Little Rock, Arkansas/ Family Wedding

We are back home now which means the pictures from the big camera have been uploaded and I can complete our blog entries for the remainder of our trip stateside. We spent some time in Little Rock, Arkansas for a family wedding. It was a long drive from Kentucky but well worth it. We got to spend one night with my college roommate and her family which was so fun. I love catching up with her and her husband. They are such a breath of fresh air and their commitment to Christ is so encouraging. They live very authentic lives and I am always blessed when I am around them. At their house, Miss M rode a bike with two wheels! She just got on it and started going. We were so amazed. The bike was smaller so I think it was easier for her to handle, like a balance bike with wheels. So, the first thing we did back in Tokyo was take her training wheels off. She is having a harder time here because the bike is heavier and bigger but with practice I think she will get it soon. It will really help us out when she can bike on her own with us around the city. The kids loved having cousin time in Arkansas. They were comfortable right away with their cousins and on the first day they all went swimming together without mama and daddy. They even went down the slide in the pool with Cousin Shelbs catching them. She is our niece who spent four weeks with us back in July of 2012 in Tokyo. I loved seeing the kids be more comfortable with family on this trip, especially Miss M, and not being so reserved. She really blossomed into a young girl while we were in the US over for the summer and it has been beautiful to watch. Both kids were in the wedding of our other niece who got married. They did great, except the K Man fell asleep during the service and did not exit with the other ring bearers, who are second cousins with our kids. Miss M hit the dance floor at the reception like no other and was dancing non-stop with everyone. It was hilarious. We stayed with friends of our family in Little Rock who have three children...at one point I saw Miss M dancing with all three of them and their father as if she was part of their family. Very sweet. We were really blessed by our time with these new friends as well. The mom home-schooled her kids for awhile so she gave me a lot of pointers regarding that. Overall our time in Little Rock was crazy busy but a lot of fun. We were encouraged by going and were glad to be a part of the family wedding festivities. Enjoy the pics.