Neighbors

If the woman in this picture looks familiar, she should (at least for those who've been following this blog for a while): she's Sandra, my libraries program partner while I worked for MCC. Over the past year or so our lives have mirrored each other in significant (almost spooky!) ways; we got married within a month of each other, and our children were born three weeks apart. And now we're neighbors too; Sandra, her husband, and baby Valeria live less than a block from Saúl and me on Alameda Los Hechos (roughly, Acts of the Apostles Boulevard), Barrio Nueva Jerusalén (how's that for a neighborhood name--the New Jerusalem?).

A few days before Samuel turned six months old, Sandra and I took our babies for a walk around the neighborhood--one of Samuel's favorite activities. Here we are at the house where Saúl and I live, ready to walk out the door. We ended up walking around the block and then up the hill to a neighborhood store, where Sandra and I bought cold homemade fruit drinks and fresh baked goods.

Another interesting thing about this picture is the people who are not physically present but whose presence can nevertheless be felt. Take a closer look at the picture. See that backpack-style baby carrier? That was a gift from my sister Carla. It's been one of our favorite gifts; Samuel's eyes light up when he sees me putting it on. Now look in the background, at the cards on the refrigerator. Those are from some of you, dear family and friends. They add color to our dining room and remind us of the lovely gifts and warm wishes you sent us. Thanks, once again.

I hope to publish a six-month-old picture of Samuel soon, but I thought that in the meantime you'd enjoy this little slice of life at our home in Santa Cruz.