Week update...

Ahhh another week in Japan - I was thinking how long we've been here (almost 4 months...how that happened I don't know!) and we will be home in exactly 6 months from now - WOW! I can say I'm excited about that, but there are now things I will miss here and will continue to enjoy for the next 6 months :) Anyway - this week we had Tuesday off and we went to go get our re-entry stamp so we can go to Thailand and come back to Okinawa ($30 to come back here!!!!) That was a little adventure filling out the paperwork and they gave us a tag and we had to go buy the stamp next door and bring it and the tag and the paper all back before it all got put in our passport...Japan is taking over my passport with all my stamps and visa and whatnot. I'm excited to get my Thailand stamp though :) It was nice to have an extra day to run errands, go to the bakery and all that stuff - made the week go by quickly! We had our regular Tuesday Starbucks on Thursday and were happy to see that the gecko is still there...I think we're going to have to name our little friend soon - Gus the Gecko, Gavin the Gecko, Gustan the Gecko....I'll need to think more on that one ;) Anyway, church on Wednesday, I got a package from Aimee but we weren't there to get it so I had to make the very confusing phone call to reschedule for Thursday :) book and chai might be a perfect package (Adrienne rolled her eyes about more books...but I'll run out if I don't get more!) Starbucks Thursday, Lori had a bit of a mishap and got stuck off base so her and the kids, along with Dennis from my class were all over here for the afternoon and we went for McDonald's for dinner since we didn't have anything to feed them all! Thankfully it all worked out for them to get back on base after that! Then on Friday Adrienne and I went to the LON on Friday (Ladies of the Neighborhood) and it was so fun to laugh with all of the ladies we've been meeting at church. It was an informational meeting/fellowship. Everyone brought food to share and I've decided I miss chips and salsa the most - someone brought some and it was SO good!! Everything was so yummy - I miss American potluck's!! We have a Christmas party for LON in December so that should be fun - something else to look forward to. I marvel at how the church has made this place feel like home - I am incredibly thankful for all the people that have welcomed us with open arms - the hugs, the conversation, the fact that they notice if we don't say hi, even the teasing has helped me adjust to all of this crazy stuff so much more easily. Today we were invited to come fly the flight simulator sometime soon...definitely going to have to take Rocky (from church, not school) up on that offer! Anyway, it makes me happy that all my outside life is good and settled. Everyone keeps asking, so yes, Adrienne and I are STILL getting along - we laugh a lot, we cry less, we have a continuous banter that I can't begin to explain...but we're all good over here in Japan country (with no Japan man!) School is still drama - but my kids are continuing to improve so I'll count myself fortunate for that and let the rest go! Anyway - I'll post our latest tour book day later - miss you all and VERY MUCH appreciate your prayers through this whole crazy thing!!