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February 17, 1985

New Beginnings

some time before my 5th birthday my dad finally gets the proper documents through to get all 8 of us along with a cousin on a plane to America. Dalls, TX to be exact, where his parents had settled in ten years earlier (long story).

I remember falling in love with the little smuckers jam packages on the airplane. My mother asked for extras for me seeing that I liked them so much, I'm sure she enjoyed them too as we had never had such luxuries in our simple farm life. I had so many that I remember throwing up in a brown paper sack. The flight attendents were all so wonderful and sweet. I'm sure they saw a family full stock of such adorables coming to america to pursue the dream as such a beautiful story, espicially knowing that their country had so much to do with the changes that were brought on Viet Nam.

Before we took off on the plane my family had organized a panoramic photo of the extended family. Remember, we're catholics, so there must have been at least 50 people in this photo. Right before the shoot I was cursed with not being able to find my sandals. My dad was so angry with me. Frustrated, he ended up holding me in his arms, shoe-less. Haha. What a journey.

I never asked to come to the U.S. I guess being 4 going on 5, I didn't really have much say.