1.
When your aunt put you to work before you could even write your own name.
2.
When your grandma cooked enough food to feed the entire city.
3.
When your parents prayed el rosario every time they rode in a car with you.
4.
When your siblings betrayed you in unforgivable ways.
5.
When frijoles were the only thing your parents would feed you every other day.
6.
When your mom woke you up far more loudly than any alarm clock ever did.
7.
When even your grandparents tackled kids down for some of the good candy.
8.
When your dad saw alcohol as an absolute necessity for every party, even if it was a baptism.
9.
When you met relatives you never knew even existed.
10.
And you had to pretend like you had known them your entire life.
11.
When your uncles commiserated together while grilling the carne asada and drinking beer.
12.
When your privacy could only be guaranteed if you paid rent.
13.
When your aunts got together to chismear while making the tamales for Christmas.
14.
When going to the tianguis was a perfectly enjoyable family outing.
15.
When you saw the same blanket in EVERY SINGLE one of your relative's houses.
16.
When your aunt's interior decorations resembled that of a Catholic church.
17.
When every family member prayed to Jesus that they WOULDN'T get the baby Jesus.
18.
When you were forced to give up your bedroom every time your aunt and uncle crashed at your place.
19.
When your newborn baby cousin's were far more blinged out than you ever could were.
20.
When you either had to coax your cousin to be a chambelan or you were the one being coaxed.
21.
When one sibling decided to fuck up your look by slamming your face into the cake.
It's all these little things and more that'll always make you love your big Mexican family, no matter what.