Nine years ago today I married the man of my dreams. It's amazing that it has been 9 years. It feels like it was just a few weeks ago! Time really flies when you are having fun!!!
Tonight we went out to dinner, and left the kiddos at Grandma and Grandpa's house. We didn't watch the clock, we ordered WHATEVER we wanted off the menu and we just enjoyed several hours of sitting and talking about anything and everything. He's still my best friend. He still amazes me with his love for Jesus and his wisdom and patience. He's still one of the funniest people I have ever met! I still can't believe I get to be the one who gets to be married to him!
We told Hana that today is our 9 year wedding anniversary and she didn't really understand. She kept asking this morning before going to preschool if we were getting married today! Then when I picked her up from school she asked if I am married to Daddy now. I explained over and over again that we are already married and today is just remembering and celebrating it kind of like a birthday. So when we picked her up from Baba and Jiji's house she asked if someone sang Happy Birthday to us while we were gone! LOL! Do you know how hard it is to explain that you were married on this day 9 years ago to a four year old. I would say, "We are already married, we got married on this day 9 years ago." And Hana would reply, "So you get married today, now?" The "years ago" part doesn't make sense to her. So in her mind, we left her at Baba and Jiji's house to go get married! Ha! I guess you could say we eloped today!!!
I finish today praying for all the other marriages out there that aren't happy like ours. So many marriages around us struggling and even breaking up. In the midst of my overwhelming joy today, there is a ting of sadness and my heart is crying out to God! I want everyone to know what it can be like to have this kind of love, trust, friendship, passion, partnership and fun in a marriage!
Sugarpie, in the midst of our crazy life right now I don't get to tell you very often but you are an amazing husband. I am so thankful for you! I love you!!!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Friday, March 06, 2009
The Mommy of two...
I have soooooooooooo much respect for Mommy's of more than one child. I don't know how they get it all done. I have a friend who has four girls, each of them like less than 2 years apart, and she amazes me. She sent me a gift with a homemade card in it. I have only two and I'd be hard pressed to find time to pick out a gift for someone, much less package and address it AND make the card for it. How do they do it?!
Our newest little miracle turns 2 months old in just a few days. I'm sure that is one of the reasons I can't seem to get much done. But oh what fun it is to be the Mommy of a newborn. I LOVE it! He's a good baby too. Started sleeping through the night this week. From about 9 or so, to about 6 am. Hooray! Now if I could just get my toosh in bed earlier, I could enjoy all those hours of sleep too. Gotta work on that. I married a night owl, and it's somehow contageous or something.
I finally cleaned a little bit this week too! It's been all I can do for the past 7 weeks to keep the kitchen clean and laundry done (and that is with Rocky washing and/or putting away the dishes FOR me most of the time). But I keep telling myself that this stage passes soooooooooooooooo quickly, the house can wait and it WILL wait! Have I mentioned how much I love taking care of newborns!?
So that means also the fitness area is totally non-existent for the moment. YEP, I haven't worked out in like exactly two months! I did a Billy's Taebo video like the second night Tiffany was here in early January and that was it! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, I WANT to work out so bed. I look at my gym shoes on the shelf with longing everyday. My big plan is once littlest muchkin makes this sleeping through the night thing REALLY consistent, then I'm gonna try to get up in the morning and do something. TRY being the operative word there. I am so physically tired by the end of the day. But DO NOT want to get out of bed each morning, so it is going to be a challenge. We'll see what I can do. And I REALLY want to cleanse again, but that won't be happening while I am nursing so oh well. But the good news is, NO weight gain. This nursing thing ROCKS! I can eat and eat and eat and don't gain at all. But I am also quite aware that this might catch up to me, so I have got to get with it again with some excercise! Besides I miss it so much. It was my ME time, and I need it! So I am praying I can find the dicsipline to get going again before he turns 2.
Well I am really procrastinating right now, which is something I have to cut out if I'm gonna get discplined again so I'm signing off. Gotta go sterilize tubes and make milk and fill bags so I can keep up this nursing thing!
Our newest little miracle turns 2 months old in just a few days. I'm sure that is one of the reasons I can't seem to get much done. But oh what fun it is to be the Mommy of a newborn. I LOVE it! He's a good baby too. Started sleeping through the night this week. From about 9 or so, to about 6 am. Hooray! Now if I could just get my toosh in bed earlier, I could enjoy all those hours of sleep too. Gotta work on that. I married a night owl, and it's somehow contageous or something.
I finally cleaned a little bit this week too! It's been all I can do for the past 7 weeks to keep the kitchen clean and laundry done (and that is with Rocky washing and/or putting away the dishes FOR me most of the time). But I keep telling myself that this stage passes soooooooooooooooo quickly, the house can wait and it WILL wait! Have I mentioned how much I love taking care of newborns!?
So that means also the fitness area is totally non-existent for the moment. YEP, I haven't worked out in like exactly two months! I did a Billy's Taebo video like the second night Tiffany was here in early January and that was it! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, I WANT to work out so bed. I look at my gym shoes on the shelf with longing everyday. My big plan is once littlest muchkin makes this sleeping through the night thing REALLY consistent, then I'm gonna try to get up in the morning and do something. TRY being the operative word there. I am so physically tired by the end of the day. But DO NOT want to get out of bed each morning, so it is going to be a challenge. We'll see what I can do. And I REALLY want to cleanse again, but that won't be happening while I am nursing so oh well. But the good news is, NO weight gain. This nursing thing ROCKS! I can eat and eat and eat and don't gain at all. But I am also quite aware that this might catch up to me, so I have got to get with it again with some excercise! Besides I miss it so much. It was my ME time, and I need it! So I am praying I can find the dicsipline to get going again before he turns 2.
Well I am really procrastinating right now, which is something I have to cut out if I'm gonna get discplined again so I'm signing off. Gotta go sterilize tubes and make milk and fill bags so I can keep up this nursing thing!
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Conversation with Hana about Jesus...
This morning on the way to preschool Hana and I had a pretty deep conversation about Jesus, well I guess deep for a 4 year old anyways. Lately she always wants to read the story of his death on the cross and resurrection in her children's Bible. She talks about it often. But for some reason she is a little confused and thinks Mommy is also going to die on the cross someday. I have told her many times that I don't have to do that cause Jesus did it for me. Anyways, today's talk went something like this.
Hana: Mommy, Jesus was on the middle one!
Mommy: Yes he was, he was hung on the cross between two thieves. Do you know what a thief is?
Hana: Yes, that friend of Jesus.
Mommy: No, Jesus friends were his disciples. The two men on each side of him were people who had done something bad. The took something that wasn't theirs, they stole something. They were being punished for doing something bad.
Hana: Jesus wasn't bad, right Momma.
Mommy: No, Jesus did nothing wrong but he had to die on the cross anyways.
Hana: Mommy gonna go on the middle one.
Mommy: No, remember Mommy doesn't have to do that cause Jesus already did it for me.
Hana: Then Jesus came back right. Mommy come back too?
Mommy: Well first of all I'm not going to die on the cross, but when I do die I can't come back. Jesus is the only one whose ever come back after dying.
Hana: Yea, that's cause he is God!
I am amazed at her comprehension of some parts of this. Although, I don't think she fully understands what dying is yet. Once we trapped a mouse and we've seen some dead bugs and that is how she knows the word, but I don't think she gets how final it is. But I was so impressed to hear her say that Jesus came back because he was God! She is absorbing some things from our Bible reading.
So fun to watch her understanding grow and her comprehension develop!
Hana: Mommy, Jesus was on the middle one!
Mommy: Yes he was, he was hung on the cross between two thieves. Do you know what a thief is?
Hana: Yes, that friend of Jesus.
Mommy: No, Jesus friends were his disciples. The two men on each side of him were people who had done something bad. The took something that wasn't theirs, they stole something. They were being punished for doing something bad.
Hana: Jesus wasn't bad, right Momma.
Mommy: No, Jesus did nothing wrong but he had to die on the cross anyways.
Hana: Mommy gonna go on the middle one.
Mommy: No, remember Mommy doesn't have to do that cause Jesus already did it for me.
Hana: Then Jesus came back right. Mommy come back too?
Mommy: Well first of all I'm not going to die on the cross, but when I do die I can't come back. Jesus is the only one whose ever come back after dying.
Hana: Yea, that's cause he is God!
I am amazed at her comprehension of some parts of this. Although, I don't think she fully understands what dying is yet. Once we trapped a mouse and we've seen some dead bugs and that is how she knows the word, but I don't think she gets how final it is. But I was so impressed to hear her say that Jesus came back because he was God! She is absorbing some things from our Bible reading.
So fun to watch her understanding grow and her comprehension develop!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Question...
I really should be sterilizing things and making milk and then getting to bed. But I have to record this evenings exchange with Hana for my own remembering. I finally got the question I've been waiting for tonight.
Kai's coming has really triggered Hana's questions about her adoption, how she came to us, etc. Sometimes when I go upstairs to put Kai in bed after his last feeding, she is still awake and calls on me when I walk down the hall. I go in and crawl in her futon with her and cuddle and talk for a minute. She almost always wants to hear her adoption story. So I tell her all about how anxiously Mommy and Daddy waited for her, about the night we got the phone call and about the day she came home! She loves it. Tonight however, she started the conversation with a different question...
"Mommy, was inside your tummy?"
Wow. I've been waiting for this one. Thinking of how I will answer it for a while. Wondering how it's going to make me feel to hear the question and what her reaction to the answer will be like and how that will make me feel.
I just simply told her that no, Mommy's tummy is broken and can't have a baby inside so she was inside another woman's tummy. So she asked who that lady was. I told her I didn't know her, I'd never met her but that Tsujioka-sensei knows her (that is the director of our adoption agency and the man that brought both Hana and Kai to us, Hana knows him well). At that point I was expecting a string of questions, but she just kinda shrugged her shoulders and asked for the rest of the story.
Hmmmm, that was easy, almost too easy. I expected more. Somehow I'd worked it up in my head that it was going to be a big deal for her to realize that her adoption means that Mommy didn't carry her in my tummy. But to her, I guess so far, it's just the way it is and it's no big deal.
Her reaction being what it was makes facing that question for the first time so much easier on me. But at the same time, she is so much a part of me, so incredibly speacial to me, sooooooooooooooo much my precious daughter, even I can't believe that I really didn't give birth to her myself... I guess I just wish I could have carried her in my tummy. I missed 9 months and 9 days of her precious life (she came to us at 9 days old).
Don't even know really what I'm wanting to or trying to say here. It was just a big thing for me that she finally made that connection tonight and I'm wondering how much more will come in the future. But I'm thankful for the openess that we have established in being able to talk about it and her freely asking questions. Praying that continues!
Kai's coming has really triggered Hana's questions about her adoption, how she came to us, etc. Sometimes when I go upstairs to put Kai in bed after his last feeding, she is still awake and calls on me when I walk down the hall. I go in and crawl in her futon with her and cuddle and talk for a minute. She almost always wants to hear her adoption story. So I tell her all about how anxiously Mommy and Daddy waited for her, about the night we got the phone call and about the day she came home! She loves it. Tonight however, she started the conversation with a different question...
"Mommy, was inside your tummy?"
Wow. I've been waiting for this one. Thinking of how I will answer it for a while. Wondering how it's going to make me feel to hear the question and what her reaction to the answer will be like and how that will make me feel.
I just simply told her that no, Mommy's tummy is broken and can't have a baby inside so she was inside another woman's tummy. So she asked who that lady was. I told her I didn't know her, I'd never met her but that Tsujioka-sensei knows her (that is the director of our adoption agency and the man that brought both Hana and Kai to us, Hana knows him well). At that point I was expecting a string of questions, but she just kinda shrugged her shoulders and asked for the rest of the story.
Hmmmm, that was easy, almost too easy. I expected more. Somehow I'd worked it up in my head that it was going to be a big deal for her to realize that her adoption means that Mommy didn't carry her in my tummy. But to her, I guess so far, it's just the way it is and it's no big deal.
Her reaction being what it was makes facing that question for the first time so much easier on me. But at the same time, she is so much a part of me, so incredibly speacial to me, sooooooooooooooo much my precious daughter, even I can't believe that I really didn't give birth to her myself... I guess I just wish I could have carried her in my tummy. I missed 9 months and 9 days of her precious life (she came to us at 9 days old).
Don't even know really what I'm wanting to or trying to say here. It was just a big thing for me that she finally made that connection tonight and I'm wondering how much more will come in the future. But I'm thankful for the openess that we have established in being able to talk about it and her freely asking questions. Praying that continues!
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Kaikai's blog...
We have set Kaikai's blog to private until after his adoption is finalized. If you want to keep up with him, please just drop me an email and let me know you'd like to be added to the list of readers allowed on his blog. email marla at aromaministries dot org letting me know that you want access and I'll add you and send you an invitation!
We are just doing this for privacy and protection until the adoption proceedure is completed! We don't want you to miss out on Kai's growth, so don't hesitate to ask for an invite!
Blessings!
We are just doing this for privacy and protection until the adoption proceedure is completed! We don't want you to miss out on Kai's growth, so don't hesitate to ask for an invite!
Blessings!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The ant hill effect...
Rocky and I tend to have what we call "the ant hill effect" often in Japan. It just seems like in so many ways our situation always presents a challenge to officials at government offices, medical facilites and so forth. We walk in, ask a question, and the ant hill comes a live. One employee doesn't know what to do, and he goes to conference with another person and the next thing you know the whole place is gathered around with proceedure manuals, making phone calls, etc trying to figure out what to do with us.
Sometimes we go for a while without having this effect on things, but Kai's arrivals has revived the ant hill effect in full force. Our ward office obviously hasn't had ANY experience with an adoptive placement and they can figure us out! We've been to the ward office three times and each time we've created the ant hill effect. It is actually pretty entertaining to watch!
Maybe one of these days I'll take a hidden camera and catch the ant hill effect for you live!
Sometimes we go for a while without having this effect on things, but Kai's arrivals has revived the ant hill effect in full force. Our ward office obviously hasn't had ANY experience with an adoptive placement and they can figure us out! We've been to the ward office three times and each time we've created the ant hill effect. It is actually pretty entertaining to watch!
Maybe one of these days I'll take a hidden camera and catch the ant hill effect for you live!
Monday, January 19, 2009
All about Kai...
What a whirlwind! But a whirlwind of blessing for sure. Amazing! There is just no way to describe what it has been like. I don't even know where to start.
I had really begun to talk myself out of wanting another one. After all these years of infertility, I have learned (to some extent) to pray for the best but not WANT for anything. Becausing wanting brings with it it's friend discontentment and that leads to heartache and grief, which I've had enough of already! So I was putting aside thoughts of another as much as possible, even though we'd told the agency we were ready for another two years ago.
So imagine our shock and suprise when we got the call. It's really a miracle. I can't even begin to describe how in awe I am of God's grace and mercy. The timing, perfect! The baby, perfect! Everything, perfect! Just like Him, to do this in this way. And He knows how much I love suprises!!!
That morning we were doing our thing around the house and Rocky's cell phone rang. I thought nothing of it, until I noticed the person on the other end was asking our ages. It was then that I began to wonder... "maybe it is a church asking about us coming and wanting to know more about our family? maybe it is another tv show wanting to interview us? maybe..." And then suddenly my heart began to pound and I just KNEW it had to be the adoption agency. Nothing about Rocky's conversation that I could hear on this end mentioned a baby or gave any clue as to who it was, but I just KNEW! And I just started to cry.
I was even more shocked to find out it was a boy. For some reason we just thought we'd have all girls. Picking the names was so hard, and we have still yet to choose a middle name. Someday we'll get around to figuring that out.
He's a wonderful baby. Sleeps well at night, wakes up only to eat and goes right back down again. Eats everything 3 hours almost like clock work! We've seen very little crying. And he is soooooooooo patient. It's amazing. Once he knows you are getting ready to feed him or change his diaper he stops crying and waits! I'm so in love!
So, now we are extra busy and I have no idea how much my blog will suffer as a result of it. But I'll try to keep with Hana's and Kai's blogs very everyone to watch them grow!
Love and blessings from the new mommy of TWO!
I had really begun to talk myself out of wanting another one. After all these years of infertility, I have learned (to some extent) to pray for the best but not WANT for anything. Becausing wanting brings with it it's friend discontentment and that leads to heartache and grief, which I've had enough of already! So I was putting aside thoughts of another as much as possible, even though we'd told the agency we were ready for another two years ago.
So imagine our shock and suprise when we got the call. It's really a miracle. I can't even begin to describe how in awe I am of God's grace and mercy. The timing, perfect! The baby, perfect! Everything, perfect! Just like Him, to do this in this way. And He knows how much I love suprises!!!
That morning we were doing our thing around the house and Rocky's cell phone rang. I thought nothing of it, until I noticed the person on the other end was asking our ages. It was then that I began to wonder... "maybe it is a church asking about us coming and wanting to know more about our family? maybe it is another tv show wanting to interview us? maybe..." And then suddenly my heart began to pound and I just KNEW it had to be the adoption agency. Nothing about Rocky's conversation that I could hear on this end mentioned a baby or gave any clue as to who it was, but I just KNEW! And I just started to cry.
I was even more shocked to find out it was a boy. For some reason we just thought we'd have all girls. Picking the names was so hard, and we have still yet to choose a middle name. Someday we'll get around to figuring that out.
He's a wonderful baby. Sleeps well at night, wakes up only to eat and goes right back down again. Eats everything 3 hours almost like clock work! We've seen very little crying. And he is soooooooooo patient. It's amazing. Once he knows you are getting ready to feed him or change his diaper he stops crying and waits! I'm so in love!
So, now we are extra busy and I have no idea how much my blog will suffer as a result of it. But I'll try to keep with Hana's and Kai's blogs very everyone to watch them grow!
Love and blessings from the new mommy of TWO!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
It's a boy!!!!!
We are getting a baby boy. We waited two years, almost to the day. We got the call yesterday, he comes tomorrow. Can you say, "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
He's newborn, and his name is Kai which means ocean in Japanese. I have so much to do that I can't even think so I am not going to write a lot tonight. Pictures soon... I promise!
Wow, this is just unbelievable.
He's newborn, and his name is Kai which means ocean in Japanese. I have so much to do that I can't even think so I am not going to write a lot tonight. Pictures soon... I promise!
Wow, this is just unbelievable.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Politics...
I wasn't going to get into the political arena on my blog but I read an article today and just have to share it.
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/11/5_Is_it_Over.html
amen, Amen and AMEN! I'm sorry but that lets the cat out of the bag on my political oppinion. And when you finish reading that article go click on the "bio" of the author, it just might suprise you who he is!
Just want to end with Praise God that HE is still on the throne in my heart and that matters more than who is the leader of my country. I will support and pray for our new president and know that God will do what He always does best, work miracles! And that's as far as I go with my political oppinion on my blog...
http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2008/11/5_Is_it_Over.html
amen, Amen and AMEN! I'm sorry but that lets the cat out of the bag on my political oppinion. And when you finish reading that article go click on the "bio" of the author, it just might suprise you who he is!
Just want to end with Praise God that HE is still on the throne in my heart and that matters more than who is the leader of my country. I will support and pray for our new president and know that God will do what He always does best, work miracles! And that's as far as I go with my political oppinion on my blog...
Sunday, November 02, 2008
November, ALREADY!?
Where does the time go!? I am in shock that it is November already. I've been pulling out the long sleeves this week! That little spot on my thumbs that always gets dry in the winter, it appeared this week, and I have been covering up at night and wanting to cuddle with my little bed buddy! Fall/Winter is my FAVORITE time of the year! My favorite things about this time of year (in no particular order)...
1. My XXL sweatshirt! Love it!
2. My pink fuzzy slippers!
3. Warm foods (soups and nabe)
4. Lots of HOT tea!
5. Oatmeal for breakfast!
6. The warmth of the sun!
7. Cuddling with my sugarpie at night!
8. Less laundry (less sweat)!
9. Walking out into the cool evening air after a hard workout at the gym.
10. Japanese spa baths, especially where there is a really hot outdoor bath!
11. Getting back out clothes that I haven't seen in a while!
and I could go on and on!
Well, I must admit, I am so nervous about election week. I want to know what happens, and then I don't! ahhhhhhhhhh
I have a football crazed cousin in the house tonight. Her team (texas tech) played t.u. in the states and she's waiting for iTunes to upload the game so we can watch it. She's staying off the internet in the meantime so she doesn't know who won. I on the other hand, saw a friends status on Facebook a moment ago that gave away the results of that game. So watching the game won't be that fun for me. Not that it was gonna be cause it's the two school I dislike the most, playing against each other. But I haven't seen a football game in a couple years I guess, so it'll be fun to watch.
Let's see, what else is up...
My husband has taken a likin' to the Wii Fit! He's in there sweatin' away as I type! I am soooooooooooooooooo glad we finally got something he enjoys doing. We had a stepper, he did it every now and then. We have a simple elliptical trainer now... he's used it maybe 3 times? And he won't join the gym, don't know how we'd possibly both workout when Hana needs someone at home with her anyways, but still. I'm just so glad he is excercising!
I am now enjoying the wonders of making my own whole grain breads! It is so fun. I have one particular VERY yummy recipe that we keep using over and over again! I love it, and I may wear out my 8 year old bread machine any day now! Wouldn't that be neat cause I'm really wanting a new one!
Oh my goodness Christmas is right around the corner and I am so excited about one present we got for Hana. She loves to pretend to be your server at a restaurant and take orders. We were at a restaurant the other day and they had a little toy display at the checkout counter and she found this little toy that is like a computer-ize order taking machine. Do they have those in the states? Here in Japan they have this machine that has all the menu items on it, and they punch in your order on their little machine and it goes back to the kitchen automatically. She saw that toy one and wanted it sooooooooooo bad! I wanted it for her, but we said no. We never buy toys for her on the spot. I couldn't make it back to that restaraunt to buy the toy without her for several weeks but the other night we stopped in and they still had them. I got her one! I can't wait for her to open it at Christmas! We never get her plastic electronic toys, but this one is special. It just fits her so well. Now we have to come up with one or two more little things for her! I can't come up with anything that is going to be as neat as that little order taker thingy!
So, we will have our Thanksgiving on Monday the 24th here, it's a Japanese holiday anyways, so all us foreigners get together on that day for Thanksgiving. And we want to have a turkey but we are without our resident turkey expert this year. So myself or one other missionary (who has also never baked one) has to make the turkey... hmmmmmmmmm, this could be interesting! To be continued...
Well, I better go, just thought I would ramble on for a while! Rocky is almost done punching a virtual bag on the Wii, and I could do a couple more things before getting ready for bed I guess!
1. My XXL sweatshirt! Love it!
2. My pink fuzzy slippers!
3. Warm foods (soups and nabe)
4. Lots of HOT tea!
5. Oatmeal for breakfast!
6. The warmth of the sun!
7. Cuddling with my sugarpie at night!
8. Less laundry (less sweat)!
9. Walking out into the cool evening air after a hard workout at the gym.
10. Japanese spa baths, especially where there is a really hot outdoor bath!
11. Getting back out clothes that I haven't seen in a while!
and I could go on and on!
Well, I must admit, I am so nervous about election week. I want to know what happens, and then I don't! ahhhhhhhhhh
I have a football crazed cousin in the house tonight. Her team (texas tech) played t.u. in the states and she's waiting for iTunes to upload the game so we can watch it. She's staying off the internet in the meantime so she doesn't know who won. I on the other hand, saw a friends status on Facebook a moment ago that gave away the results of that game. So watching the game won't be that fun for me. Not that it was gonna be cause it's the two school I dislike the most, playing against each other. But I haven't seen a football game in a couple years I guess, so it'll be fun to watch.
Let's see, what else is up...
My husband has taken a likin' to the Wii Fit! He's in there sweatin' away as I type! I am soooooooooooooooooo glad we finally got something he enjoys doing. We had a stepper, he did it every now and then. We have a simple elliptical trainer now... he's used it maybe 3 times? And he won't join the gym, don't know how we'd possibly both workout when Hana needs someone at home with her anyways, but still. I'm just so glad he is excercising!
I am now enjoying the wonders of making my own whole grain breads! It is so fun. I have one particular VERY yummy recipe that we keep using over and over again! I love it, and I may wear out my 8 year old bread machine any day now! Wouldn't that be neat cause I'm really wanting a new one!
Oh my goodness Christmas is right around the corner and I am so excited about one present we got for Hana. She loves to pretend to be your server at a restaurant and take orders. We were at a restaurant the other day and they had a little toy display at the checkout counter and she found this little toy that is like a computer-ize order taking machine. Do they have those in the states? Here in Japan they have this machine that has all the menu items on it, and they punch in your order on their little machine and it goes back to the kitchen automatically. She saw that toy one and wanted it sooooooooooo bad! I wanted it for her, but we said no. We never buy toys for her on the spot. I couldn't make it back to that restaraunt to buy the toy without her for several weeks but the other night we stopped in and they still had them. I got her one! I can't wait for her to open it at Christmas! We never get her plastic electronic toys, but this one is special. It just fits her so well. Now we have to come up with one or two more little things for her! I can't come up with anything that is going to be as neat as that little order taker thingy!
So, we will have our Thanksgiving on Monday the 24th here, it's a Japanese holiday anyways, so all us foreigners get together on that day for Thanksgiving. And we want to have a turkey but we are without our resident turkey expert this year. So myself or one other missionary (who has also never baked one) has to make the turkey... hmmmmmmmmm, this could be interesting! To be continued...
Well, I better go, just thought I would ramble on for a while! Rocky is almost done punching a virtual bag on the Wii, and I could do a couple more things before getting ready for bed I guess!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Blogging slump...
Ever been there!? It's been tough to get on here and do an update.
It's like one things leads to another and before you know it, it's just more than you even want to think about.
A couple months ago my laptop computer started to give us trouble. We thought we fixed it, but issues kept creeping up again and again. So much so that at times I didn't even want to turn my computer on not knowing when it might choose to make my day a living nightmare! So frustrating. Never had this kind of trouble before with a computer. Every man made machine has it's flaws, I know. I don't really need a seperate computer from Rocky all the time anyways, so it works out well. To eliminate more time consuming stress, we are just going to share a computer again. We did until about two years ago and it was always fine. So that problem is solved.
But in the meantime, I got so far behind on blogging, it just seemed like too much to try to catch up. At this point it is beyond hope of REALLY catching up, so I am just going to start over again.
Not a whole lot on the personal front to report. We won a Wii and Wii Fit a couple weeks ago. LOVE that little machine and could easily get addicted. Wii Fit is so fun! But at the same time my cousin is here to stay for a while and we joined the gym for the duration of her stay! I am enjoying being back in the gym again. It's just a much more intense workout on their machines, and I love lifting weights. Wish I had my own home gym! A woman can dream can't see.
So anyways, I am going to go get down to the REAL business which is updating Hana's blog! Lots to share there... so don't forget to check it out!
It's like one things leads to another and before you know it, it's just more than you even want to think about.
A couple months ago my laptop computer started to give us trouble. We thought we fixed it, but issues kept creeping up again and again. So much so that at times I didn't even want to turn my computer on not knowing when it might choose to make my day a living nightmare! So frustrating. Never had this kind of trouble before with a computer. Every man made machine has it's flaws, I know. I don't really need a seperate computer from Rocky all the time anyways, so it works out well. To eliminate more time consuming stress, we are just going to share a computer again. We did until about two years ago and it was always fine. So that problem is solved.
But in the meantime, I got so far behind on blogging, it just seemed like too much to try to catch up. At this point it is beyond hope of REALLY catching up, so I am just going to start over again.
Not a whole lot on the personal front to report. We won a Wii and Wii Fit a couple weeks ago. LOVE that little machine and could easily get addicted. Wii Fit is so fun! But at the same time my cousin is here to stay for a while and we joined the gym for the duration of her stay! I am enjoying being back in the gym again. It's just a much more intense workout on their machines, and I love lifting weights. Wish I had my own home gym! A woman can dream can't see.
So anyways, I am going to go get down to the REAL business which is updating Hana's blog! Lots to share there... so don't forget to check it out!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
One more day...
Okay, so I am sooooooooooooooo spoiled! I have been married to my best friend and the love of my life for 8.5 years now, and we have only been apart for the 5 days that Hana was in the hospital with a fever at 4 months of age. Other than that, never been apart more than the daylight hours. It's the nature of what we do I guess. When we first married we knew the day would come in our ministry where Rocky might have to go without me, so we decided for as long as we could, if at all humanly possible, we would spend every night together in the same place as a family. It was just something we felt was important, setting an example for a culture where the husband and wife relationship is usually the least important of all relationships. We wanted it to be a testimony.
And now I am soooooooooooo spoiled! Rocky had to have a little bit of minor surgery (which there is no such thing as anything minor with the medical system in Japan). Minor surgery here will land you in the the hospital for a week or more. Rocky's in particular, 10 days AT LEAST! ugh. In America, it would be totally outpatient, you'd be home within the hour. NOT here, but I won't get on my soap box about that one. Tomorrow is day 9 and I am about to go out of my mind! Of course I can see him in the day, but at night I have to come home to this big ol' house and that big ol' bed all by myself (of course my precious little girl is here, but she goes to bed early and I'm lonely once she's down for the night). Not to mention it is sooooooooooooooooo boring. I was looking forward to the downtime after our crazy busy summer of ministry, but I haven't been able to sleep well with him gone. I'm spending all kinds of time on Facebook searching for every person I've ever known whose name I can remember! LOL!!! And I've done a few sewing projects in the past week, which I was looking forward to getting to do some crafts, for my own sanity, something of a hobby as a bit of a break from the craziness.
Just one more day and he'll be home. Ha, I know I know, so spoiled! But I'm just still so in love with that hubby of mine and I miss him terribly.
So can I just say the American media drives me absolutely bonkers. Just a few words to sum it all up -- double-standards, hypocritical, one sided, non-sense! Sorry but just gotta get that out there. Take every statement that has been said about Sarah Palin and say that about Hillary Clinton and the backlash would be unbearable. Take all those statements and say them about ANY man in office and people would look at you like you are complete idiot. Total hypocricy if I've ever seen it. Maybe now people will realize that they aren't really getting the "news" when they watch the "news". What they are getting is... brain-washed.
I'm totally stoked! My cousin is coming to stay with us for a couple months. Can NOT wait! House decorating buddy! Work-out buddy! Shopping-buddy! Ministry-buddy! Absolutely ADORE my cousin! She's more like my baby sister. I can not wait to have her here. Hana's gonna drive her nuts! ;)
Speaking of Hana. What's with the independent streak they hit when they turn 4. NO BODY ever told me about this one. They warn you ALL about the twos! The twos were a breeze, I kept wondering when the terrible part happens. The threes??? A tad bit more challenging but still a blast. But something happened a couple weeks before this kiddos 4th birthday. She became Miss Independent. It ought to come with a crown and a sash, I wasn't there when she won the title, I don't know when it happened, but it must have, cause she is definitely Miss Independent. She wants to butt heads about EVERYTHING. I thought I was going to go out of my mind until her grandmother made a very clever observation today. She said that Hana's reasoning skills sure have developed. That's when it hit me. This is part of her development and mentally she is reasoning through now why she is told to do things, why she has to do things she's always had to do, etc. When I saw from that perspective it was a revelation. I have to start parenting from a whole new perspective now. She is thinking through the why's and how's all of the sudden, so I have to be prepared with reasons and help her understand. This in no way changes the fact that what Mommy and Daddy says is the way it is gonna be, but she is a human being a deserves to know why. The question is, do I have the patience to add this new dimension to my parenting. OH boy, this is where it starts getting fun! I'm learning already that explaining it once is not enough. Usually I have to explain it again and again and again and again until she gets it. This is where the patience plays a big role. Not my best virtue, just ask my hubby. Someone once said that parenting is not only about the parenting training the child, but the child training the parent. Getting schooled right now, that's for sure!
That cafe ministry I inherited at church!? Totally a blast! Lovin it! I'm a business woman at heart, I truly am. Got that from my Momma! What a blast!
Okay so I think that's an update that got me closer to bedtime. ugh, now I'm lonely again! ONe more day...
And now I am soooooooooooo spoiled! Rocky had to have a little bit of minor surgery (which there is no such thing as anything minor with the medical system in Japan). Minor surgery here will land you in the the hospital for a week or more. Rocky's in particular, 10 days AT LEAST! ugh. In America, it would be totally outpatient, you'd be home within the hour. NOT here, but I won't get on my soap box about that one. Tomorrow is day 9 and I am about to go out of my mind! Of course I can see him in the day, but at night I have to come home to this big ol' house and that big ol' bed all by myself (of course my precious little girl is here, but she goes to bed early and I'm lonely once she's down for the night). Not to mention it is sooooooooooooooooo boring. I was looking forward to the downtime after our crazy busy summer of ministry, but I haven't been able to sleep well with him gone. I'm spending all kinds of time on Facebook searching for every person I've ever known whose name I can remember! LOL!!! And I've done a few sewing projects in the past week, which I was looking forward to getting to do some crafts, for my own sanity, something of a hobby as a bit of a break from the craziness.
Just one more day and he'll be home. Ha, I know I know, so spoiled! But I'm just still so in love with that hubby of mine and I miss him terribly.
So can I just say the American media drives me absolutely bonkers. Just a few words to sum it all up -- double-standards, hypocritical, one sided, non-sense! Sorry but just gotta get that out there. Take every statement that has been said about Sarah Palin and say that about Hillary Clinton and the backlash would be unbearable. Take all those statements and say them about ANY man in office and people would look at you like you are complete idiot. Total hypocricy if I've ever seen it. Maybe now people will realize that they aren't really getting the "news" when they watch the "news". What they are getting is... brain-washed.
I'm totally stoked! My cousin is coming to stay with us for a couple months. Can NOT wait! House decorating buddy! Work-out buddy! Shopping-buddy! Ministry-buddy! Absolutely ADORE my cousin! She's more like my baby sister. I can not wait to have her here. Hana's gonna drive her nuts! ;)
Speaking of Hana. What's with the independent streak they hit when they turn 4. NO BODY ever told me about this one. They warn you ALL about the twos! The twos were a breeze, I kept wondering when the terrible part happens. The threes??? A tad bit more challenging but still a blast. But something happened a couple weeks before this kiddos 4th birthday. She became Miss Independent. It ought to come with a crown and a sash, I wasn't there when she won the title, I don't know when it happened, but it must have, cause she is definitely Miss Independent. She wants to butt heads about EVERYTHING. I thought I was going to go out of my mind until her grandmother made a very clever observation today. She said that Hana's reasoning skills sure have developed. That's when it hit me. This is part of her development and mentally she is reasoning through now why she is told to do things, why she has to do things she's always had to do, etc. When I saw from that perspective it was a revelation. I have to start parenting from a whole new perspective now. She is thinking through the why's and how's all of the sudden, so I have to be prepared with reasons and help her understand. This in no way changes the fact that what Mommy and Daddy says is the way it is gonna be, but she is a human being a deserves to know why. The question is, do I have the patience to add this new dimension to my parenting. OH boy, this is where it starts getting fun! I'm learning already that explaining it once is not enough. Usually I have to explain it again and again and again and again until she gets it. This is where the patience plays a big role. Not my best virtue, just ask my hubby. Someone once said that parenting is not only about the parenting training the child, but the child training the parent. Getting schooled right now, that's for sure!
That cafe ministry I inherited at church!? Totally a blast! Lovin it! I'm a business woman at heart, I truly am. Got that from my Momma! What a blast!
Okay so I think that's an update that got me closer to bedtime. ugh, now I'm lonely again! ONe more day...
Friday, August 29, 2008
The call that changed our lives forever...
I wrote this earlier but somehow it just got saved instead of published, so it is just going up today...
4 years ago today we got a phone call.
I will never forget this day. The days leading up to AND on this day I was especially unsettled and wanted our baby BAD. I was searching the internet frantically, making phone calls to try and find new avenues of adopting in Japan, trying to get Rocky to do the same, and grieving because several friends had new babies and my arms felt soooooooooo empty! I had no idea what a suprise God had in store for us.
Rocky had to go out for dinner with a pastor that evening. I was at home alone trying to pass the time, when the phone rang. A man on the other end of the line asked for Rocky and I said he wasn't home. Then the caller just said, "Please have him call Mr. Tsujioka when he gets home, right away." and he ended the call. I grabbed a note pad and began to write "Call Tsujioka" when I realized that name seemed very familiar. My heart lept and I jumped as I began to realize that this was the director of Pro-Life Japan, whom we had applied to adopt through. I called Rocky's cell phone and told him to GET HOME, NOW!!!!!!!!!
He was only 10 minutes away by car. Those were the longest ten minutes of my life. When the pastor he was meeting with drove up outside, I couldn't stand to wait in the house for him to come in. I was out the door and on the street practically pulling him out of the car. The pastor wanted to exchange pleasantries and chat but I was having none of it. I dragged Rocky away and into the house and wouldn't even let him set down his things.
I sat as close as I could trying to hear what Tsujioka-sensei had to say on the line, but I couldn't hear anything. Rocky had a note pad in front of him, and he wrote the Japanese character for "girl" on the note pad. He wrote a weight and some measurements and that is when I knew! We had a baby girl. A precious little 5 day old baby girl! They talked for several more minutes and he hung up the phone and said, "Her name is gonna be Hana!" I cried and he laughed and we both just sat in awe!
We had to wait four more days to have her laid in our arms. Those were the longest four days of my life. But oh, what a special day this was! And time has flown by so quickly! We are so blessed!
I was so restless in those days and I think that somehow my heart already knew that she was out there, and she needed her Mommy! I am so blessed and still can't believe God chose ME to be her Mommy! Thank you Lord, with all my heart!
4 years ago today we got a phone call.
I will never forget this day. The days leading up to AND on this day I was especially unsettled and wanted our baby BAD. I was searching the internet frantically, making phone calls to try and find new avenues of adopting in Japan, trying to get Rocky to do the same, and grieving because several friends had new babies and my arms felt soooooooooo empty! I had no idea what a suprise God had in store for us.
Rocky had to go out for dinner with a pastor that evening. I was at home alone trying to pass the time, when the phone rang. A man on the other end of the line asked for Rocky and I said he wasn't home. Then the caller just said, "Please have him call Mr. Tsujioka when he gets home, right away." and he ended the call. I grabbed a note pad and began to write "Call Tsujioka" when I realized that name seemed very familiar. My heart lept and I jumped as I began to realize that this was the director of Pro-Life Japan, whom we had applied to adopt through. I called Rocky's cell phone and told him to GET HOME, NOW!!!!!!!!!
He was only 10 minutes away by car. Those were the longest ten minutes of my life. When the pastor he was meeting with drove up outside, I couldn't stand to wait in the house for him to come in. I was out the door and on the street practically pulling him out of the car. The pastor wanted to exchange pleasantries and chat but I was having none of it. I dragged Rocky away and into the house and wouldn't even let him set down his things.
I sat as close as I could trying to hear what Tsujioka-sensei had to say on the line, but I couldn't hear anything. Rocky had a note pad in front of him, and he wrote the Japanese character for "girl" on the note pad. He wrote a weight and some measurements and that is when I knew! We had a baby girl. A precious little 5 day old baby girl! They talked for several more minutes and he hung up the phone and said, "Her name is gonna be Hana!" I cried and he laughed and we both just sat in awe!
We had to wait four more days to have her laid in our arms. Those were the longest four days of my life. But oh, what a special day this was! And time has flown by so quickly! We are so blessed!
I was so restless in those days and I think that somehow my heart already knew that she was out there, and she needed her Mommy! I am so blessed and still can't believe God chose ME to be her Mommy! Thank you Lord, with all my heart!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Sneak up!
Well, it is confession time! (this is a fitness update, and it is for my own accountability so if this stuff bores you then no need to read on)...
Upon arrival in America, I proceeded to jog 3 times the first week, once the second week, and once the 4th week, and that was about all I was able to muster in the fitness department while we were there. BUT I did pretty good with portion control and food choices for most of the trip and did not gain a single pound.
We got back and I worked out a little, especially when we got our new elliptical trainer. Then, we got SOOOOO busy. Camps, hosting minsitry team, two week tour, etc (with days here and there in between). Two things happened...
1. I had very little choice on what, when, where and how much I ate. I often was being served as a special guest and felt I should eat it ALL.
2. When I did have the chance to workout I kept telling myself that I'd just get to once and then have to go a week without and so I'd get sore for no reason and have to start all over again whenever I had time again.
SOOOOOOO, I ate too much and couldn't/didn't work out.
And the end results is 2 extra kilos that found a way to SNEAK UP on me. ugh
I imagine I probably gained a LITTLE in the states but lost muscle so it didn't start showing on the scales till I gained even more in the two months that followed.
SOOOO what am I going to do about that. Radical back on the wagon program!
I started tonight, hit the elliptical trainer for about 15 mintues (taking it slow here cause I am still trying to fight off a cold). From tomorrow, I start a new 9 day cleanse. I have filled my body with so much JUNK in the last four months, I am cleaning house and getting back to the good ways of eating good healthy stuff! This time, I'm cleansing all alone. Rocky is having a simple little minor surgery (repair work on the caboose, if you know what I mean, if you don't then keep thinking on it). In Japan, that'll land you in the hospital for 10 days. Yep, 10 days. In America you'd be out in an hour. But that is how they do things here. So since I am only cooking for the munchkin and me this week (and she is sooooooooo easy to please) then I'm gonna cleanse! I'll need to feed her a.m. and evening cause she gets lunch and snack at preschool (except on weekends). So I'll have a light dinner with her in the evening and do my shakes the rest of the day.
The cleanse starts tomorrow. Here we go!
And once again I'll be detailing the experience over on my Isagenix blog (IF you are intersted).
Upon arrival in America, I proceeded to jog 3 times the first week, once the second week, and once the 4th week, and that was about all I was able to muster in the fitness department while we were there. BUT I did pretty good with portion control and food choices for most of the trip and did not gain a single pound.
We got back and I worked out a little, especially when we got our new elliptical trainer. Then, we got SOOOOO busy. Camps, hosting minsitry team, two week tour, etc (with days here and there in between). Two things happened...
1. I had very little choice on what, when, where and how much I ate. I often was being served as a special guest and felt I should eat it ALL.
2. When I did have the chance to workout I kept telling myself that I'd just get to once and then have to go a week without and so I'd get sore for no reason and have to start all over again whenever I had time again.
SOOOOOOO, I ate too much and couldn't/didn't work out.
And the end results is 2 extra kilos that found a way to SNEAK UP on me. ugh
I imagine I probably gained a LITTLE in the states but lost muscle so it didn't start showing on the scales till I gained even more in the two months that followed.
SOOOO what am I going to do about that. Radical back on the wagon program!
I started tonight, hit the elliptical trainer for about 15 mintues (taking it slow here cause I am still trying to fight off a cold). From tomorrow, I start a new 9 day cleanse. I have filled my body with so much JUNK in the last four months, I am cleaning house and getting back to the good ways of eating good healthy stuff! This time, I'm cleansing all alone. Rocky is having a simple little minor surgery (repair work on the caboose, if you know what I mean, if you don't then keep thinking on it). In Japan, that'll land you in the hospital for 10 days. Yep, 10 days. In America you'd be out in an hour. But that is how they do things here. So since I am only cooking for the munchkin and me this week (and she is sooooooooo easy to please) then I'm gonna cleanse! I'll need to feed her a.m. and evening cause she gets lunch and snack at preschool (except on weekends). So I'll have a light dinner with her in the evening and do my shakes the rest of the day.
The cleanse starts tomorrow. Here we go!
And once again I'll be detailing the experience over on my Isagenix blog (IF you are intersted).
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Home at last!
I don't know if I have ever been so happy to set my suitecase down! Whew! We survived! We've been home for TWO days and I feel like I need another month to recover. But WHAT A SUMMER. Well, and throw in the Spring too! Wow, God is soooooooooo awesome!
I unpacked the suitecase and we put it AWAY today. I mean, we are talking, WAY up in the top of the closet, cause we don't have to get it back down for a LONG time! I wanted to burst out in song and dance! I am so tired though, opted for a smile instead.
Turns out, I had to preach on Sunday. I was needed and so I agreed to do it. I knew about it on Thursday evening and we had a conference Friday and Saturday a.m. I had to drive us home Saturday evening. In other words, NO time to prepare. First time to "preach" in Japanese and I had ZERO time to prepare. But everyone raved about it. I HAD to be God taking control of my mind and my words because at that point I had nothing left mentally and physically. Yet my Japanese was smooth and everyone was totally blessed. I love when God does that!
We met so many families on this trip who have adopted. It was SUCH a blessing to meet so many. One little boy, about 10, loved Hana so much. He wanted to keep her. His little family was precious. I am so excited that God keeps allowing us to meet other families with adopted children, and I hope we can stay in contact with them. These kids will have so much in common as they grow up. It is exciting to see the number of people adopting expand, but also gives me a bit of pause. It means our next baby will take that much longer to finally get here, cause there are MORE people applying. God has His perfect timing for everything though.
I feel a crafty mood coming on. I have not gotten to do any creative, crafty, home-making kind of stuff in ages. I am gonna go for it. I think Hana's baby dolls need some clothing. The two cabbage patch kid dolls that were mine from my childhood, had on some REALLY old clothes when I pulled them out for her. I put on some of Hana's newborn clothes, but they don't fit. Since then they've gotten filthy. She loves changing her dolls clothing. so I'm going to make some clothes. I made up a pattern for a shirt and shorts for the little baby boy. I took an old mans dress shirt and made the shirt and shorts for her today. She was so excited. I'll have to get pics.
well, I'll sign off for now. I am sure I will be writing a LOT in the coming days and weeks cause now, I HAVE TIME!
I unpacked the suitecase and we put it AWAY today. I mean, we are talking, WAY up in the top of the closet, cause we don't have to get it back down for a LONG time! I wanted to burst out in song and dance! I am so tired though, opted for a smile instead.
Turns out, I had to preach on Sunday. I was needed and so I agreed to do it. I knew about it on Thursday evening and we had a conference Friday and Saturday a.m. I had to drive us home Saturday evening. In other words, NO time to prepare. First time to "preach" in Japanese and I had ZERO time to prepare. But everyone raved about it. I HAD to be God taking control of my mind and my words because at that point I had nothing left mentally and physically. Yet my Japanese was smooth and everyone was totally blessed. I love when God does that!
We met so many families on this trip who have adopted. It was SUCH a blessing to meet so many. One little boy, about 10, loved Hana so much. He wanted to keep her. His little family was precious. I am so excited that God keeps allowing us to meet other families with adopted children, and I hope we can stay in contact with them. These kids will have so much in common as they grow up. It is exciting to see the number of people adopting expand, but also gives me a bit of pause. It means our next baby will take that much longer to finally get here, cause there are MORE people applying. God has His perfect timing for everything though.
I feel a crafty mood coming on. I have not gotten to do any creative, crafty, home-making kind of stuff in ages. I am gonna go for it. I think Hana's baby dolls need some clothing. The two cabbage patch kid dolls that were mine from my childhood, had on some REALLY old clothes when I pulled them out for her. I put on some of Hana's newborn clothes, but they don't fit. Since then they've gotten filthy. She loves changing her dolls clothing. so I'm going to make some clothes. I made up a pattern for a shirt and shorts for the little baby boy. I took an old mans dress shirt and made the shirt and shorts for her today. She was so excited. I'll have to get pics.
well, I'll sign off for now. I am sure I will be writing a LOT in the coming days and weeks cause now, I HAVE TIME!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
jet lagging?
I do not know what the deal is, but it is 7am and I have been awake for almost 3 hours already. I could NOT sleep. So I gave up and came to get on the computer. However, even though there is wireless internet here, it is painfully slow compared to what I am used to. I am soooooooooo spoiled!
We are in Toyohashi now. Just finished 3 days at church camp. It was awesome. I love this church family. It is our second time to minister here. They are truely family. And there are tons of kids in this church. These kids are awesome. I was so touched watching them play with each other and play with Hana at camp. And during TWO HOUR long worship services that all sat and listened intently. They sing the songs, talk to adults and are so sweet to each other. You might be thinking, what is so awesome about that? But in Japan, this kind of well adjusted, happy and active pre-teens and teens are a rare sight. Most of them are pretty withdrawn around adults and it is rare to see more than 4 or 5 kids in a church. They don't have any grand youth program/kids program at this church, nothing flashy at all. It is just obvious this is a group of adults that loves each other and loves on those kids and most of all loves Jesus, and it shows.
The pastor here is a riot. He is a 12 year old running around in a 60-something year old's body. Last night he started a water gun fight with all the adults who went to eat dinner. Luckily I was inside giving Hana a shower, and only got sprayed through the slightly cracked bathroom window! But Rocky came in pretty wet, and he said that sensei at one point started filling buckets and dowsing people! At camp, sensei was barking at everyone from a balcony once. During dinner last night, we laughed and laughed together. He (and the rest of his church) are just full of the joy of Jesus Christ!
At camp we watched a video about Christianity in China. AWESOME! The persecution they endure from the government actually serves to spread the Gospel at an alarming rate. What happens is, people get arrested for meeting in house churches. That weeds out "nominal" Christians right from the start. Then those who are passionate about their faith and on fire for Christ end up being forced to run from authorities and spread out to avoid arrest. They go from town to town spreading the Gospel until they are discovered and then they run again, spreading the Gospel even more. There is no way to know how many Christian's there are in China, but is a LOT! Amazing how God uses what man thinks is going to put a stop to the power of His Word, to only make it even more powerful! But of course it really put the existence of the church in China and the hardship they endure at the front of my mind. I find myself thinking about them and praying about them constantly right now.
And it breaks my heart for the Japanese. They are politically free to choose to following this incredible Savior and so many of them are so appathetic it is hard to get them to even think about the need for God for even a second. What will have to happen to wake up the souls of the Japanese people??? I'm not sure I want to know...
So I recently read The Shack... OH MY GOODNESS! All I can say is, you HAVE to read this book. It IS fiction, and in that you have to take some of the "accuracy" (of the theology) of it with a grain of salt. But all that aside, and keeping in mind that it IS fiction, it is powerful. It totally says about suffering, exactly what I learned through Dad's death and our journey of infertility (which we are still on, by the way). This book, you just have to read it. Even if you disagree 10,000% with the theology of it, the message is powerful. WOW. I can't wait to read it again.
The Olympics. I am missing like 90% of it being on the road right now, and further more being in Japan. Nothing against the Japanese, but the media here ONLY covers Japanese participants. I have seen a tiny bit on the tv here about the US swimmer who is doing so well, but otherwise can't get any coverage of the US. The coverage is really very poorly done. Like last night, I was watching the mens track and field hurdles race, and the guy in lane one disappeared from the race after they left the starting blocks. The Japanese media totally ignored it, and filmed the race to the end with shower the winner for 2 seconds, and then zooming in on the Japanese runner (who came in fourth) and interviewing him, and then going on to something else. I am dying to know what happened to that lane 1 runner. Ugh! Most of all, in the summer Olympics, I LOVE gymnastics and diving. Probably won't get to watch much of that either, and of course, the coverage would only be of the Japan teams anyways. So that's sort of a bummer. I would love to have a satelite TV right now, and about two weeks with NOTHING to do (HA, in my dreams!). I want Hana to see it too. *deep sigh*
Well, I better go ahead an close for now. Some little munchkin is going to come stumbling out of her room any minute now, and I just heard the washer finish my load. We are staying in an AWESOME furnished apartment provided by the church we did camp with by the way. Praise God for wonderful accomodations, with nice beds, a fridge, a washer, AND air conidtioning! Off to hang the clothes out to dry!
hugs and blessings,
Marla
We are in Toyohashi now. Just finished 3 days at church camp. It was awesome. I love this church family. It is our second time to minister here. They are truely family. And there are tons of kids in this church. These kids are awesome. I was so touched watching them play with each other and play with Hana at camp. And during TWO HOUR long worship services that all sat and listened intently. They sing the songs, talk to adults and are so sweet to each other. You might be thinking, what is so awesome about that? But in Japan, this kind of well adjusted, happy and active pre-teens and teens are a rare sight. Most of them are pretty withdrawn around adults and it is rare to see more than 4 or 5 kids in a church. They don't have any grand youth program/kids program at this church, nothing flashy at all. It is just obvious this is a group of adults that loves each other and loves on those kids and most of all loves Jesus, and it shows.
The pastor here is a riot. He is a 12 year old running around in a 60-something year old's body. Last night he started a water gun fight with all the adults who went to eat dinner. Luckily I was inside giving Hana a shower, and only got sprayed through the slightly cracked bathroom window! But Rocky came in pretty wet, and he said that sensei at one point started filling buckets and dowsing people! At camp, sensei was barking at everyone from a balcony once. During dinner last night, we laughed and laughed together. He (and the rest of his church) are just full of the joy of Jesus Christ!
At camp we watched a video about Christianity in China. AWESOME! The persecution they endure from the government actually serves to spread the Gospel at an alarming rate. What happens is, people get arrested for meeting in house churches. That weeds out "nominal" Christians right from the start. Then those who are passionate about their faith and on fire for Christ end up being forced to run from authorities and spread out to avoid arrest. They go from town to town spreading the Gospel until they are discovered and then they run again, spreading the Gospel even more. There is no way to know how many Christian's there are in China, but is a LOT! Amazing how God uses what man thinks is going to put a stop to the power of His Word, to only make it even more powerful! But of course it really put the existence of the church in China and the hardship they endure at the front of my mind. I find myself thinking about them and praying about them constantly right now.
And it breaks my heart for the Japanese. They are politically free to choose to following this incredible Savior and so many of them are so appathetic it is hard to get them to even think about the need for God for even a second. What will have to happen to wake up the souls of the Japanese people??? I'm not sure I want to know...
So I recently read The Shack... OH MY GOODNESS! All I can say is, you HAVE to read this book. It IS fiction, and in that you have to take some of the "accuracy" (of the theology) of it with a grain of salt. But all that aside, and keeping in mind that it IS fiction, it is powerful. It totally says about suffering, exactly what I learned through Dad's death and our journey of infertility (which we are still on, by the way). This book, you just have to read it. Even if you disagree 10,000% with the theology of it, the message is powerful. WOW. I can't wait to read it again.
The Olympics. I am missing like 90% of it being on the road right now, and further more being in Japan. Nothing against the Japanese, but the media here ONLY covers Japanese participants. I have seen a tiny bit on the tv here about the US swimmer who is doing so well, but otherwise can't get any coverage of the US. The coverage is really very poorly done. Like last night, I was watching the mens track and field hurdles race, and the guy in lane one disappeared from the race after they left the starting blocks. The Japanese media totally ignored it, and filmed the race to the end with shower the winner for 2 seconds, and then zooming in on the Japanese runner (who came in fourth) and interviewing him, and then going on to something else. I am dying to know what happened to that lane 1 runner. Ugh! Most of all, in the summer Olympics, I LOVE gymnastics and diving. Probably won't get to watch much of that either, and of course, the coverage would only be of the Japan teams anyways. So that's sort of a bummer. I would love to have a satelite TV right now, and about two weeks with NOTHING to do (HA, in my dreams!). I want Hana to see it too. *deep sigh*
Well, I better go ahead an close for now. Some little munchkin is going to come stumbling out of her room any minute now, and I just heard the washer finish my load. We are staying in an AWESOME furnished apartment provided by the church we did camp with by the way. Praise God for wonderful accomodations, with nice beds, a fridge, a washer, AND air conidtioning! Off to hang the clothes out to dry!
hugs and blessings,
Marla
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Buzy Beez...
Whew! What a summer we are having. It is hard to say for sure, but I am tempted to label this the busiest summer we have ever had! (but I don't have the greatest memory, so it probably isn't!)
We got back from the states and had a busy but normal schedule for a couple weeks, in the midst of getting everything ready for the CMA girls! They were here last week and it was an AWESOME week! Man we love those guys so much and we were so sad to see them go. They walked out the door and in walked Rocky's brother and his family. They were here till yesterday and we spent lots of time with them. Last night I was so tired I didn't feel like moving a muscle. This morning, I still don't feel like doing anything but I have to get up and get going! I prepare for our church's Friday cafe this afternoon. I'll be at cafe all day tomorrow. Saturday is a planned fun day with friends. Sunday we will have morning worship and TWO meetings that afternoon. Monday I have to get ready to go on tour for two weeks! Oh my, I shouldn't have typed all that out, makes me feel even more overwhelmed! ahhhhhhhh
Anyways, all that to say we are so busy. I love busy summers, but I look forward to them being over too. August will be gone in a flash. I will hopefully have time to share some pictures of all our adventures soon!
Hope you are having a great summer too!
We got back from the states and had a busy but normal schedule for a couple weeks, in the midst of getting everything ready for the CMA girls! They were here last week and it was an AWESOME week! Man we love those guys so much and we were so sad to see them go. They walked out the door and in walked Rocky's brother and his family. They were here till yesterday and we spent lots of time with them. Last night I was so tired I didn't feel like moving a muscle. This morning, I still don't feel like doing anything but I have to get up and get going! I prepare for our church's Friday cafe this afternoon. I'll be at cafe all day tomorrow. Saturday is a planned fun day with friends. Sunday we will have morning worship and TWO meetings that afternoon. Monday I have to get ready to go on tour for two weeks! Oh my, I shouldn't have typed all that out, makes me feel even more overwhelmed! ahhhhhhhh
Anyways, all that to say we are so busy. I love busy summers, but I look forward to them being over too. August will be gone in a flash. I will hopefully have time to share some pictures of all our adventures soon!
Hope you are having a great summer too!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Testing out RedLasso...
Now this guy had a bad day! I made this clip from a news report on RedLasso, I'm testing out how to post the clips to a blog.
I hope this works.
And I'm glad those people were okay, I bet their vacation in the mobile home was ruined though.
I hope this works.
And I'm glad those people were okay, I bet their vacation in the mobile home was ruined though.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Thrill-seeking Gourmets... LOL
I never knew I was a thrill-seeking gourmet, till I read this article on Foxnews.com yesterday...
I'm practically rolling on the floor laughing. Fugu (puffer fish) is a VERY common food in Japan and eating it is not the least bit associated with thrill-seeking! It is especially common in our area, because the most delicious variety is found abundantly in the ocean very near us. But stores or restaurants that serve it have it prepared by licensed people who know very well how to prepare it safely. The reproductive organs of the fish are poisonous and if the fish is prepared without the reproductive organ being opened, then it is perfectly safe. In Japan probably less than 10 people die of Fugu poisoning every year and those cases are almost always people who tried catching and preparing the fish themselves!
It just cracks me up, the misconceptions that can happen about international cultures...
I LOVE Fugu, it is one my favorite foods. I guess I'm a thrill-seeking gourmet! Cool!!!
Illinois Man Arrested for Extremely Poisonous Puffer Fish Toxin
Edward Bachner, 35, was charged with one count of illegal possession of tetrodotoxin, a felony. He was being held in federal custody pending a detention hearing Wednesday.
Using the alias Edmond Backer, Bachner allegedly claimed he was a doctor when he ordered 98 milligrams of the toxin from a New Jersey chemical company, the FBI said. An employee of the company became suspicious due to the large amount ordered and alerted the FBI.
Bachner was arrested Monday when he allegedly tried to get the tetrodotoxin from a member of the FBI, authorities said. Bachner faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted, according to the FBI. His telephone number was unlisted.
It's not clear why Bachner wanted the toxin, authorities said.
Tetrodotoxin is a poison so potent the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it can "produce rapid and violent death." It is 1,200 times deadlier than cyanide, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Puffer fish, called fugu in Japan, is consumed by thrill-seeking gourmets once the poison is removed. Eating the toxin can cause paralysis, vomiting, heart failure and death.
I'm practically rolling on the floor laughing. Fugu (puffer fish) is a VERY common food in Japan and eating it is not the least bit associated with thrill-seeking! It is especially common in our area, because the most delicious variety is found abundantly in the ocean very near us. But stores or restaurants that serve it have it prepared by licensed people who know very well how to prepare it safely. The reproductive organs of the fish are poisonous and if the fish is prepared without the reproductive organ being opened, then it is perfectly safe. In Japan probably less than 10 people die of Fugu poisoning every year and those cases are almost always people who tried catching and preparing the fish themselves!
It just cracks me up, the misconceptions that can happen about international cultures...
I LOVE Fugu, it is one my favorite foods. I guess I'm a thrill-seeking gourmet! Cool!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
