I’m back with part two!

A little note regarding the benefits of Mangos:  A comfort food. Mangos really can make you feel better! Beyond being delicious and rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, mangos contain an enzyme with stomach soothing properties similar to papain found in papayas. These comforting enzymes act as a digestive aid and can be held partially responsible for that feeling of contentment we experience during and after our daily mango ritual.

Yes, it is quite natural to crave those mangos!

Click below to listen to Damelo by Juanes (album: Mi Sangre)

DAY FOUR:  Thursday I felt great, I drove into town to have my hair done.  Martha one of my “Mango Mommas” has the cutest salon in the entire village.  She is originally from Guadalajara and what ya’ll need to know is gals from this city are known for their beauty and style.  Martha quickly went to blow drying and flat ironing.  The humidity level in Sayulita can get intense and Ashley and I were planning on shooting all day – yep a new style page from Sayulita coming April 1^st folks!

What I should add here is that a few weeks after my mother, Gina, my grandmother & Holly died I struggled with great sadness how I over came it was I heard them – one night I awoke from a dream where they were all in my room – my momma snapped her fingers at me and said “Girl wake up, you’ve got a lot of living to do – try it all, make it happen!”  WOWOWOWOW – as I’m writing this I flashed to my dream last night!!! It was Gina’s parents The Demarco’s they were talking to me; they were telling me to be brave and happy birthday.  It’s funny how one writes, bringing flashes of memory with each tap of the keyboard.  Hmmmm..I love how life communicates through us.

NIGHT DAY FOUR:  MY BIRTHDAY PARTY SHARED WITH LALO!  What can I say, I felt like a little girl surrounded by all of my girlfriends – dressed in pretty dresses.  All the “Mango Momma’s” came and with them they shared their sweetness.  Senora Gina knows how to throw a party, a private chef was hired to prepare an ANCESTRAL diet, a 3 piece instrumental group filled this magical house with songs of familiarity and best I chatted with those that I adore, clinging to their scents like a honey bee swarms the mango trees that fill the village.

I am alive in Mexico; I am clear, capable and soft with strength. I toasted Senora Gina and Lalito; my heart soared as he claimed me as his daughter.  You see for a girl who was raised fatherless having a wonderful person like Lalo stand with pride for which I have become as an adult means the world to me. It’s pretty neat how life has blessed me with so much family, (Ted & Peggy Raess too claim me as their own)a lesson that no matter how much we lose we are always given the opportunity to receive – if we open our arms.

I chatted into the night with both of my Maria’s, knowing that my stay was soon to come to an end, we skyped Lola and Bella so they could visit with their people, once they saw Maria they wept as I did when she walked through the doors.  Just before climbing into bed I opened my gifts, and like a child I grinned with delight.

DAY 5 LAST DAY: I felt great again, so we headed back to the Bodega (storage unit); to sort through our past carnation. Senora Gina to the rescue, she was supposed to be my “Neicy Nash” (you know from that clean house show) however I think she is more attached to the girl’s stuff than me.  We ended up keeping things that they will love this summer as I am planning on returning for a while.  I ran errands and then awaited Emily, Nikkis & Marco; they were coming for the weekend and staying with Chantal (one of my Mango Momma’s).  They live in Teotihuacán and are my “comadres”- my family, my people.  Marco is my god son, and you know I’m not someone who is totally into other folks kids but this little guy is really special to me, I feel as if he is mine – in my heart he is my son, given by god.

Emily and I shopped around catching up on our lives; Senora Gina prepared her famous poblano green rice and some seriously bangin’ tuna for my trip home.  That night Don Lalo, Senora Gina & myself sat with the moon, we made wishes for our futures.  I arose from my brief rest at 2:30am; Senora Gina walked me to the taxi and held me tightly before I climbed in the giant SUV – My person she is – My Mango Momma.  I rolled the widow down to feel the warm night air, once again wishing upon the same moon, this time with tears streaming not of sadness but of the joy of my life.

I am searching for truth and beauty, traveling the world and reaching for nobility and finding it in Sayulita – in the faces of my “Mango Momma’s.”

I returned home to house that had been kept quite well by my husband! The girls were happy and seemed to have had a wonderful time with their father; he filled his suitcase as I unloaded mine – I arrived at 6pm and he left at 4am.  This week the girls have told me a number of times that they miss him and want me to do things HIS way, ha..ha..I like it, ’cause what I have always wanted for them is to have a relationship with their father, one of closeness and friendship.  I feel good, ’cause as my work is growing I will need to travel on my own from time to time – knowing that the girls are happy with their paw gives me the guts to plow forward.

My actual birthday was very sweet, the girls insisted that we have a cake so I baked (something I DON’T KNOW how to do so well) a gluten free, dairy free, egg free vanilla cake with chocolate dairy free frosting!  I’m not ready to pass this recipe ’cause it was a bit cardboard like – however we all grubbed!

I had been feeling a bit blue missing my Mango Crew, when Mary Alice, Marielle and her girls rolled through the door!  Instantly life gives one a party – all I had to do was open the door; we placed our rings around the candles (Mexican tradition for wish making) and soon my unfancy homemade cake, decorated with left over Hanukkah candles (remember I like to celebrate all holidays!).

Again I crawled into my bed, thankful for my life – a year older and well fed.