Swim Lessons

So, believe it or not, today was our FIRST time in the pool this summer. Hard to believe it is mid-July and we are just now going to the pool. Let me explain - our apartment building does not come with pool and gym access. And, Tokyo does not have the mantra of public pools we are accustomed to in the US. So, how did we get invited to swim lessons? My dear friend, who is Australian, organized a group swim lesson for mamas/papas and tots at the US embassy compound. Since we still pay money to Old Sam we thought we should enjoy the US embassy pool, and we signed up for the lessons. We walked in and guess what we smelled...charcoal! Y'all may laugh, but it made our day. We were hoping the dogs, brats and burgers would be cooking when we left, but they were just getting the charcoal started. Maybe next week we will be invited to a cook out. Miyako and I had a blast. The teacher had them go under on the first lesson. I do not think Miyako knew what hit her, which is probably a good thing, but she did it. Of course, the rest of the day she kept saying, "I don't want my face to get wet next week." I was really proud of her. We had loads of fun being outside in the pool. Kan hung out with happy K Man. Boy, he is such a happy baby. Love him. Even when he is soaking in sweat, he stayed happy. I am really grateful to my friend for organizing and inviting as we just do not have many pool opportunities here and I did not want Miyako to be afraid of water or swimming. The teacher did a great job. We sang lots of kiddie songs and splashed around the kiddie pool. It is a fun family Saturday activity for us.

Tomorrow is a big day for us. K Man is being baptized at our church here in Tokyo. I've been thinking a lot about Miyako's baptism and how different our weekend looked with her baptism verses Kei's. For Miyako's baptism, we had loads of family visit and sleep in our house! I spent the Saturday night beforehand at my dear friend's bachelorette party. And we had a huge party afterwards at our house with family and friends - to celebrate Miyako and God's promises to her to bring her into His covenant. This weekend for K Man, it is just the four of us at home (although I know our family far away will be thinking of us on this special day). It is Saturday night, 9PM, and I am in my pjs (not at a dualing piano bar with girlfriends). One thing is the same...we are having a pizza party afterwards with our family here (Our Dutch brothers and sisters and Minnie's clan). Well, let's make that two things that are the same...we will be celebrating God's promises to our sweet Kei to bring him into His covenant. What a joyous day tomorrow will be and I am really looking forward to it.

Stay tuned for pictures of the baptism.