I read all of the stories. They are all heartbreaking but show the strength and courage of Hmong women. I cried in some parts too. And some parts made me so mad. In some of the stories I can see my mother.
My mom married (or was sold as she refers) to my father when she was only 14 years old back in Laos. My father was a widower and in his late 20's. And he already had 4 children. She became a mother instantly. Some of her new step-children were almost the same age as her. She had a hard time trying to discipline them. Her oldest step daughter would argue with her constantly. Also she had problems with my father because she could not measure up to my father's first wife's memory even in terms of beauty, cooking, chores...everything. My father would constantly hound her for being stupid and not knowing anything. It wasn't until many years later and after 7 children of her own that my mother finally found the courage to stand up for herself in the U.S. When my father couldn't work anymore because of an old war injury, my mother went to work. She had a factory job and worked cleaning hotel rooms. My mom learned English fast and could speak it better than my father. They would have arguments about her working and possibly meeting other men. It was during this time that my mom finally started standing up for herself. I don't think my mother never really realized her worth until she started working outside the home and making her own decisions about the money she made.
