Yuuki Photo of the Day

Yuuki is not 100% thrilled with the snow.....today Arielle took her out for a walk and she promptly fell into the deepest ditch out there. Arielle said she couldn't jump out...just the tip of her white tail was sticking out of the ditch....Arielle climbed in and pulled her out. LOL 


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki Photo of the Day

Yuuki can be a bit of a distraction during Family Circle....Tonight Stacia asks us, "Pray Yuuki has a good day tomorrow." ::big grin:: This dog is a becoming a wee bit pampered, me thinks. 

For the past couple of days Stacia has been worried that Yuuki needs friends. She used to LOVE to go get her hair cut so she could play with Reeses and Lucy, Barb's dogs. She told me again this a.m. "Mom, you need to call Ms. Barb, and ask her if Yuuki and Reese and Lucy can be friends. I'm going to have to tell Reese that I still love her but I have my own dog now. ....but Yuuki doesn't have any other dogs in our house to be friends."....Not sure if she's concerned for Reese's feelings or angling for another dog. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Snow and Quakes - We're Home!

Evidently - THIS is what light snow looks like here in Misawa... Little Home on the Rice Paddies.....

Still snowing.....

I have no idea how much we have.....but I know I had three clean steps off my patio last night....

AND an earthquake last night too....I woke up thinking, "I wish I lived on base so the roads would be clear,".....now I'm thinking, "I'm glad I live off base so I can shovel when *I* think it makes logical sense!" ::snort:: 

Guess we're going to have to get up and get ready to dig ourselves out for chapel.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki Photo of the Day

Since I was traveling and you didn't get Yuuki photos of the day......I'll post a few here....Yuuki playing with her new pink flamingo from Joyful Honda in Tokyo.  


Stacia was trying to play with the flamingo and Yuuki.....

Stacia ran to tell me Yuuki was doing this....

I'm learning the video feature on this new camera. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

We Drove Into Winter

It took us 2 hours to get from Yokota AB to the Tohoku Toll Road....is this normal?  We went down 16 to 3 to the Toll Road.... We did enjoy the scenery....

Can you make out the Katakana?

Lunch ....well.....we stopped at one stop and couldn't find "chicken on a stick".....we stopped at another stop and Stacia found some bread with "mystery meat" in the middle. She approved. Zander begged to try these from the vending machine. I gave in - but drew the line at hot dogs from the vending machine.

Complete with a salt packet

Mike and I settled for a box of Cherrios, cashews and yummy oranges....not really liking to try mystery meat.

As we drove along I began to dream of hikes, the beach, Shipwreck, driving up to Towada etc.  I struggled to remind myself it was NOT spring even if there was no snow in sight, crops in the field.....but STILL it shocked me when 3 hours from home THIS showed up on the side of the road.  The roads were still completely clear.

Isn't the snow man cute? I'm not sure what the sign says...."Beware of moving snowmen?" ::snort:: We assumed from the conditions it was warning us that there was snow ahead....which there was....1 1/2 hours from home.....

Our road - back in Oirase

 We can tell from the size of our sled hill (turned igloo?) that it's been snowing the past three days. The warm spring-like weather of Tokyo is quickly becoming a fading dream.....

Yuuki welcomed us with jumps, howls, licks.....We always bring gifts home for the kids....but this time the star of the show was Yuuki. We got her a nice soft, furry, fluffy cushion for her chair...and a pink flamingo.....

It's good to be home. We've got a bit of dinner on the table. Michael went to base to pick up Jared and clean the rental van. We'll turn it in in the a.m.  We DID buy Kung Fu Panda2 and Spy Kids 4 for the kids at the BX in Yokota....so we'll settle in for a bit of family movies....and try to SLEEP and get ready for chapel tomorrow. LOL

There were many highlights of the trip.....visiting Joyful Honda, seeing Mel and Tracy again, the retirement, Molten Lava dessert with the Moreys....but the best thing of all was 18 hours of discussion in a van with my boyfriend. I suspect we've used all our words up for a year or so...but it was GREAT.

Psssstt.....a secret....seeing the  warmer weather of Tokyo is testing this tropical gal's resolve to love the Northern winter. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Celebrating in Yokota!

We had the joy of driving to Tokyo so that my husband could preside at the retirement ceremony of Chaplain Dan Morey yesterday. Tracy has served on  both Asia Region's and Yokota's  PWOC boards.  Ch. Morey has been a PWOC Chaplain here in Yokota. I was struck (as were several others who commented) at the fun and excitement displayed during this retirement ceremony.  Of course, it was a blast to reconnect with some of our Yokota PWOC members....but it was more. This was a true celebration of a family walking out a season of ministry faithfully! Twist and turns...but still walking faithfully....that example ministered to those of us who were privileged to hear the story.

Ch. Goecker, Tracy Morey, Ch. Morey

I woke up this morning wondering what it will be like to wake up retired...knowing that a season of service is over....Whatever God puts in my path to do, I want to execute faithfully and well for His glory. May we all wake at the end of our "season of service" - be that in the home, at PWOC, on a spouses group, at the end of a military career - and rest in the fact that we've been "good and faithful servants".  We may not accomplish all we "could," but we can certainly do well and faithfully all HE gives us to do, which in the end is all we "should" do.

Well-lived Chaplain Dan, Tracy and Melody...our hats are off to you!

PSssstt.....Ch. G did an awesome job at conducting his first retirement ceremony. Well-done!

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Today's Adventure

Shew - that was a long 12 hours...but we're here.  We went to bed last night to a winter snow advisory in our area and the thought that we had to drive the roads this a.m. 


We left home and it was snowing....and more was predicted. It was COLD too.   I wouldn't have wanted to drive on the roads, but Michael was fine. We weren't making great time...but we were safe. 

Houses to the left of middle are ours....little house in the paddies? 

We stopped and enjoyed the great rest areas pretty regularly.  We couldn't resist this picture......there was a 5.9 earthquake shortly after we passed through. I have amazing stories about my trips to Tokyo. LOL  We actually didn't feel this one at all as we were driving. 

I thought this sign to help you locate a vacant toilet was very helpful....

The GPS led us on a unique route....we eventually did end up right in front of Yokota....we'll have to remember to tell the men at the Auto Hobby shop that the man who told them "this thing led me all over town before it took me to Yokota," is RIGHT. ::snort:: Who would guess they'd have NO maps to YOKOTA AIR BASE in the Air Force rental van....directions to Army and Naval installations. ::snort::

We missed our planned entertainment for the night...but we're so tired it's probably best to get some sleep. LOL  It took us 4 1/2 hours longer than we expected..... It's a warm 40* tonight down here....crops are still in the fields....totally different than Misawa. We'll have to remember this when the winter gets long.

OH - and for two years I asked for the bathroom with the wrong pronunciation....I was asking "Excuse me, Where's the chicken please?" Today I got to try the phrase with the RIGHT pronunciation....and it worked. ::snort:: No perplexing looks and instant help. LOL

We are in the same TLF that the regional board shared two years ago at WILD. Fun memories....sharing molten lava...sweet laughter and confidences. Making new memories with Michael and the youngest two Gherkins.

I found myself reflecting on the fateful drive to Tokyo last March....and the memories of FB messages, "Has anyone heard from my family. Are they ok?" And the fellowship with two dear friends as we tried to get back home...both of them moved on now....new memories to make.


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...