Deep in the Heart of Texas

For those of you that don’t know,,,I’m a Texan,,well I was at least born there, but only lived in Texas for about 2 years, so I’m not sure if I can proudly ware the Title Texan,,,or can I? We made many trips from our home in Southern California back when I was little and that was long before the days of smart phones, and portable DVD players ( I feel so sorry for kids these days), but we had all of America to look at on them long trips, well,,,actually just a desert in a Pontiac Grand Prix with no A/C. Those trips were fun (once we got there) and I mostly remember playing in the dirt streets in front of my Grandma’s

My Grandmother, Maria Chairez Sorola

house and running to the neighbor ladies house that had a little store in it. I also remember watching my Grandma cook on an open fire and always having a hot pot of beans and fresh tortillas,,,hummm kind of like what I see now when I go to some of our friends houses. So the smells are still fresh in my mind and every tamale I eat never quite stacks up to an approval rating that is equal to my Grandma Maria’s. I did not grow very close to my Grandma Maria, mainly because I did not speak Spanish and she did not speak English. I remember sitting in her still and quiet kitchen and us just kind of looking at each other and knowing we could not really communicate. But she was a Grandma and knew what to do, so, she would gather a bowl, heat some tortillas and then she’d present me with most likely the best bowl of beans anyone could imagine, plus, fresh hot tortillas. Then she’d give me that smile that had a thousand “I love you’s” and a pat on the head,,, then I think she just enjoyed watching me eat her masterpiece.

For a period of time I was also very fearful of Texas and my Mom told me  that I usually  just stood around and cried. I guess I grew out of it and eventually got used to Texas, and it was one Sunday afternoon that I decided that I was going to be a Dallas Cowboy’s fan, and I think I was like,,,,11 or 12 years old. So although I have not spent a lot of time in Texas I still have always missed it.

There's Joe, Diana, Debbie and Catherine

This last year was a sad time for me and it was very difficult calling my Aunt’s in Texas after all these years to have to tell them of my Mom’s health, and eventually I had to call them to tell them of her passing. My Aunt Mary Lou and Aunt Nina I guess could have talked to me as if I was that distant Nephew that never comes to Texas to see them, but instead they talked to me as if I had just left there home after sharing in a nice conversation and  a cup of coffee. This was comforting, but yet I still felt as if something was missing and the clock started to tick and something was telling me that I need to return to Texas. My cousin Cindy made it out for the my Mom’s funeral and helped us think through a visit and where we could stay, where to go, and the

My Aunt Mary Lou, the die hard Spurs fan!

who’s who living where. She was a blessing in the whole idea of a trip to,,,The Heart of Texas.

Debbie and I scrambled around and figured out airfare, car rental, where everyone is living, and calling and emailing to see who would let us stay with them. I must say that all doors were open and everyone seemed very excited that we were coming. We left a chilly Chicago and then landed in a HOT San Antonio and we then headed to my Cousin Diane’s house and her Mom, my Aunt lived there with them. Aunt Mary Lou was there to greet us and it was if time stood still for all of these years and she took us in as if we were her own. Slowly but surely we started to reacquaint ourselves with

Debbie, Angie, Diana, and Sonia,,,,see how well Debbie fits in?

everyone, and well,,,for Debbie she was meeting everyone for the first time. I met second cousins, and I guess third cousins, and Joe! Joe is married to my Cousin Diana and was an incredible man that could make a house robber feel at home,,,and Joe would most likely cook him a meal to!

Soon we could tell that it was all real, the hospitality was real, the new friendships were real and for Debbie she herself felt like a Texan. At one time my Three cousins Diane, Sonia and Angie all headed off to the store and had Debbie come with them and to me it was funny, but yet nice to see that one Blonde head bobbing out the door with all of them. Debbie also felt very special when Angie introduce her to someone else and not as “this is Debbie, my cousin’s wife”, but rather,,,”This is My Cousin Debbie from California”, it almost made her cry as she stood in “The Heart of Texas”.

Cowboy fans to the bitter end!

My Cousin Diana has two son’s Matthew and  Joseph,and they have their daughter Catherine who is their oldest. Their family has been growing as well! Catherine has two children Alexis and Danny (that love Sponge Bob), and Matthew had just become a new Father to a beautiful baby girl named Ariana!  Getting to know everyone was fun and comforting, but at first Joseph did not say much to each other and we just passed each other with that kind awkward kind of smile, but eventually we hit it off as Cars and Engines came up and  bam!,,,,we became very good friends. I had a good time with Joseph and our time together talking about cars, engines, music, and basketball (yea, I’m now a Spurs Fan). It’s hard to explain it all but as time went on during our stay we started to find ourselves sinking deeper “Into the Heart of Texas”.

We also made the road trip to Del Rio and Cousin Cindy came along for the ride,,well she lives there too, and it

Lake Amistad Dam with my Cousin Cindy, Aunt Nina, 2nd Cousin Melissa, and Debbie

was a nice drive and she spent much of the time sharing with us many stories of my Grandmother and what life was like growing up in Del Rio. Debbie had a book and everywhere she went she tried to gain information on my family, and stories of my Mom. In Del Rio we visited with my Aunt Nina and Uncle Bill, and besides my grandmothers house, I think this is where we also spent much of our time, and not much had seemed to change as Aunt Nina was quick to make sure we felt right at home. Del Rio is a small town and Cindy was our tour guide as she took us all around and not only telling us about Del Rio, but pointing out the places my Mom spent much of her time when she lived there. Both of my Aunts filled our hearts and minds with stories I had never heard and they shed a whole new light of who my

Me and my Aunt Nina standing next to the Grave site of my Grandma Maria.

Mom was. Yea, sounds funny,,, It’s also kind of sad. I was wishing that I could race home and say Ahhhh Haaaaa! And laugh with her about some of the stories we heard,,,and, start calling her “Panchita”.  For sure by now there was no falling into “The Heart of Texas” as it was indeed, all around us.

Cindy also took time to show us where the roots of our family lays. A place that really took a hold of me and helped me understand many things, but yet opened up a door that now has me trying to understand new things. She took us to the Grave Yard where the Graves of my Grandparents and Great Grandparents are. This was like something out of the old west and the weeds were high, the ground was riddled with gopher holes,

The site of my Great Grand Mother Francisca,,I believe that is the original cross.

and many of the Graves were very old and Unattended. At the sites of my Great Grand Parents one cross was gone and the other was in bad shape. At my Grandfather Pedro’s, that concrete was cracked and chipped and was in need of some fresh paint. I felt compelled to help and I was so happy that my Cousin Cindy was open to the idea of us helping her do some restoration to the sites. So we were off to Home Depot and after getting a little paint, Concrete repair materials, and some 2×4′s we headed to Aunt Nina’s where we would craft some new crosses. It was and amazing feeling to contribute in this way and even as I sit here at my Desk in Ensenada I still try to understand some of the feelings I had as I re-connected with my family in such a different way. There as been so much I’ve missed, there is much that I’ve never saw, and there are many stories where my name is not connected. But, I guess in someway I felt as if I had caught up, but what is even greater than all of that is finding out what it’s like to be “Deep in the Heart of Texas”. It wasn’t the food (although that Menudo Big Joe got was out of this world), it wasn’t The Riverwalk in San Antonio, it wasn’t the Alamo,,,well yea, it was the Alamo, but another blog for another day. For us being Deep in the Heart of Texas was being with family, reconnecting with family, talking and laughing with family, and sharing a meal with Family.

So I hope it’s not too long until my next visit and I look forward to someday sitting in a living room somewhere in Texas and watching my favorite football team play (hopefully in the Super Bowl), and looking over to La Rubia Mia with her #82 jersey on sitting with my Cousins and fitting in and routing on them Cowboys. I simply can’t wait to go back and be,,,,,”Deep in the Heart of Texas”.

Cindy and Debbie work on Eogenio Sorola's Grave with new paint and a new cross.

A great shot of my Aunt Nina and Debbie at Lake Amistad

My Second Cousing Melissa, myself, and Debbie at Val Verde Winery.

The Riverwalk in San Antonio. We ate some great BBQ there.

The guys! Joseph, myself, Matthew, and Big Joe

Joe is what Texas hospitality is all about.

Aunt Mary Lou being Goofy with me,,,get it,,Goofy...

Don't mess with Texas,,or the Cowboy's!!

Danny and Alexis (Catherine's children) with Sponge Bob Square Pants

Cousin Angie holding the newest Member to the family, Ariana Carmen Figueroa!

At the Alamo, and,,, "Deep in the Heart of Texas!