Home Again

Conference was amazing and I'll have to find the time to write about it before time gets away from me....


For now, let me report that I'm safely back in Japan for another 5 days. I had a wonderful Sunday afternoon visit with these two.  They were suitably impressed with how many knew their mama. LOL 

We went out to Outback...where I TRIED to eat a full meal. We went to Target and bought gifts for me to bring home....and a new IPAD for me, myself and I. Michael had agreed it would be a nice deployment survival gift. LOL  I wasn't 100% sure I'd really spend the $ for it, until I saw all the folks enjoying them on the long airplane ride over the Pacific. 

Yes, my mama heart wishes I had more time with these guys....but what a JOY to see them doing so well in college, happy with life, taking time to drive 4 hours to visit for an afternoon.....as they drove off....and Jamin yelled, "Love you Mama," out the window...I was instantly transported back 20 years to Hardin, MT. These guys used to LOVE to chase all visitor's cars down the road as they left.....and it took everything I had not to chase after them. I settled for walking fast to the bottom of the car garage. ::snort:: 

I'm proud of them in their new lives....and count it as a heavenly wink from heaven to have been given some time with them this past week. 

I arrived home at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday. I spent Wednesday unpacking, running errands, taking Arielle to the orthodontist. Today was spent with MOPS, more errands and desperately trying to get a refill of Jared's meds before we leave town next week. It looks like I may have to call up the chain of command on this one. Two weeks of trying to reach the doc...must have labs and a refill before we leave on Tuesday. 

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

We Had Our First Snow Today

They say that if the Summer is hot, the Winter will be cold.  If today is any indication, it will be cold and snowy this Winter because, yes, we had our first bit of snow today.  It was not much.  It did not stick, but it was still snow.  Last year, we did not get snow until the Christmas - and then we got lots.  I am thinking we may be in for a long, cold Winter, but that is OK.  We will just pop some popcorn and make a batch or two of fudge...

Is this a preview of our coming Winter?

--Michael

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Nearly Ready

The above picture sums up my day. LOL  I think things are finally at a spot where I can go to sleep and finish in the a.m. before my flight. 

Where am I going? PWOCI Conference.  With over 1330 women registered, this promises to be an exciting week.....praying God is glorified, women are challenged, set free and set on fire.... 

Personally, I'd appreciate prayer for a cold that seems to have kicked in this afternoon. I'm sharing a room with a friend who simply cannot catch my germs. Pray for healing and for her not to get ill.  Also for the kids and Mike at home...and for all the meetings I'll be attending, the decisions which will be made for the future of PWOCI, the new International Board which will be selected and installed, and the workshop I'll be leading. 

Not sure how often I'll check in. 

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

The Weekend

I know life is busy when I've not updated the family journal for three days. I know it's REALLY, WEALLY BAD, when I have to pull out the calendar to remember what we've been doing. ::snort:: 


Friday ~ We got a few things done around here. I had an appointment to meet with a local friend to book a venue for a fun, local PWOC event being planned for the spring.  Unfortunately, the office is closed.  


Since we were already out, I asked Twyla if she'd ever had a pedicured. These terrified me. I was born with a really ugly toe nail and I thought any nail tech would run screaming from the room if I sat in her chair. BUT I keep hearing about how relaxing these are and I needed to relax. ::snort::  Off we went..while we waited for pedicures, I got my eyebrows waxed and a haircut. I'm a new woman.  I figured if I do Onsens I can do Pedicures. It was a lot of fun and the tech was fun to visit with. She recommended a new onsen. I promised to shave before my next pedicure. ::snort::  We ended the night with Pizza and Toy Story 3. 


Saturday ~ Everyone but me slept in. I went to the gym. I grabbed a breakfast treat and ate it all alone in a parking lot. I went to an onsen. I had planned to meet a friend, but ended up alone. That was fine. I had a good hour of soaking and thinking and praying.  


I put gyudon in the crock pot, started the rice steamer and we headed to Momoishi beach. We found more sea glass...... see the sea blue piece in the center of the photo? 

They are easier to see when they are wet. 

After dinner Michael wanted to go to the chapel and run through his sermon. Nolan and I made a commissary run and then went in search of pants for him. I shouldn't have been surprised when we found only ONE style that fit and there were two pairs left.....and they were $7.99 each. All others were over $25 each. Nolan needs slim and LONG.....


Sunday ~ Mike went to the 0800 service. The kids and I met up with him during the Sunday School hour. 1100 service found Jared running slides and us enjoying a sermon from our favorite chaplain for the first time in 8 months.

Michael napped; I watched the neighborhood kids play and so the Sunday went.


Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

New Skills

Busy day! 


0630 and I'm trying to move....to a new dvd..."African Beat, Latin Heat" - means Anglo Klutz....wasn't pretty but I felt the BURN. LOL Not sure this is a successful new skill. 


0800 breakfast with some of the sweetest, most gracious women at Misawa - chaplain's spouses. 


1100 (Yes, I did go from one to the other) PWOC lunch at Vikings. I so enjoy these casual chances to visit with ladies I don't see enough of. 


1245 found me at Stacy's learning a new trick. Stacy promised to help me learn how to turn sea glass into jewelery.  My fingertips feel like they did years ago when I had to do 4 a day sugar testings. LOL That silver wire can be lethal....but it was great fun. I'm not a pro by any stretch of the imagination, but I learned the basics.....and had a great time visiting too. It's always more fun to learn new skills in the company of friends....which is one reason I LOVE Misawa MOPS and Misawa PWOC. 

We finished all these.

I made some with "cheap" colored wire and leather bands....Arielle nabbed this one. (This was really practice before I used the REAL silver wire.)

Stacey took the red piece of sea glass that I found the day Michael returned home and made it up for me....she said I shouldn't have to worry about getting it "right" - it should be a gift. She gifted me. I'm thrilled. Most of the charms will go on the silver chains I bought. 

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Cape Oma/Shipwreck Beach

We ventured forth today for our final RECON ADVENTURE. Tomorrow, it's back to real life. LOL  We realized today how blessed we are that our wing chaplain HONORED Michael's time off. We've NEVER stayed in town, cleared the calendar and actually been able to enjoy time together. This is the first time in 15 years of military ministry that Michael has not been called in to the office, if we are in town. What a gift the past 13 days were. 


Today we headed for the Northernmost tip of Honshu. We made it....it was blustery but fun! 

As we drew near Cape Oma we saw many older ladies out harvesting sea weed....didn't get a photo of the drying racks. 

Oma Lighthouse

Us - at the northern tip....

After the group photos I walked down as near as I could get to the water....and told the kids *I* had actually been the MOST NORTHERN....

My pronouncement led to mayhem....

We found a communal kitchen and enjoyed our picnic lunch.  Then we headed down 279 - a route we'd not taken before. Gorgeous......and led us right to Shipwreck Beach. Michael and the boys went to look for floats. I kept the girls company in the van. It started to rain - and got dark....and they didn't return.....

THE ADVENTURE for the girls was that 6 police cars and 4 fire trucks showed up. They surrounded me...lights shining in the van....one policeman asked me "Do you speak Japanese" and I replied English. I have no CLUE what was up. They'd leave and come back....they shone their lights on the beach where the guys were.....I've not a clue. FINALLY the guys showed up......

and had found TWO floats....(Yay Jared and Nolan)....this brings our total finds to 3....funny that we've found only big ones, one green, two blue...  We'll find smaller ones yet. Our float hunters....

This was the first time in 25 years of ministry that we've "cleared the calendar" of even the "essentials" when we were in town. It was blessed. Wonderful.....we'll have to remember this plan...and honestly....nothing was all that essential near as I can tell. LOL  I was glad to honor Mike's request. 

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Fall Festival

Last night the chapel hosted our Fall Festival.  Plans had to be adjusted as the weather didn't cooperate - but it was wonderful having it all inside. I loved the way various members of the various services pulled together to make this work. Youth, with Japanese friends made sure there were signs and directions in Japanese as well as English. Hospitality House made sure there were bags with Japanese NT and Comics...and an English Comic too.  Myriads of volunteers showed up to set up, run booths, bake cookies, make meals....and it was all free.....amazing.  

The base allows all the Japanese kids to come on base on Halloween so it is a great time for us to get the Good News out to the Japanese community.  I'm proud to be part of this chapel activity. Mary and team - you did us all proud. 

Choosing Joy!

©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~

Living all of life before the face of God...