Blessed to be back!

I really don't know where to begin this blog. While today was actually very uneventful, it has heightened many emotions. Today we didn't have classes, so it was just a lot of sitting at my desk. Thankfully I had things to do. Next Monday I speak in chapel, so I worked on typing up my chapel speech so I could give it to my translator. They prefer to have them at least a week in advance. While doing so I started thinking about what I felt I should share. For those who know me, know what a daunting task that can be for me. I am never good at making decisions, especially ones that effect a significant amount of people. I started thinking of my time at home, and some of the wonderful time I spent outside admiring God's beautiful creation. This reminded me of the story about geese that I had heard years ago. So I talked about how the geese fly in a "V" formation and all the benefits it has for the whole group. Here are the main highlights about the geese...


*By flying in the “V” formation the geese use the uplift from others to make flying 71% easier.
*If one goose leaves the “V” the resistance and drag is so great, he hurriedly returns to the group.
*When the lead goose gets tired he falls back into the “V” and lets another goose take the lead.
*If a goose gets sick or wounded at anytime, two geese will go down with it until it heals, and then they fly back to the group together.
*The geese constantly honk to encourage each other to press on and keep flying.

With that said, I talked about how we should be like the geese. How we should encourage each other and share each other's burdens. Although as I write this I am thinking of all the people who are currently encouraging and uplifting me, even though they probably have NOO idea that they are doing it. I have the MOST amazing family. I'm not just talking immediate family, but also extended.


My grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc. (on both sides, sorry just a pic of the Denton side) are all Christians and can show you love like you've never experienced. On top of my blood family I have multiple church families. The nearest and dearest to my heart are the members of Vanderveer St. Church of Christ in Burnet TX. I know so many of them pray for me and let me know they're thinking of me by saying hello on Facebook. The love and support they have and continue to show my family is overwhelming, and humbling. Next I have amazing friends scattered all around the world, with most of them residing in OK, TX, or now here in Japan. Saturday it was so great to meet fellow English teachers in Japan whom are also Christians. Thank you all! Your Christian examples, and lives of faith are an inspiration to me, and a big part of the reason I am in Japan teaching/ministering. (Forgive me if I offend anyone for saying ministering)

Thinking about all the incredible people in my life makes me realize how ridiculously blessed I am. I don't understand it. Why has God chosen me to bless this much? I feel like I should be doing so much more than I am. Thank you God for this opportunity, and PLEASE help me share the love and blessings you have SOO richly poured on me!

ROOMATES

I know I have mentioned a few things about my roommates, but I don't think I have mentioned how blessed I am to have two AMAZING roommates. Both are very different in several ways, and God is teaching me things through both of them.

Amber Andrusak is not only my newest roommate, but also my newest friend. We quickly became friends on the way home from the airport and the few days we shared getting over our jet-lag. We share many mutual friends, because her hometown (Salina, Kansas), is my birthplace. We determined our family left a year before her family moved there. So we just missed each other, but have had fun talking about some of the same people we know, which is actually how she found out about the teaching position at YJG. We get along great because we share some of the same mentalities, and we are only 2 years apart in age. We both remind each other of good friends, which we both see as a good sign. We also share the LOVE of COFFEE, and on most mornings share a cup of Joe together!

Bridgette Jones is special because she has been here for 4 years so she has become a mentor, advisor, and most of all friend. I had met Bridgette the Christmas I came to visit my sister in Japan, which made things really nice for when I had to make my quick transition from the states to Japan in May. Bridgette is from North Carolina and is great with Southern hospitality! We have had many dinner parties with friends, co-workers, and students. Bridgette and I also share the love of musicals. In the few months we've been in Japan together we've seen the Sound of Music, and DreamGirls together. Unfortunately I don't have any pics of us together because I didn't have my new camera then, so she has them on hers.

You will be hearing and seeing more of them throughout the year!

Students + Fireworks + Beach = AMAZING DAY

Thursday we had two students, Saria and Mana come to the house for lunch. I made chicken, spaghetti, and a salad. Oishi des! After the food was put away and dishes cleaned we played Uno attack, Doubto (the Japanese name for B.S.) and Cranium!

They were SOOO much fun! I love having students over, and I think it was fun for Amber to meet some students.



After the games Amber and I didn't know how to nicely tell the students we had plans to go to Zushi beach for a firework show, so we invited them to come with us. The fireworks were AMAZING! As always pictures can't do them justice. On the way home Amber and I were hungry so we stopped at a convenient store to grab some "traditional" Japanese specialties. I introduced Amber to bento boxes (like a TV dinner only not frozen and with fresh fried rice, and a shrimp stir fry type thing. , onigiri (triangular ball of rice with fish inside), and tofu rice rolls.

I'm BACK!

So as some of you know, I have been in the US for my summer vacation. I am now back in Japan, and happy to be here. I am working on getting unpacked and settled in. First thing this morning is going to the grocery store. Last night when we got home all we had in the house was rice, tuna, and some condiments.

After some scrambled eggs, grapefruit, and apple juice my new roomate, Amber, and I headed out for a mini tour. While we were out shopping we began to get hungry so I took her to a Japanese restaurant for her first Japanese meal. Here is what I ordered...

After eating our jet lag was starting to kick in, so what better way to solve jet lag than a massage. There is a REALLY GREAT Thai Massage place near our school and house so I took here there and we got massages. They were SOO great! After the massages we came back to the house to do a little more unpacking and then we both turned in early.

Back in the States

Gomenisai...that's I'm sorry. Which I am for not posting in such a long time. Needless to say the weeks leading up to me leaving Japan were rather busy, and I neglected posting things. While I'm home I will try to back track and share some stories from while I was there. I will be back in the states until August 23rd. It's been a great visit so far, but I am already ready to go back.