Tag Archives: Tet

One year ago

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

A year ago this weekend, we celebrated Tet — Vietnamese New Year — with family and friends.  We’d been planning for another Tet celebration this weekend, but both Gorilla Girl and Monkey Man came down with severe colds, missed four … Continue reading →

Posted in family, food, motherhood, painting, Tet | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“Một con vịt”: what “sisters” teach

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

When Monkey Man and Gorilla Girl were three, we visited an older Vietnamese woman, Nu, who taught them a little Vietnamese–counting from one to ten, the words for airplane, dog and duck. Nu also was a surrogate grandmother who fed … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, connection, corn, family, food, identity, language, lessons, teaching, Tet, tradition | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Tet party in five acts

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Act One: It’s 10:00 am in an apartment on the Southside of Chicago.  A family of four, mom, dad, two adopted Vietnamese four-year olds, prepares for a houseful of guests who want to celebrate Tet with them. The house has … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, community, connection, food, friends, holidays, memory, motherhood, Tet, tradition, transformation | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Belly up to the Pho bar

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

In preparation for Tet (Vietnamese New Year) arriving on February 3rd, I am testing recipes for our annual Tet Celebration.  A friend asked if I had tried making Pho, and I hadn’t, so I thought there is no time like … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, food, holidays, motherhood, Tet, tradition | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments