# 18 Land of the free, home of the brave

I've always loved anthems. Despite the warlike tone, I always found it amusing to hear emotional players before matches chanting a kind of motivational speech for the match.

I think it's a shame that in Spain there isn't a poem to accompany the music, I make sure my children know the Portuguese anthem well, and here in this destination the devotion to the flag and the anthem are, from my point of view, very beautiful. As well as the anthem being sung every day, and always before all the matches we've been to, now the sisters are rehearsing auditions for the end-of-year ceremonies, and I like it more and more.

This month of Freedom, in which we vibrated from afar, was very fast-paced and got off to the best start with the preparations for Mercedes' party. Matias had superheroes, Maria had the official party of our favorite basketball team, and Mercedes was distraught at being unable to do the same.

With no great ideas, she adopted her mother's strategy and threw me this sentence one morning: "Mommy, I don't know what I'd like to do at my party, but I'm sure that you, who know me and know what I like, will come up with a really good idea, I'm sure, Mommy! Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do it!"... well, thanks a lot, Mercedes!

I looked for horses, ponies, and farms with parties.

I discarded the expensive ones; then I discarded dubious activities for Cuca's ethics (there was a party that consisted of painting a pony white to turn it into a unicorn... and I imagined Cuca questioning everything related to this).

I contacted a marine rescue center, whose volunteers were very sweet. Although they didn't organize birthday parties, they were available to welcome us and explain everything about the inpatients.

Maria prepared the invitation, and voila!

When Maria showed the result to her sister, she was thrilled, loved the idea, and asked to print it on lots of paper to ensure she invited everyone she wanted.

Mercedes had several surprises on the day itself.

For me, the one from her sister Mimi entering the school was the most unprecedented and spectacular of all.

She took care of everything herself, made payments with her card, and signed waivers. Great Mimi.

Rodrigo wanted to "overprint" paper invitations, but we found out later that she had distributed everything.

I lost count of the confirmations, and the day before, I shared with the abuelos that even teachers were replying to me and that they would be happy to accompany their dear Mercedes to the birthday party! And that the cake was therefore obviously small, and the snack probably too...

Abuelos voluntarios y con jetlag, results in several tortillas de batata made in the wee hours of the morning! What a relief! They were delicious, and they flew!

Although the site is 45 minutes away, we were all there on time, and the volunteers explained everything as if they were used to dozens of children asking questions and controlling any noise.

As it is a non-profit organization with a well-defined mission and various support options, the guests' parents bought merchandise, made various donations, and sponsored seals and sea lions. In our case, Elmer was the lucky recipient.

The team was so grateful that they gave Cuca a mini sea lion, which she keeps religiously.

We returned home laden with treats from all our friends, a sense of accomplishment in several ways and a seal godson. It is difficult to do better.

The next day, we all headed for San Diego. La Jolla doesn't disappoint, nor does Oldtown, with its strong Mexican influence.

As long as I've known my father-in-law, he's been telling me about Casino Barona, and on my return from San Diego, we had to check it off their bucket list and visit it.

Smoke-free casino (top!), and the first real Barona people to visit this casino were ours!

An intense and beautiful weekend in equal proportions. On our way home, we missed the most irresistible friend we've made lately.

During the week, it's business as usual, with more challenges and top opportunities.

I had the privilege of meeting with the Faculty and PhD students at the University of South California and planning possible future collaborations. I am so grateful for my research buddy Jenny and her network...

In the middle of the week, I had my first friends' dinner for Elaine's 40th birthday.

I've met another handful of mothers, all so different and all so nice people. I hope it's the first of many!

It was an evening of laughter, good snacks, and delicious cocktails. Thank you, Elaine!

There came a point when my low tolerance for cocktails forced me to order food urgently before I could start to sing Fado in the middle of the restaurant.

At the weekend, we organized ourselves beyond the usual activities and did more sightseeing. Venice and its canals, the beach that doesn't convince the ladies but is a must, Beverly Hills and Hollywood.

We arrived home exhausted but happy. The next day, we had to make the most of it again and head for Balboa, Newport, Laguna, and Dana Point.

Our friend Carlos accompanied us with his enviable energy and stories worthy of a novel.

Another wonderful day to remember.

Between the lively weekends, we all try to keep up with the typical excitement of school weeks, work, and 327 activities/programs/commitments.

This time, the week was marked by open house days, which meant we could visit and talk to each of the teachers, see the work the three of them had been doing throughout the year, and get a better idea of why it was so easy and so quick for them to adapt to this teaching system.

We couldn't have been luckier with the people we and our children have met throughout this year, from teachers to attentive staff to friends of all ages. What's more, the openness of these places and this system to new cultures, languages, and previous learning experiences is genuine and encouraged.

A common thread is that the teachers of all three got involved with our children to ensure they built up the confidence to try to do their best, and they always recognized the work.

Matias has played more at school this year than he has in the whole of his four years, but he is trilingual, explains eclipses and the life cycle of butterflies like a big person, and there has never been a day when he didn't want to go or when he was waiting for me to leave school—you have to wonder!

We've noticed two big differences from our previous experiences: playing as much as possible without the stress of early literacy in pre-school, and encouraging constant reading in the older ones. Matias has completely forgotten what paper files are, and the sis' highlight of the week is going to the library to find out what they want.

The abuelos were increasingly enthusiastic about everything they thought was impossible before they arrived, and they traveled on foot, by bicycle, and by car independently. They made several swimming pools for shopping and more shopping, interacted with whoever they needed to, and even took and picked up children without blinking an eye. What a bunch!

We've saved The Sequoias for the last abuelos weekend.

More world in everyone's body, inside a car that looked like a Monster Truck, a house that looked like it was made for my children, and the proximity to the National Park that I've enjoyed the most to date.

At this time of year, the Sequoias are still very cool, but with Elaine's help, we were able to equip the abuelos and their children to be comfortable in the most beautiful forest we've seen to date.

The energy of these trees is almost palpable. The largest and oldest known living creatures on the planet. California is accumulating more of this wonder of the world.

We had a wonderful weekend, and we're going to plant a 5 cm high Sequoia we brought from the park in Parede. We just need to find the perfect spot!

The abuelos' stay was ending, and although I felt their restrained amazement, the realization that many of their ideas about these parts weren't exactly true, and their complaints about the California climate, I think they thoroughly enjoyed this privileged place.

They ventured everywhere at will, enjoyed grandchildren, and returned home with more luggage than they arrived!

Around here, the feeling of emptiness in the children after the goodbyes is difficult to manage... Cuca was caught red-handed.

With the school year coming to a close, so do the state tests, which put extra stress on everyone in the house. On top of that, sports seasons are coming to a close, with events celebrating anything and everything, snack duties (preparing snacks for the team), and a whole host of equally fun and challenging logistics. It really is always a party!

I confess that I have alarms for all my activities and those of all my dependents, and even then, I get confused if the alarm alerts me to something I wasn't expecting, which happens quite often...

In the meantime, at the end of the year, we've also noticed that schools are handing out prizes to recognize students in various areas.

Maria and Mercedes received invitations, so their families could attend the ceremony at the end of May... I've already been moved (how could I not?!) just by the nominations, realizing how we all were on the first day of school and how we all are now...

For me, whatever it is, they've already won!

Meanwhile, one day at school, we heard the word "Setúbal" pronounced perfectly, and we were immediately in a friendly conversation with yet another family of Portuguese origin.

In the meantime, we were invited to the May festivities, and we went to Artesia.

We opted for the steaks, seasoned with garlic and coriander, which took us to a wonderful ecstasy. Families of common origins, authentic people, and a Portuguese house, of course, where we were welcomed with the Portuguese generosity that characterizes us so well.

We realized that May is one of the high points in this community. The priest came from Terceira Island, and we immediately accepted the invitation to another party the following week.

Mass in Portuguese, snacks, and "vacada", with the promise not to harm animals - an explicit requirement of Cuca - which is in line with California's animal protection laws.

In this land where we feel much freer than foreigners, it is inevitable to realize that there are many stories of bravery in this community of Portuguese origin.

It's no wonder that the American anthem always gives me goosebumps at the end.

Bifanas on bread and on the plate, spices to the point of tears, a Rosary for the children, Shepherds of Fatima, a Vacada (and a lot of emotion in the vacada), and dancing and more dancing. What a mythical Friday!

We bring the Heroes of the Sea and the Noble People by heart. And we are comfortable in this home of the brave.

You're all that's missing.

Otherwise, that's it!