Saturday morning English fun!

Here are our Sat morning ESL, English as Second Language students who are also our neighbors. They are alot of fun. We played scrabble today.

One of the joys of Ai no Kesshin

I got to join Sarah in placing this precious little girl with her new family this week. What a treat that was for me. She loves her thumb.

Etch A Sketch by Caleb

While on the road the other day, Caleb decided to try his hand at Etch a Sketch andin just seconds....... WaaLaa! The skyscraper and the Helo parked on top of one. We teased him and said we think you've made the blogspot with that one man, history in the making, so here it is, ENJOY!

May Birthday Celebrating at Ai Sei Yochien

All of these childrenwho are standing with their mom's, with the exception of Caleb and his game partner, are celebrating May Birthday's. Note the newspaper at our feet. The japanese come up with the greatest games. Anything for a good laugh, I'm all for it. Ha Ha Ha

Bethany had to get on my back as there was no room for her little feet on our folded paper, it was getting smaller and smaller and smaller.

We are playing "Paper, Rock, Scissors" and if you loose against the leader, you have to fold your sheet of paper you and your partner are standing on. Well.....Bethany and I didn't last too long. Caleb and his partner actually tied for "Champion". Go Caleb.....

Bethany looks a bit tired of celebrating this #6 Birthday and we still aren't to the 27th of May yet.

The Birthday Girls!

Shion is a bit excited to be visiting Bethany and Juda and playing dress up. She is such a silly little girl.

Bethany and Shion share the same birthday with 3 years difference. Shion is the daughter of our dear friend Junko who is one of our Ai no Kesshin volunteers. Happy Birthday Girls!!!!

Juda's favorite occupational therapist!

Ms. Leah is Juda's favorite therapist. They have so much in common. They are both adopted and they are both from Asia and they love each other so much. Leah was often asked while on field trips with Juda if she was his mother, ha ha ha. She is his OT, Occupational Therapist. We have never figured out what occupation Juda has and maybe that's why he needs therapy, ha ha.

Shawn, Tristan and Juda, the Three Amigo's, or is it Three Peas in a Pod, no matter, they are all buddies. Shawn is definately the shy one of the bunch.

Juda and Tristan enjoying there last day together. Tristan is moving to California. We plan to see him and his family when we go to see Andy in Dec.

We say GOOD BYE to the Travis Family!

This week we said Good-Bye to a very special family, the Travis'. We first met them in Juda's class at school, Tristan is one of Juda's classmates. We had almost two years of enjoying their smiles and wisdom and sometimes tears over various trials in life. What a special family they are and we will miss them.

Bethany will be 6, or is it 16?

Bethany asked the BIG question. "When people get married what do they say to each other." I said "Are you talking about their wedding vows, their promises to each other that they make". "Yes, what do they promise", she said. "They promise to love each other when they are healthy and even and especially when they are sick, they promise to love each other forever and ever." (Here comes the BIG question) "How will I be able to love somebody forever and ever, how will I know I can promise that". Wowwwww! Remember that she is only 5, going to be 6 in two weeks. Remember that she is our first girl, I'm not used to these kind of questions from my boys, even at their big ages, well, okay maybe Andy has asked that one before,ha ha ha. Sooo, I gave her the example of how much she loves her daddy and me and how much she loves her brothers and that the love she will have for her husband will be so much greater and of course as I'm telling her this I'm reminded of the love I have for Tom and how I am so blessed to have such a wonderful Godly man who loves me too. Thank you Lord for children who cause us to think a little harder than we'd like and bring us to remember the love that we have, what a joy. My dear friend Mrs. Chestnut told me of a poem titled, "I'm drinking from my saucer because my cup runnest over", that is exactly how we feel these days, blessing upon blessing we are receiving.

Happy Mother's Day

I enjoyed my "Mother's Day" for the 22nd year now. Bethany, Juda and I enjoyed church at Goya Baptist as her preschool class performed and sang for all the mommy's. Then...we enjoyed Curry Rice prepared and served by the men of Goya Church. It was delicious. Later in the afternoon we went to the park to enjoy the nice breeze along the ocean and let Bethany and Juda ride their bikes. Bethany had a bike accident and scrapped her knee up. That wans't exactly how we wanted to end our wonderful day spent together.

Starting to teach English

On Saturday we began our first English classes for some of our neighbors children. Here are the youngest scholars, Shimon and Yuuna. Part of teaching English is playing together, and that is the part that Bethany and Juda enjoy the most. Our other three students are 17, 15 and 11 year old boys. They speak good english and just want to have an opportunity to practice. So we played pictionary and boggle. Each week we will meet for an hour on Saturday mornings and converse in our native tongue, all the while picking up a few Japanese words/phrases ourselves.

Saying Good Bye to Monica

This is some of the mom's from Ai Sei Yochien, Bethany's Kindergarten. The other American lady beside me in the picture is Monica. We all went to lunch to farewell her as she and her family are moving to Jackson Mississippi in a few weeks. Her daughter also goes to the yochien. Monica was very good at trying to speak japanese to the ladies and they love that and welcomed her into their world. Most of these ladies attend English class that I teach on Friday's at the Yochien. I hesitate to say "I teach" as they teach me more Japanese than I teach them English. They already know a little English from highschool, although for some it has been a while since then, ha ha ha. But, they are able to use their English on me. We have a lot of fun together, some are christians, that is so exciting to get to talk to them and hear their testimonies, that is what we are going to work on this school year, as the school year for japanese school just started a few weeks ago. Rika is behind me in the red shirt, she is my #1 Ai no Kesshin volunteer.

Our friend Michiko

Bethany's new friend Audra lives a few blocks away from our house which is such a blessing, and her family is such a blessing to us already as we are getting to know them. They found a baby kitty last week that had been left out in the rain by it's mother. I saw an opportunity to connect them with our friend Michiko who lives in the nearby park in a van. Michiko has a few cats that she takes care of and one of them was pregnant and since has gone away and not returned, I thought maybe this baby was her cats. So I took Michiko over to meet Audra's family yesterday. Michiko was thrilled to meet another american family. She went in and sat and visited with them and fed the baby kitty, she was in her element. Chris, Audra's dad asked her to translate some konji for him, she felt so needed. Great visit and meeting of new friends for her. When I was taking her back home to her van, she said "they are very nice, so warm and loving, are they christians too?" What an opportunity for God to pour out his love on her once again. She is a different women since Christmas, since having her own place, her van, to live in and a place to call her own. We go and visit her often at the park and sit and chat while the kids play. It has given us an opportunity to meet many kids near her park, she translates for us and the kids, it is like going to Grandma's house, no kidding, when we try to leave her, she wants to walk us to the edge of the park and continues telling us by and waving and the kids just love her. She asks us about Andrew, for some reason that is what she calls Andy. She wants updates on his Navy career. Please do pray for her salvation as we get opportunities to answer her questions and to begin passing onto her some reading materials sharing the gospel.

Our friends the Ragan's were in town or shall we say on island!

The joy of the military lifestyle, meeting up with friends from a time ago. The Ragan's were on island vacationing from mainland Japan where they now live. We have enjoyed knowing them for a few years now, seen each of our families grow larger and go through some growing pains together, that's what friends are for. Great to see you Ragan Family, come again another day!

Celebrating Bethany's #6 Birthday early!

For the third year in a row, Bethany's all time favorite, "Tea Party" Birthday celebration. With little Tea Cups and Saucers from the Yen store no doubt. And, all kinds of tiny crackers/cookies/rice balls/sandwich's etc. All the girls came either dressed up or dressed up once they arrived. It was so much fun. Juda was certainly the King of all the Princess'. Bethany has some very sweet friends.

Juda loved being King for the day among all the Princess'.

Pull a string "Pinata'!" No more bats and head injuries with this generation, but lot's of fun nonetheless, besides the candy inside coming outside of the bag is the idea.

What a fun day to spend with Bethany's girlfriends. We painted fingernails and even added a few stickers to our nails. We applied a little make-up and fixed our hair and topped our doo's off with a Ti era. All the girls felt like a Princess', which they all are Princess' of the Prince of Peace and of course they are their Daddy's Princess as well. Thanks to Mia, Audra, Holly, Zoe and Lauren for enjoying Bessy's Birthday with us.

Our home in Hiyagon Okinawa, flying Koinobori!

It seems like everywhere we've lived we've managed to have some lantana to enjoy, kind of a comfort flower, blooms most of the year, we love it.


This is the Tetami Room. The floor is covered with 1 1/2 inche thick strawmats. The white windows are paper doors that cover/slide over the glass windows. They let in such soft light. Very cozy room. We use it as a play room/computer/game room.

Across the hall from the Tetami Room is the Living Room, Dining Room and Kitchen all in one. It is a great room. I've always loved being able to cook and still be a part of the what is going on in the living room area, never wanting to miss out. This is our 20th address after 25 years of marriage. We hope to be here a while. It sure feels like we have settled in.

Doorway to the LR, DR and Kitchen fromt he genkan, entrance way.

Genkan, entrance to our home.

Koinobori are carp kites that are flown from mid April to mid May in celebration of what is now "Children's Day" but a few years back was celebrated as "Boys Day". Our neighbors loaned us their set to fly at our home. Parks have many huge sets flying during this time. I'll try to get some more pics to share with you. Also, here are some pics of our home here in Okinawa. It is a more modern style japanese home.

A new look for Andy

We are so proud of Andy for his completion of Navy BootCamp. Now he is onto Seal Training in Coronado, he's a little nervous, a little excited, a lot ready to get on with it. Tom so enjoyed surprising Andy by being there for his graduation. They had the greatest of time together for a long weekend.

Mommy and Me Class

Rika and I attended the "Mommy and Me" class today at the community center. Since it is "Golden Week" here in Japan, which is a week of celebrating the life of children, the hospital is crowded, so the class met at a community center. Each week I wonder how God will work out details of our going and loving on these mommies and babies and what exactly are His intentions for us to go. And, much to our amazement He is always at work and sometimes He shows us what He is up to. Today another "Mommy and Me" group met with the Uemura Clinic group. Upon arriving I heard my name and it was a neighbor a few blocks over from us who has come to our house parties/BBQ's, she usually wears a hat and didn't have one on, so I didn't recognize her at first. Then a lady came to me once we were sitting down and asked if I go to Koza Church, did I teach English there. I don't, because I don't have time, however I did go the English class and share Ai no Kesshin with them once, she saw me there. Then I recognized another lady, but couldn't remember from where. I asked Rika if she recognized her, she didn't, so I thought it must not be anyone we've connected to with ANK. For the entire meeting I wondered where have I seen this person. So finally I asked Rika to translate for me and I asked her if I had met her somewhere. She smilled very big and said YES at Toys R Us. Then I remembered....back when we had Yoshito, I was in ToysRUs. She made a comment about how cute he was, she had her baby with her who had lots of hair, I commented on all her babies hair. She didn't speak much English, however, her husband did, he actually is an English teacher at a High School. Sooo......I apologized that I didn't remember where I had met her, but I did remember her face. I said maybe for you it is easier to remember a few American faces in town, than for me to remember so many Japanese faces in town. She said I was special and she could see that in my face, a face she will never forget....wow!!! I was so surprised and so was Rika. So Rika shared with her about ANK and said that her husband being a high school teacher may have the opportunity to sometime give ANK information to students who are in crisis pregnancy situations......... The really neat thing about each of these ladies speaking to me today was that when I started out this morning, as it is the rainy season here on Okinawa, I would have much rathered stay home and just curl up on the sofa with a good book (which by the way, not sure when I've done that last, but it sounded like a good idea) and not always seeing what God sees in our going to this "Mommy and Me" class, I went, probably because I'm accountable to Rika, we keep each other going. Nonetheless pray for me and all my volunteers as we reach Okinawa for Ai no Kesshin for the children. God is very creative in the way he allows us to make contacts here, it is beyond me, I just try to listen and do what He says, go where He says to go, and make myself available.

Hooray for Andy!

Andy was so surprised to see Tom at graduation. When much to his surprise he spotted Tom in the crowd, of course he called out "Dad", but so did everyone else as they spotted their dad's. So Andy yelled "Tom", and Tom heard him. Tom had seen him in formation and watched him during the ceremony, but when everyone was eye level, he lost sight of him for a moment. How exciting for the two of them to spend time together doing whatever they desired, which included eating at favorite restaurants, watching movies, eating again, watching more movies, and sharing boot camp stories, fun, fun, fun. So glad that the opportunity was available for them to spend a few days together before Andy heads off to California onto his next challenge. We'll post pictures soon of Andy, once Tom returns with the camera.