10 Things, Vol. 1

1. Cat Mom Update

Well, it finally happened… My cats decided they were adults and moved out.

Okay, not really. But for the last couple of months they’ve basically chosen the outdoor life. They’re still around every day, but they spend most of their time outside running around, exploring, and doing whatever it is cats do when they’re not sleeping for 16 hours.

Honestly, they seem to love it. They look happy. They look free. They look like they pay taxes now.

I’m happy for them, even though I miss having them inside as much. My only concern is that one day they’re going to bring me a dead mouse as a gift. And while I understand that’s supposed to be an honor, I’d really prefer a gift card.

2. New Music Taste Unlocked

I think it’s a pretty common human experience to dislike the music your parents listened to when you were growing up. At least, that’s what happened to me.

When I was little, every Sunday morning was cleaning day and my mom would have her music at full blast. I’m talking Los Bukis, Juan Gabriel, Los Ángeles Azules, Alacranes Musical, Celso Piña… the whole shebang.

Honestly, I’m surprised we never got noise complaints from the neighbors. Or maybe we did and, being Mexican, we collectively said, “That’s nice,” and turned the volume up another notch.

Anywho, I’ve recently discovered that I’m voluntarily listening to those exact same songs now. Like, for fun.

I don’t know if this is what happens when you become a mom or if I’ve simply reached the age where childhood music suddenly starts sounding really good.

Either way, I’m not fighting it. So guess what I’ll be up to Sunday after church?

3. Peaches Are My Holy Grail

Baby has me eating an alarming number of peaches. I’m talking three to four peaches a day. Every day.

On our last grocery run, my husband bought me two pounds worth of peaches and my first thought wasn’t, “Wow, that’s a lot of peaches.”

My first thought was, “That should hold me over for a little while.”

I fear I’ve reached a point where peaches are less of a fruit and more of a lifestyle. This cannot be normal. Anyway, if anyone needs me, I’ll be eating another peach.

4. The Closest I’ll Ever Get to an MJ Concert

When I heard there was a Michael Jackson movie coming out, I was HYPED.

I loved Michael Jackson when I was little. And by “loved,” I mean I was obsessed. Every song was my favorite song. I had the t-shirts, the CDs, the DVDs… all of it.

The one thing I never got to do was go to one of his concerts.

So when I finally watched the movie, I had the biggest smile on my face the entire time. It felt like I was reconnecting with a huge part of my childhood.

And those last scenes? WOW. Without spoiling anything, if you’ve seen it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. For a few minutes, I completely forgot I was sitting in a movie theater. It felt like I was actually at one of his concerts, singing along with everyone else. Little Adri was having the time of her life.

5. Work, Work, Work, Work

Work has been really good lately. I’m currently getting the opportunity to work on a new grant, which has been exciting, and overall I just feel really grateful for where I’m at professionally right now.

One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot is how lucky I feel to have the balance and flexibility that I do as I prepare for motherhood. Not everyone gets that, and I don’t take it for granted.

I know I’ll be going on leave soon to spend time bonding with my baby, which is something I’m really looking forward to. But I also know myself well enough to know that when it’s time to come back, I’ll be excited to return and serve our families again.

It’s a funny feeling because I’m excited for what’s ahead, but I’m also really content with where I am right now. That’s a good place to be.

6. Touching Grass, Literally

I started a 21-day fast with my church community on May 26. Since I’m pregnant, fasting from food wasn’t really an option, so I decided to fast from social media instead.

Let me tell you… the urge to open Instagram for absolutely no reason has been insane. I’ve caught myself unlocking my phone, instinctively tapping where the app normally is, and then remembering, “Oh right. I’m not doing that.” Apparently, scrolling had become my go-to activity whenever I had a few minutes to spare, wanted entertainment, or just didn’t know what to do with myself.

That said, I’m already seeing the benefits. I’ve had more time to work on things I actually enjoy. I’ve been spending more quality time with my husband. I’ve been fellowshipping more with my brothers and sisters from church. I’ve even found myself being more present throughout the day.

Don’t get me wrong, my thumb is still searching for Instagram like it’s a missing family member. But overall, I’d say the fast is going really well.

7. Pour One Out for NewJeans 

I’m still sad about NewJeans. They were the first K-pop group I ever really got into, so hearing that they won’t be continuing as a group has been a bit of a bummer.

I still remember the first song of theirs that I heard: Supernatural. An absolute masterpiece. From there, I rapidly fell down the NewJeans rabbit hole and happily stayed there.

Of course, I’m disappointed that I won’t be getting any new NJZ bops in the future, but at least their music isn’t going anywhere.

My Spotify playlist is alive and well, and that’s where you’ll find me whenever I need to hear “Supernatural” for the 500th time.

8. Ella Langley, Girl, Where Have You Been?!

Staying on the music train… Listen, I thought I wasn’t into country music.

Okay, maybe that’s not entirely true. I’ve enjoyed some country artists before. I like Luke Combs and Zach Bryan, but I never considered myself a country music person.

Then my friend introduced me to Ella Langley. And now here we are. Her songs are catchy as heck. Every time I think I’ve found my favorite, another one comes on and suddenly that’s my favorite.

At this point, I fear I have entered my Gangley era. I don’t know how long this era will last, but I’m fully committed to it while it’s here. If you see me randomly listening to Ella Langley throughout the day, just know this is who I am now.

9. There’s A Peanut Situation That Has Been Bothering Me

Today, I learned that peanuts grow underground. Apparently this is common knowledge, but it was brand new information to me. What makes this even worse is that I also learned the German word for peanut is Erdnuss, which literally translates to “earth nut.”

Earth. Nut.

As in, “This nut grows in the earth.” The clue was right there the entire time! And yet I somehow made it this far through life without ever questioning why it was called that.

I don’t know what’s more embarrassing: the fact that I didn’t know peanuts grow underground or the fact that another language figured out a way to explain it directly in the name.

Anyway, now I’m wondering what other obvious facts are hiding in plain sight that I’ve somehow missed.

10. Lucha Libre Will Always Be Cool

One thing I love about my Mexican culture is our love for lucha libre. I grew up watching AAA with my family and thought it was the coolest thing ever. Seeing wrestlers like La Parka, Octagón, Cibernético, Blue Demon Jr., and Konnan was a regular part of my childhood.

The masks. The entrances. The drama. The flying off the ropes. It was all amazing.

As a kid, I was completely convinced that lucha libre was one of the greatest forms of entertainment ever created. To be honest, I still of feel that way.

Whenever I come across a lucha libre clip, I’ll stop and watch it. Something about it just makes me happy. It reminds me of family, childhood, and being gathered around the TV together.

And apparently, that appreciation runs in the family because my grandma still loves lucha libre too. Some things never stop being cool.