Homesick? or sick of Japan?

Today was by far the hardest day since moving to Japan. I have no words to describe it other than I'm constantly going uphill whether it's in the classroom and I'm baffled at how to help my kids "get it" or discovering that my prize find of sour cream in the grocery store has the consistency of cream cheese (smells and tastes like sour cream but sure doesn't look it...TRAUMA!) Even the weather is something to deal with - sweating, oily face, crazy hair...I feel so high maintenance sometimes! Or even the fact that we live in a wood box encased in cement feels strange. I don't know how to express how I'm feeling other than I'm sad today. It's been kind of building and subsiding over the last two months and I think last night I just couldn't hold it together anymore. Yes, Alison was felled by a container of sour cream...just the straw that broke the camel's back really. And yes I KNOW, I can do this, and I KNOW I'm going to be fine, and I KNOW God is with me through all things, and I KNOW that people love and support me....BUT this is possibly the hardest thing I've ever done - I'm not giving up (Adrienne won't let me...nor will my sense of commitment) I think I'm just finding that my prayer life is being put to very good use. :) I don't know that I've ever known a continuous prayer life before this, but this has brought me to me knees. I know this is a reason to add to my list of "why I'm in Japan" and I keep telling myself that growing is hard and painful and I am becoming the woman I am supposed to be. (Sarah...you're in my head!) I will be thankful each day for this experience and all that it holds. I continue to try and find small things to hold onto...today's were:
1. Adrienne made me a funny video on smilebox
2. Steak on base - Lori and I had the 2 for 1 dinner so it was affordable!
3. Adrienne and I splurged on hot chocolate at Starbucks and read for an hour..."the envelope" AKA our food budget paid for us and we decided that we may need to make it a more often treat so that neither of us have a complete mental breakdown trapped in our wood box
4. It got cool and windy - I got to wear a sweatshirt and jeans to Starbucks!!!
5. The bugs appear to be gone :)

I feel like this experience has been one big roller coaster but it is making me incredibly thankful for everything I left behind...makes me want to never complain about how fortunate we are and how much I take for granted when I'm home. I think it's also kinda funny how much I've treated this as my journal here (not that I've ever journaled but you know!)...just know these are my inside thoughts, I'm not asking for advice or encouragement that this will get better...I know that, I just need to get to the point where I feel that on the inside and I'm realizing that I can't depend on people for that...it's between God and I. I'm sharing my inside thoughts...it's helping me process (slowly!) So thank you to all of you wonderfully supportive people for your emails and comments (yes Cheryl, you do comment, I didn't mean you...stop feeling guilty) and letters and packages and prayers and thoughts - miss and love you all!

Pizza in the Sky and the aquarium!

I had to include a picture of Adrienne at the laundry mat :) Good times!

So we went to Pizza in the Sky (english translation of course) and the aquarium on Saturday. It was a really beautiful day - it didn't even rain! It was a little hot, but we had a good time. We went for lunch the menu was a crack up - Pizza, salad (no choices, just yes or no) The view was awesome! The company was fun - we had a good time just hanging out and chatting.

At the Aquarium Eric (Laura's husband) got a coconut drink - they picked it up out of the pile, cut the top off and handed it to him - it was pretty funny!
The view from the Pizza in the Sky - WOW!

Adrienne, Rachel, and Laura and I at Pizza in the Sky - also called Pizza and Sky
Adrienne and Rachel holding the "menu" - we're not in Kansas anymore Toto
Adrienne and I at the dolphin show

Ok, so the Japanese are quite smart and have child size toilet seats attached to the regular one...no, I don't have a toilet obsession either...but I had never seen anything like it...

I can't believe where I live...stunning!
Baby sea turtles, I suggested that it would be fun to bring them home with us and they could live in the shower room...Adrienne said no :(
So I like topiaries...but the Japanese do them so much better than America does - although they have individual plants instead of one big one...but very cool.
Dolphins waving goodbye at the dolphin show - they bowed too...which is so much more entertaining here - so much more cultural....they do tend to poke fun at themselves which makes it even funnier.

The dolphin bumped his head and Adrienne made fun of him saying he had a little trouble...anyway, he got up and promptly stuck his tongue out...I laughed hysterically saying that showed her!
The trainer was splashing the dolphin and he would "splash" back really it was spitting, but entertaining nonetheless!

Off to another week - I know this was a little less wordy for me but I'm a little tired.

Oh my pick me up moments for the weekend:
Skype calls (LD ladies, Kevin) phone calls with Kim and Tash
yummy tacos
my hair is being agreeable
Speed grocery shopping - we actually know where things are now!

I'm thankful for...

So things could be better, my attitude more then anything...I can defeat myself rather easily, especially when the circumstances are already hard. Anyway, I decided I needed to start praying that I had at least one good thing each day to hang onto - whether it be a moment with the kids, a laugh with Adrienne, a card or call from home...whatever it happened to be and it would remind me to be thankful for all of it...including the yucky stuff! Anyway, so here are my tidbits this week:

1. Mail from Kim and Bugaboo...AKA Molly (miss my Giggleboxes OFTEN!!)
2. My kids working on compound words and coming up with fireman...as they're processing the two parts for their flip flap books one kid goes, fire hot, fireman hot! SSSSSSS! it made me laugh :) Had to write Kevin and he said firemen get that all the time...whatever! They might get more credit if they left real comments too (now I'm just blatantly commenting about your lack of commenting! Miss you!)
3. My girls spent their free time after lunch coloring me pictures
4. Adrienne and I laughing so hard and her comment "You make me want to pee my pants" I'll take it as a compliment at this point.
5. Adrienne being a good sport and going with me for a new towel and some "bleach" not bleach apparently, but the towels aren't stinky - we also got some stuff to get rid of the green stuff from the air conditioner...not sure what it is, but it does smell bleachish (I think the picture is something getting rid of mold)
6. Mint Julep soda for lunch (it's something I'll miss when I come home...LOVE it!)
7. Incredible chicken (minus the spinach) but cheese and bacon make everything yummy...cheese!!!!!
8. Adrienne is now fascinated with my clock and how I can make the time go on the ceiling.

So yea, I'm TRYING to be more positive...I'd appreciate your prayers (and emails, snail mail, Skype calls) Anyway, it's Friday :) and a much needed weekend is about to begin - Taco Night...with cheese (I sound so obsessive about dairy products here...I've just realized that MOST of my home diet includes dairy) Tomorrow is a couple of new places with Adrienne, Rachel, Laura, and her husband Eric - should be fun! Anyway more to come I'm sure...miss you all...even though nobody (but Aimee...who gets the need for blog comments!) is very good about leaving me comments...pout pout pout ;)

Quiet

You know what's great? I sit and type all these random thoughts and people read them and enjoy them (or at least pretend to) and I get comments and emails all of which make me happy! I find the whole thing to be just lovely (I may enjoy hearing myself talk too....hmmm) Anyway, this weekend was SUPER restful and slightly productive. Got to talk to several people on Skype :) We finally made it to the laundry mat and the dryer did wonders for my jeans and the other clothes in need of a bit of shrinking...we decided to put going to the laundry mat in our budget (need to make a new envelope) so we can go once a month! We also bug bombed the apartment today - scrubbed it from top to bottom afterwards...praying it killed whatever was biting us, not feeling very hopeful because we were feeling itchy tonight. It may have been in our heads so we'll see tomorrow if there are bites :( We broke out the Monopoly board because we were bored and I didn't want to grade papers - got most of it done at the laundry mat, I'll try to finish up during lunch this week. Adrienne kicked my butt - note to self, more properties do no good if you can't afford houses. Anyway, a quiet restful weekend was much needed and this week is sure to be busy. Our church has their missions week beginning on Wednesday so that should be interesting - regular scheduling for school - another week in Japan...crazy!!

BUGS! and other fun things

This week has been rather quiet - got a fun package from the Yamada's (thank you!) - Adrienne and I went on a walk at the beach on Thursday - got caught in the rain, did a little browsing...found a store that's Pier 1 Style, but affordable...might need to marry a military man so I can ship unlimited weight home ;) Anyway, we were sitting with our ice cream and root beer float respectively and we are watching these people take pictures...HAD to recreate the moment for you - Adrienne was a little embarrassed, but we laughed SO hard through the whole thing - so worth it!!



We had Izzie and Carolyn over so that Lori and Daniel could get ready for Powerhouse (church fellowship, potluck, mini Bible study time) We watched part of Ratatouille while eating popcorn (thanks to those of you who sent some!! YUM!) Played part of a game of monopoly before the girls decided our rooms were more fun...

When we went to go on base with them later they decided to amuse themselves on the chairs...yea, they really like "falling" behind the seats :) Powerhouse was nice, everyone very friendly and a good time of fellowship - very peaceful and kick back - nice to be out of the wood box but not BUSY!
Ok, the long awaited Japan Man...so last week when we got the pretty glass Adrienne won a special friend during the hat toss...they got engaged this week with this LOVELY ring we found
Here's their engagement picture - it's not the best picture of him, but it gives you the idea - I had him censored for awhile, but we needed a real picture with his new fiance :)
We've been learning about animals in science this week so we made marshmallow insects to help us remember the 3 parts of the insects as well as the 6 legs, 2 antennae - we had a great time

Risa, Ayaka, and Alyssa with their finished bugs
Dennis, Serina, Kiana, Kyle, and Ryuki
Mana, Nathan, Kai, Shuan, and Kristopher
Kounoske, Banri, Mai, Lauren, and Milena
YEA, this was the real bug that came to visit on Friday - I touched it just for the record! Apparently these are quite expensive here - not sure why, but it's considered a pet, pretty sure Adrienne won't be allowing one here!
My kids hard at work making their insects!!

We had some flying Q-tips (AKA legs and antennae) it was pretty funny to watch
Such concentration!







Another week finished, overall ok - a quiet restful day today, bug bombing, Starbucks (we're using our free coupon so we're out of the house long enough for our bug bomb to work!), and church tomorrow and the Rose Garden of course!! They have mugs, Adrienne and I have joked we're going to have to buy one before we come home :) Finished my fifth book so far, well on my way with number 6! Oh, we also may have figured out why our stuff wasn't getting clean - we apparently need to use heavy soil setting ALL the time...gross - oh well, at least our towels don't have such a smell now - GROSS! OOOOHHHH, we're taking stuff to the laundry mat to dry today also...good times all around (have I mentioned I miss being able to dry my clothes?)

Things I miss...

Popcorn - although the no snacking thing seems to be working for my waistline :)
Towels that actually dry things and don't have a weird smell after washing
Cheese, yogurt, affordable milk
My bed - this one isn't cozy and so SMALL!
Top sheets
a dryer
friends, family, and co-workers that get it
Stater Brothers (and the really nice guy at the meat counter that doesn't laugh when I ask for 40 chicken breasts)
my car...it actually accelerates!
chai tea - so cozy and comforting
no humidity - I'm tired of feeling damp ALL the time
my cell phone and the ability to actually get in touch with my friends whenever I want without planning the call in advance
dance class
my school stuff, teacher supply stores
normal hair
mint tea
good affordable produce
my classroom stuff
teacher supply stores
Target
my closet...the rest of my clothes
stores with my size
my cookbooks
a real kitchen
a dry erase board...chalkboards are AWFUL
file cabinets
a REAL pencil sharpener


I'm not sure if this is the complete list, but the things that come to mind for now...it's one of those weeks though.

Week 4 done...5 is already started

It's crazy to think how quickly the time really goes in retrospect because there are times that I feel like this experience is standing still. I feel like I have so much time on my hands, just think about how much I blog! HA, but most of that time would be taken up busy with school, or friends, or dance class, or traffic, or traffic, or whatever else I found to do. There's just not all of that here - I can leave school by 4 (dismissal is until 3:25 or so) which is unheard of for me and there's no regular activities during the week except for church on Wednesday...it makes me wish I could bake here - or at least cook my regular meals - I have so much time here and none of my regular things to do - I suppose that was part of the plan to slow things down huh? Apparently I'm settling in finally - everyone seems to comment that my blogs seem more like my perky bubbly self...I am feeling more like myself now - as Aimee would say the jet lag is wearing off and the culture shock isn't AS shocking :) Now, don't mistake this for the desire to stay here forever - I'm giving up plans (mine seem to go to the wayside at this point), but I'd like to be back in the States sooner then later! Anyway, just my thoughts for now. Sunday we went to church :) our pastor was in Tokyo for church business - district meeting or something I think. We went to Rose Garden (of course...YUMMY french toast!) Ruth (our music teacher) came along as well - some others were supposed to join but it ended up being just the 4 of us. We intended to grade papers, do laundry (take our pants to dry at the laundry mat!) and then go on base to go to this craft/glass fair....yea, we went to the fair first - LOVED everything...same stuff as Saturday but cheaper so I bought a few things and we played the hat game (whatever piece your hat lands on you get to keep) I was TERRIBLE at it, but everybody else got quite a bit :) We also got to look at the on base culture gift shops - local vendors, cheaper prices - picked out quite a few of my gift items for people :) We ended up going home with only time to grade...oops, the laundry will have to wait! PS Adrienne found a VERY special Japan Man at the glass store...I'll be sure to get a picture ASAP...we're funny...or at least I find us amusing!