Baa Baa Black Sheep

These painted sheep can be found all over town. I can't remember the exact phrase but it means we are the BIG SHEEP folks in America. It's our claim to fame. LOL That and the famous courthouse in the background. ::snort:: I love the details on the sheep.

In Anchorage we loved the painted salmon all over town.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

He's Official

yeah....I never got to bed...and now Mike should be home in an hour or so... LOL

Jared's Tourist Passport....

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Zander's Solution

Zander asked over lunch, "Can't we PLEASE just take Beatrix to Japan?" When I explained the problems; he had a solution.

"We'll take Be and put a note on her. We'll leave her at Cy's, knock on the
door and then run. Bea can't run. The note will say, 'Cy, your family members
are in Japan. Surprise! Please watch our dog.'"

Such a simple solution. I laughed. Then I teared up. But I laughed some more. This is life....a roller coaster of emotions....but very vibrant. ::snort:: There were also questions today about who will fly over for Christmas and who may not. Ugh....somehow those early years when we "knew" the older kids would eventually not be moving with us seemed so very far away. OK - GET READY! HERE IT COMES!!! THE SAPPY MENTAL PAUSAL LADY COMMENT, "It goes so fast. Enjoy these years. Make the kids your priority. You won't regret it." ::grin::

I have photos - but am exhausted. Maybe I'll get lots of photos up tomorrow. Tonight: cuddle, read, sleep....for tomorrow it will all begin again. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

The Day in Brief

• Gym
• Base Passport office by 9 - done at 11:00.
• School
• Piano Lessons - I think I fell asleep on Lois' couch. ::snort:: Lois and her children gave us a great "top secret file" from Highlights on Japan.
• Phone calls......all over the place to find out WHO needs to sign this Special Ed form.... There really is nothing else I can do as most school officials are on spring break until Monday and the Col who will know more is on leave until Monday.
• Got Bre's dates for her trip out for Jamin's graduation. I'll book the tickets tomorrow, I think. I don't trust myself to catch details if I do it tonight. LOL
• Going to cuddle with kids and read tonight.

It will all get done...one piece of paper at a time. Mike is working late and swamped at work and so I'm doing all the paperwork and forms that I can....then he signs them and turns them in. ::snort:: I'm trying to be a good help for him. The UCI begins in 10 days...and so relief will be here in 19 days. ::snort:: THEN Mike will be able to focus more on the move and I can focus on relationships, school, packing and house.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Random Misawa Fact - SNOW

Snow? Jared wants snow???? {Me thinks he's forgotten what it is like to have to shovel snow before 8 in the morning.... ::snort:: Does he remember his two older brothers will not be on shovel duty with him? ::snort:: }

The first snowfall in Misawa is usually near 7 November.

The last snowfall in Misawa is usually around 15 April.

{Jared's response: I'm thinking sledding, snow boarding...I'll be buff .}

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

The Thick of It

Yep, we're entering the thick of pursuing "overseas clearance" for the family.

I'd love prayers.....

• Knowledgeable personnel with RIGHT answers (it's frustrating to get different answers)
• QUICK paperwork
• Patience for all
• Specifically, please pray for Nolan to be released from speech. He's been working all year on one sound. The therapist has SAID she'd release him. Now it needs to happen.
• Evidently, we have to have EACH of our children released from the Public School district for the family to accompany Mike to Japan. This is SILLY. When we went to AK, WE were allowed to fill out the form, as we know our kids and are the ones educating them. THIS time there is an insistence that it be filled out "by the school"....um which one????? AND it has an added question, "If you homeschool what program do you use"......honestly....I'm not sure HOW the Public Schools, who have never met our kids, can answer some of the questions on here.
• UCI in less than two weeks on THIS base....it will nice for it to be over...
• The kids will need immunizations (as will I)...this is not happy talk...but worth it for Japan...however if they aren't going to clear us I'd rather not have the immunizations. ::snort::
• Pray for the kids to WOW them and blow them away when they are interviewed. ::snort:: Maybe I'll have Zander take his Viking book. ::snort::
• Passport appt first thing tomorrow a.m.
• I need to pick up records and referrals all over town....please pray that I enjoy meeting all these people and specifically that I shower them with grace as I wait for paperwork. It honestly has been fun...but I am getting tired...and have I mentioned I'll be so glad when the UCI is over at base. (UCI - MONDO INSPECTION).
• We really want to focus on school and house....but we have to focus on paperwork and such....peace, peace, peace. LOL

I've not even had time to upload photos today....or check for floor plans for base housing.....We will have to wait until we arrive to really know if we want base or off base housing.....pros and cons to both by what I'm hearing. One housing issue we DO know - we need to get this house ready to list.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Iditarod Winner Expected This Afternoon....

Lance Mackey pulled out of the final checkpoint this a.m. He should reach Nome by noon...making this his third straight Iditarod win.

This puts him in a class with Susan Butcher and Doug Swingley - each having won three straight Iditarods.

{Didn't want anyone to think we'd totally abandoned our first love - Alaska - for Japan. ::snort::}

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.