Saturday, May 18, 2013

Beautiful Day @ Towadako


This is the site of Misawa PWOC's past few retreats. I found it ironic to be there on "retreat weekend" with my family. The day was BEAUTIFUL...I believe it has to be the nicest spring day we've had so far....71* or so. It was a "glorious sorrow" to remember times shared with so many different women along this lake. Fun memories from the very first retreat where I was given the label "Onsen Floozie" by SOMEONE ::wink::.....to last year when God invited me to give up chocolate and I began a journey to freedom from food addiction.  Each retreat team, topics, attendees, work of God different....each precious.  In the back of my mind was the thought, "This MAY really be our last time here." I asked if anyone else was feeling melancholy...just a "bit". My memories were leaking out my eyes. ::snort::  The kids DID keep our trip lively....


Jared wanted to find snow. I didn't really want to drive over the mountain next week and was happy when we saw the very last of the snow left from the Towada Snow Festival. LOL



Enough for a decent snowball fight 

We have never taken the lake cruise. It was a great surprise when Michael suggested we go on the cruise! Arielle began to feel ill just before we got on the boat. I thought it was from traveling the gorge..but she's gotten progressively worse as the day went on. 

Getting settled....

Jared thought it funny to be back where he needs to duck


It really is a beautiful cruise. They ran the commentary in Japanese and English so we could understand. They asked us if we needed English. I was glad they had it. 



I learned the ladder some of the ladies climbed down the first year is MEANT to be climbed down. At the bottom is a famous "fortune telling" sight...and tradition has it some monk long ago became the ruler of Towada when he climbed down the mountain and stepped into the lake at that spot.




Note: Zander is certainly NOT taller than me...this must be trick photography!


Poor Arielle is really not feeling well by now. She went to take a nap in the van, hoping it would pass. It didn't.  Jared went out in a paddle boat with Stacia and Zander. He'd been on crutches the time before when they did it. 



We walked on down the beach and gave her time to nap. Stacia collected a handful of "Lake Glass." 





Nolan sprained his ankle yesterday and was a trooper today...as was the quickly worsening Arielle. 

We had planned to stop at North Village on the way home. We found this sign. I know it means they're hibernating closed....I'm wondering if anyone can tell when they may open again? 

Some family friends are packing out on Tuesday. They needed to downsize a table....and knew we were moving to home with TWO eating areas and had one smallish table....we now this wonderfully large and historic table. I'll get some better photos and blog about it later......

...but this is my living room after making room for the dining room table. I'm sure our packers are going to wonder WHY we needed two tables in our home. LOL 


Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

8 comments:

Roy Zesch said...

Please send Jared home immediately. It has been over 100 degrees here every day since he left. Have him bring some 71 high temps back with him.

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

I am sorry to inform you Jared will not be returning until the 26th of May - expect continued scorching heat in TX for the next week. He's got a sore throat because of the cool temps and we're pulling out our shorts. LOL

Unknown said...

De'Etta, no one questioned us with our THREE dining tables in a family quite a bit smaller than yours. :) I hope Lady A is feeling better now.

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

I know American packers won't raise an eyebrow....but the society as a whole is more minimalist over here.....I can't tell you how nice it was to eat dinner on a wide table, a table big enough for us to all sit around comfortably. LOL

Lady A is up this a.m. and says she feels fine.

Wild Homeschool Family said...

I wonder how much longer 'till Stacia is taller than you :-)!

Ev said...

Contemplating again your comment (made several times) that God INVITED you to give up chocolate. I needed that this morning - not necessarily for chocolate. Sacrifice (even temporary) is now being viewed by me totally differently as I know I have been INVITED to a deeper walk. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

HI: Nice table and it will no doubt be appreciated when the entire family is home with you. NEAT! so much to say! love/prayers - mom t.

Anonymous said...

HA! find a unique name for one of your tables. Like the 2 that are identical call them end tables..... however wuld have to be a rather large bed wouldn't it. l/p mom t.