Scrapbook Day 11/12/2012

Scrapbook day fell on a Monday this month. Normally on Mondays we either go to a play group in Ikebukuro or do something that involves getting on the train and adventure. But on this particular day I was tired, the K Man had a cough, and we just stayed local. I love that staying local means I can walk to 4 different amazing parks or a climbing gym! We played with a lot of Minnie's on this day and went to the park behind our building. It was just an average day. I wrote down on my calendar about the K Man talking more. He will hold his hands up and say "upu" when he wants to be picked up. He has learned this Japanese word from his big sis. He can also say doggie, Mickey, Ruff Ruff, Moo, and Amen. He does a mean Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Dog dance. Seriously folks, it is hilarious to watch the two of them do the hot dog dance. He is still big...oh so big...and heavy. Miss M continues to amaze me, especially with her Japanese. She can read hiragana and was reading a book today in Japanese. I guess I should work on those English letters some, huh? Her Japanese teacher said she is amazed...she said M could enter primary school based on her knowledge of the language. Her teacher gave us a book for daddy and Miss M to work on while we are in the US. Speaking of, we are coming in one week!! To say I am excited is a bit of an understatement. We will be in Lexington from 11/28-12/17. We will be in Knoxville from 12/17-12/21. We will be in Nashville on the night of 12/21. Then we head to Little Rock, Arkansas from 12/22-1/2. We are back in Knoxville on 1/2 and fly back to Tokyo on 1/8. If you are in these areas and want to see me, please send me your contact info friends, especially if you are not on facebook, so I can get a hold of you. I am not taking my computer with me so my main source of emailing will be through facebook. My calendar in Lexington is filling up fast with amazing people to visit with and lots of visits to the gym and Bikram yoga studio. The studio in Lexington lets you do unlimited classes for 2 weeks for only $30. Did y'all read that?! $30 is what I can pay for a one trial class here in Tokyo. So, Bikram, here I come - I may go every day since I have babysitters to watch the kids. Let's get some sweat on. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in America. I am cooking here on Friday because it is a national holiday and the hubs is off. My friend Sally is stopping in on Sunday for a visit for a few days. She flies back to Oregon the same day we fly out so I will have some help getting to Narita. She is famous for sending Miss M lots of Charlie Brown stuff when she was in her Charlie Brown phase. Miss M thinks my friend Sally is Charlie Brown's sister. It should be interesting when Miss M meets her and finds out she is Korean with black hair, and not blond with a pink or blue dress on. So, we will have a busy week before we leave. I have been trying to clean out closets so I can fill them up with goodies when we come back, especially new clothes. The girl needs to shop more than once every 2 years y'all. I am excited, but I admit, I am a bit nervous. It has been awhile since I have been back. I may get a bit overwhelmed in the grocery store. And I know I will miss routine and my own home because I thrive on structure and routine. You just do not get that traveling with two kids and living in 3 different homes over the course of 6 weeks. But, when I get overwhelmed, I am going to step back and relish our family, our friends, the endless variety of ice cream, and say "Thank you Lord for this gift of a lengthy vacation. Help me to be flexible and embrace the craziness of it all and lack of structure." Not much fun for this scrapbook day...but just some thoughts. I have been a bit silent lately...probably because I am reading a great mystery book by a Swedish author. I have to give it back to a friend before I leave as I know I will have plenty of new books to get lost in once I am back in the States and check out the book shelves of my friends and family. 7 days...tick tock...