We all live in different houses with our little family.
Once in a while we get together; for example the holidays.
Those house full events are always a hassle.
We are no longer siblings but parents, uncles and aunts.
The house is now filled with kids and the siblings are
too busy to be siblings to each other.
I miss those mornings when my brother Pao would wake up early
and blast the speaker with Hmong songs.
Those afternoon bike ride with my brother Moua.
The walks with my dad, little brother and little sister to pick up wood
along the sidewalks of people's spring cleaning trash.
Nights arguing with my sisters.
"Turn off the lights"
"Stop talking so loud"
"Clean your clothes"
Weekends stuck doing paj ntaub with my mom and sisters.
Hours and hours of couching down, eyes, hands and head
focusing on only the plain sheet of multiple tiny holes.
The pain of the needle accidentally pricking the tip of my finger.
Wiping the oils away from my dad's working clothes and
packing it up for him before he goes to work.
Dad taking us to school and driving super scary.
Always thinking we'll get into an accident but never did.
Cooking next to my mom and sisters.
Her lecturing me to do this and that.
Why am I so slow?
Remember hating to wake up early. Killing chickens in the cold.
Smelling like shit in the morning, freezing fingers and sore legs.
Driving to school with my younger brother in the passenger side.
Us having our endless conversation.
Disagreeing and agreeing.
Siblings. Aren't they fun?
I miss us being siblings and not parents, uncles and aunts.
I miss those mornings when my brother Pao would wake up early
and blast the speaker with Hmong songs.
Those afternoon bike ride with my brother Moua.
The walks with my dad, little brother and little sister to pick up wood
along the sidewalks of people's spring cleaning trash.
Nights arguing with my sisters.
"Turn off the lights"
"Stop talking so loud"
"Clean your clothes"
Weekends stuck doing paj ntaub with my mom and sisters.
Hours and hours of couching down, eyes, hands and head
focusing on only the plain sheet of multiple tiny holes.
The pain of the needle accidentally pricking the tip of my finger.
Wiping the oils away from my dad's working clothes and
packing it up for him before he goes to work.
Dad taking us to school and driving super scary.
Always thinking we'll get into an accident but never did.
Cooking next to my mom and sisters.
Her lecturing me to do this and that.
Why am I so slow?
Remember hating to wake up early. Killing chickens in the cold.
Smelling like shit in the morning, freezing fingers and sore legs.
Driving to school with my younger brother in the passenger side.
Us having our endless conversation.
Disagreeing and agreeing.
Siblings. Aren't they fun?
I miss us being siblings and not parents, uncles and aunts.
