Prayers Please

Stacia began throwing up an hour after I returned home. I am so glad I'm here with her. I HATE being away "on ministry" when the kids are sick...a personal thing.  We've been cuddling today and then I realized I have to travel again this weekend and sure don't want to catch the flu...or have anyone else catch it. Can you pray she perks up quickly, and that the rest of us don't catch it until next week  - which is my week in March at home.

I'll leave you with this darling video. This is fairly common around here.

Stacia told me this afternoon she "loves" being sick because it is "sooo relaxing to just lay on her futon." I know what she means.

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

Starting An Incident

Yep, my carrots nearly started an incident at Dulles airport and they certainly slowed me down. I had to get triple checked through customs. I tried to tell them we could throw my baggie of carrots away...but they said now that I'd brought them into America from Japan, they would have to be burned and I had to go through the quarantine. Waited and waited and when I finally saw the dreaded agent...she said, "Wait....did you buy these in the COMMISSARY in Japan?"  "Yes, Maam. I tried to tell all those other folks that."

She handed my veggies back and let me enter America. LOL

Did you realize I was gone? It was a QUICK trip. I flew to Washington DC on Thursday.  Friday and Saturday was Vision Summit and a PWOCI International Joint Board meeting.  It was a great time for us to meet the new International Board, to pray, fellowship and refine focus and vision for the upcoming year of ministry. I love serving with these ladies.  Being part of PWOC is one thing I will really miss when we leave the military.

We went to the Airlie Conference Center. Wow - this place is nice. Wooded land in VA, lakes, geese, squirrels, spring flowers, old buildings.....and AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL healthy food. It was AWESOME...if I knew what I'd eaten I'd try to find recipes.  Here are a few photos.

 Sunday a.m. I began the 27 hour trip home....arriving at midnight on Monday night due to the date line. It is a 14  hour plane trip from Dulles to Tokyo. There was a bit of weather in Tokyo and so we circled 4x before we could see to land. Pretty funny to watch the flight pattern on the map. We usually go straight in but this time it showed 4 circles around Tokyo. LOL  That took an extra 40 min in the air and meant I missed the last train to Misawa and the early train to Hachinohe. I was THRILLED to make the very last train out of Tokyo to Hachinhohe last night and made it home at midnight! 

Mike and the kids had a busy weekend too. Jared had the aforementioned soccer weekend. Michael took the younger ones to Sand Dollar beach, where they found THOUSANDS of sand dollars....and I guess no glass floats as no one mentioned THAT.  Sunday is always full. 

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

Edgren Sports are DANGEROUS!

Jared had his first soccer game with Edgren High School this past weekend. They drove down to the Tokyo area to a Navy base. They won. 


Jared made the first goal (is that the right word for soccer? ::snort::) He followed that by being beaned in the head with the ball and suffering a concussion. Mike took him to the ER yesterday (Monday) so he could be cleared for practice and they said NO. Told him he has to be symptom free a week and he still has a headache. He'd appreciate prayers for quick healing. 


Who knew Edgren Sports could be so dangerous? 

Jared is the one holding the leaping Eagle. LOL

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

Hina Matsuri

It's always fun to see what Akikosan has in store for us each Thursday night. This week, due to my upcoming travel, we met on Tuesday night. We reviewed verbs, nouns, body parts, days of the week....and then she brought out an activity.  (Of course we learned shapes, craft words and such as we worked).

March 3rd is Hina Matsuri Day in Japan. Girls Day..... For the past couple of weeks displays of dolls have been cropping up at the mall and in other public places. 

Some displays are elaborate but Akikosan said most are smaller these days. The practice is to put the dolls out mid-end of Feb. Parents must remove them before mid-night on March 3rd or it means the daughters will marry OLD. The longer the display stays up the later your daughter will marry. Of course, this practice has some religious roots, but we think it's a great holiday.

They have special treats, leave the dolls up a couple of weeks, and pray for all the daughters on this special day. We can do that.

Akikosan helped us make a set of Origami  Hina Matsuri dolls.  The black hats with sticks are men - the ones with tiaras and fans are women. We aren't sure what Jared's doll (the pink one with the top hat) really is. ::snort::  She left us supplies to make a set for each one of us.....

This is one holiday we plan to "Goeckerize" and adapt.

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

Locks of Love

We found a new hair dresser. She works on base out of her home. She understands fine hair like mine...and we had a good laugh over Arielle's THICK hair. Arielle has been growing her hair for a couple of years.

She followed Bre's foot steps and decided to donate to Locks of Love. Many don't realize that you can donate shorter amounts of hair which locks of love will sell for cash to make their wigs....nonetheless, Arielle had more than 10 inches to donate.  Below is a side section - the back was longer.

A goal met - Well Done, Arielle. 

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

Relaxation....

This lotus water fountain was one of my birthday gifts. Michael got it up and running and we removed the stones to be replaced with sea glass. I love it. The glass sparkles in the water and it reminds me of the lessons God is teaching me...the tinkling water sound is relaxing too. 

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

Weekly Recap

I sat down to begin copying the blog to mail to Dad and Mom G and realized there is not a thing on here that isn't about food, health, or school.  I guess that sums up my life this week, but I usually don't send large amounts of that sort of post to family. So, what else have we been doing?  Usually, when I've not posted any "real update" for a week, I can check my camera and find out what we've been up to.......


Hmmmm......what could this mean? ::snort:: 

My friend, Tina, did the turn and burn trip to Osan last week. You fly out Monday a.m., shop in Korea that afternoon and fly back to Japan on Tuesday. She bought this purse which is JUST what I  have been looking for. Anyone know where I can buy this near Osan or Yongsan? I figure I'll take the photo when I spend a week in Korea and show it around the shops. LOL 


This photo also reminds me that Tina has been graciously helping me all week with retreat stuff. Yep, local retreat stuff has filled my days.  We've got a great team and all are getting set up to keep working as I travel this month. Our retreat is the end of April. Tina is the chapel funds' accountant and I've been spending money all week. ::snort:: 


Monday night the kids had human video practice and youth. I didn't have Bible study. I WAS blessed when a 20 year old gal stopped by to visit with me. She came back Tuesday a.m. for Bible study. I love it.  I spent this time visiting with Chelsea and putting together a display board for the PWOC Spring Retreat. 

Jared has had 2 a day practices all week. He found out last night he's made the Edgren soccer team. No, he's never played soccer before but he's FAST and he's been working since his ankle healed to make it on to the soccer team. When he had to quit football he told the therapist his goal was for it to heal and strengthen in time for soccer. Goal met.  Jared's first practice of the day has been 0600 - we leave our home at 0520. I head to the gym. This has been GREAT for me.  The roads were clear all week. It's snowing today...and I'm glad that I won't HAVE to go in in the early mornings next week. I'll workout at home and let him ride in to do school and go to practice with Mike. 

We've spent a bit of time trying to find size 13 indoor soccer shoes in the Misawa area.  Coach was going to order Jared a pair when he ordered the team jerseys but that company doesn't sell size 13 either. Evidently, tall boys only play basketball? SO.....we're still looking. He DID find outdoor soccer cleats.  Guess he can't play the indoor games. ::snort:: 

Tuesday we welcomed a darling baby to the Misawa Family. I won't post a photo as I've not asked his Mommy and Daddy.....you local folks are going to love little Ricky U the 3rd. 

Arielle and a couple of her friends have been blessed to be mentored by a local young woman. They meet every Wed and encourage each other while they study about going deeper in their Christian walk. I love it. No, I don't attend and no this isn't actually a photo of their small group. 

Akikosan came on Thursday. I fear I'm hopeless...but she loves spending time with our family and the kids are picking it up. Nolan has voiced he would like to live in Japan forever and be a missionary. I understand that feeling.

Friday Ch. Cyr (no, I didn't take this photo either) was our guest on Misawa and spoke at our Prayer Luncheon.  Friday was the first time I've been coined by a General....and the first time I coined a general. The chapel staff had dinner with Chaplain Cyr and CMSGT Johnson at Ohashi's last night.

March 3rd is Hina Matsuri (Girls Day). Above is the display at our local nursing home. Yesterday afternoon PWOC visited to wish this month's residents Tanjobi Omedeto (Happy Birthday). This is always fun. We were especially happy to see how the residents were using the blankets we had made them for Christmas. No, this wasn't staged. We can tell they've been using them. 

See the lady on the left? Everyone got a teddy bear and she got a frog? Her reaction was priceless. I wanted to talk with her....and realized I could say "frog wa nihongo de nan desu ka?" (How do you say frog in Japanese). We spent some happy moments as she tutored me on how to say frog.

In addition to the above we've been doing school.

I've been planning March's upcoming travels. I'll be flying to Vision Summit in DC, driving to Tokyo for a Ladies Retreat and then flying to Korea for Faith Lift.  I plan to take others with me on two of the trips - maximizing the travel benefits. LOL  We'll see how it works out.

It took me four tries to get the paperwork in for us to travel Space A to Korea. I plan to take the girls with me as I'll be in country a week in order to be there for Faithlift.  It will be a great time with the girls and I'll not charge the region a dime....so we all win. LOL

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