Category Archives: Ba Noi
Saying Goodbye to Bà Cố
Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when it’s to someone you love. I never had the privilege of great grandparents, and I only had one grandmother up until the 3rd grade, so I feel like Lily and Leo and super lucky to have 4 grandparents and 3 great grandparents. Sadly though, we had to say goodbye to one special great grandparent this past weekend, and that was to their Bà Cố (great grandmother on the paternal side), Khoa’s Bà Nội (grandmother on dad’s side). I’m lucky to be a part of the last 10 years of her life, she lived a very full and happy life up to the age of 95! I don’t have many memories to share, but I do remember Lily visiting her a lot at Co Mười’s house a lot and Bà Nội would love to hold Lily and play with her. She would always be so excited and happy when Lily would come to visit. I was also very happy she got a chance to meet Leo and even hold him as well. She loved all her kids and grand kids and great grand kids very much, and she’s the glue that held the great big family together. Looking back we always wished we had more time, put in more effort to visit and make more memories, but I guess it just makes you reexamine your life now and remind you to put in the time and effort to those who mean most to you, because there’s no guarantee of tomorrow. We were lucky enough to say our last goodbyes in person before she passed last friday evening, right before she peacefully passed the next morning. So many people came to the viewing and the funeral, to pay their last respects, and you can just tell that she touched so many people’s lives. Everyone had nothing but wonderful stories to share, and so even though the day was sad, it was a nice celebration of her amazing life. Lily and Leo, if you ever want to know more about your Bà Cố, your dad, and aunts and uncle have many wonderful stories to share with you. Although you are probably too young to remember her in the futur, she won’t be forgotten, and I hope this post will be special to you two, so that you’ll always have these photos and memories with your great grandmother. Rest in peace Bà Nội, we all love you very much.
This is the beautiful poem that was the funeral program, and was beautifully recited by Aidan and Brooke as well:
We though of you with love today
But that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday
and days before that too
We think of you in silence
we often speak your name.
All we have now are memories
and your picture in a frame.
Your memory is our keepsake
with which we’ll never part.
God has you in his keeping
we have you in our hearts.
In life we loved you dearly
in death we love you still.
In our hearts you hold a place
no one can ever fill.
It broke our hearts to lose you
but you didn’t go alone.
For a part of us went with you
the day God took you home.
Also, here is a wonderful slideshow that Thai Anh, (Khoa’s cousin) made that played during the funeral services as well, HERE.
RIP Bà Cố/Bà Nội
07.24.1920 – 02.20.2016
