Announcement

Ten years ago, when a congregation member announced she just became a grandmother and another announced she was about to be one, I generated laugh by raising my hand to announce that I hoped to become a grandmother one day.

The former pastor retired from our church and I did not see him for a long time. When he decided to retire for good, he came back to attend our church. It was like old times when I saw him at the pulpit, substituting for our current pastor. I could not resist but raising my hand to announce “It has not happened yet.” He laughed and later told me, yes, he remembered and knew what I was referring to. It was about a year ago.

It was this morning when I had a chance to make a third announcement. Our former pastor was not preaching this time, but I raised my hand to announce “It finally has happened.” I preceded the announcement with a statement that it was related to the previous two announcements I’ve made while the former pastor was preaching and I was glad to see him and his wife in the congregation. I followed it up with a clarification for our current pastor and other members who were not there for the first two announcements.

People tell me it will be a wonderful experience – those who had the experience. I am full of anticipation. I will ease into the grandmother title and will allow the wonder of it all to envelop me and carry me to a brand new world.

July 29, 2012

Poem for Claire who moved to San Diego

Claire The Goddess of Defense

Claire, my friend, my sweeper

The goddess of Classics’ defense members

You’re a mighty force on the field

Woe to those who underestimate your power

Time has come for you to leave us

For greener pastures afar

Sadly we come to say goodbye

Who’s to fill the role you’d played?

We’ve bonded on the soccer fields

Over the meals we’ve shared

Over the walks we’ve taken

Over the birthdays we’ve celebrated

Memories and poems and pictures

We send them your way

To keep you warm and fuzzy

When melancholy doth affect you

As you sit on a beach chair

Sipping a cold lemonade

Under the San Diego sun

And watch your grandkids play

We will be thinking of you

As we scramble on the fields

Feeling lost without your mighty foot

Sweeping stray balls away

Post FWSA life we wish you

A future with great promises

As you roam the golden state

We wish you the best of time

May 17 2011

Wedding Poem for Liên and Bill

       “Not until now that eyes can see,

What I’ve always known to be your destiny.”

                                            Nguyễn Du

Wishing you two infinite happiness,
I feel in my heart a joy that’s measureless.
How I’ve waited nine years to see,
Your plan’s so good Heaven doth smile.

 Wedding Poem                                                              

for my lovely grand-daughter and her husband                                                              

Grandmother Kim-Tước                                                              

March 17, 2011                                                              

~~~****~~~ 

Translated from:

"Đến bây giờ mới thấy đây,     

        Mà lòng đã chắc những ngày một hai."     
                              Nguyễn Du    

Chúc hai cháu tràn đầy hạnh-phúc,
Mừng vui này biết lấy chi cân?
Cảnh này hẹn tự chín năm,   

         Mới hay người quyết, Trời xanh cũng chiều.

                                                               

 

Bài thơ                                                       
Mừng đám cưới của hai cháu thân yêu                                                      

Bà ngoại Kim-Tước                                                      

Ngày 17 tháng 3 năm 2011                                                      

                                                    

       

Waynesboro

Tears ran down my cheeks the first night we left him there,
Second night we were on campus and couldn’t find him anywhere,
Then we saw him in uniforms – he was spared the crew cut – for now.
He called two times before the first weekend was over,
He called three times the first Sunday – ever.
My boy must be homesick,
Telling me he liked school, especially math,
He got to go at his own pace.
The vending machines kept him spending,
He wanted to call his friends, too
I said it would be on your dimes, son
He wanted to call his sisters, then
Why don’t you set up your own phone, then we’ll talk again.

My Son

On the way home from my son’s soccer practice, I reached over and touched his head. He had been silent on the rides to and from soccer. He gave me the “What?” look. I said, “I love you.” Not ready to say “I love you, too” as he usually does, he said, “Keep your eyes on the road.” I kept my eyes on the road, smiled inside, and thought oh God, how cute he is. Later I shared with my husband my thoughts: “And I thought only five- or six-year-old boys are cute.”  

November 16 2007 

(He was less than two months away from being seventeen and I was still his chauffeur.)