Tonami Clan Memorial Tourist Village

This was one of my favorite spots on the Right Start Tours when we arrived. It was very rushed and I've planned to go back and explore at my own pace. We went back last Saturday, when the girls were here, only to discover it was closed. Mike took the van to work today - the tire may be ready. That left us a car that was drivable without worry of exploding tires. We decided to head to Tonami. I called first. ::snort::

The drive to the memorial included rain, snow, hail and slush. We were the ONLY people at the "Samurai house" and at the village. This makes it so nice to explore and linger...and get photos without a tourist's ear in the corner of the photo.

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

Hirosawa Yasutou, from the Tonami Clan, is famous for bringing Western farming techniques to Japan. He had his farm/ranch here in Misawa.

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

It is said that to convince the Emperor that he should be allowed to experiment with farming and ranching, rather than hold a political position, he took to breeding war horses. This kept with the Japanese government of the time's policy of "wealthy nation and strong army." This area is famous for it's horses.

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

The memorial is set up with life exhibits in the home.

We warned them to duck ::snort:: That's the door jam.

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

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From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

Set in a bamboo grove

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

Do you think this is a picnic table?

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

There is a museum with farm equipment. That's all we saw on the tour. TODAY we discovered there is also a village set up with displays and statues, animals, golf, go-carts, battery cars, miniature golf (of course those are seasonal). We'll be back when it warms up. There was also a store where we bought some produce and such from.

I didn't buy this....

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

Raw, local honey - yum - but not worth over $36 a quart. I'll keep looking.

We weren't able to read many of the exhibits....maybe when Ryu and Kim are here we'll visit again. LOL They did have some of the signs in English.

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

We were thrilled when Jared first (and then I helped out)were able to carry on a whole conversation with the gardener to verify that we were allowed to walk amongst the animal pens. We're a great team.

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From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

In addition there were peacocks, roosters, chickens and some animals we couldn't identify.

This sign amused us as we imagined HOW to play golf without breaking rule number 1.

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

There was a Christmas Tree filled with little Miss Veedols....I really need to go back and catch the light ceremony in the next couple of nights.

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

Arielle, Nolan and I figured this sign out...I think....

From 2010-01-07 Tonomi Clan

It would be 69 and so we are guessing this is a sign to the Residence of 69 Kinds of Wild Herbs, as there was literature about Yasutou putting on a show of his findings of the 69 kinds of wild herbs eaten by cattle and horses. He also wrote a book titled, "Five Year Story of Running a Ranch."

This was a fun outing. On our way home I took a "short cut" which ended up not being a short cut to the POL road but to Towada.....I think it may be quicker for us to take that route to Aomori. My kids are such pros. Not one whimper about being lost as we climbed the snowy hills....it was an ADVENTURE! ::snort::

Driving directions are here if you'd like a direct route to the Memorial.

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Another Day?

I still am housebound due to the tire issue. We are hoping to have a new one tomorrow.

I took the opportunity of being housebound to do some housework.

I composed the Protestant News.

Akiko had invited us to go to the shrine with her on New Years'. Times conflicted with taking the girls to the airport. We rescheduled for today. When I explained the tire situation, she suggested that she come here and we could talk about Japanese Culture. How often do you get the opportunity to visit a foreign country and visit with a local who is willing to answer your questions and teach you about her culture? We spent 2 1/2 hours visiting. Because it was in a context where we were mutually sharing, and SHE brought up topics, we were able to ask and discover things we would have considered impolite to bring up otherwise. I'm processing. It was enligthening. God is working.

Akiko gave us the names of some of her favorite restaurants and spots that she thinks are worth visiting with the boys.

We had dinner. Some played games. I responded to several PWOC emails. It's fun to start to hear from various Presidents around our region. I'm praying about the spring travel schedule and how it will mesh with Mike's deployment.

Mike got his official tasking. We know WHERE his combat training will be, but still not when. He'll be out of here well before Easter. Unfortunately, we'd thought his training would be in San Antonio - but it will be in NJ.....guess he won't be visiting the boys.

Bed time.
JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Adorable Mommy

This morning I asked one of the older ones if they were upset with me.

"Child, are you upset with me?"

"No."

"Ok, you seemed a bit upset."

Enter Stacia. Big hug.

"Mommy, you're just adorable." ::snort::

Maybe she has the gift of encouragement?

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Memorial Stone of 2010

Very, very observant blog followers may have noticed that I added a new Memorial Stone for 2010 a few days ago. I've been seeing tests and worksheets to help one chose the "right word for the year". It seems the purpose is to pick a word to motivate one's self or define one's self... My "word of the year" is a bit different. It's a personal memorial stone.

I don't pick it. It picks me, in a sense. In my quiet times, usually in the fall, I began to sense a word that will clue me in to a theme God is going to work in and through me during the upcoming year/season. Often these words don't "stop" at a new year....they linger... works such as holiness, grace, glory, wholehearted love, choosing joy, surrender, intimacy.....God has worked each concept into my life, and these words have truly served as memorial stones to that work. Sometimes I'm excited to begin to glimpse the word, i.e. "intimacy." Sometimes I think "really?" i.e. "surrender."

With all that said, I do have a word/stone for 2010. I can look back in my Life Journal and clearly pinpoint when God showed me my word for 2010. I was reading Ezekiel. It made LITTLE SENSE to me. The word is "watchman". It's not flashy. It's not current. It's not vibrant. I knew in October it was THE WORD for 2010 and I know it now. I sense that this path is going to call me out of my comfort zone. I can already see it beginning to work out in my life....as I was placed in regional leadership with PWOC - time to watch/guard/intercede...... As Mike deploys, I have his back. As we live in Japan and pray for God's heart for the nation. I sense that God is going to take the recent years of focus on surrender and intimacy and call me to now stand guard and do battle...though I'm not sure exactly what this means.

I share in Intimacy Revisited some of the lessons God has taught me in this year of Intimacy. This has been a wonderful year of beholding His face in ever growing intimacy and vulnerability. I've not had a lot of time to blog it, as I've spent lots more time than normal in study, prayer and meditation. I have a lot of "musing" blog posts in my Life Journal...maybe I'll take a retreat with my laptop and write and write and write some weekend. ::snort::

I have previously written about my Personal Memorial Stones.

I sense 2010 is the year that God is going to lead to a path of standing as a watchman. I'm sure to grab a concordance, do some word studies, find some books and eventually get a clearer grasp as to what this path means.

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Printing a Blog

Alright, if you have experience in this NOW is the time to step forward. LOL

When I began blogging, I would write each post in word, add the photos, make it pretty, check the grammar and then copy the text to blogger and add the photos via blogger. I did this so we'd have a printed back up of our Family Journal. It was cumbersome. I quit doing this. The photos were especially cumbersome. It took more time than I had for blogging. I went to composing on blogger and adding photo links. I decided capturing the day for family was more important than making it pretty - at least during THIS season of life. That has been a good choice for me as it removed the pressure to have a "polished blog" and affirmed the decision to create a "family journal".

Mike would like the blog printed. I know it seems inconceivable that blogger would go out of business, or have a crash and lose all the blogs...but honestly....4 1/2 years of family history would be heartbreaking to lose. I do NOT want to copy and paste each entry to a Word or PDF file to print.....

I have been researching blog2print - but I repeatedly get a Server 500 error when I try to use the service. Their response is "be sure you are typing your URL correctly" - I'm pasting it. I've also heard things that concern me on their Facebook page. Every company will have some problems with their product, it will be how they resolve those problems that matter. I understand. However, many are mentioning that the captions don't match their photos or comments or posts are missing from their finished product. I'm sure they're making good on these problems, but I'd rather not have the problems to begin with being over here. Also, blog 2 print only lets you select a date range. I can't pick and choose within that range. I don't want to delete posts I don't want in a book and neither do I want to spend hours re-dating those posts. Example: Product reviews, book reviews....I don't really WANT them in a family journal but I do want to keep them handy in a blog archive for when I WANT them.

I've googled and will continue to google for ideas. If any of you have experience or have done your own research, please share links.

Maybe I should have continued composing in Word. ::snort::

Here are some things I've found:

I shudder to think of the hours to turn each post into a PDF file to load to Lulu etc....but if I'm going to PAY big BUCKS to print the blog, I don't want lots of white space, I want captions to match photos, I want a bit of control over which posts are printed etc.

Add the feature to print each post with this code (didn't work well for me ::snort::) It sounds very simple to do. I couldn't find the exact line of code for the second step. If you do, please tell me about where it is...1/2 way down etc....

Blurb seems to have a lot of features. The tutorial seems to be saying I could pick and choose exact posts to print and edit as well. I may have to give this one a whirl. I could also leave the copies there for others to buy if they want (thinking family here not general public)! ::snort:: I'm downloading booksmart as I type...I can think of a lot of fun books to make. LOL

Printmyblog.com shows up on a lot of searches but the links all seem to be dead. Let me know if you find a good link for them. ::smile:: Many of the links are over 5 years old.

Scrapbookblogger.com - turn your blog into a scrapbook

This post is to assure myself that I did not waste this cold, snowy, icy day....Mike has repeatedly asked me to figure out how to print the blog...and I'm researching. Maybe a reader will benefit from the research or have the perfect new site for me to check out. Now I can go to dinner and an onsen with a clear conscience....and the family have a yummy smelling roast and veggies waiting.

Ideas?

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Monopoly Game to Beat all Games

Bre, Josiah, Jamin, Jared, Nolan, Arielle all love to play monopoly. I'm not sure if Krista likes it. I don't see her playing it at home as much as the others. When Bre is gone, Arielle tends to read instead of play the game with her brothers...... but THIS was the game to beat all games.

From 2010-01-04

I love that Nolan joined the big boys in their rather cut-throat game. These games contain trading, high interest loans, no interes loans, sales with right of passage maintained, collateral loans.....and the deals go on.

This particular game went on and on with many fun twists. In the end, Jared won. These are his final holdings.

From 2010-01-04

I found these notes to be hilarious.

From 2010-01-04

Yep, even the bank owed Jared money.

I really don't like to play board games...but I buy a lot of them, I watch a lot of them, I play a lot of them with the younger ones (because those are games I can figure out) and I play a lot of other games with the kids. LOL

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Look Who's Sixteen!!!!

From 2010-01-04

Jared is following in the rather rude and audacious steps of his older siblings: he's GROWING UP!

We have maintained for years that we have YOUNG ADULTS and not Teens. Our children clearly know that they are adults in training...and at some point they actually begin to function as YOUNG adults. Take a minute to grasp this. It's not simply semantics. If your goal is to raise an adult in the years between 12 - 20 there are clear expectations, clear steps and goals to reach....if you are raising a "teen"....well no one really knows what a teen is. I certainly do not want my children to rise to the levels of the stereotypical teen....so we call them and expect them to be young adults. We never give them benefits/privileges without responsibility. We don't pamper their every whim. We expect them to begin to act and think as adults. We expect them to do "hard things" as they mature into the men and women God has called them to be.

Jared has blessed us greatly on his journey to adulthood. Sure he's still 16...but wow! He's taken great strides in his walk with God, his relationship with his authority (us), his relationship with his siblings and peers. This has been a tough move for Jared. The things he excelled in, the areas where he was exhibiting leadership, are not available here. The homeschool support group doesn't seem to have much for young adults. There is no Civil Air Patrol. There is no homeschool sports teams. There is no House of Faith. We are not comfortable with registering him with the DOD school for a variety of reasons. He understands and doesn't make a stink. We all continue to pray for more young adults to come into Jared's life. We pray for ministry opportunities, such as he had in TX, to manifest. We are praying about starting some ministry outreaches as a family. Jared David is our "ruler beloved". It's been fun to watch God take immature leadership material - often manifested itself in his younger years in ways we didn't condone - and move it towards maturity and effectiveness for the kingdom.

Jared has a rather quirky sense of humor that keeps me smiling, covering his tail, and, at times, cringing. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Jared has a heart for God that AMAZES me and HUMBLES me and CHALLENGES me. It's not about "discipline, routine and lists," but that boy has a routine that is shocking. He reminds me of stories of some of the "greats" in Christianity....I stand back and wonder where God is taking him. I wonder what God is going to do in his generation through this young man who is seeking to follow him wholeheartedly.

Jared has an interest in politics. We all know that he will be old enough to run for President in 2029. ::snort:: His plan at this point is to graduate, go back to TX, become a city councilman and get a degree, become a mayor, a governor and then we'll see.

Jared has been the youngest child in our family. Jared has been the middle child in our family. Jared is now the oldest child of those living at home. He's stepping up to the role and we honor him for that.

We'll have a celebration on Thursday night. Last night we opened gifts.

Happy Birthday, son. We look forward to watching you mature and grow in the upcoming years. (Now go clean your room. ::snort::)

JOSIAH & JAMIN ARE HOME!
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...