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.

Futons....Japanese Style

I've mentioned that one of our college friends moved to Japan. I think Kim's been in Tokyo nearly 20 years????

Anyway - Kim suggested futons for our kids' rooms as we have lots of them to fit into small rooms. Ah....I did wonder how so many couches in a room would work.....

Kim explained that Japanese Futons are not pull out couches. ::snort:: I think this is the idea....I'll have Kim confirm.

Don't those quilts (futons) look comfy? I think I could leave most my quilts here and buy some futons for use in Japan. They'd be great for when our big kids visit....and we'll see what the younger ones think. It certainly would clear space in the room during the day.

I can't remember how much Kim said they cost...but I found this interesting. This is my "random thought on Japan" for today.

Have those of you who've lived in Japan purchased some of these? I wonder how well they hold up....how do you wash them...hmmm....

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Today is Tuesday - YESTERDAY was Monday....

::snort:: Did anyone catch that?

A quick list of what we accomplished today:

• Independent school work
• Called State Dept looking for Jared's missing Birth Certificate
• 3 collages for Homeschool Drama Club
• Cholesterol check up for De'Etta - Grrrrrr.....
• "Discussion" with base immunization...more to follow. ::sigh::
• Base library for an MP3 player loaded with "Japanese for Dummies"*
• Home for lunch
• Called State Dept again
• Drama Club
• Went to the park with Stacia and friends during drama instead of running errands LOL
• County Vital Records for a LONG form of the birth certificate as the military insists they will not use the short form. You CAN get a tourist passport with the short form. I now have both forms.
• Downtown library to return books (and picked up a few MORE)
• Home again and on the phone with Krista about health issues
• Called the State Dept again. When I was told again that he'd look for it...I politely said, "I'll stay on the phone while you look. We NEED this." Jared's tourist passport arrived but his birth certificate has been missing for weeks. Good thing we decided not to let him go to Mexico over spring break. LOL 30 - 40 minutes later the man was back. He had found it and said he was addressing it as we spoke. BTW ladies on the PWOC CR board were praying that the passport would be found and 30 minutes later - it WAS! Woot!
• Loaded things for regional blog while on hold....sent emails...caught up on mail.
• Dinner after our treasure hunt through the house to find something we can eat that didn't need a stove/oven....pancakes.
• Baths
• Lent Devotionals
• Blogging
• Mike is still at work.
  Choosing Joy!
  ©2009 D.R.G.

School?

Yes, we are still doing school. In fact we are working on lapbooks for Passover, Science and Princess'. We're also currently very interested in the Iditarod and Japan. ::snort::

We are doubling up on TOG.

Zander is VERY intent on finding the right "sound" for the cards in his hand during the game he, Arielle and I played of "Pick a Sound".

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Finally! A Party!

The only one who had a gift to give Jamin was Josiah. The rest of us are still waiting for the gifts we purchased to arrive.

To make things a bit "different" each child bowed to him and then told him what they'd got him.

Spurned by a 3 yo Diva....


Who knows? "From one bachelor to another - a MICROWAVE!" I PROMISE I taught them to cook....but Josiah likes to tease me about his bachelor diet. This is a great gift. These young men bless my Mommy's heart quite often. I love young adults!

Mike made a famous ice cream cake.

Sunday was a great day. Jared got Jamin a boken, the other three all got Jamin History Channel DVD's.....and Mike and I combined the birthday budget with the Christmas budget for his paint gun at Christmas.

I've just been reminded we have no stove/oven. We're off on a treasure hunt through the pantry and freezers to find something we can microwave or grill - after my comment about bachelor's diets. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.