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!


 

Parties and Earthquakes

The season is upon us! Lots of Air Force events, parties, and fun with our new friends/family in Japan. Last week we had Dan's Ops Group Christmas party and the Bealls won a new waterproof "Bloggie" camera. Just what we needed because I have managed to ruin 4 of our last 4 nice cameras! We were excited.

The kids are in Santa mode and can't wait to open presents. It has been hard to keep them out from underneath the tree. My mom can't stand it anymore and will be visiting most of the month of January. I CAN'T WAIT! Gah, I miss my mom, dad, and sister/brother in law soooo very much. This is a terrific experience for us four and we are loving each moment of it but being away from our precious family is tough.

What isn't tough is getting to enjoy the S-N-O-W!!!! This place continues to awe me with how it turns into a Winter Wonderland with each snow fall.

I experienced my first Japanese earthquake the night of the Christmas party. I had just gotten out of the shower, Dan and Noah were out at the Tree lighting ceremony on base, and Elly had just awakened from a marathon (typical) nap. I was literally wearing nothing but my Spanx when I got a siren alert on my phone in Japanese that had a picture of a man running..... What in the world, I thought.

Not 15 seconds later, the house began to sway and shake and groan. I kid you not, I thought I was dreaming. I threw on a t-shirt, still in my Spanx only, grabbed our 2 year old and held her tightly under the door frame of our bedroom. I just started praying and pleading the Blood of Jesus all over us, our home, my husband and son who were outside and then my mind shifted to all the thousands of people killed/affected by the earth quake in Southern Japan last year. I thought "what in the heck am I still doing inside?!" while things fell all around us.

I ran down the stairs shouting for God to protect us and straight out of the door... into the falling snow.... with all of our neighbors (high ranking officers and families) around us... with my babe in arms.... IN MY SPANX!!!! I squatted on the porch in a tshirt and Spanx and prayed that a) we'd be safe and b) that no one would see me! After about 3-4 minutes, the earthquake stopped and Elly looked at me and said "mommy, why you in your underwears?" HAHAHA!!!!!

It registered at 7.8 magnitude off of the coast (about 10 miles from our home). So what we felt registered at just under 5 magnitude in strength. No joke! We were fine but I was definitely in the throes of laughter and fright!! I also got a lot of "welcome to Japan" comments that night at the party.

It has been sad not to get a lot of Christmas cards this year - a favorite of mine during the holidays. But I know it is because people think we have a foreign mailing address. It only takes a stamp though since we are on an American military installation. I didn't know that till we moved here - I thought postage would cost a fortune!

On the other hand, I did order our Christmas cards from Shutterfly mid-November and they still aren't here!!!! I had to place a complaint and they re-sent them... haven't gotten those either. So I can't complain because ours havent gone out either :(
Love you all and miss you tremendously

Daddy's in Japan

17 days now... Daddy's been gone to Misawa, Japan that long. And lemme tell you: talking to anyone in Japan, one would think that it'd be easy as pie. They invented the future; Dan LIVES in the future 14 hours ahead of Central time! But... it's been a nightmare.

Skype ain't working. Dan's new Japanese iPhone 4 only RECEIVES texts and pictures - doesn't send them!!! What?! We can't get a home phone (Vonage - a US number) till we have a WiFi connection - our computer is on a boat somewhere between NW Louisana and the Northernmost point of mainland Japan.... Gah. Needless to say, we are so super frustrated with having to pay so much to talk for 5 mins at a time! Danny is worth it though.

We miss Dan so much. Noah especially. He's 4 and just is really struggling with the changes. Since May, we have moved from Louisiana, visited family in DC, then to the Beach, then to Nashville, then back to Alabama where Dan left for Japan. Our kids - and us - have been through many changes in a month and a half. Noah is our pride and joy. He's our first born, the beloved, single red head of the family. He does, however, have the attitude and strong will to match his hair color. Couple in the fact that his daddy has moved to the other side of the planet and he's uber aware of that and you have one crazy, beligerent, mean, strong willed child. He's hitting. He's biting. He's striking out and disrespecting ME only - no one else. And.... I am struggling.

I have had only a FEW really close friends call and check on me. And while I didn't have expectations, I did think that I would have more emotional support. My kids are not doing well: Ellyotte walks around this strange house (my folks') crying for Daddy and Noah won't even talk to Dan when he does get a chance to call. He's so angry. In fact, I was awakened at 3 AM last night to fists being beaten in my face: Noah was screaming at me, crying for Daddy and beating the hell out of me. Not... OKAY.

I don't want a pity party. But what I DO need are prayers. Prayers for peace for Noah - he is totally prone to hitting me, or biting, or screaming that he hates me because his daddy is so far away. Ellyotte is handling it better. She's a Mama's girl anyway so I am handling her MUCH better. But, Noah needs prayer for peace - as do I. It takes all I can do to wake up and deal with him from day to day lately.

This is my update. Sorry if it is unappetizing for some. I am tired of being politically correct in order to save others from my feelings.

I am doing Cross Fit daily and it is allowing me a HUGE outlet for anger and stress. The best and hardest workouts I have ever had. My coach is relentless and I love it! My kids DO have an amazing sitter. Kelsey is coming several days of the week and takes them swimming and loves on them when I can't or need a break. She rocks.

My computer is about to pass out from lack of power so I will end this now. But will definitely update more soon!