Zander Trains Yuuki

This series of photos is pure fun. Zander attempts to train Yuuki to eat her lunch and leave his alone during our hike yesterday. 

This is MY organic-Vita Cost granola bar! 

I've got my eye on yours.....

Yuuki makes her move

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

Oriase Gorge - Fall 2012

We've had ten years of assignments which took us to locations with VERY little fall season.  In AK it lasted about 3 days (maybe it was 2 weeks) and in TX it never really got that crisp, leaves turning color thing where we lived. 

We love the four seasons in Northern Japan. Honestly, winter could be a wee bit shorter - but we love it all.  We decided to drive up Oirase Gorge yesterday and view the fall color....little did we know that the 27th  and 28th were the days the gorge would be closed to automobile traffic. We took the detour which took us to the top of the gorge and we began hiking. It was LOVELY to be able to hike in the roads with nothing to worry about except motorcycles and tour buses. I THINK folks bought tickets and then either hiked up or down the gorge and took the bus back to their starting point. We couldn't read the signs and had no real idea of what the plan was so we just hoofed it. 

We didn't see Americans on the hike - and that's too bad as it is the perfect day to do the gorge. We did find it funny when we were lunching by the "big falls"  tour groups would come by this national treasure and take our family photo instead. ::snort:: Michael said it is probably because we are a large family. I feel like we're a small family these days...but it may have been. 

We did see another couple on our way back to our car....and we found out some friends were up there too....so some Americans got to enjoy the day. 

Here are a "few" photos (culled from over 200 shots).

We stopped at the "top" of the detour to grab a few shots and let Yuuki stretch. It was hard to get people photos and stay on the right side of the barrier - but I attempted it.....

After we saw a Japanese couple hop the barrier, we did too, and Nolan snapped this. 

Arielle stayed near the car with Yuuki

We stopped at a few spots on our way DOWN to the little ferry landing and the top of the gorge. 

This is my "What is he doing now" look

Amazingly clear water

 This is the start of our hike down the gorge

I LOVE the kids' cooperative expressions. LOL 

Would serve them right if this became
the Christmas photo!

 

The manhole covers in Japan intrigue me. I've captured them in several spots. Each has it's own local flavor. 

We stopped here for lunch. Yes. 

Beautiful lunch spot

Hmmm.....come to think of it my sweatshirt is fairly loud for this culture...maybe THAT is why we had so many photos taken. LOL 

Zander was chatting away about Samurai while he did this and many men stopped to take his photo - before I told him, "STAY on the path!" 

Many were off the path for art's sake. Zander was the only sword-wielding Samurai. 

Lots of artists spend the day here

Not sure what this says but the ghost caught my attention

 Back at our starting point!

This was a great day. For any lucky enough to have another fall in Misawa, I recommend  watching for the days the roads are closed and go on up next year. 

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

Jared's Update

I was surprised when this showed up on my Facebook page. It seems one of my FB friends went to visit Jared and got a photo of him for me. Only a Mama's heart would know how much I enjoyed seeing his photo.



Just heard Jared is OUT OF ICU. His temp and heart rate are normal. He has no more IV's. His blood pressure remains high - but that's doable. He hopes to go home in a day.

As Bre wrote, "Thanks for praying, please pray for continuing healing that would be supernaturally fast and then supernatural ability to get caught back up on homework when he is physically capable."

Choosing Joy!

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

Talked with Jared

Ah! Talked with Jared and we're figuring out this time thing. It's early Friday a.m. in TX - late Friday night here. We'll call him last thing at night and first thing in the a.m. and get reports at both ends of his day.  

He is still in the ICU. They had hoped to move him yesterday but decided to keep him where he was. He reports he's had several visitors  (in the ICU ::snort::) and  the nurses were getting confused as they thought each was his mother.  Then in the evening Steve and Debbie showed up. He told them these were his surrogate parents.  He's put them on the paperwork so they can get medical info. If he ever goes dark again we'll still have someone able to get the info to us. ::snort:: 

He's doing much better. His heart was high - spiking to 255. They've given him drugs to bring his heart rate down and that seems to be part of the concern. It is now averaging 103....so a bit high but in a much better range. He is still getting breathing treatments every couple of hours. 

He reports he has a "million IVs," is woke up every hour, doesn't like the breathing treatments at all - but he's feeling much better.  He has a nasty cough. 

They hope to move him out of ICU today. We'll call when we wake up in the a.m. which will be 5 or 6 p.m. his time and see how the day went. 

I am guessing he'll have reports of his own as soon as he can get a laptop. 

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

Facebook to the Rescue

 Ah - and there were more Jared updates Facebook. Obviously - FB is better than the phone. LOL

Josiah confirms  vitals are normal.

Debbie, our friend in San Angelo, writes:
 "Steve and I went to see Jared yesterday and boy did he look a lot better. He is definitely on the road to recovery. He was even joking with us. "

There you go - if he's joking - he's feeling better.

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

Jared Update

We have not been able to reach Jared or the hospital today. We're staying up to try to call early in the a.m. TX time. We did see this from Bre's facebook timeline so she must have reached him.

"Brother update: all of his vitals are normal and they are moving him out of ICU in the morning! Praise the Lord! Thanks for all the prayers...please keep praying him through;)."

We plan to stay up late tonight which will be very early Friday a.m. TX time (I believe).  In any event, if we don't reach him, I'll call in the surrogates.

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

Quick Jared Update

Jared has been moved to the ICU (this is a good step), his heart rate was stabilizing last I heard and his fever was going down - 104. The Dr on this shift did not feel we need to fly home. He said he's a "Sick dude, but in the right place." We will see what the morning in TX brings and make decisions then.

 This is all good....and yes, I don't much like being this far away...but he's got some great brothers and surrogates there....we trust them all to keep us informed and let us know if the Doc is downplaying....

Another prayer request the boys  moving....Jamin will now be at a Regional Race and Jared is out of commission. This is a lot to fall on Josiah...though he's a great Cuya!

Jared on a happier day with Gov. Perry and Jamin

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