Devin's Hometown: LA

Meeting Devin's family was a great experience and a wonderful look into who Devin is a person and what he came from but what was also awesome about the trip to California was seeing where Devin was brought up. Those of you who don't know Devin personally, his Grandma raised him. His mother and himself lived with his grandparents in a one bedroom "house" that Devin's mother was born in. For me the house is equivalent to a regular sized bedroom and a one sink bathroom of a modern home. Walking into the house was like walking into culture. You could tell those walls had seen a lot. At one point this house held 5 children, Mom and Dad. That is 7 people in a one bedroom house.

I sat down in the kitchen after being introduced to everyone and just took it all in. There was so much to look at and I wanted to know everything. The kitchen was smaller than any I have been in and on one wall there were 4 sets of bunk beds nailed into the wall. The living room had one lazy boy, a book shelf full of all sorts of old books, a full size bed and a tv. The one bedroom had a full size bed a vanity mirror and drawers. The bedroom was attached to the bathroom which was attached to the kitchen. The house is a big circle on the inside. Everything is connected. I felt happy in this house. I knew it held some precious memories.

After visiting with everyone, Olive started to get ansy so Devin and I took her on a walk. He pointed out old friends houses and we walked to the hospital he was born at (right across the street) We stopped and talked to one of his old friend's Mom. Her son was in the yard with a chocolate lab pup. I sat in the grass and chatted with the 10 year old boy while loving on the puppy.

Devin seemed so at ease in his old neighborhood. You could tell he missed it. Memories flooded back as we walked the streets. Each house would bring up a new story for me to hear. I loved it. I loved getting to know my husband better. It was like he opened his heart and just pored out everything.

We went back into the house and His Grandma was making her husband lunch, it was like walking into an authentic Mexican restaurant. The smells were intoxicating. She offered us food over and over while we were visiting. Just like every Grandma I have ever met, making sure no one goes hungry. The walls in the house are lined with pictures apon pictures upon pictures. Daughters and sisters, Mothers and Fathers, Granddaughters and sons. But one photograph jumped out at me. Their wedding photo. It make me smile.

When we were leaving the sun was setting in the most gorgeous way. The streets seemed so homey and inviting. Everything was so green. I took a moment to breathe it in, I was so full of love.

I was so grateful to be welcomed into such culture.