling my friends how I wished I was Irish to avoid getting pinched for not wearing green on St. Patrick's day. lol. I don't know why but I've found the culture fascinating and have also felt connected to it somehow. The music (both folk and contemporary), the customs, the mythology... just everything about Ireland seems beautiful to me. I was recently talking to my friend about how we both love the country so much, we're going to go have a bachelorette trip out there as soon as one of us gets engaged to be married (money's on her to get married before I do). I remember when I found out St. Dymphna (one of my patron saints) was Irish, I almost did a cartwheel. Yes, I'm that much of a dork. :D I wanted to study in Ireland for the semester abroad but, sadly, none of the schools have an agreement with my school so it's been ruled out. Well, that is, until I find a loophole which I bet I can find. :D Anyway, before I move on from this topic I have one more thing to say/post about subject...

You're 65% Irish

You're very Irish, and most likely from Ireland. (And if you're not, you should be!)

How Irish Are You?

There you have it. haha.

Well, yesterday I caught two shows in between sobs (caused by not being able to attend mass properly)... the BAFTAs and the Grammys. This is the second year I've been able to watch the BAFTAs (thank you, BBC America). "Atonement" won, which I was happy about. James McAvoy didn't win (grr!) but, to be fair, the person who did win did a stellar job on his film so I can't be too peeved about it all. lol. The Grammys were MUCH better than they have been in years. I usually just tune it to watch for certain categories but this year, I couldn't stop watching it. I liked most of the performances (including the one of Alicia Keys duetting with Frank Sinatra). A few people I wanted to win, actually won... which was awesome. And, how incredible is it that Herbie Hancock won Album of the Year? Which other jazz artist (not counting Norah Jones) has won Album of the Year in the last 3-4 decades? As a jazz junkie, I was thrilled. I was also SO happy they played "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin during the telecast. If there was ever a song that could describe me (without any lyrics), that would be the one. I cannot think of a more perfect song; totally love it.

Alright, well. I will stop boring people for now. lol. I am still planning on doing a Valentine's Day themed blog on Wednesday. I have no clue what I will write about tomorrow... but that's the fun part in writing a blog. :D Until the next time... thanks for reading and God Bless.

Puppy, Annual "Clean-a-thon", and Miracles.

Well, the coldness continues but thankfully dad's feeling much better. He tried to go outside a few hours ago, to check the mailbox, but I wrestled the keys out of his hands. No, really, I grabbed one end of the keys and he had the other and I managed to get them from him. It was kinda funny because I also grabbed the spare key before he could even remember where it was and I then let out a Nelson (from "the Simpsons") style "Ha Ha" which made my parents laugh. I ended up going to check the mail... with my pajamas, a hoodie and my peacoat over my hoodie. Yes, it was that cold.

Christmas might've officially been 2 days ago but it still feels like it. Today I got one of the best presents I received this year, a little stuff puppy. I ended up naming him... drum roll, please... Puppy. Yes, very creative, aren't I? He's the cutest little thing and the closest thing to a pet I'll ever have.



Besides that little cutie, nothing much going on with me. Well, nothing except my big annual "Clean-a-thon". Every year, two days after Christmas, I start going through everything I own (I mean, EVERYTHING) and I throw away or donate whatever I didn't use or no longer need. I usually throw away things such as schoolwork that's piled up through the year, things I thought I was going to use this year but didn't, etc. I donate books or clothing I was given but didn't use. Since I was in school this entire year (I didn't even get summer vacation), I have a slew of paperwork that is useless. I have a feeling I won't be throwing out much this year, so it'll hopefully take me a day or two to go through everything and clean everything properly. I am hoping it won't take me 4 days like it did last year. My aim, like it is every year, is to finish by the 31st. I'm a minimalist so I like to start off each year with only the basic things I do need/want.

One of the things I hope to do while I do my clean-a-thon is try to fix the statues and framed pictures we have around the house. As promised in my blog yesterday, I am going to post a picture of the little statue we have of the Santo Niño de Atocha. I had totally forgotten that we had it in storage because it had been pretty battered during the '94 Northridge Earthquake and it was out for a few years longer before we decided to store and later fix it up... which is what I intend to do someday soon. And, I actually have a little story about the statue of Santo Niño de Atocha and one of St. Jude Thaddeus, so gather 'round, kids.

This story takes place in mid-January 1994. I was about 8 years old at the time and I'd never experienced a real big earthquake before. In the wee hours of the morning, I somehow woke up, out of the blue, and it took me a bit to get back to sleep. After I'd finally gotten back to sleep, I felt my dad picking me up from my bed, very abruptly and I opened my eyes to see (and feel) everything shaking violently. Things were falling off the walls, glasses and china was breaking everywhere... if you've ever experienced an earthquake, you know what I'm talking about. Since this earthquake was a really big one, the lights went out almost immediately after the intense aftershocks started. I did not know what was going on. All I knew was that I had to stay under the doorframe (or is it doorway?). I don't remember too many details about what happened during the shaking except that the statue of St. Jude fell as soon as we (my parents and I) reached the doorway and were safe from anything falling on us. I won't write much more about what happened during the earthquake because the images are still pretty vivid (and it's been nearly 14 years since) and it would take me a long time to write it out.

Anyhoo, I was talking to my mom about the statue of Santo Niño de Atocha and one of the St. Jude statues in my room. I knew they'd fallen during the earthquake -- they're still chipped -- and I very faintly remember (or think I remember) St. Jude's statue falling as soon as we got under the doorway and my mom confirmed it. Apparently, while all other things were falling around us there are three things that didn't fall: the statue of Santo Niño, the statue of St. Jude and the big framed picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe which was up on my bedroom wall. Now, the earthquake was a 6.7 on the richter scale, it was pretty intense. Windows shattered just by the shaking, yet the picture did not fall or get hurt in any way. It was like a miracle. We count them as little miracles we experienced that day. My mom says they (saints and Our Lady) were all looking out for us. Thankfully, we managed to get out of the building, in between aftershocks, without getting hurt and all we suffered was property damage. We haven't experienced an earthquake that intense since, thank God, but every time we have experienced smaller earthquake (and/or aftershocks from nearby earthquakes) my mom grabs the St. Jude statues without even thinking about it. My dad grabs the statue of Our Lady and my mom grabs St. Jude... if I don't get to him before she does.

Those were my little stories involving the statues so I think it would be appropriate to post the pictures now. You'll be able to see the chips I was talking about.

Santo Niño de Atocha


That's my wonderful grandmother in the picture frame behind him. I thought it was cool that her picture ended up in this picture because one of my favorite memories was her going to Plateros with us. (See yesterday's blog for more about that).

St. Jude


I only did a close up of him so you can see some of the chips he got when he fell off the counter.

Since I will be cleaning most of tomorrow, or at least hope to, there probably won't be much for me to write. Maybe I'll write about why my patron saints are my patron saints. There's any idea.

If you've made it this far, congrats! Have an imaginary cookie to celebrate. Not everyone can get through an entire post. lol. Anyhoo, thanks for reading and God Bless. :D

Chemo + Cold = Bad, LFC Wins & My First Favorite Saint.

It is very cold today and has been freezing (but remember that my definition of freezing might be different from yours) all day. I just got up for a long nap and getting up from my warm bed took me some time to actually do. Normally I like this weather and will drink tea or eat something warm to make me feel better but this year I'm not too happy with the cold. The person who, unfortunately, suffers from the cold weather more than anyone in my family is my father because of his chemotherapy.

Okay, moving away from a somewhat touchy subject... as you will see, I am a massive Liverpool FC fanatic and have been for quite some time. Sometimes I have to get up in the wee hours of the morning because they're on GMT (U.K.) time and I'm on PST time. Today they played against Derby. Normally I wouldn't have minded losing a little sleep but I ended up going to sleep at 2 in the morning and I slept less than 5 hours before I was up again. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper this morning. lol. The game was alright. The first half was great. Liverpool was on their game and that goal from Torres was pretty sweet. Second half, aysh... where did my Red men go? They were giving away the ball too much, some players were just... *shakes head*. When Derby scored a goal and tied with Liverpool, I was kind of bummed out but not really surprised. When Gerrard came close to scoring a goal, but missed, I definitely yelled pretty loudly. lol. Steve Gerrard, Gerrard... this man can kick a ball forty yards (or so the song goes). What did I do next time Gerrard was shown on TV? I did the sign of the cross. What happened 2-3 minutes later? He scored the winning goal which caused me to yell out very loudly at nearly 9 in the morning. Good morning, neighbors. lol. Though I am pleased that they got the full 3 points, I wasn't too happy with most of the second half performance. Hopefully they'll work on it for the next match against Manchester City this weekend.

From my favorite Red men to my first favorite saint... Santo Niño de Atocha (Child Jesus). Being of Mexican and Spanish descent, he has been in our household since I can remember. For those of you who don't know who the Santo Niño is... He first appeared in a Spanish town called Atocha. Muslims were taking Christians prisoners in the little town during the 13th century. The prisoners who were devoted to Catholicism were denied food by the Muslims. Soon, little kids (under the age of 12) were able to take prisoners food. Since the women of Atocha knew the majority of the prisoners wouldn't survive the starvation, they prayed to Our Lady of Atocha, asking her to ask her Son for help. Soon after, there were reports of a little boy (dressed in pilgrim clothing) taking food to prisoners who didn't have any children of their own. When the women heard about this, they went to thank Our Lady of Atocha for answering their prayers. When they looked at at the statue of Our Lady, they noticed that the Child Jesus she had in her arms had his shoes very worn and dirty. They replaced his shoes but when they went back to check, they were once again tattered and dusty. They took it as a sign that the Child Jesus was helping the prisoners stay alive. It didn't just end there, either. In other Spanish towns, people would report a young boy in pilgrim clothing bringing travellers their food and anything else they needed to survive. He would travel with them until they were out of danger, and would also guide them to the safest roads. That is how El Santo Niño came to be.

There are two stories about him that take place in Mexico, too. One was of these miners, working on building a town called Fresnillo, who saw a mule coming from the West. They decided to take the crate off the mule but as soon as they did that, the mule ran away. When the miners opened the crate, they saw a silver crucified Christ, but without the cross. Immediately, a church was ordered to be built in a new town close by and it was named Plateros after the silver Christ found. (Spanish lesson: The Spanish word of silver is plata... hence naming the town Plateros.) After it was done, they ordered the image of Our Lady of Atocha to be shipped from Atocha, Spain to Mexico. The statue, along with the silver Christ, has been in the church since then.

The second story: Frensillo became a town for the Spanish miners, who had gone to Mexico, and their families. Within the first weeks of the silver mines being opened, there was a big explosion and the miners were stuck. Their wives went to the church to pray to Our Lady of Atocha. At the same time, a child appeared in the mine and gave the miners water before leading them out of danger. Since then every time there was a problem in the mine, the child would appear and help whoever was in need. Every time this happened, the Child Jesus' clothing were dirty and had little holes on them. It wasn't long before they took him and put him in a little glass case for everyone to see and pray to. He has since been the symbol of the Mexican state of Zacatecas and of miners everywhere.

I was actually very lucky to have visited him (the original statue) when I was about 11 years old (give or take a year or two). The church looks very humble which makes it even more stunning. I went with my parents and my paternal grandmother (may God rest her soul) to Fresnillo and Plateros as part of our vacation. I was happy but very tired because of the bus ride to and from Fresnillo. My grandmother, who was one of the most amazing women I've ever known, lived in a town a few hours from Fresnillo but she still made the trip with us. Unfortunately, I don't remember much of the trip because it's been about 12 years since the trip but I do remember feeling very excited and happy... and I still have the items my grandmother bought for us while we were there. I hope to go back to Fresnillo some day soon. I'll be the first to admit that I don't like going to Mexico because I always seem to get food poisoning or some sort of stomach virus when I'm out there (the foods are quite different from the ones in the U.S.) but I'd be willing to have a tummy ache or two if it meant seeing the Santo Niño again. And for those who want a little more background on him, and see two pictures of the church, here is the link to it. Hopefully I can get a picture of the statue I have of him up later on today (it is now a minute after midnight).

And with that, I conclude my blog for now. I'm still tired, booh, but I have to wait to sleep because I ate not too long ago and I don't like going to sleep with my stomach full. I think I'll try to work on the template for this blog so that it's not too plain. Okay, well, for now... thanks for reading and God Bless. :D