We started the month in Japan.
This picture taken during our last moments in Japan at the airport. The Tokyo to Toronto flight went great. Little did we know that at the Toronto Airport our flight to DC would be canceled, we would miss our reroute by 5 minutes after running through the Canadian Airport with the kids & luggage & customs stuff. We ended up taking a 6 AM flight the next day. It was an adventure that we smile and laugh about weeks later.
We went to the Aquarium on Monday, with our friends, the Dingles, to celebrate Alee’s first birthday. It was a great day, with beautiful weather and lots of fun things to see. Half of the excitement was riding there on the train and exploring a new place. It was a fabulous day! Enjoy the photos!
We are in the middle of "Golden Week", a week where several national holidays fall right in a row. Monday was Greenery Day, and Tuesday was Children's Day. All the fish that we see strung up everywhere, called "Koi Nobori", are decorations for Children's Day. They're beautiful!
handsome Titus
Beautiful Hana Meg. *on a side note: the other day when I got off the phone with Rebecca, Hana's mom, Noa said to me in a very sad voice, "But mom! I wanted to talk to my friend Hana!" She loves that girl!
Noa watching the Penguins swim. They were so fast and always came by the window in a big group. She was still getting used to the idea of being underground and watching all these new animals so cose to her face.
Martha was missing a morning nap, but that didn't stop her from being amazed at what she saw.
She would point and say, "Wow!"
One super cute One-Year-Old! Alee was also missing a nap, but she stayed happy and sweet all day long. It was amazing to see.
The Aquarium is right by the bay, so it was fun to look out on the water.
Stopping for a snack. Martha is getting really good at smiling for photos. She even says, "cheeeeeese" sometimes.
These two were so funny riding in the double stroller together (see what I mean about Alee being happy all day?)
such cute little friends
It was a great day, but we were certainly tired by the end of it!
Just a few random things that have been going on:
Eric had a great time in Nojiri (the mountains) with our teammate, Isaac, and 2 college guys. I’m so thankful for their protection as they drove so many kilometers and were skiing/snowboarding. I’m so thankful that they had such a great time building those relationships and growing closer.
On Sunday we enjoyed an exciting worship service, that was also the installation service for the first national Japanese pastor in our church. Having a Japanese pastor has been a goal/prayer in this church plant for so long, and it was incredibly sweet to watch about 20 years of prayers answered in that ceremony. We had a sweet time of fellowship afterwards, and there was truly an atmosphere of celebration in the air as we ate together. It was such a blessing to my heart and I just felt so thankful for the Japanese believers that God has put in our lives here to challenge us and be an example to us. We are always encouraged by their faith and love for God and their love for each other and us. It’s so hard to imagine leaving this body that has become our family…
Starting Sunday night we had our team retreat. We didn’t retreat to anywhere, but we retreated from ministry. We had 5 sessions (Sunday night through Tuesday evening), with baby sitting provided from 9 to 5, and MTW’s pastor for missionaries, Ron Shaw, was here to teach us. It was a great time of learning, being challenged in many ways, and mostly being reminded of the incredible love of the God we serve. It was a sweet time and I was reminded of how thankful I am to work for an organization that takes missionary care very seriously. We had ladies night last night (dads at home with the kids) and the guys are out tonight. I am really looking forward to more conversations with Eric about things we learned and areas where we were convicted and want to see growth.
On a family note – I don’t think I mentioned this earlier – we are in the throws of potty-training and it has gone great. Granted, it wasn’t a “potty-train in a day”, but it has been better than I expected and a very positive experience. I will try to keep you posted on our progress. I hope this is not too much information, but my favorite quote in this time of our life is when Noa jumps up from what she’s doing and starts running for the restroom while yelling, “OH Mommy… the pee-pee’s comin’!”
Another big milestone is that Martha went to bed without her paci tonight. The paci getting dropped and lost and dirty (with so many germs at this time of year! yuck!) has really been grossing me out and making me think that it was about time. Plus, as with Noa, I felt the longer we keep it, the harder it would be to do away with it. I am not much for having accessories that the girls can’t live without so I am happy to see it go (though, if you know me, you know I have a special place in my heart for paci-mouth-smiles…sweetness…). Anyway, when I took her to bed, I had forgotten to bring one up so, since it had been on my mind anyway to do away with it, I decided to see how she would do. NOT A PEEP! The girl curled right into her normal snuggled up sleepy time position and went to bed! I can only hope this is it and it was this easy (Noa took about 3 nights to be ok with it all…). Here’s to hoping!
So that’s what’s going on with us. Eric is on spring break from school, which just means we have time to do other ministry during these two weeks. We are excited but already overwhelmed with the busyness. We’re also due for a marriage retreat and are hoping to sneak away for a day or two in this time, but we’ll just wait and see if we can make it happen. Again, here’s to hoping! 
Thanks for checking in with us! Sorry there are no photos, but hopefully soon.
We are really really excited that we will have Lydia Smith, from our home church in VA staying with us for the next several months while she serves on the team here. Lydia is an amazing girl, from an awesome family, and we are thrilled to get to know her better and see what God will do in her and through her in her time here.
Lydia came for about 10 days for CPI in November of 2007. Here’s a photo of us with the team from our church (Lydia is standing to the left of Eric).
I am not quite sure what Eric is doing in this photo...
Ah man, I really miss these guys! I wish they were all coming back to live with us with Lydia…
Anyway, would you all join us in praying for her as she is flying even now and will be here shortly? Pray that her time here would be fruitful personally and for God’s work in Japan. Pray that God would lead her for the future as she has college ahead of her after this. Pray that God would give her good friends, and that he would use us in even a small way to be a comfort to her as I am sure she will miss her big, fun family. And pray for her parents as they have just sent their oldest across the world for several months. I can imagine that must be hard but exhilarating (you know, being excited for her and for how God has led her and been faithful to them as parents). Thank you!
I am sure you will hear a lot about Lydia on here from now on. We’ve been working on her room this last week (the room that used to be our “office/throw-everything-that-doesn’t-have-a-place-room”) so Noa has been showing everyone who comes over “Leeeya’s” room. I know we will all love having her around!
On Saturday we celebrated the engagement ceremony of our dear friend Ai-chan to Jason Kueh. The whole day was such a joyful experience of God’s love poured out onto his children, especially these two precious people as they prepare to reflect Him in their marriage. We were so thankful to get to be a part of the day, and that we will still be in Japan for their wedding in July.
Engagement ceremonies are ceremonies to announce and celebrate a couple’s intention of marriage. In the Christian church it is a worship service including the couple’s “vows” of intention. Eric and I also had an engagement ceremony when we came to visit Japan together the winter that we were engaged. It was nostalgic and special to be at one again.
I had a great morning with two of my closest friends here, Ai and Chi-chan, at the beauty parlor where she had her hair done and her Kimoni put on (Yes, you have to have it professionally put on, or at least put on by someone who is certified in putting them on. It takes a lot of work!)
Beautiful Ai:
Ai-chan wore a beautiful kimono with the long sleeves that indicate she is an unmarried woman. This was the last time she could wear one like that. She looked absolutely stunning in it.
The soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Jason Kueh:
During the ceremony:
Stating their intentions of marriage:
They sat with Ai’s parents who came down from Nagoya for the ceremony. It was fun because Jason had a few people planning this and her parents ready to come down a few weeks ago without Ai knowing. When he proposed and she said yes at the beginning of this month, everything was well on the way to being ready for this special day.
The food and decorations were wonderful!
Ai’s parents and her older brother who was also able to make it:
Look at this fun couple! I pray that they have many many years of laughter together!
Some of the cutest girls ever: The Yonemoto sisters and their “adopted sister”:
The Tsuka-Yone-moto families
Would you pray with us for these dear friends as they prepare for the awesome adventure of marriage. Jason will head back to seminary in Philly at the end of this month, and they will be apart for almost the rest of their engagement. They plan to live in Japan for a bit after they are married in July and then live in the states while Jason finishes school. After that, I believe they hope and plan to be in Japan. Would you pray that God would use them mightily for his kingdom here, especially as they become one and begin their covenant family.
Jason and Ai~ We love you two and are so thrilled for you! Know that you are in our prayers and we look with anticipation to what the Lord will continue to do in and through you, as individuals and as a couple. May he be glorified and you be blessed! “Gambate” these next months of being apart and preparing for your marriage!
I have mentioned that Noa has named her favorite baby doll “baby Selah” after our friends, Liz and Yuya’s new baby. Selah Kaye Kuwahara was born in November and is just as cute as can be. I wanted to post a photo of her preciousness. Isn’t she perfect??
We are so thankful for her life and the family she has been born into. Yuya and Liz are a fabulous couple who have such a heart for seeing God’s kingdom grow here in Japan. They are already great parents and Selah is so blessed to have them for her mom and dad.
And we are so blessed to have them as friends. I especially, am so thankful for God placing Liz in my life and the friendship and accountability and companionship that He has provided through her. Even though we may not live in Japan together for much longer, I pray that God keeps us close and continues to bless both of us through this friendship in years to come. And I am so glad that we get to be moms together now.
Noa, who is obsessed with both baby Selahs, is also really enjoying be a mom with us. After I took the above picture, Noa wanted the doll baby Selah in on the photo shoot too. Here is the picture she had me take of her doll:
(yes, i just took up precious internet space to post a photo of a doll… I did it for Noa, who takes great pride in her baby
