A Decade of Hmoob

Ten years ago...

... I entered this place (and didn't leave for almost three months) and met this guy (and became BFFs) and took a good long look at the Hmong language and thought, well, I'll never be able to understand any of this. Xav tsis thoob.

Saying goodbye to hearth and home.

L-R: Wiest, Lo, Cox, Vang, S. Wilson, kuv, A. Wilson, Johns

Tsob ntoo Hmoob, our beloved Hmong Tree

Hmoob hwjchim.  Sure, it's not the most Hmong pose, but what did I know?

The first of many Elder Potter photo shoots (with a sad sorry makeshift wand).

Sometimes you get kind of kooky after all those weeks inside a fence and need to do something rebellious... like pose for a picture in this security golf cart.

There comes a time when you feel like you just need to make a break for it.

Best surprise possible when my parents and sister showed up after being invited to a devotional!  Just the thing to give me that boost before heading out to the field.

I thought I knew a lot (and sure, why not, I did), but I definitely had a lot to learn, and even though I was in my mid-20s and a good half-decade-plus older than most of the other missionaries around me, I still had a lot of growing up to do, and a lot of good friends and great experiences on the way.

Finally WI bound.  I tell you, the bus ride to the airport and the flight were like going to Disneyland.

SO much has happened in the last decade it's crazy to look back and think about it all.  But then I also remember that at this time I had already interacted with my beloved, and then she took it upon herself to continue to write to me via the old school method once I entered the MTC, and I'm ever so glad she did.  (And I confess it was nice to finally see a picture of her.)

A lot of things have changed, but some things never will.  Faith, family, friends, Hmoob, and that rad picture of me in a golf cart...  It was a long stay in a small area, but it led to a whole lot of good.

Good and Blessed

Last weekend we had a couple of significant events in the family, kind of at more or less opposite ends of the youth Church milestone spectrum, so I thought I would just post about them together.

First, on Saturday, a bunch of beloved family went to the temple to see oldest nephew Jordan receive his endowments in preparation for leaving to serve a mission for the Lord in El Salvador and Belize.  The Wife stayed at home with The Boy, but Jordan had plenty of support from loved ones, and after the insanity that was us trying to get all of us into the same session due to overcrowding (for reasons) settled down, we worked it all out and it was really nice (and then we ate in the cafeteria which is always delicious).  It was very splendid to share this experience with him, and I can't believe he's already a better part of the year toward 19.  Yikes.  I remember when this boy was born and I ran around junior high shouting "IT'S A BOY!" to my friends so much that it sort of became a Thing.  He will be a super missionary, and he will be missed.

There were more people present than in this picture, but some of them left before dinner to get back to their little ones.
Also, the lesson learned here is that my phone takes less than ideal pictures.

I tried to adjust the colors in Photoshop for a few minutes.

Luckily the subjects are cute anyway.

Second, the following day we at last gave The Boy his baby blessing at church.  We thought it would be good to wait just a few weeks, and it worked out since Julie's dad happened to be in town that weekend.  So many friends and family came to witness the blessed event, and I actually recorded audio of it for posterity (someone recorded and transcribed mine and I always thought it was nice to have years later), but I won't post the whole thing here -- the general gist was that he's a lovely boy and he'll have a really great and inspiring life.  So he is now good and blessed and official (with the Church at least, with the government, almost), and it was a very interesting experience overall.  Afterward we went to a nearby park and had an epic picnic of snacks and cheeses.  This is definitely the first time I've been in charge of throwing this kind of party, so we had a few concerns about whether or not there would be enough food and if I would be able to supervise the making of a satisfactory Nightmare (this caused far more stress for me than it really should have), but it all worked out and everyone brought such delicious sides and such to go along with the standard (delicious) sandwiches.  I tell you, Costco has some pretty nice lunch meats and sliced cheese.

Emily's phone takes much better pictures than mine does.

He didn't make a peep the whole time.

It turned out to be a huge success!  (Julie's Dad was so amazed by the entire concept of this particular family tradition.)  The addition of BCEs was, if I do say so myself, inspired.

We must eat it.

Everyone who stood in the circle.  We missed you Todd, Jonny, KC and Jeff!  And Tyler and Bruce!

Oldest and youngest boy cousins!  The Boy will be so much bigger when Jordan comes home.

This family are we.

Amber loves a baby, so she snatched up The Boy, and then Cami and her newborn Nora came along and then this happened.  Baby smooches all around!

Emily and KC and their three poopsies were heading out after a nice long visit, and I managed to get a great triplets picture.  They have come a long way since their newborn days almost four years ago.

And then, lest he should, erm, mess up his nice white blessing suit, we put him in this other new getup, which is also adorable.

Then the next day we decided we should take some pictures of him IN said getup, so here they be:

ARGYLE (sort of) SWEATER VEST.  Pretty much exactly what I had in mind when I imagined what we should put him in.  Thanks for the blessing present, Ma!

He looks like he might be about to fly.

Black and white feet for ultimate effect.

Squinty smile, hee hee.

This is probably pretty much my favorite picture of him ever.

:D

This boy is so loved.

This Time Last Year

Where have the last twelve months gone?

There is a song by Christian singer Fernando Ortega that was popular among the elders in the mission field called "This Time Next Year," and it always led to conversation about where each of us would be the year following. Eventually the time came that we knew that a year later one or all of us would be home. Well, here I am, celebrating my one year anniversary of coming home and being released as a missionary. I remember being extremely nonplussed when a freak blizzard caused cancellation of all flights on the date we were initially scheduled to fly home, leading to two additional days of cabin fever-inflicted elders and a hard-working mission president just trying to get his boys home for Easter. My word, has it really been a year? It seems really not that long ago that I took off my nametag for the last time. I remember reaching six months, but this year mark really sneaked up on me. I think I adjusted pretty well, in general, and was ready to get back to dealing with things and making decisions, even though it's pretty rough sometimes to get back into the swing of things after being out of the loop for so long. I still love to hear about how my elders are, and how the Hmong people I knew in Wisconsin are doing, especially those who felt the converting power of the Spirit. Back at home, some of the things that have been going on since last year have been expected adjustments, but others really took me by surprise. All in all this year has been a whirlwind of ups and downs and generally getting back into real life. Though, strangely, I still respond to "Elder Graham," when the name occasionally surfaces, and of course I will always respond to "Kuab Ci." Ah, the memories.

Some noteworthy things that have happened in the last year:

• Meeting Jeff/Elise's wedding
• Two new nieces, and two (?) babies on the way!!!
• Visiting Wisconsin with Mom and Dad for Labor Day
  
• Back to school!
• In and out of minor jobs
• Translating for General Conference
• Weddings of dear friends (Jared! Nicole! Liza!)
  
• LOST!!!
• My first of each holiday since I came home
• Visits from sisters Emily and Cami
• Turpins moved to Utah

And it seems like I'm forgetting something... Oh, what could that be?...

Oh right...

• Meeting and falling for the love of my life. You were a little bit (but wonderfully) unexpected. I love you, baby!

Wisconsin Teaser

Well, I really meant to do a day-by-day report each night at the hotel, but for various reasons, I haven't been able to write much except for the first night here! Things have been so amazing, and Mom and Dad have been such great sports, taking it all in as I cart them up and down the state. SO, I have decided to post this just as a teaser! When we get home tomorrow (too, too soon) I can organize my thoughts and photos (and rest, for an oh-so-very-short period of time before moving and starting school the next day!) and do my day-by-day then. Until that time arrives, please enjoy the following tantalizing teases:















Interest sufficiently piqued? Hold that thought.

Upcoming Visit to America's Dairyland

Whoooo, yeah! Tonight, we bought plane tickets for me, Mom and Dad to visit Wisconsin for Labor Day weekend! I've been threatening that I was going to get them to come with me (read: take me) for some time now, but tonight we finally actually sat down and planned it out. We found some pretty good prices that coincide almost perfectly with Mom's first day of class, as well as mine. We're leaving on the afternoon of Thursday, 28 August, and coming back on Monday, 1 September. This will fall exactly on the weekend of the big Oshkosh Hmong tournament (annual get-together for thousands of Hmong people from all over the country, where they have volleyball and soccer tournaments, but also lines and lines of booths of vendors and non-profit organizations, including one manned by the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission Hmong elders), so I'll get to show Mom and Dad a real Hmong gathering, and a LOT of people at it. It will nice in the fall, and I'm way pumped to see everyone again! There are those who will be upset that I'm going back to WI already when I haven't gone to visit other family in other states for much longer (I can hear Cami now...), but I figure a trip back is kind of going to be now or never. Or at least now or a long time from now. So now it is. Hurrah! Three weeks!

Kuab Ci, the Athlete?

Okay, so as for my first quarter of a decade of life, I have been a rather decidedly unathletic person. It didn't really bother me (after junior high) that I wasn't worth much on the basketball court or the football field, and really, I have other interests that I would much rather pursue than watching the game or ESPN. So why, then, in my later life, am I finding myself ever so slightly more drawn to the sports that had for so long held no interest for me whatsoever? I blame the months spent as a missionary.

As you all probably know, once a week is Preparation Day for missionaries, which usually consists of laundry, letter-writing/emailing, car-washing, and then various and sundry activities, most often resulting in a game of basketball with the other elders. Not wanting to be a stick in the mud, especially since it would most often make the teams uneven, I would play along, even though I didn't feel entirely comfortable with my skills. After several minutes, however, I would lose interest. Enter Elder Hood in Sheboygan, and with him a sudden inexplicable and ever so subtle liking of athletics. I even went so far as to buy some exercise clothes and almost looked forward to our weekly volleyball/basketball nights with the Hmong kids. Elder Hood was even able to do the impossible and not only get me to play one-on-one, but even enjoy it a little. I think it's because he took me relatively serious, and was able to give me pointers and advice without seeming frustrated or annoyed at my lack of skill. He even said I made "leaps and bounds in the basketball department (no pun intended)".

Anyway, the interest in basketball itself didn't really last, and really, sports in general don't really float my boat, but every area I served in after that had some sort of regular volleyballing. I was okay at the start, but like anything, the more you practice, the more you improve, and Hmong kids are REALLY good at volleyball, so it was great practice to play with them. And now, to this day (perhaps it's the Hmong-ness that has been infused into my blood), I could play volleyball all day. I never thought I would feel this way about any sport whatsoever, let alone admit it aloud and as publicly as can be, but after tonight's weekly Singles Ward volleyball night, I felt like it had to be said. One of the "Movie Moments of my Life" happened when I served the winning point at Hmong Conference in Appleton. Also, when playing with the young single adults (as opposed to the Hmong), I'm considerably, relatively more apt. So there you go, I love volleyball. I still get annoyed at the importance that society gives sports in general, but at least now there's one in which I enjoy participating. One unexpected lesson from the mission. Who am I these days anyway???

Plus, I've always been good at keeping score. I always felt like I had to be an asset in some way, and counting is easy, as long as you pay attention.