Episode 1: End of Season 3, Beginning of Season 4

Sorry didn’t get the blog updated before we left for home leave. Had I, it would have been titled: Chicken pox, Sayonara sadness, Home leave happiness…

Lots of spots…Caden had chicken pox, twice. He missed his preschool graduation because of it. After he cleared up, he broke out again with spots all over his back. Lots of tears...three really close friends moved back to the states. Lots of anticipation...to reconnect with friends and family.

Home leave was, as always, enjoyable but hectic. This year we had a very full schedule. We stayed with my sister and both parents.

Had a great time with my cousins at our annual Cousins’ reunion. So happy to get to see all of them this year! Even those from Indy and LA. There was a week spent in Washington, IL visiting the pediatrician, the dentist and friends. One weekend was shared with Darin’s brother and his family in St. Louis. Couldn’t miss visiting the City Museum. Love that place!

The following day we went to a water park in southern IL. Great fun! Then on to Chicago where we reunited with some of our Rokko Island family who have since repatriated. Was a very special time. Our last weekend in the states was spent in Minneapolis with my sister and her family. We spent a day at the Mall of America and the next at the Science Museum of Minnesota where we viewed a King Tut exhibit.

Had a blast with everyone. Throughout July the boys had their fill of four wheeler, tractor and motorcycle rides. Not sure who enjoyed it more!

Well, that was it in a nutshell, now on to Season 4, Episode 1. Can’t believe we are beginning our fourth year here. August 16 was our third Japan Anniversary! Amazing how blessed we have been since moving here.

Took us a week or so but we finally got back into the swing of things. School started for both boys. Nathan entered sixth grade and Caden started KA, which is like kindergarten but not quite. He missed cut off for KB, which is like kindergarten, by four days.

On the first day of school I made “1^st day of school” pancakes for the boys. I filled a squirt bottle with pancake batter. Worked really well!

On the second day of school I used the left over batter to make “2^nd day of school” pancakes. On the third day of school I did not make pancakes. Caden cried, “I want third day of school pancakes!” Seriously? Since then EVERY day of school begins with numbered pancakes. Not sure when it will stop. Hopefully when Zero the Hero arrives on the 100^th day of school.

Nathan loves 6^th grade! He enjoys having multiple teachers and moving to different classrooms for every subject. Although he did mention he thinks the teachers should be the ones to move from classroom to classroom. Not sure that will ever happen. His schedule is unique. Have not seen anything like it before, but it seems to work for him. He is engaged, does his homework without being asked (most of the time) and is excited about his classes. Cannot complain about that!

Caden loves attending the “big” school. He rides his bike to and from school everyday. He is there from 8:30-3:30 and still seems to have energy left at the end of the day. All is well in his world!

And as you all know, Caden’s world IS slightly different than most. The other day Darin asked him for the second time to pick up his toys. Caden sighed and said, “I’m just a forgetter boy.” Darin said he could picture me getting ALL my boys t-shirts with “Forgetter Boy” on the front. Not an entirely bad idea.

The annual Summer Festival we all love and look so forward to was a bit of a disappointment this year. Our apartment building, including children, decorates the mikoshi (a float) every year. Of course we worked really hard getting it all put together. Cars 2 was the theme. It looked great!

As we walked out the door towards the mikoshi parade the wind picked up and the rain cut loose. Within 5 minutes our mikoshi was a wet, dripping mess. So much for using washable markers.

It was unbelievable! We, of course, laughed at the absurdity of the situation. It looked so pathetic. So did we. But we had a great time working on it. Guess that’s all that counts. It continued to rain off and on all evening. We did get our festival food, which is really all that matters.

Other than getting back into our routine we haven’t done much exciting, but seem busy all the time. Have had lots of meetings for school and the women’s group I attend. There are several new families in our building this year as well. I walk Caden to school daily then walk part of the green belt (a walking/running path surrounding the residential part of our island). Followed by coffee and mom’s social time at Tully’s (most essential for the expat mom's sanity).

I took on a Tohoku earthquake fundraising project. In May, banners supporting Tohoku were hung on several light posts around our island.

Immediately I fell in love with them. After contemplating thievery, I decided to go about it the right way and just ask for one. Long story short, in October I am getting all 100+ of them and am giving them away for a donation. All the money will be given to three different organizations instrumental in helping with the earthquake relief. I am really excited about this project. There has been quite a response. Can’t wait to see how much money we will be able to raise for the still suffering Tohoku area. If you are interested, let me know.

Although it is September, it is still 90 degrees here. Starbucks is doing its best to promote Fall. We call it "Fall in a Cup." Yummy!