Our Story
The story of how our two families were brought together as one big Catholic family is a true Blessing from God and it all started at zoo camp almost six years ago. I had just moved to Fort Worth from El Paso with my children while my husband and eldest son stayed back to complete his work obligations before his transfer to Fort Worth, and to complete the sale of our El Paso home.
This was a stressful time for the Lopez family in that we were, for the first time, separated with two mortgages and two paths to follow. I was alone in a new place with three of our children, one of which was a firecracker named Paulina, who was both recently diagnosed with a serious kidney disease, and desperate to find a friend by her new home. She was the youngest child and her two older siblings in Fort Worth were adjusting to this new chapter in our lives in their own quiet way. I decided, against my frugal nature, to enroll Paulina in the Fort Worth Zoo Summer camp for kids. As the mother of a “sick” kid, I made sure to explain Paulina’s need for hydration and rest. I left my number if she needed to leave for any reason and I, reluctantly, made my way home, hoping that she would find a friend.
The first two days of camp, upon dismissal, I arrived to retrieve a broken-hearted Paulina who would climb into my car and cry because she could not keep up with the other kids and, as she put it, no one wanted to play with her. The third day was the last straw, as far as I was concerned, I told Paulina that she just needed to give it one more try. I cried in my car and prayed for my little girl. If this day was unsuccessful, she did not have to go back, but that would never happen because on the THIRD day, she climbed into the car with a smile across her face as she sang the words, “Mom, I have a new BFF and her name is Lucy!” Life was good and Paulina could speak of nothing but the amazing Lucy!
The last day of camp was a different story. Paulina got in my car and cried as we drove away. She choked out the words, “What if I never see Lucy again? Do you think she will recognize me if I see her in college?” I felt so defeated and could not believe that I hadn’t thought to meet Lucy’s mom before this moment. Paulina was devastated.
My eldest son arrived in Fort Worth Saturday evening, and we made plans to attend a new Mass closer to the house on Sunday morning. We rushed into the church right before the start of Mass and sat in the first row. As Mass began, Paulina squealed and there was a kind of commotion between her and the family behind us. I grabbed Paulina’s shoulder and gave her the “eyes front” gesture and made my best “You better not!” face as I turned to utter some apologies to the parents behind us. Paulina tugged on my sleeve and said, “Mom, it’s Lucy!”, and that was it!
We made a play date, where I met my best friend Jenny (Lucy’s mom) and learned that we were a perfect combination! We discussed our, now bestie husbands and all of our other children, who love each other as siblings. Our families began to coexist as though we had always been one family. In six years, we became, not only God Parents to each other’s children but co-parents to all of our children. We function as one family. We were blessed again in 2019 with a new member to the ‘Malopez’ (Malugen+Lopez) family. Our youngest member has united and strengthened us as Catholics and as family. Our story began and continues grow by the grace of God and with the help of God will give glory to God forever!
