Friend

I have a friend here. A good friend. We have bonded over this awful move. She got here the same time I did. She is still waiting on her things to get here. She has a house with loaner furniture. They started trying to track her stuff a couple of days ago. They found out today that their stuff has not even left storage in California. For some reason it was never sent. Then, they were told it would be 120 days before it gets here. Can you even imagine? They don't have anything but what came in their suitcases! They have no winter clothes, no Christmas tree (this is very sad to me as we all have to spend Christmas here without our extended family and you want it to be special,) and none of their furniture or pictures or anything. I'm telling you all of this so you can please keep them in your prayers. My heart breaks for her. I can't imagine dealing with that extra stress! 

Aside from that bummer news, it has been an ok day. I'm still running...Or trying. The kids will be doing a color run at the end of their running program and I want to do it with them. Here is a pic of some fisherman I saw on my run this morning. 

And to end in a happy note, Cooper found another hiding spot...

Mail Time

We received several packages today. Mail makes us all excited. :) we feel blesses to have people who love us enough to not only fill these boxes for us but to make the awful trip to the post office to mail them to us! We also received a letter from the sweet older lady who lived across from us in San Angelo. I have to admit her letter made me sad as I remember the tears on her face the day we took her a lamp shortly before we left that she had mentioned wanting and the look of sadness as she brought the kids a washer set she had made them. I love that lady! 

It doesn't look like it, but Cooper is smiling. Lol. 

Fun box full of treats...game night is in our future!

Thank you for the nail goodies!!

More birthday! 

This was the ending to the letter Rob and I received. 

And this one was to the kids. She is so sweet, and Parker seriously adored her. He would go to her house and just sit and color. She mentions in the letter that she sees their pictures everyday on her ice box ( Parker asked me what an ice box was.) She also said that the swing in her backyard is waiting on them. Oh how my heart aches! 

Two in One Day

We went into town today just to get out of the house. We happened upon a restaurant that had hamburgers, so we decided to give it a whirl. They were good! There was also a little Jack Johnson playing when we walked in the door...that's always a good sign! 

Changing subjects, we had to leave our dining room table behind for fear it wouldn't fit in the houses here. We finally got a new one. There is nothing on the walls yet, but hopefully that will change this week. I wanted some fall leaves to put around this candle thing but no such luck here...off to amazon to look for some. :)

Outside of the restaurant. 

You push these when you need anything...even to order. It took us awhile to figure that one out. 

Waving to the Japanese people. 

He thinks he is big!

Yummmm....

Amber and Amanda, do you remember these sticker displays when we were little?!? 

And here is the table. It can extend out and we have two more chairs if anyone wants to come visit! :)

Still here...

Well, yes of course I am still in Japan but I am also still in the blogging world. Life is still happening here in this foreign place, but I miss my friends and family in the states terribly. We had Parker's birthday party yesterday. He had a blast but said he wished he could open his presents with YaYa and everyone. That breaks my heart. Here are a few random pictures from my phone. I'll post birthday pictures some time this week. 

This little old man was so cute. 

I thought these little boys were so cute in their yellow hats. They start school so young here! 

TexMex in Japan

Today, Rob and I decided to try the Mexican food place here. I have to say it wasn't bad, and they even played Spanish music in there. :) 

I didn't try a margarita this time...

The decor. 

The salsa was mostly onions, but it was good. 

The quesadillas were delicious. I know it is hard to mess those up, but hey....Lol. 

Why?

Why oh why must this be so hard some days? Today was one of those days. Rob has to work oh another 30 hours. The kids had school and then running class (sounds horrific, I know, but it is good for them.) Then, Parker had swimming. He was excited to go until he realized I was going to another room in the same building to work out. Then it happened....the melt down. He was not going to swim. It was embarrassing and quite a scene, so I punished him by taking the iPad away tonight. However, now I feel guilty for punishing him. Who could blame him for the melt down? In three weeks, we have moved him to another country, put him in school, and Rob has started working long crazy hours where he is hardly home. i think he is having separation anxiety. I have melt downs on a daily basis...just not in the way a 5 year old has them. I will apologize first thing in the morning...until then, I will hit my knees and pray for forgiveness....

Kindergarten, Here We Come

Tomorrow, my 2nd born will start school, and his last words to me tonight were, " I am not going to school." It is going to be a rough week. I can already feel the heartache of saying goodbye to him as I leave him in a room with a bunch of strangers all day long. Please pray for both of us, and for his teacher (because if you know Parker, she will need the prayers also!) :)
Embarrassing story number 5,284:
We went to this Italian restaurant tonight. I was so excited to eat Italian food. The first problem arose when they brought us a highchair that doesn't strap a child in. Cooper would not stay in that seat. The second problem arose when they brought us menus that we could not read. The waitress brought us water, and then just watched us. Cooper was screaming and running around. I was ready to go. Rob told us just to get up and go, but I felt horrible not ordering something. The waitress was still just staring at us. I HAD to get out of there, so we got up to leave when Rob knocked all of the silverware off the table bringing even more attention to us. I am sure my face was beat red as I said I was sorry and walked (ran) out the door. That poor Japanese lady just smiled and bowed and said something I did not understand (prob. something to the effect of "those dumb Americans.") I will not be going back in there EVER! Here are some pictures from around Iwakuni...

A Kitkat from Japan. Not that cool, but hey...

We bought this out in town, and it was so good. I don't know what it was, but it was delicious! 

I bought these out in town also. 10.00. Flowers make me smile. :)

Japanese ramen. 

This is what it looks like cooked. I wasn't that impressed, but I don't really like ramen anyway. Lol. 

Mom, palm trees are cheaper here...around 70.00. I wish I could ship it to you. 

LOOk!!!! A store called Texas! Is it a sign...prob not, but it is still cool. 

Jesus Calling

Ok, so I am going to get deep with you for just a minute. A person very dear to my heart sent me the book titled "Jesus Calling" last week. I honestly did not even pick it up to begin reading it until last night. I had a rough day....several melt downs, and a long heart to heart with my husband. I am just not feeling at home here in this foreign country, and it is so hard. I cried to him that I want to go home. I want to go back to everything that is familiar to me and my kids. When it was time for bed, I walked past the book on the table and picked it up to read the first page. This is what I read:
Come to Me with a teachable spirit, eager to be changed. A close walk with Me is a life of continual newness. Do not cling to old ways as you step into a new year. Instead, seek My Face with an open mind, knowing that your journey with Me involves being transformed by the renewing of your mind. As you focus your thoughts on Me, be aware that I am fully attentive to you. I see you with a steady eye because My attention span is infinite. I know and understand you completely; My thoughts embrace you in everlasting Love. I also know the plans I have for you: plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Give yourself fully to this adventure of increasing attentiveness to My Presence.
WOW!!! I cried last night when I read this, and I am crying again as I type this. This message was for ME at the time that I needed to hear it the most. Did I wake up loving it here? No. However, I woke up knowing God is on my side and has my best interests at heart.
I promise to write a less deep blog tomorrow with some pictures! Goodnight!