Bella's Friend Party

 Bella is turning 9 and today was her friend party. We rushed home from Eagle River so Allie and I could join the fun. 

Bella chose an around the world theme for her party. She dressed as a flight attendant. Bre decorated several different stations to represent different locations. Each child had a passport and received stamps in their passport as they went to the different areas. 

There was face painting in the Amazon Forest, a photo both at Disney (either LA or Tokyo), treats in Paris and gifts/treasures in Egypt. It was all really cute. 

Facepainting by Joelle and Rebekah

📷by Jamin 

Uncle Jamin and Trudy

A favorite memory for me was arriving early and helping Bre replenish the shrinking rain forest. Arielle, Allie and Bre in this shot...

Shots from the Photo Booth 

Annie

Bella

Gideon

Lucas, Gideon & Morgan 

Lucy & Jojo

Cousins - Jojo & Danny

Annie

Trudy

It was a fun party. I enjoyed meeting Candace. She and her family are looking for a church home in the valley.  I know churches in the valley. They are looking for a Bible teaching, un-legalistic, walking the word church....Y'all be on the look out for Candace, two kids and a hubby and don't make a liar out of my recommendations. LOL 

Nine years already! Wow. Time is moving right along. LOL 

Allie and I spent a couple of hours in the hot tub - a great place to process and connect. Taxes were submitted.  We gathered at the table with Michael late in the evening and discussed the upcoming week and my propensity to believe most things that go wrong in the world are somehow my fault. ::snort:: 

Note: If the photo isn't marked with Courageous Joy or a photographer they are from BreAnne. 

Sunday in Japan - Stacia

 By Stacia

Today was very full. It was amazing but very full. We had two church services, GT (grow together) groups, kids English (basically a condensed vbs), J-Sports, and a dinner.

The service I attended was cool because there was a genuine dependence and longing for God that is not something I've seen very often.

The GT group was amazing! I loved getting to break away and intentionally connect with a smaller group. While I have been trying to use Japanese, this group setting was hard to follow, and I was very grateful for their willingness to translate for me. It was very kind.

Kids English was probably the most natural thing for me we've done thus far. I know how kids' ministry works; it felt very normal. I love how despite all the cultural differences kids will still be kids.

J-Sports was probably the most unnatural. Athletic is a word NO ONE would ever use to describe me so this time of sports at a gym was trying. I had fun getting to know more people and playing volleyball very poorly.

The dinner was so fun. We all sat at different tables and chatted. I loved this time of conversation and games.

After all these events we had a group meeting and called it a night. I didn't take any photos because...well...I didn't want to. It was easier to be in the moment if I didn't take photos because of how fast the day was going. However, many other people were able to snag some photos and I'm borrowing some of theirs. These are from kids English.

Goldfish all the way from Alaska! 

Another Saturday, Another Gym

I look forward to socializing with Arielle in gyms around the valley! What will I do with my Saturdays when I can't go watch Benny play soccer? I left before Dad or Michael were up. Allie was moving so I knew if Dad needed anything beyond what I'd left out for him she would lend a hand. 

Myself and Arielle

Benny kicked that ball...

Benny loves the running, stealing the ball and kicking. 

Guess which position he doesn't enjoy? 

Goalie

Allie met up with a friend for a hike and then she headed to Eagle River to help Jamin paint one of his units. Michael woke up with a raging headache and went back to bed. GG read and worked puzzles. 

We ordered 24 new chicks....I'm excited as these old ladies are not holding up their end of the bargain. We got THREE EGGS yesterday...from 24 hens? Not good. LOL  We ordered 18 Black sex link which look too be good layers and great with cold weather and we ordered 6 that will lay blue and green eggs. 

GG and I had dinner and watched an episode of Father Dowling. Allie made it home and we are calling ot a day.

Second Full Day in Japan - Stacia

By Stacia Via Facebook

Full day. We hiked up a mountain to see some Buddhist temples. It was a great time of fellowship with our hosts. I was very glad to get to practice my Japanese. They were so patient with me! It was an absolute blast! I look forward to more practice as the trip continues.

Also, found soft serve ice cream and 'peach water.' Peach water is a drink I always asked for out of vending machines as a kid. Now that I can read, I know it's actually peach tea. Weird. Probably still gonna call it peach water tbh

Turns out, having a fever really impacts one's emotions. Yesterday was so hard. The whole day felt impossible. But now that my fever is gone I am having a much better time.

Stacia and Lonicera (other girls on team)

Editor's Note:

About that peach water...the vending machines in Japan are amazing! One can buy almost anything from them. One even sold eggs! I was in my uber healthy phase when we lived in Japan. We didn't do soda....but Stacia loved the peach water and that seemed like the healthiest choice. She OFTEN had lots of peach water when we were out and about. Now we discover Princess Chatterbox may have been over stimulated and caffeinated those years of her life. LOL Stacia swears she hates tea...maybe she'll play around with some of the peach tea I have here when she gets home. LOL

Also - I find it funny that Life 360 is still letting me know where she is and that she is 3685 miles away from me. LOL

Stacia in Japan

 By Stacia via her Facebook

Found wifi! I'm here! We arrived in Osaka and got through customs. Some of our codes weren't right so we had to go through twice, but we still got through decently fast. Very efficient system.

Once in Japan we made our way to J-House and settled in for a wonderful dinner. That's about when I realized I had no appetite and felt like puking. Still, I hate being 'rude' so I slowly ate all the food...and it was really yummy. I wanted it. We went to a convenience store, picked up some supplies then headed back to J-House where we finished the night with a team meeting.

Yesterday we prepped for ministry and went over J-House rules. By 1 I realized I was still feeling like puking and now I was chilled as well. Yep. I had a fever. I let our leaders know I was sick, and they had me stay back to rest. I took a lot of meds and mom found a way to call which was amazing.

This morning, I feel way better. I think my fever broke . I was able to sleep for a long time, so I have energy again.

One thing I hadn't been prepared for was how emotional being back would make me. We rode on a train to get to J-House the first time and sitting there watching cherry blossom adorned Osaka pass by I felt joy, peace, fear, grief, nausea (cause why not???), and confusion. It's been so wonderful to be back. I already have done everything I'd hoped for (see cherry blossoms, shop at a convenience store, and witness a proper vending machine) and the trip is just beginning! So many adventures left to have over the next week.

On the other hand, being back has forcefully reminded me that Cy will never be able to visit me. He used to talk about someday bringing his girls over or taking a Goecker wide trip to Japan. It's hard knowing that he will never be here to do that. I miss him.

Please pray for emotional and physical resilience. Also, wisdom as our team goes through the tricky process known as cross cultural ministry. We could all use some prayers for wisdom as we go forward. Everything is done so beautifully different here.

(Cherry blossom and donut photo courtesy of Lonicera)

Wrestling...

I am DETERMINED to stay current and possibly make progress on back blogging so I must stay with it.....

Thursday, I spent the entire day once again discussing "issues" with a lawyer, the state, and Dad's care coordinator. I hear of others who find this process painless and quick, and I just don't know WHY we are having so many issues. I submitted the trust back in June 2024.  The state and our lawyer have now discussed their miscommunications directly, a template was finally sent to the lawyer, he filled it out USING THEIR TEMPLATE,  Dad and I did the signature and notary thing AGAIN and for the 4th time I registered this trust with the court and sent it to the state. I can only assume it will fly through the process now that it's their own template being used. Our lawyer asked for a template the first time they rejected the trust he created.  I find it ironic the things they required be changed in March are NOT on the template...but what can I say?  OK - this probably makes little sense to anyone, and I don't plan to go into more details at this point - just know I spent another whole day doing things I have done and submitted several times before. LOL We are on a quest to get the best situation we can for dad. 

While I wrestled with bureaucracy - Michael wrestled with installing a new water heater as the old one finally went out. Michael has had a new one waiting in the garage for 3 years. The heater is up on a stand...At one point Michael called me out to help him "walk the new heater onto the stand." We finally reached a point where he (with his fractured discs) and me (always a wimp) needed to lift the thing onto the stand.  It wasn't long into the process I began a mental checklist... "Stacia is in Japan, Allie won't be home until 7:30, Nolan and Alex are working, Izaak has shoulder issues...and I called Cory!"  Their dinner was in the oven, but he agreed to come over after they ate. We set the heater back down on the pile of boards we'd assembled, grabbed dad and went out to eat.

CoRielle made it to our house before we did. Charles came running as I got out of the car yelling, "Bachan, where's YayYa (Stacia)? She's in Apan!"  Arielle and the kids' visiting was a bonus to calling Cory! It all worked out great. Danny bought that sword with his "OWN MONEY." 

Charles and Danny

Ellie is drawn to fuzzy blankets

Benny - 7yo

Allie and Arielle

Cory & Michael 

GG & Charles

Ellie & Bachan

In the midst of this craziness, I saw I had a text from Stacia. The things she had set up for communication weren't working but texting was and then I clicked the video camera, and we were able to do a google video call. I can only assume because our text is google it can be web based...as neither of us has international minutes on our plans. LOL 

It was SOOO good for all of us to be able to see Stacia. Charles asked her if she knew she was in "Apan."  Stacia had a rough start to the trip. She arrived with a bug she picked up somewhere on the 20 hour trip.  I do think I'll just capture her Facebook posts and add them to the blog. We had been unprepared for the emotions which would hit being back in Japan. It's good to hear from others who have gone back that they had the same reaction. Japan was a meaningful time in all of our lives. It's worth a bit of wrestling with emotions and grief to return. 

This morning, we woke up to discover we've either been enjoying a false spring or this was the shortest summer on record. To be fair it is typical to have 3 - 5 feet of snow in our yard at Easter so we are still well into spring....