Natalia's Cake Creations: ...bet you didn't know...

I sit to take a break before cooking dinner...there's bread rising in the kitchen, my little one is transfixed on "The Iron Giant", my older one is playing down the street with his friends, I have just brewed a fresh pot of, "oh, so good", Dunkin' Donuts Hazelnut coffee, my hubby is probably on his way home and I start to wonder what in the world can I write about for my next blog post.

Well, let me tell you. A couple of days ago I began to think about where my family has come from, our "origins" and where we are going. So, here's a little bit about me that I bet you didn't know. I consider myself to be Hispanic, as much as I can be, considering what has made me Hispanic. I was born and raised in Texas...let me explain. I was born in El Campo, Texas, a small town about 2 hrs southwest of Houston with a population of 1208 when I was born. I lived there only for the first few days of my infant life before I moved to northwest Houston for the next 7 yrs. I remember being in 2nd grade at the time when my parents told us we'd be moving to Spring, just north of Houston. Well, being 7 I didn't take it very well and I cried for 2 days straight and 2 weeks off and on after that. As far as I knew my world was crashing down on me. From there I finished school through 12th grade, got married, had 2 boys and have been in this area ever since. So at this point all you know is...I'm Texan.

After grilling my parents about my grandparents, great grandparents and great, great grandparents I've gained little information but enough know that I'm not really Hispanic in the more proper sense of the word or as Wikipedia puts it, " the term has...been used to describe the culture and people of countries formerly ruled by Spain, usually with a majority of the population speaking the Spanish language. These include Mexico, the majority of the Central and South American countries, and most of the Greater Antilles." but I am "enough" Hispanic to claim that I am. Does that make sense? Didn't think so. sigh Let me explain...

One of my dad's grandmothers was German and American Indian, her husband was German and Spanish. My dad's other grandmother was American Indian and Mexican and Grandfather was Mexican. So that would make my father, more or less a German Hispanic (what!?!?). I know...I know.

Now on to my mom. Her side is more straight forward. Her parents and grandparents, for the most part are Mexican (Hispanic), from Mexico, but when you get down to her great grandparents there is more American Indian mixed in so it's hard to say just how "Hispanic" she is but for explanation's sake let's put her in the Mexican (Hispanic) Indian category.

So, from what I can deduce from all of this is that I am a German Indian Hispanic! Whew, that's a mouthful! Now, I'm not saying that's a bad thing because it's not, especially when I consider the pros of thick black hair, olive skin and freckles. All I'm saying is that I'm probably gonna need some serious counseling after this due to identity crisis. Just kidding. That's my lame attempt at being witty.

To top it all off, my name is, Natalia, which happens to be Russian but most "first-timers" usually ask me if I'm from Italy! Not only that but I get more Middle Easterners asking me if I'm Middle Eastern than I've ever had Mexicans asking me if I'm Mexican! Okay...you can stop laughing now. (lame attempt #2) Believe me, I'm just as confused as you are.

Let's jump to the present now. Here I am, this "German Indian Hispanic" and I marry a man who is Caucasian. But he's not just Caucasian...oh no, I'm way too complex for that. I realize I've hitched myself up with a man whose got Cajun, Irish, French and German all mixed in at one point or another! I know what you're probably thinking, "I have all of that too! So what's the big deal!" I realize that and that's the beauty of it all! The "amount", if you will, at which we are all made up of all of these is so diverse and so unique that we've yet to meld into one, big, mushy mess of looking like we are all related! Isn't it amazing! I think so.

The product of what God has created through the joining of my husband and I is something even more truly amazing to me! Our 2 boys! Casey and Corban are two of the most handsome boys I have ever laid eyes on! Of course I'm partial, they're my boys.

So there you have it. Something I bet you didn't know about me. Hope you enjoyed my ramblings! Before I go I'll leave you with a little bit of Heaven to look at. :-) Enjoy. Until next time, God bless.