Notes on a Weekend...

My parents and aunt -- my father's sister -- spent the weekend with us before making their way north to visit my brother and his wife, who just welcomed their second beautiful, dark-haired daughter. 

I'm recapping the weekend in snapshots because it played out that way -- there were constant small, sweet moments and reminders of just how full and funny my house is when my family is here. 

- My mother, a proud abuela, moved to fat tears watching Maria, in a tutu, dramatically sing  "I See the Moon''  -- her new favorite song.

"I see the moon and the moon sees me

The moon sees the one I long to see

God bless the moon and God bless me

God bless the one I love.''

- My guajiro father outside, stalking and cackling at the guineas for about 11 hours a day.

- My mom and aunt outside "chismotiando'' for about 5 hours on a breezy Sunday afternoon.

- A rare box of guava pastelitos and espresso with espumita: Heaven.

- Maria to my parents after she's told to speak Spanish: "Maybe you can learn English?''

- My aunt teaching me to sew a "falda de plato'' -- or big twirling skirt -- for Maria and making a fabulous satiny blue one one in the process. 

- My dad and aunt reminiscing about my sweet grandmother, a poor country women who invited every other poor person to dinner even if it meant adding water to the soup, and adding some more as the table filled.

- My aunt, whom I call "The Cuban Marilyn Monroe," admitting she couldn't fall asleep because my mother reminded her of her real age. "I can't believe I am that old!'' she kept saying the next morning.

- Maria's brain on Spanish overdrive, hours after everyone has gone, says to her friend: "You want to learn the Cuban eenie meanie miney mo? It goes cucara macara titere fue...''

Does your visiting family fill your house with a special kind of sound?

Dime.