Jonathon’s 9th Birthday December 30, 2010

We borrowed a bouncy house for Jonathon’s birthday–we can borrow them for free on base.  It was such a sight watching it blow up and completely fill our yard.  You could barely walk the perimeter!  Neighbor kids came and bounced all day.  We made cupcakes and hung out all day. I am thankful that we are all together as a family!  We ate all of his favorite foods.  It looks like tonight we will hit the bowling alley!

Joanna and I took our first adventure in our car.  We left the base (yes, I probably should have practiced on base more) and headed to You Me Town to buy Jonathon a present.  We ended up on some really narrow streets.  The roads are very congested.  We tried to take a shortcut (I know from running ) and got a little turned around.  We figured it out though.

We really like You Me town.  There is a huge grocery store on the bottom floor.  They sell all kinds of premade food like sushi and tempura.  I found a yogurt that is really really good.  The best yogurt I have ever had!  We really enjoy exploring this place!

Hiroshima December 28, 2010

Against all odds we set off to spend the day in Hiroshima.  The weather said 70-80% chance of rain all day.  We almost didn’t go but the kids really wanted to try.  I figure–if they want to go–we’ll go.  We buy our train tickets from a machine–all in Japanese.  Then we have to figure out what train to get on.  There are a few words rotating in English!  We did it–what accomplishment.  About 45 minutes later we stepped off the train in Hiroshima.

Some kind man showed us how to get to the trolley that took us to Peace Park–where the A bomb was dropped.  It was a very explicit museum.  Many beautiful memorials–especially one for all the children who died because of the bomb.  Inside there was allot of history leading up to the bombing–a good explanation on why we chose to drop the bomb on Hiroshima.  When you go upstairs you start seeing models of people with their skin melting off and lots of exhibits of the clothing that was left behind with the story of the people wearing it.  There were pictures of the burns on people.  There was a model of the city before August 6 at 8:14 am and then one of 8:15.  The city was completely leveled in an instant for miles.  Jonathon was particularly interested in having every sign read to him.  It was a very important experience for our family.

After we left it was raining a bit.  We walked to a covered shopping area and found a little Japanese restaurant to grab lunch in.  They only had a Japanese menu so we looked at the pictures and pointed.  Not sure if we will be so adventurous again!  It was cozy and warm so we were able to dry out a bit.  We shopped a little and then found a 4 story Starbucks.  It was the first one I have seen since arriving in Japan so we had to go for the fun of it.  Yes, I had the most expensive latte ever.  It cost about $7–maybe more–its still just play money to us.  We go to the little atm and then we have play money!  (Just joking!)

We left there and it was time for the illuminations.  We walked to Peace Boulevard which had the most amazing display of Christmas lights we have ever seen for free.  We walked up and down the street trying not to get hit by passing bikes!  The kids had a wonderful time.  It was freezing cold but we praise God that it was not raining despite the forecast!

We hiked back to the train station and arrived home all tuckered out by 9 pm.  It was a day well spent!

leisurely days December 27, 2010

Things have slowed down around here as most everyone has four days off.  Bruce is taking turns with the other base chaplain since they have to have someone available at all times.  We might have taken a day trip here or there but the weather has been really cold and rainy.  So we have had more time to sit around as a family reading and playing games.  It has been really nice.

We continue to meet or neighbors.  It is kind of like college with the community all around.  People are really nice and there are allot of kids around.  Our express shipment is suppose to arrive any day so the kids will have their bikes and scooters.  I will also have my coffee maker!  Yeah!  The simple things in life we appreciate!

Today a new friend took me to one of her favorite places for lunch.  She was actually someone I met briefly who heard I was having a few sad days.  She called and invited me to lunch.  She lives off base and knows her way around very well.  She took me to this cute little lunch place surrounded by the mountains.  They  have great desserts–until you try something that looks like chocolate but ends up being bean paste.  Allot of the desserts are filled with bean paste.  I was so sure this one was chocolate–it looked so rich and creamy that I put a huge bite in my mouth–it was nasty.  I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the bean paste.  I did like the tiramisu though!

It’s Christmas in the U.S. December 25, 2010

We still can’t get over the fact that although our Christmas is over–you are celebrating right now!  Time is a weird concept!  We had a wonderful Christmas.  It was a little strange not having any plans or our normal traditions.  After the Christmas service at the Chapel we came home and ate cheese dip and hung out around the Christmas tree.  There was lots of laughter and horseplay!

Christmas morning was special too.  We had brought some Christmas presents in our suitcase without the kids knowing.  There is nothing like getting things you can only buy in the states when you are not there!  Some of our neighbors stopped over–we had never met them yet.  They brought cookies and a gift.  They have a 7 year old boy and an 11 year old girl.  Our back yards butt up against each other.  It was really nice of them to stop by!

For dinner we walked to a Japanese restaurant –Janjaka’s.  It was really neat.  We heard it was a must experience in Japan kind of place.  Everyone takes off their shoes at the door–they have little cubbies for them.  The floors are warmed as are the toilet seats.  They bring you raw meat and you cook it over little  grills at your table.  The food was wonderful.  It was a really neat thing to do on Christmas.  We walked–since we haven’t gotten our car yet.  It was freezing cold–about 32 degrees.  That added to the  memories!  We came home and had hot chocolate and hung out together!  It was a really nice day!

Merry Christmas December 23, 2010

It’s Christmas Eve morning here!  Jonathon has been counting down the days until Christmas.  It’s not the normal Christmas–none of our normal activities.  There are much less presents under the tree.  We are going to hand out Christmas cookies to the marines that have to work tonight.  We are also going to a candle light Christmas Eve service at the Chapel.  I am excited to be able to focus more on the reason for the season this year and hope it rubs off on the kids!

We bought a car–had the whole Japanese experience.  We looked for several weeks at what people on base were selling but didn’t find anything.  We called a place out in town that had some of what we were looking at available.  They picked us up and drove us there.   Although we were looking for a van, we ended up buying a cute little pink toyota.  Driving on the tiny roads on the way over made me realize how hard it would be to drive around in a big van.  So, the kids will have to learn to sit next to each other without fighting.  We will post a picture when we get the car in about 5 days.  I need to learn how to post pictures!

The weather has gotten cool today–the high is 39.  Joanna and I might walk to the Dyso which is the 100 yen store.  (Actually more like 1.50.)  They are huge–filled with lots of stuff.  It will be a fun adventure!

A friend from the kids class has come over 3 times this week to work with the kids on Japanese.  She has been such a blessing to us!  I have hope that the kids can pass the exam on January 24th with her help.  They have been working so hard!  Please keep praying for them.  It is not an easy feat I have put them up to.

Will write more tomorrow!  May you experience the peace of this Holy night we are about to celebrate!  May joy and peace reign in your hearts today and always!

 

Jingle Bell Jog December 21, 2010

We all participated in the Jingle Bell Jog–an annual event here in MCAS Iwakuni.  It was allot of fun.  It was only 1.5K so all the kids were able to do it.  It was fun to see the Marine’s dressed in their camos with Santa hats on.  It was exciting to run along side them while they did their chanting!  Made me want to be a Marine!  After the race there was food and a band singing Christmas songs.  Santa was there and crafts for the kids.  It was allot of fun!

Today the kids and I joined the Chapel team to visit a Japanese Kindergarten/preschool to sing carols and hand out goodie bags.  It was a neat experience to see how the schools are set up and the excitement of the kids.  They screamed when we walked in–of coarse they weren’t screaming for us but Santa who was with us.  I think even Benjamin & Joanna enjoyed it!

Sushi Go Round December 19, 2010

Benjamin and Joanna went with the youth group to a Japanese burger place tonight–McDonald’s was closed.  (We haven’t been to a McDonald’s since being here–or any American place!)  I decided it was time for the rest of us to experience a Sushi joint.  So we walked (still no car) out the back gate (near our house and the restaurant) and went to Sushi 105.  It’s called that because most of the little plates cost about 105 yen which is about 1.50 (I think).  Still play money for us!  We waited over an hour because this place was hopping.  We walked in and realized we had to sign in on a little computer–yes you guessed it–all in Japanese.  Someone helped us and then told us in Japanese our number which was 117.  We haven’t even learned the basic numbers–now we had to listen for number 117.  We finally made it to our table.

So all the tables are lined up around this conveyor belt that goes around with little plates of different kinds of sushi.   All the plates are colored and most of them are 105 yen.  It was an interesting experience because we really didn’t know what we were eating.  We only knew if it looked good.  Jonathon, our least adventurous eater, said he wanted to go back for his birthday.  He wants to go back not for the food, but he liked watching the sushi go round!

When it was time to pay we hand motioned to the waitress who came over and they all started clapping.  We didn’t realize that on the bottom of some special plates they had a special nob and if you got that nob you won a kiddy prize.  We weren’t sure why they were clapping but when we went up to pay we realized this happens here.  No wonder there were so many kids in the restaurant.

We left to walk home and realized the back gate–which is very close to our house closed at 8 PM.  We had to walk all the way around to the Main gate.  That added about 45 minutes of extra walking.  Jonathon didn’t complain much until he realized where we were.  It was a fun adventure and we look forward to many more!

The other exciting thing that happened to me yesterday was I went running in the early morning with my friends to the Kantai bridge.  We went weaving up and down cute little Japanese streets to get there.  The view was arriving.  We went on the bridge for free (usually have to pay if you want to go on it) and there was nobody else there.  It was an amazing view.  We ended up putting in 7 miles which is much less than I thought it would be when I learned our destination.  Next weekend we will run out in town again–heading more downtown towards the train station!

 

God Answers Prayers! December 18, 2010

This morning I got on my knees and continued to pray about how I have been feeling and especially for my children.  As I walked to the gym on the seawall I felt like God spoke to me in His quite whispers.  He said, “There are people here you (our family) need to meet to become the people I want you to be.  There are people who need to meet you for the same reasons.”  I went  home and shared that with my family and I think it encouraged them.  We are all on a journey–the people who we journey with have the chance to influence us for better or for worse.  My prayer is that everywhere I go, I will be a vessel of Grace & Love!

Yesterday was Bruces’ Office Christmas party.  The people here are very kind and caring.  Some of them have heard that I have been feeling a little weepy lately and have really reached out to me.  Everyone here can relate because they all have gone through it!  It was nice getting to know them better at the party.  Then there was a bigger party for all of H&HS–don’t know what it stand for but it is the area of the base Bruce is associated with.  It was a huge party in a gym with bouncy houses for the kids and crafts etc.  It was a fun event.

Today we went to see Tangled at the theater on base.  It only cost $9.50 for all 5 of us.  The benefits of life on a military base overseas!  It was a fun family event–even Benjamin liked it!

 

Japanese Christmas traditions December 15, 2010

Yesterday I went to the tea at the Chapel for Japanese women.  They come from off base to practice their English and make friends.  We had a Christmas party.  One of the women brought green tea and taught us how we should properly hold a tea cup.  We learned that we were holding it rudely.  We shared Christmas traditions and found that it was about 25 years ago that Christmas–decorating trees and having Santa visit became popular in Japan.  Hopefully some of them will join us at the Chapel for our candle light Christmas Eve service–one of my favorite traditions!

The Exchange had a one day sale where they were selling microwaves real cheap.  We didn’t bring our microwave since it was built into our kitchen.  Bruce and I were standing in front of the microwaves discussing how we could carry it home–it was very heavy and still no car.  A stranger beside us who was looking at rice cookers overhear us talking and offered to give us a ride.  She then let me shop at the commissary and pick up a few heavy packages we had waiting at the post office.  God always provides!

I had a very weepy night last night–it has hit me how our life has changed.  I know I have to bloom where I am planted but I also have to mourn what we left behind.  I am most sad about my children and how sad they are to be missing their friends.  We have great friends in Williamsburg–I am sad for our loss.  I miss going out in our yard and reading history together while Emma lays on the patio.  I miss hearing Jonathon and Adam playing in the woods.  I miss our home school field trips together as a family.  I miss running with Angela and drinking Chai with Jodi.  I miss hanging at the pool and friends at coop.  I miss running to Trader Joe’s and Target.  I miss knowing who my kids are hanging with and their parents.  I know it will get easier and God called us here but I miss all the familiar.  The biggest ache is watching my kids going in all different directions.  I know that happens for most people much sooner as they go off to kindergarten.  I wasn’t prepared for this–never crossed my mind.  So pray for us–for wisdom and discernment and clarity and peace!

International Drivers License–look out Japan, here we come December 14, 2010

Bruce and I passed the test for the international license on our first try!  We didn’t study too much because we heard it was better to just go in and fail it and then learn what you didn’t know.  There was a power point to review before taking it.  I guess our short term memory is working pretty good.  Just hope we know what to do when we see the signs out and about.  No worries–the highest speed limit in japan is 60 kilometer’s an hour.  I think that is about 47 miles per hour.  Yup, even on the major high ways!

It is very confusing to even ride my bike around.  I am not sure what side of the road I should be on.  Hopefully it will sink in quickly.   We are still looking for a car to buy–just a little cheap one to get around here.

Tonight I was thinking of the last few days in the U.S. and all the sweet goodbye’s we said.  How heartbreaking it was to watch my kids say good bye to their childhood buddies.  It still brings tears to my eyes.  I was then thinking about how thankful I am that we have people in our lives we love so much that it hurts to leave.  Life is precious and people even more so!  We miss you all so much!

Yesterday we went for our Kumon Japanese class.  It is even more expensive than I thought.  I think I will pay for Benjamin & Joanna for this month and then Jonathon and I will practice on our own at home.  We will have the cd to listen to and can use their worksheets.  We are doing everything we possibly can to help them catch up!  They are working hard.

Thinking of you all and wishing you a very Merry Christmas!