Gonna Start a List

I have had every intention of creating a list of reasons why I/we love Japan so much. And each time I sit down to begin it, I get distracted or tired or lazy. But the running list in my head is becoming blurry so I have to start writing the reasons down so they aren't forgotten.

I will try to update the list as reasons why hit me and/or we've made a new unforgettable memory - so it will be ongoing until we move in 2015.

Also, don't forget I came to Northern Japan KICKING AND SCREAMING! Dan is a commander here so getting picked up for the position he has was an essential stepping stone to ensuring that he has a long and successful Air Force career. When we arrived (5 months after Dan got here last July 2012), I was FLOORED by the beauty of this place.

1. Absolutely one of the most magnificent, diverse and naturally beautiful countries I've ever seen.

2. The people - albeit a Buddhist nation with mostly atheists making up the entire population - are so serene, accommodating and selfless people. They love Americans and will literally go out of their way to do all they can to make you happy. Even with most of the people not practicing any religion, they still have amazing "moral compasses" and "servant hearts." I've actually said at times that I never, ever want to go back to America to live (visit, yes) because I have come to realize how selfish, self serving, rude, overbearing, and materialistic we Americans truly can be. (My opinion!)

3. The food! When one hears of ramen noodles, you immediately tend to think of the 25 cent bags that got you through your poor college days. But here.... the ramen or yakisoba or udon noodles are all handmade and literally melt in your mouth. And the seafood/sushi is all handmade right in front of you, the fish locally caught and the rice grown in the farmlands around the base. They don't offer drink menus in restaurants - they only serve water which is usually self service. If you do want a soft drink or alcohol, you have to request it separately. Thus, meals aren't overly saturated with the sugar of a soda and you don't take in nearly as many calories.

4. The seasons are extraordinary - when we lived in Hawaii, we missed the four seasons so much. But here, we get them all in full force! The cherry blossoms in the Spring; the green lush trees and flowers in the Summer; the vibrant golds, reds, browns of the changing maple trees surrounding overflowing waterfalls; and finally, the whitest, fluffiest, most peaceful snow falls one could imagine come Winter (our first snowfall was the day before my birthday last year: November 19.) We have a big sled hill in our back yard so that is where all of the kiddos in the neighborhood like to spend their outdoor time each winter. The snowflakes come down so quickly and about the size of dimes!

5. I love driving in Japan. True, we drive on the opposite side of the car, opposite side of the road. But I am so used to it now that I don't know how I will go back to US driving!

6. The cleanliness of this nation is outstanding. NO trash/litter, people respect the earth and their property, they don't let their animals run wild or their garbage to be overflowing near the streets. I've never even seen one cigarette thrown out of a moving car! The bathrooms are so clean and disinfected that one could probably eat off of the floor (though I won't risk it!). The toilets are all works of art - you have about 5 different buttons offering the SOUND of flushing to allow full privacy, a bidet is built into each toilet, as well as disinfectant that is applied post use. Yes, my number 6 includes the cleanliness of potties :)

7. We are 14 time zones away and while I ache for our family (oh man, how I miss my baby sister, Kelly) we feel like we are so far separated that it almost seems pointless to be homesick. Of course, what I wouldn't give to be back at my mom and dad's home at the Waters in Alabama experiencing the best of Troy University's 2013 football season and being able to see my sister and Adam all the time would be incredible and most desired. But when you can't change your situation, you adapt and make the MOST of it! We realize that living here in Japan is a once in a lifetime experience so we made the choice to soak it all up - which we do by adventuring most weekends!

8. Living on Misawa Air Base is an awesome deal - we are 2 mins from the grocery store, the Base Exchange, Noah's kindergarten AND Ellyotte's class at the Child Development Center. I am living the dream - my mom used to walk me and Kelly to school when we lived in Talladega, AL and I am able to put Elly in the stroller, Noah can walk and we all head off to school at the same time as our neighbors and friends begin their 5 minute walk. It is such a sweet time to sing with the kids or pray together before we first drop off Noah and then walk 500 yards across the way to the CDC where Ellyotte runs into the arms of her beloved, SOUTHERN and blonde teacher Whitney! AND Noah's got Spanish and Japanese lessons each day .... in Kindergarten. We are overjoyed by how happy the kids are and the fun friends they are making.

We also have gotten so used to the "Sound of Freedom" that we can all sleep through the many jets that take off each day! Tomorrow is the 2013 Airshow but for the most part the Japanese Air Force is bringing in their jets to do really cool tricks and the base is opened to the Japanese people who come from all over for this annual event. We love to be constantly reminded of the freedoms we enjoy because of men and women serving all over the world - and all it takes is the sound of a roaring F16 jet engine!

I could go on and on but my gorgeous three year old has awakened from a lazy Saturday nap - following Noah's football game in which he scored a touchdown!!! - and she's insisting on playing beauty shop with my hair. Gotta stop here!
 

Finally - an actual update!

I have been so lazy in my updates lately and for that I apologize! Things are going great for us here in Japan. The summer was thankfully NOT overwhelmingly hot like last summer apparently was. We did get a portable a/c unit for our master bedroom and the windows stay open with fans in them all over the house 24 hours a day. The humidity is also quite awful - we have 2 dehumidifiers and seriously 10 fans through out the house!!! But in a few days, the highs will only be in the low 70s and the lows in the mid 50s. Bring on the fall weather! I've never seen leaves so vibrant as I have here in Japan. Fall is exquisite. We are very excited!

Last week, we surprised our kids and took them on a 4 day trip down to Tokyo where we went to Disney Sea (unique to only Japan and SO magical!) and then explored Tokyo one day. We absolutely LOVE that city. The people might be the nicest in the world. We had a friend who went down on the bus with us and left her bag on a subway with two iphone 5s, her wallet, money AND military ID in it. By the time she'd made it back to our hotel (the military hotel the New Sanno), someone had turned it into the Tokyo police, who in turn sent it to the hotel. The hotel expedited it up to Hachinohe where she had to sign for it to be returned to base (since the military ID was in the bag) and the bag got back to Misawa about the same time we did. This happened in the most densely populated metropolitan city in the WORLD!!!! WOW. We are blown away by how wonderfully sweet and honest and accommodating the people of Japan are on a daily basis.

We had a ball in Tokyo as a little family - it couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Dan's overwhelmed with his job but mostly with the doubled up masters classes he's trying to get through so that he can be finished by March. It is so difficult for him to make time for the massive amount of work required for his MSIR through Troy University. He goes several nights a week with no more than 1-2 hours of sleep... not exaggerating. Can't wait for this degree to be completed!

I am still teaching for Troy and just completed mid-term week - so now I have dozens of essays to grade! I do love the option of teaching and being able to it from home. Especially now that Noah is in Kindergarten and Ellyotte is in the Child Development Center during the week. We have gotten everyone on a GREAT schedule! Noah is so happy in his class - he's bigger than all the other kids by at least a head. And all the years of GOOD pre-school programs have put him on an advanced level already. He's reading, can write minimally and is learning Japanese AND Spanish each day of the week. He comes home speaking in either of the two and drilling me on the words so that I can learn to talk to him (even though I already speak Spanish) in his two new languages.

Misawa may be the best kept secret in the USAF. We have made such precious friends here and are just constantly happy - yes, daily stresses do exist but just being here as a little family and with the kids being at the fun age that they are, we have more flexibility (not being tied down to naps and schedules as we used to be - esp on the weekends) to go exploring this gorgeous, mysterious place!!

We do need some prayer - we have had our house on the market since March 2012. We finally got renters in it back in February and they were a good family - they painted it, put new carpet down and we were encouraged that they wanted to buy it at the end of the lease. Long story short, we stopped getting rent money.... Thus, the family was evicted. Now we are facing some legal battles and also having to make a lot of repairs to the home. Thankfully we have a great realtor/property manager/friend who is really doing a lot to help speed up the process of getting it "sell" ready and back on the market. Please pray that we get a buyer and SOON - this mortgage payment is not something we expected to have to cough up again each month at this point.

Thanks friends! Hope you all are well.

Hi!

Sorry I haven't been blogging much! The four of us have had the Misawa crud and it hasn't been pleasant. The kids got it first then Dan and I did and it has done a number on the adults! I ended up getting a sinus infection from it and finally got on antibiotics and I am still trying to convince Dan to go to the doc for the same. Men.... Hopefully he will soon.

The snow is still covering everything here but we are getting some warmer days so its melting a bit. However, it is currently sunny and snowing outside. So funny to me. I never thought I'd get tired of the snow but it is starting to wear me down a bit - I am really looking forward to the early spring when the snow has melted and we get the amazing cherry blossoms everyone talks about.

While we have free heat - and free everything - in our on base home, we don't have a/c.... and the months of August and September have been described as TORTUROUS! Like, you have to have dehumidifiers in every room because of the stifiling humidity and heat. Not a fan of the heat when it is that bad. Thankfully, that only tends to last about 2 months here.

The kids are doing great. LOVE their new school. Noah goes off base to a great pre-school five days a week and Ellyotte goes to the same place 3 days a week, sometimes more if she cries hard enough for it.

We haven't been snowboarding/skiing in a couple of weeks because of all we have had going on on the weekends. I had a baby shower here at our home for a great girlfriend of ours - we had 30 women come! Everyone loves Kara. And this weekend, we have the annual spouses' dining in. Our theme is Hee Haw - so I am in charge of decorations, etc and it has been stressful planning. But will truly be a fun night for the women on base - I can't wait to see how our OSS table and gals do this weekend! Hopefully we will win something for originality ;)

I am finishing up a term and will jump right into teaching another. That has also kept me busy. Despite the busyness though, I am starting to get homesick. Maybe it is the gray, dreary snow days getting to me; I don't know. But I do miss my family and home terribly. Some days are so easy, others are not. Today has been so-so but there is always so much to be thankful for.

My friend back home, Alithia, sent her little man's Flat Stanley to us so that was fun taking him around and taking pictures of him and "teaching him" all about Japan. It is currently back in the mail with lots of pictures and info for Houston to show to his little class. Noah liked helping out with his friend's project all the way here in Japan.

Dan's job is definitely keeping him busy and gone a lot. But it is awesome having his office literally 3 minutes away. And so far, he's not slated to deploy or go on any long trips so we are thankful for that.

This is just a short update as I have to wake up Elly from her nap to go get Bubba (Noah) from school. But I wanted to let you all know we are alive and well here in the Land of the Rising Sun!


 

Winter wonderland

Japan is just amazing. Have I said that before? I never anticipated loving this place like I do. It is truly a mystical land. And in the past 2 weeks, we've had about 2.5 feet of snow! Every day at some point, you can look out your window and see the biggest snowflakes flying. We have a massive hill behind our house that all the neighborhood kids sled on - my Noah is absolutely in heaven throwing snowballs and sledding every day. I remember the few times in my childhood that it snowed, and those are among the most fun memories of mine.

Ellyotte: she and snow are not friends. She literally goes out in her snow gear and after 2 minutes tells me it is time to go inside!

We've been skiing several times while here - and it is yet early in the ski season so we are pumped. I've skiied for almost 2 decades with my mom and sister; from British Columbia all the way to the east coast (NOT real skiing in my opinion!). Aside from my favorite mountains (Breckenride, CO and Whistler, BC), Mount Okunayama here in Japan is running a tight race in being my first choice!

We took Noah skiing yesterday (well, Noah and Dan snowboard, I ski) and it was Noah's first time to snowboard. OMGosh, I was the proudest mom! We three went together on every run and we ran the mountain all day. THAT KID WAS SHREDDING and TURNING and TRICKING it out! I was floored. We knew he was atheletic but dang - Shaun White watch out :) He's got the snow fever now so we will be spending many of our weekends on the mountain in the near future. There are 755 ski mountains in Japan, by the way. This is a winter sport's lover's dream country.

My mom comes Thursday for 2 weeks! She's a skiier too so we will be going - Mom, Noah and I - while Dan has an exercise and Elly will go to school. Can't wait for her to get here so we can show off our new home.

For anyone who turns their noses up at the thought of visiting Japan or feel sorry for us for being so far from home, I encourage you to come see this land FIRST and then make an opinion! I was one of those snobs and I am eating my foot now as I brag about how awesome this place is. Every day is an adventure and we thank God for where he has us now.

 

Beautiful Japan

We TRULY have fallen in love with this country. Living on base surrounded by awesome military families has helped, too. But this place is exquisite. We are in the North and have snow covered mountain ranges all around us. There are evergreens everywhere, dense forests, and amazing sushi and food. The Japanese here love the Americans so much. Misawa City is a sweet, crowded yet rural town.

Every trip off base is an adventure - there are so many Ramen and sushi restaurants! Our favorite is Kappa Sushi where you order your choice on a computer at your table, the sushi is freshly made and it shoots out on a little train and arrives at your table. We love that!

Since being here, I have acquired a mamasan - she comes once a week (or more if needed) to clean our house, teach our children Japanese, babysit and cook should we need it. It is amazing and I was so excited to find her.

Noah has made his lifelong BFF in Aaron, they live down the street and both of our families have fallen in love with the other. It is so sweet how our children love each other and how us parents love the other's children. Noah's had about 6 spend the night parties and they have become brothers. It is so fun watching your babies meet their first best friend.

Dan's job is super busy - but as a commander, he is doing a fabulous job. The troops and leadership love him and I am really proud.

We have had about 5 snowstorms already and they have rid the trees of the final beautiful colors Japan had to offer. We are all decorated for Christmas and can't wait to spend the holidays with our new Misawa family. This is far different than being at home - which we really miss - but new experiences are fun and exciting too. Plus we get the advantage of starting our own traditions as a little family of four.

Noah is loving his Taiko drum classes. He goes each Tuesday and is really into it which is great. We are still waiting on him to get off of the waiting list and into his preschool. He and Elly go to a sitter several hours a day so I can get some work done but he's desperate to get back into the routine of school; as am I..... I am expecting a call anyday that he's off of the list but every day waiting is still agonizing.

We had the privilege of having Trace Adkins come perform on a USO tour. Not many people make it up this far north so for him to make that effort spoke volumes about his patriotism. My friend, Denise (Aaron's mom), is the Squadron Commander for the unit that helped get him here. He performed in an aircraft hangar and we were on the front row. I'm not a huge fan of his music but having him here was a big morale booster for the troops. Afterwards, Denise took us back and we got to spend some time with him before he left for his quarters. It was great.