I've been spending a lot of time with family lately. My cousin made me sign up for facebook... so i reluctantly did... and the next thing I know... I'm connected to the whole world - people I haven't talked to in forever. Fun... I think it's been my coping strategy - kinda drained lately and well, facebook is easy... don't actually have to talk to anyone... just find people, poke them, write on their wall... painless.
So I know every time I write in my xanga, it's always sad or something... and I know I've promised that I would write about the happy times, but I guess life gets to you and it's just hard. I mean, I write in this because I want to keep these memories forever... not to depress the world. I do want to remember the happy times. No promises but I'll try to write more. Anyhow, my gramps passed away a week ago and I wanted to share about him because he was truly an awesome man who meant a lot to me. I had the privilege of sharing at his service. I have a lot more to share - the weeks before his death and all that I want to capture as memories forever, so maybe that will be my next posting. Anyways, thankfully He was a believer and I am confident he is with God now and I can't wait to see him again one day. First portion below is his bio, and then some stuff I shared about him. Please continue to pray for my grandma. Tai-Yung Wang
May 15, 1910 - April 20, 2007
Brother Tai-Yung Wang was born on May 15, 1910 in the Li Ling district of the Hunan province in China. He was the ninth of ten children in his family. During World War II, he decided to fight for his country and joined the Chinese AirForce Academy at Hangzhou, Jian Qiao. He quickly moved to the top of his class and out of thousands, was among the few selected to participate in a special training program in America and became a B24 Liberator bomber pilot. Upon returning to China, he fought in the Second Sino-Japanese War, risking his life for his country. He successfully completed many missions, the most famous of which was the sinking of the Japanese flagship at the Battle of Huangpu River. For that, the country honored him as an “Air Force Hero”.
After the war, he married his beloved Ho Sun-Sen in Shanghai in 1946 and had four sons: Xiang (Bosco), Tseng (James), Chih (Franco), Rei (Ray). They each wed, adding four daughter in-laws to the family: Mann-Rong, Hsiu-Chen, Chaun Feng, Jia Hua, and then nine grandchildren: Burkon, Tammy, Burchung, Burton, Po-Yu, Po-Wei, Po-Yah, Po-Kai, Po-Shuan – a total of nineteen members in this loving family.
Brother Tai-Yung was a humble man. He was a man of principle and self-discipline – always doing what was right and never compromising his morals. He was a loyal and responsible person, a good husband, a good father, a good grandfather and a great role model to all. Even though times were hard, he gave his all to his family and provided the resources and support to achieve them no matter the sacrifice.
In 1984, Brother Tai-Yung came to America. He attended an evangelical church retreat and became a Christian. He testified: “Before I knew Christ, I always thought everything was based on pure luck. After I believed and was saved, I learned that God is in control and everything is in His hands.”
Brother Tai-Yung attended the Bergen Christian Testimony Church and joined the Rockland County Bible Study Group and was a member of the Church’s Senior Citizen Fellowship. He loved to worship, praise, and adore God.
On Friday, April 20, 2007 at Good Samaritan Hospital in New York, surrounded by his wife, his sons, daughter-in-laws, and his grandchildren, Brother Tai-Yung peacefully went Home to be with the Lord at the age of 97.
My Testimony About My Gramps
On behalf of our grandfather’s nine grandchildren, I’d like to thank you all for joining us today in celebrating the life of our grandpa – our Yeye. We each have many memories of our Yeye. He was a loving, caring, determined, hard-working, happy, funny, and fun grandfather. He was always smiling and laughing – and saying the silliest things and making us laugh even though I don’t think he was actually trying to be funny.
Yeye was surely a hard worker. I remember him working hard at learning English. He never quite perfected it, but he was never afraid to practice it, using his key phrases whether it was with his grandkids or just random strangers – like the waitress at Applebees: “How are you? You like me? I like you.”
He loved us all so dearly and cared for us. He would always ask about school, remind us to study and work hard, and as I got older, the question turned to relationships – ni you “peng you” ma? - do you have a friend? Nainai tells me that Yeye was seriously concerned about my future husband and family. Yeye promised that he would find me a boyfriend at the local Shoprite grocery store – and I believe he was serious.
Yeye was just a funny, loving, joyful person to be around. We truly have been so blessed to know him and have him as our grandpa.
Personally, Yeye and I – we’ve always had a special bond. I’m not sure if it’s because I was the first girl in 2 generations – a special girl and granddad relationship; or maybe it was because I would unashamedly soak up any type of spoiling that was available with an innocent and cute smile and ask for more.
From as early as I can remember, Yeye was in my life – he’s really been there for most of my 25 years. Before I started school, he was my babysitter – my playmate. We used to hang out, watch “The Price is Right” with Bob Barker at 11AM, play doctor – okay, I played doctor and he was always the poor patient that I would inject with my Fisher Price plastic syringe, he would even cook lunch – I loved his cooking – shen li mian – ramen noodles… at that age, I had no idea it was so easy to make – I was impressed! And then of course, we would exercise together. We used to have this indoor exercise bike. Everyday we would ride that bike, and Yeye would encourage me on and say “jia you, jia you” – literally, to fill up your gas tank – “jia you, jia you”, don’t give up, and my short legs would pedal harder, faster and faster.
As I think back on those years, I realize what an impact Yeye had on my life. He instilled that determination, a never give-up mentality into my heart at a very young age when we rode that bike and he pushed me on with “jia you, jia you”. Yeye is a fighter – even the last few days of his life, Yeye pushed on to stay alive, waiting for his family to be at his bedside to send him Home. It was a final testament of his determination.
I’m so thankful that God created Yeye, and the wonderful family he blessed him and my Nainai with. I’m so thankful for God’s love, his ultimate sacrifice – for giving up his innocent and precious son to be nailed to a cross and suffer for me so that I could be forgiven and one day go Home to heaven. I’m so thankful that Yeye came to know Jesus and our heavenly father while he lived down here on earth. I am sad that I can’t call my Yeye over the phone or visit him at his apartment, but I am also joyous because I know, without a doubt, that Yeye is up there hanging out in heaven. His body is strong, his memory is clear, and he is hanging out with our heavenly father, watching over us; and one day, I’ll be there with him. He’ll greet me with a “how are you. I like you”, and we’ll ride that exercise bike together and cheer each other on with “jia you, jia you”. We’ll eat his favorite Pizza Hut pizza and Pepsi “tang”, and joke and play… like good old times.
Thanks God for giving us such an awesome grandpa, and thanks Yeye for living a beautiful life on earth. We love you. Give Goldie a big hug and kiss for me.
...not proud of the glasses... or my brother's flannel shirt that i'm sporting...
my favorite pic... better in person. www.fayku.com 
