Life's a Rollercoaster

Yokohama, Japan

Yep - feels like a roller coaster and we may be nearing the end. ::snort:: Seriously, Michael's cardiac tests are back on for Friday.  We even went by the center to make SURE there are no glitches and they are ready to go! If the results are all good (and we're praying they are) we'll be on a plane home to Japan by next Thursday.  As for the other test - the Dr in Misawa feels the new pain is probably adhesion from his surgery and not abscess or left behind material....so that one may be axed completely. 

We hit new highs in hotel living today.  I finally have a light bulb....you know...one that isn't burned out. ::snort:: 

We've been feeling pretty low about missing happenings in Misawa - VBS specifically (You can still register here). Pastor Bre (numero uno Gherkin) decided to help us fill that void. We went over to New Hope Christian College with her and loaded up costumes, pillars, walls and such to create Babylon for their VBS. 

Nolan loads pillars into OUR 15 pass van

Church van loaded with "stuff"

Bre and Nolan with the banner he and Arielle helped paint

We were in AWE when we went back to "the garage"  - we'd assumed all this would be stored in her and Donna's office...spilling over into the general office and possibly Pastor Kirk's office. ::snort:: 

Note all the little cubicles for each program in a local GARAGE

 Michael assures me when we have a real garage it will look like this

The notable exception to this organization was Bre's cubicle...the Children's Ministry section...

Bre assures me they'll all just know it's "VBS SEASON". ::snort:: 

I confess to a fair bit of green-eyed JEALOUSY over all this storage space....I noted the same in Michael - I suspect it's a typical chapel staff reaction. LOL 

Arielle went to youth group with Krista at Lively Stone Fellowship where Krista is a children's pastor who does a bit of many other things. 

Nolan is with Bre working on VBS marketplace posters. 

Michael and I are settling the younger ones into hotel beds for the night.....

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

Looking for Fleeces? ::snort::

It MUST be time to go home. My travel size shampoo, conditioner, shaving gel, hair spray, deodorant and toothpaste have all run out.  I took this as a good sign. 

At breakfast I heard our flights are changed again. Won't be flying tomorrow.

We headed out for today's test and discovered, though it WAS  approved BEFORE the appointment was made, we now have a new PCM in Misawa (one we've not met)...and Tricare says THE NEW PCM needs to request these tests....They rescheduled this test for Monday.

Someone in Tricare is now calling various Tricare departments to work it out. Michael has two cardiac tests scheduled for tomorrow. He's over there to see if this same scenario is in place or if they are still scheduled.

OUR thoughts are the abdominal ultrasound due to  post-op pain can be done in Misawa when we get back. The cardiac tests need to be done before we return. Hopeful the tests tomorrow continue as scheduled....at least if they aren't we will know NOW and can begin working on it. LOL

So....maybe all the toiletries running out didn't mean we'd fly tomorrow....but that I need to go shopping and will be traveling for another 5 weeks. ::snort::

{Note 2:24 p.m. Tuesday, 17 July - ALL tests ordered by the cardiologist have been postponed a week, regardless of prior authorization from 13 July and referral from Dr. T in Misawa.  This is obviously a Tricare snafu....we are still praying we can go home by the end of the week; but things are fairly dicey  now. 

We appreciate your prayers. This is nothing like a vacation. We didn't plan this expense.  We can't leave this location in case they suddenly work it out and we can be seen.  We still have NO answers to the medical questions we had over 3 weeks ago and still do not want to be in different countries until we have those answers. This is the type of  bureaucratic error which is likely to be common-place with a national health care plan. ::snort:: 


We ARE blessed. We do have health insurance. We are together. We do have friends and family to visit in Eugene (but if we knew we'd be here THIS long we'd also have visited CA and TX).... To be clear...we know we are blessed, we know God is sovereign...but our ministry is in Japan. We have unfinished projects, unfinished ministry, and an upcoming huge inspection....we want to go home. ::grin::}


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

Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum

This museum (or 2 museums really) is FANTASTIC. There is also a theater and water park which we didn't even enter. LOL

We took advantage of a tour in both the aviation and the space museum. This really gave us a good overview. We each explored various spots of interest afterwards.

A kit - and a possible retirement project

  

Zander got really interested in all the planes and space....

Spruce Goose engine to the top right of kids

Gas at .13 a gal

Actual nosecone from one of the rockets

Titan - provided by Vandenberg AFB 

Roy rightfully pointed out I neglected to get a photo of the Spruce Goose...but I found some online....the kids really liked the beach balls he had in case of crashing.....still full of 1940's LA air....

This was a VERY COOL museum - see the Goose? 

This evening I began to think of all the "work" that I planned to get this month before this unexpected trip....which led me to think of all the people I miss in Misawa...which led to the revelation that MANY of them have moved in the 5 weeks since I've been in Misawa and I missed saying goodbye...which led to tears...and to thinking of the "3 boys" who are in TX....and Dad G finishing his race well...and Mom G alone in CA.....which led to me simply bucking up. This is the way it is right now.  Things won't always be so unsettling.  And then we saw this.......and I laughed....and pushed the sad thoughts away for another day.

Electric Car recharging station 

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

Bre's Shrinking!

It's been a while since I've shared a Zanderism.

Zander to Bre: You seem shorter than I remember. I think you have shrunk about 6 inches.

Maybe she IS shrinking? 

Reality - he's been growing...as has Stacia!

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

Great Sermon, Great Worship, Great Fellowship, Great family time = Spectacular Sunday!

There is something amazingly wonderful about worshiping the God of the universe together as a body. Totally enjoyed church the past two weeks. Great worship, great sermons, old and new friends.  Today we enjoyed the added bonus of hearing Pastor Breanne G (our daughter) share her heart and vision for Kids on the Rock Children's Ministry. I have a few pictures from last week, which I wasn't sure I'd have a chance to share. LOL 

Donna and BreAnne are office Buddies

Children's Ministry has the upstairs of the church - and it's beautiful! 

Stacia and Zander have enjoyed all the kids and stories

They're buying goats as an outreach project

Yes, they even have a rock wall....and they use it.

It's a good thing BRE is the pastor in this section - I think I'd be tempted to hang a few darlins from the rock wall. ::snsort:: 

Dad is still contagious today and didn't come to church.

Mom, Will, Sherri, the kids, Michael, Bre and I went to lunch. 

Sherri and I made a Costco run. I was AMAZED AGAIN at the portion sizes of products and such in America. How quickly I forget. ::grin::  Sherri introduced me to Sweet Life....fun place to sit and visit. 

Nolan had gone to the girl's apartment for a party. We went over to pick him up and enjoyed a family walk along the Willamette river. I LOVE this river-walk....natural and pretty.... just fun! I think there is a chain of parks along the other side of the river. If Michael is up to it after his tests on Tuesday and Wednesday, I think we'll pack lunches and go exploring.  We plan to be packing on Thursday and possibly flying on Friday????? 

 Back at the girls' apartment Michael busied himself with bike repair (anyone have a gear puller)?

We visited and played games.....

Honestly, enjoying this taste of family living has me thinking more and more about retirement. LOL  Stacia has informed me it's TIME to go back to Misawa - she misses her dolls. 

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

Surprising Saturday

The day got an unexpected start as I blogged below....it continued to be full of surprises.

We had thought we'd spend the day today and tomorrow with Mom G. We tried throughout the afternoon and evening to reach her yesterday and couldn't.  She was out visiting thrift shops and neither she nor us have a cell phone so we were passing messages back and forth through others. We weren't too worried. She's a late riser; our plan was to call her early and arrange the rest of the day.  We called several times before we finally heard from Mike's sister around noon  she'd gone home  to California. We were able to talk to her tonight and she made great time driving home. She's happy to be back home.

So....realizing our day was STRANGE....Mom G was gone and Mom and Dad T are contagious....we went shopping. The kids have a hard time finding a few clothing items in Japan due to their size (off base) and selection (on base).  We had fun buying them the things they needed.

Krista came over this evening and watched the kids while Michael and I went out to Olive Garden with Will and Sherri (my brother and sister in law).  We rarely snatch time for a visit just the four of us - so this was a treat. The night was perfect for a walk along the river after dinner.

One fun memory...as we watched a couple of fishermen, Will noticed an osprey (no photo). He commented his money was on the osprey to catch a trout before the fisherman. It was amazing to watch the osprey swoop down and snatch a trout from between the two fishermen. LOL

Blue Heron 

Two of my favorite guys

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

Friday the 13th

We started the day with a trip to the cardiologist for Michael. No news....more tests next week. This means we are NOT flying home Wednesday. 


We dropped by and had lunch at Mom and Dad's. 


We spent a couple of hours with Sherri (Sister in law) and Will. 

We met the girls for dinner. 


We picked up Mom T and went to Krista's softball game. We couldn't make connections with Mom G - she was out thrift store shopping.  It was a perfect night for a softball game...not cold, not hot. 


Krista plays on a co-ed team from her church and they play in a city league. Last night they played a team which was undefeated.  They led until the very last inning....good showing.

This a.m. has started rough.....Arielle got something in her eye when she was messing with her contact and is quite a bit of pain, Zander burned his hand at breakfast, Stacia's toe is still bothering her (can't enjoy the pool), Gpa has pneumonia so we'll stay away from there for a bit and pray no one else gets it, and there is a fair amount of let down as we'd hoped to have the "all-clear" to travel home.  


Stacia and Zander DID amuse the breakfast lounge with thrilling tales of neighborhood battles, tsunamis and earthquakes. They could take this act on the road. I just stared into space and muttered, "That poor man with those kids." ::snort:: Didn't work too well: as I was sneaking out of the lobby, I was stopped, "Your kids are charming." Me - "well, they're certainly talkative." LOL They are charming....I just could use charming a bit later in the day. LOL 


So....today we regroup, take care of various owies.....try to connect with Mom G again and remind ourselves our task is to Choose Joy! LOL 

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