Coming Together....

Rachel rented a car and we drove from George Bush International Airport in Houston to where her Aunt Nivia (and god mother) lives--Texas City, Texas. Niv is the third eldest daughter. Once we stashed our belongings, Nivia offered to drive us into Galveston, Rachel's birthplace.

In September, 2008, Hurricane Ike smashed into Galveston Bay with winds up to 110 mph.

The 17 foot seawall did little to contain the rising flooding waters.

On the day of our visit, a little over a year later, it was a calm, beautiful day.

Huge boulders have been brought in to rebuild the seawall and beach.

In the warm, balmy weather, workers work 24/7.

The famous Flagship Hotel does stand but must be repaired and renovated.

Empty lots where homes once stood.

Renovated homes are placed up on stilts.

Our trip to Galveston was quick and we returned to Texas City to prepare for the family reunion. Here's another picture of the Murillo Family. Aunt Niv is standing in front of my mom, second from the left.

And here are the surviving siblings and children of Jesus and Jesse Murillo, a few years later.
From the left, Ray, Gilbert, Nivia, Ben and Mike.
Seated are Lu and Evelina.

Here are the first cousins/grand children; Rachel was the 7th born grandchild.

The great grand children.

Great, greats!

And then the "outlaws".

Happy meetings: Cousin Kim and Uncle Benny.

Chat, chat, chat, visit, visit visit. Good thing we have name tags!

These are Longhorn fans, or Aggie fans, or both. I can never keep them straight, but I do know that some of them are just a wee bit rabid about it....I won't say who.

There's always room for one more....Cousins meet.

Hello!

Aunt Niv was peddling necklaces and they were a hit!

Some were totally into themselves...

Others, like Cousin Nathan and Uncle Gil, into family history and connections.

George, Aunt Evelina and Rachel...

A brave new boyfriend...will he be an outlaw some day? Only time will tell.

A family tree captured the entire clan...

So much to say, so many to connect with...

Yummy food--barbecue of course!

Texas champagne.

Uncle Gil shares the family history and (tries to) educate the family .

Uncle Ben listens and is pensive.

Aunt Evelina shares her views...

And Uncle Ray adds his portion.

At sunset, George and Yvonne led a short ceremony to remember and honor all those who have died. Our reunion is less without them but they will always remain in our hears and minds. Four Diaz names were read: Manny, Ofelia, Michael Edward and Angela Carol.

This is 1912 Church Street, Galveston, Texas. The home of Rachel's grand parents. She told me many stories of memories she has of the grand old house...Like sliding down those outside banisters to sneak out at night...Here it is newly renovated with Uncle Gil standing before it--If this house could talk....

All things end. Here we are getting ready to leave. Once again, Rachel refused to let me drive.

Once over my driving huff, to break the ice, I asked Rachel what were the highlights of her visit and trip.

ME: Rachel, dear, what memories will you take with you?
Rachel: Well, there really was so much. I loved seeing Galveston again and staying with Aunt Niv. But if I have to narrow it down I would also say the people connections and avoiding political conversations.
ME: Political conversations?! Why what ever do you mean?
Rachel: Well, before I left I promised myself I wouldn't talk politics. It's easy to do at these Murillo gatherings...I'm not going to change minds and my mind certainly won't be changed. Four times political conversations came up and each time I was able to side step them.
ME: Yes, Dear, I do see what you mean. Well done! It's wise to sometimes plan ahead. The connections of the heart are always better. Can you say more about those connections.
Rachel: Many of the people I saw were people who helped raise me and had such an influence upon me. I could write a chapter on each one of them. Then there are all my cousins, some I was so close to, others I feel close to now because we are all on the same family tree. My aunts and uncles-- I love them all, very much.
ME: Is there anything that you want me to add to my blog?
Rachel: Just that I am so glad I went. I thank Melinda and Tom for opening their home and all their incredible hard work. To all the others who helped, Donna, Aunt Lu, many others, I'm really grateful...I love the cookbook and Uncle Benny's book with Grand Pa's art is so great to have. So many people worked so hard on this. Uncle Ray, Janet, and Anna Mae sprang for the food...
ME: I'll be sure to add that....but for now, please keep your eyes on the road and stop trying to see what I am writing...I don't want you to miss our exit.

A Reunion....Begins.

It's been a long time since Rachel has seen many of her relatives. This past weekend WE flew to Houston for a family reunion. Ahhhh, Houston. Rachel was born in Galveston, a quick 30 minutes away. Many of her family members, on her mother's side, reside in Texas in the Houston area. It's a land that Rachel has a love hate relationship with: love = aunts, uncles, cousins, fond memories, Gulf waters of Mexico; hate = hot, humid, mosquitoes, roaches, and a bit too conservative.

The reunion was to reminisce and bring together a family that began it's most recent roots in the turn of the 20th century. It is a family where the children, sifting through the realities of life, were left with great love, pride, and admiration for their parents. Each child passed on their love for family to their children. Rachel's grandparent's union led to the creation of many new lives...Peeking into their family history and Bible, I have learned:

MURILLO, JESÚS (1895-1971). Jesús Murillo (aka "Grand Pa"), photographer and artist, one of six children of Ambrosio and Antonia (Urbina) Murillo, was born in 1895 in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. His father was a leatherworker, and his mother came from a family of renowned local artists. Jesús learned to sketch as a young boy and at age twelve was apprenticed to a local architect, from whom he learned drafting.

We leave Seattle, toward an adventure.

At eighteen Jesus went to work for a local photographer, who taught him the skills that became his trade. In 1916, because of revolutionary turmoil in Mexico and in search of greater economic opportunities, Grand Pa moved to Laredo and worked for several different photography studios in the city. Beginning in 1917 he worked as a retoucher for Fox Studios in both San Antonio and Waco and earned additional income as a portrait painter.

While living in Waco, he met and married Jesusita Casárez (aka "Granny") in 1918. Rachel's grand mother also went by the name of Rita Morris and spent much of her childhood in a Galveston orphanage. Her origins and real name are unclear. They had six boys and five girls (one of whom was Rachel's mother, Ofelia, the others very dear aunts and uncles). In 1920 (the year Ofelia was born) the family moved to Houston, where Murillo worked at the Shirley Studio for a few months, until the family saved enough money to return to Morelia. They maintained correspondence with Frank Shirley over the next two years, and upon Shirley's insistence (and due to continued political turmoil in Mexico) Grand Pa and Granny Murillo, with daughters in tow, moved back to Houston in 1923.

Up, up, we flew with Rachel pondering the coming weekend.

After Shirley's death in 1927 Murillo opened his own studio, Murillo Studio, in downtown Houston. He also did film retouching and portrait oil painting for the Gray Studio.

We flew southeast over many majestic mountains.

As a hobby, he took his camera outdoors and photographed the growing city. His architectural training probably influenced him to document the construction of new office and commercial buildings. He also painted in his free time, mostly in watercolor and ink, and drew portraits of his children or familiar scenes from the community. Some of his paintings depicted the Madonna and Christ Child. He also painted Gulf Coast landscapes.

In 1930 the family moved to Galveston, where Murillo operated his studio at various locations. He continued photographing people and cityscapes as well as painting until his death. During his lifetime Murillo sold only his commercial work, the photographs taken in his studio or commissioned by patrons. His documentary photographs of Houston and Galveston and his paintings remained within the family or were given to friends.

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Granny was a woman of strength who was raised in an orphanage being cared for by nuns. She worked in the kitchen and learned to cook and bake like a master. They also taught her amazing sewing and needle work skills; she sewed and tailored many of her children's clothes (and wedding gowns) over the many years. All of these skills she brought to their union and influenced the lives of the eleven children she and Grand Pa raised.

Jesus and Jesse Murillo had eleven children, 26 grand children and many more great grandchildren. Many lives with twists and turns; and yet, a strong desire to come together and connect.

Jesus, Grand Pa is on the far left; Granny, Jesse, holds her youngest daughter, Lucretia.
Rachel's mother, Ofelia is the beautiful young woman with the legs in the front row.(Another of life's mysteries: How did Rachel miss out on so many of her mother's genes...Wonder, wonder, ponder, ponder).

Here's one grand daughter, Kim Murillo with her partner Deb. Kim and Deb also live in Seattle. Rachel and I were so surprised when we learned that we were all on the same airplane! Ohhh, the mysteries of the Universe--it gives me chills!

Welcome to Houston. We have landed. Stay tuned.