This is an ongoing collection of photos dealing with my mom’s battle with cancer. http://www.mrjakylworks.com/blog/archives/385

The quiet beginning…

This is our family friend and our first neighbor when my parents moved to the states. She watched me when I was young and she, herself, has an amazing family of her own which I grew up with. She brought up stories of me growing up and how bad I was. I enjoyed them and loved her eye for detail in prepping the flowers for the ceremony.

There’s something about food preparation in our culture. My mom finds it so important that I know how to cook, she reminds every time I see her.

My dad on the right admiring the sticky rice basket’s design.

My mom prepares for the monks to arrive while she talks about her cancer and what’s treatments she’s going through. I thought she looked beautiful in her traditional outfit.

Lexus bringing the food and getting it ready for the monks.

They arrive looking cool. We have a temple in Murfreesboro, which houses about 8-16 monks from Laos at various times.

My dad like he always is, lightens up the room by making a funny comment.

They start lighting the candles which melt into the bowl. The candles are representations of our body and soul. Once they melt and form in the herbal water which we have to shower with once it’s done. They also sprinkle the water as blessings all over the house and everybody in the room.

Everything in these bowls are given to the monks. Monks don’t acquire anything unless it’s given to them. So for example, a monk can only eat what’s given to him. They also stop eating anything solid after 12pm and start fasting taking in only liquids.

My favorite part is the vast amount of good food.

Each person also gets to bless us by wrapping a cotton bracelet around our wrist.

In the end, all we hope is for my mom to get better.