Today was a special day at school. The 16th is the Dia de la Indepencia, Mexico’s Independence Day. It’s actually the day the Mexican War of Independence began, not the day it ended. It’s a very big day in Mexico and celebrated every bit as joyfully as July 4th in the States.

I love the story behind this day. How Hidalgo and his fellow plotters had planned their revolt against Spanish rule to begin in early October, but the plan was betrayed. When Hidalgo was made aware of this he rang the bells of the church in the small town of Dolores, gathered his congregation, and asked them to rise up and fight. Eleven years later Mexico was independent.

At school all the parents were invited to a festival. Kids in Ouest’s class wore traditional dress, the older kids did some patriotic marching and flag work while the national anthem and a few other patriotic songs played, and the oldest group of kids put on a short re-enactment of Hidalgo’s speech, the Grito de Dolores—as I’m sure thousands of other schoolchildren did around the country today.

It sounds silly probably, but I feel quite patriotic towards Mexico these days. More and more Ali and I feel as if Mexico is our home. And for our kids it truly is. Ouest might look different than her Mexican classmates, but she is Mexican nonetheless, and I’m proud that she is learning this history and culture.

Ouest’s school is tiny. There are about fifty students total spread out from ages 3 to maybe 14. In fact, Ouest’s class with eight kids is the largest in the school. The nice thing about this is the close bond that the kids all seem to share. And I’m amazed every day by how gentle and kind every single one of them is. Every kid in school knows Ouest’s name, and most of them know Lowe’s too. Every morning a group of the older kids gather around me and Lowe, ask us questions, and try their best to get Lowe to engage with them. He’s coming around and now hands out high-fives and waves goodbye.

Anyway, we all had fun. A couple of Ouest’s friends took Lowe under their wings and pulled him round and round the playground. He went willingly, and even began to search out their hands when they let go. Ouest got to spend more fun time with her bestie Fatima, and the kids got to drink horchata and try tamarind candy for the first time. Good times.