I am from piles of clothes on the floor and sleeping in until 12pm,

From lipstick stained around my mouth and different colored eyeshadow on my eyelids,

I am from swimming in the pool ,

and running to catch the ice cream truck,

I am from the giant tree I see when I drive in a busy street.

Whose hair falls in the Fall but grows in the Summer,

I am from stuffed animals on my bed and a Tinkerbell themed room,

from Heidy Lopez and Heriberto Gaxiola Castro,

and from singing our hearts out to our favorite song and going to vacation on summer break ,

from eating our favorite eggs in the morning,

I am from opening presents at 12am on Christmas,

From eating Pozole and Tamales ,

from seeing pictures of my great grandma when she was younger,

and from going to visit my great grandma’s house in Mexico,

Playing with teddy bears,

I am from the moments…

I am from the leather couch in the living room

From trips on planes every summer and from clay cups

I am from the house with a guava tree

And from rose bushes sticking out of the gate

I am from oregano plants and rosemary bushes in the garden

Whose leaves  looked like they were always getting picked on

I am from my old bed and my old backyard

From Pepito and my grandparents

And from being kind and knowing how to comfort people and make them laugh 

From not being that patient and not being picky but always being welcoming and friendly

I am from going to church on Sundays and celebrating my birthday, two times each birthday

From eating tamales on Christmas and pozoles on birthdays

From my first time going to Mexico and from having roots from a friendly small town, in a big part of Mexico

and from learning how to cook and from watching black and white movies with mariachi singers

I am from getting my face shoved in a cake and from my car toys that I used to play with

I am from the moments of going to family parties and celebrating events as a family

I am from the views of cities from a plane

I am from a hospital in Los Angeles but roots from Mexico

I am from celebrating my heritage

I am from pretending to be in an action movie when I am watching one

I am from going to Mexico in the summers

I am from being grateful for what I have and always celebrating my culture