Anchor Baby?.. or Brotherly Wisdom! .. March 6th 2020

It is that time, if you are in a rush, you might want to scroll by.  Or if you have a few minutes, here is just another moment in time I captured, and it humors me.

So… Today, (March 6^th) is always a super special day in the world of Manny and Anna Pecus’s descendants.  Why you ask? Because it was on March 6, 1971, we stepped foot on US soil for the first time as we emigrated from Pakistan. Every year of course it is a big deal to my siblings and me as we never take for granted the huge gift our parents bestowed on us.   I’ve written about it before on Facebook, so this little blog is not really about that moment itself.  But I needed to set the background…

So… early this morning after my alarm goes off, and I groggily take my first steps, my daily routine always takes me to my window where I look out at the San Diego downtown skyline, airport, bay and take my first glance at what the world is looking like.  Today was a beautiful morning as the sun was rising and I embarked on my daily rituals of writing in my journal and my gratitude list while perched at my window.  Today’s gratitude of course was focused on it being March 6^th.  I listed everything associated with how grateful I am to be in the US and all the immense opportunities I have been given.  So now you have the setting.

I decide I want to share this early moment with my siblings, so I send a group text to Jenn my sister, my older brother Vivian who resides in DC, and my younger brother Eddie, who actually was born after we came to the USA.  My text expresses my gratitude to our parents, how much I love having them as my siblings, and a thought that we are beginning our 50^th year in the US, we should be celebrating our Golden Jubilee all year.  So now the responses..

Typically (much) younger brother sends the “LOVED” tag with my text which of course has him now next on the thread, nothing else.  This is followed an adoring text from the oldest (my sister) about what a “ beautiful message that was Mr. President…”

 ( and note “Mr President” is what we called the youngest, since he was born in the US.  My father, till the day he left this world, reminded us how with being born here, Eddie was the only one of us all that could be President of the United States.).

I of course respond.. “Ummmm technically I can’t be President but I really like the sentiment”.  This triggers the realization that it was Ken, not younger brother Ed that sent the group text, and Sister Jenn responds a mea culpa for her needing to improve on texting (kinda expected for the oldest, wouldn’t you say?… alas I digress..  Now stay with me here, these next texts were a bit rapid fire…

Enter older brother Viv into conversation,

“You guys crack me up, the big date was June 1972…” 

(A bit of confusion now reigns with other 3 siblings. )

Jenn says… “March Viv, not June”

I chime in, “he is obviously referring to MY birthday in June 1972 when I asked pregnant mom to bring me home a baby brother for my birthday”

Viv says, “I was referring to Mr President”

Enter youngest Eddie again with another “LOVED” to “Mr President” reference.  He of many texting words you know really added to this thread..

To which Viv now provides his explanation..

“Once we had you, it was going to be a lot harder to deport us Mr. P”

So there you have it, I am starting my 50^th year in the US and it was this morning that my older brother shared his wisdom that resulted in my sudden awakening about all this.  And what was that awakening you ask?  Well my final text to said siblings pretty much says it all…

“Lololol… now I never thought of that.  Mr President nothing.  Eddie was our Anchor Baby!”  We’ve been mislabeling him all these decades.

Sis responds with “Legal Anchor Baby” surprise…

Who knew, back in 1971 it took a baby to anchor us in.  Whatever it was, the gratitude will never end.   This pic is December 3^rd, 1972 for our Church directory.  I’m the dashing one in the red sweater and you can probably figure out the rest.  Happy Anniversary to all generations of the Pecus family.  Love me some Anchor Babies…