This and That

Yes – I’m still here.

Lately, I have been rather busy with my mother.  She will be 93 this coming July, but I have my doubts she will make it.  Last week, I truly thought she was gone, but she is the original “Tough Old Broad.”  I have been trying to keep our far-flung family informed and I am truly blessed to have a wonderful family supporting me.

I need to say this – most of the emails and notes I get are very supportive and helpful.  I am not going to say this is easy, yet it’s also true that the mother who loved and raised me - was my mentor and strength - died sometime ago.  Nancy Reagan said it well when her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s – it is indeed “The Long Goodbye.”  Mom has been in a nursing home for two years, but had Alzheimer’s long before that.  My visits with her now are for her emotional well being because she certainly has little cognition left.

The high school sports season is winding down – which means I will have a quiet summer until August when football starts.  I went to go shoot a baseball playoff game the other night, but a line of heavy storms came through, rendering the field unplayable.  The coaches called around, found another field about twenty miles away.  The first pitch was thrown at 9:50 pm, but as the teams ran onto the field for warm-ups, I had this photo opportunity.

Field of Dreams?

(Be sure to click on the photos to see a larger version.)

Finally, Trang is finished with her second semester as a graduate student.  I’m convinced she does more work by accident than I do on purpose – she is always studying.  She will take a course during the summer session, but right now she is in Houston enjoying the food and company of the large Vietnamese population there.

She’s also looking forward to having another grad student in Texas.  In July, Tuan will arrive for his doctoral work in San Antonio.  Tuan (but usually called T-Bone) was one of our regular visitors when we lived in Hue.  He would walk into our apartment asking if we had anything to eat.  The Mystery Guest Blogger became “Mom” to T-Bone.  We’ll see you soon, Tuan.

Comments

[Bruce]

Keep the faith. The Lord will give you Himself as the peace and wisdom to deal with your mother's final days. Meanwhile, He is drawing you closer to Him.

[Sanh]

First of all, peace & health be with you & family, and as for your mom situation, "the Long Goodbye" could be a blessing in disguise; since it gives you & family time to reflect more about human's pain & suffering, which we can't never escape, and it's only short-time - as compare to eternity of being reunite with God's love forever. We never know of what's going with your mom's emotional well being, but you have done all you could, and that good enough - God knows.
Second, on this Memorial Day - I stand saluted and thanks you and to all of the man & women in the Arms forces now & then, who sacrificed for our country and for others. Without such courage & heroic, this country and the world could be worse by now. May God continue bless you & keep you around for decades to come.

-Sanh