Memories, Abuelita and music

I can hear her singing.  I can see her eyes sparkling as she laughed and looked at me with love etched on her lined face and shining from her chocolate brown eyes.  It is my abuelita and the music makes me smile.  There has been music in our family way back... to a time when her father couldn't leave his drum, el bombo, behind in Fuentesauco.  To the time when music filled the family gatherings in such a way that there could be no gathering without it.  I'm told my aunts were known to dance on the farm tables during the 1920s with their cousins and the little children who could climb up with them, danced too.  Music.

Another memory.  When my daughter, Audrie, was about 7 years old, she sat on abuelita's lap in Woodland, California in Aunt Millie's kitchen.  Abuelita was singing to her and Audrie reached up and touched her face.  Then it was Audrie's turn.  She looked into her great grandmothers face and sang back to her:  "Two little lovebirds sitting in a tree..... K_I_S_S_I_N_G.

Abuelita was enthralled.  She gathered herself up and sang back to my daughter, "Two little lovebirds sitting in a tree..... DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA... in the exact tune with exact timing.  She couldn't spell and had no idea what Audrie said after tree.... but she didn't miss a beat.   The room erupted in laughter and my heart overflowed.  Can you see me smiling still?

This woman was so special to me and my eagerness to find where the core of this lady began moves me forward toward Monday when I fly away at 6:30 a.m.