It is hard to describe life these days. We are settled in to life here in Japan, but the clock seems to tick backwards. I feel unsettled as each subsequent day subtracts from the bank of time we have left here. We have rhythms in our days, but no two are the same and each week seems to hold new surprises. We feel less strange as we have acclimated more to our surroundings, yet we will always be different and never quite fit in. I struggle between embracing the comfort time and experience has brought, and heeding to the constant restless feeling that we should be doing more. We continue to strengthen relationships and to dig in deeper, but with an awareness that time will eventually separate us from those we care about by over 6,000 miles. Yet, even when I am feeling unsettled, surprised, strange, restless, or overburdened– life continues on. And it is beautiful.
The girls are really enjoying school this year, which eases my heart. Kitty can now read and write Japanese better then English. Avalyn, my feel-everything-150%-girl, does not come home with her head down and a sour mood anymore, but happily reports most days as “good”. Sonia loves her teachers, and the fact that London will be attending school with her part time next month. The girls have been teaching London Japanese words at home to prepare her for school. They yell out words for her to repeat “boshi” hat, “kutsu” shoe, “atama” head. Today they were making her repeat silly words in Japanese like “unchi” poop and “ushiri” butt. I couldn’t hold back my laughter.
Fancy dress for entrance ceremony day 
All first graders get to ring the bell 
They love that they go to school together now 
Sonia’s color this year is midori, her flower is suzuran, and her teacher is Chizuru-sensei 
Love seeing these every spring at school 
Coffee ice cream break at school for sports day
Loren’s mom came out to visit us last month and we had alot of fun together on her first trip to Japan. We took her on a road trip to Kyushu for a week, and she had some great new experiences. She used chopsticks as she ate raw fish, she kept a poker face as I took her to bathe with strangers, she followed along as we trekked volcanoes, and she did not freak out riding in a car on the opposite side of the road for a million hours next to our four children. We love sharing our new home with people and watching them as they take it all in. They learn the idiosyncrasies of the Japanese culture– bowing to everyone in every transaction, taking your shoes off wherever you go, paying in cash, new restaurant etiquette, a silent packed train, a million trash bins (or lack of), narrow roads and the under use of car seats, universal shyness and privacy, high tech toilets, love of anime, high standards, and strong work ethic. We love seeing them take in the beauty–driving through bright tree covered mountains, seeing Mt. Fuji from your airplane window, digging your toes in the salty sandy shore, eastern architecture with tall castles and tiled roofs, rice patties drowned in water that reflect the bright blue sky, kind and helpful people, sipping and slurping a perfectly seasoned bowl of ramen, clean streets, and fresh raw seafood.
Heading out to Hiroshima then Kyushu 
Hotel view in Hiroshima 
Rest stop stretch break 
Peace cranes in Hiroshima at the children’s memorial 
Clock in the museum 
Strong visual 
Students gathering at the children’s memorial 
Looking at the melted glass bottles in the museum in Hiroshima 
Avalyn in deep thought about the bomb drop 
Peace Memorial Dome 
Miyajima Island resident 
Ladies on Miyajima Island 
Tori gate in the water at low tide 
Entering the Kyushu Island 
Yellow watermelon at a rest stop 
Beautiful tree in Kumamoto 
Looking for an open bathroom on the electronic wall display 
Great ramen in Kumamoto 
Kumamoto Castle, under renovation due to an earthquake 
Foot soak on Sakurajima Island 
The best pile of tempura veggies 
Wore robes to get buried in the hot sand 
This then a soak in the public hot spring onsen 
Watched Mt. Aso smoke, couldn’t drive up to it because it recently erupted 
Blueberry dango mochi 
Yufuin, the cutest mountain town 
Tried to visit the cat cafe, but London was not allowed in 
Quirky shopping street 
Fresh scones, the best breakfast view 
Walking the town 
Visited Yufuin’s floral village 
Yakiniku, so good 
Caught a waterfall 
Pet a hedgehog 
Drove a safari 
Kinda glad we didn’t brave the safari bus 
Rest stop dinner 
Conveyor sushi dinner 
Sakurajima, a beautiful volcano island (actually a peninsula)
We continue to take it all in. Even in the summer heat, sidewalks are bustling with pedestrians and bikers, and we join in. The passing of time is marked by the new summer flowers blooming along our daily walking paths. We eat seasonally here, and summer brings so many new delicious foods. Strawberries, plums, watermelons, and big zucchinis. Recently, we have also celebrated many birthdays and I was able to plan a trip alone back to Michigan. It was a busy trip, but the 14 hour solo plane ride was blissful enough to make up for my packed itinerary. I am so thankful Loren is such a capable and wonderful dad, the girls got their own vacation with him while I was gone. My mom and sister also came out to help with the girls so Loren could go back to work, so they got spoiled even more. We visited with my Aunt Sharon and Cousin Kristin during their vacation in Japan, taking them to the aquarium and to our favorite yakiniku restaurant.
Sakushima Island 
Made a friend 
…def not alive 
Purple clams for dinner 
Hydrangeas bigger then London’s head 
Art all around on Sakushima Island 
Visiting the Denso Gallery at headquarters in Kariya 
Sonia’s birthday cake 
Cutest cup of coffee 
Birthday gifts from a dear friend 
Random berry eating at the park, probably safe 
A mom breather on the lake 
Hot cups of coffee and quiet conversation 
Delicious deli meats on great bread by the lake shore 
My dad and Stella, heart full 
Golf with my dad and brother, with an all American lunch 
Fresh tuna for my poke bowl creation 
A young woman gave Kitty this flower crown after she told her it was pretty 
Ice cream always 
Park fun with sisters 
Stopped me in my tracks, had to capture it 
Yakiniku with Kristin 
Nagoya aquarium with family 
Avalyn’s birthday 
Celebrating our extension from Denso to stay here a little longer 
Teach them young 
Poached salmon with fresh wasabi 
Easter pic 
Loren and his mom, Shirley 
Church udon lunch 
Breakfast 
Homework with the help of the big sister
I am so thankful for these past weeks, I hope you enjoyed reading about them as much as we did living them out. Your prayers and thoughts are always felt, even across the seas and the 13 times zones that separate Japan and Michigan. Anyone wanting to travel into the future, come visit us here in Japan and experience all of the wonders yourself! Thanks for reading.