Sunday, May 31, 2009

Buying eggs

A cultural tidbit from the grocery store.


Japanese egg packaging is different from the U.S.--10 eggs instead of 12 per package and in recyclable plastic containers. These seem to protect the eggs just fine. I never find a broken one. The thing I don't like that they don't close securely once the seal has been pulled off. Maybe I'm opening them the wrong way, but I can't figure out another way to do it. I have saved a few cardboard cartons from the eggs the commissary imports from the U.S. that I use for refrigerator storage.

Another unique feature: they stamp the expiration dates on top of each egg.


Eggs in Japan are delicious and very fresh. The yolks seem to be a bit more orange in color than American eggs, very bright when you slice hard boiled eggs or scramble them. The thing the kids like best though, is that there is no salmonella here, so if we bake with Japanese eggs, they get to taste the cookie dough.

Vote for Meghan!


Meghan has advanced to the second round of the Misawa's Cutest Baby contest. She was one of the top ten cute babies on base.

So we're getting out the vote for this week's second round. If you live here, please stop by the BX this week and vote for Meghan by contributing one dollar per vote to this American Day fundraiser. Thank you!!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Logical question

"Why do they not fight on the sidewalk?"

That's what Matthew asked when told that in Romeo and Juliet, the Montagus and Capulets were in trouble for fighting in the streets.

Then, giggling, he said "When I grow up, I'm going to name one of my kids Romeo." And then, after a second's thought, "But I hope he will not be so angry and doing all those things to get in trouble."

Friday, May 15, 2009

Dat!

Photo credit: Katie

Meghan has become very interested in the names of things around her. Whenever one of us is holding her, she points and says, "Dat," meaning "that" we guess, and waits for us to tell her the name of the person or thing she is looking at, but not necessarily pointing directly toward. It makes a fun guessing game.

She still loves ceiling fans and points at them to be named regularly. Also photographs, wanting to know the name of the person in the picture.

Today she has a rotten cold, but it isn't stopping her from asking "Dat!" In fact, we think the "Dat!" is what kept her from a much-needed nap. She just keeps pointing and asking and can't seem to settle down to sleep. Guess thar's what the drive to soccer practice is for.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Spring fever

At the moment, Katie and Joseph are sitting at the school table and singing the Larry Boy theme song.

Anything to distract from schoolwork.

The temp is about 10 degrees (C) warmer than yesterday and all they really want to do is go out for recess.

I'm about to let them. It's almost lunchtime anyway.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Lunch

Meghan is very interested in feeding herself these days. When lunch consists of brown rice cereal and whole milk yogurt, it's highly messy entertaining.

Want some? I love to share.









She's pointing at the pink rabbit in the bottom of her bowl. It always surprises her when she notices the decoration on it.

So tired!

Naptime is next. :-)

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Lesson learned



It's not just having all the activities and appointments on a calendar...I have to check it regularly, too.

You would think I would know this by now.

Sigh...

How much?!


I was hopping around online today looking for a carry-on bag of some kind to use when we travel home this summer. Something smaller than an actual suitcase. Something large enough to hold Meghan's diapers, toys, books, and snacks, and my book, wallet, keys, and cell phone. Something that doesn't look like a diaper bag so that I might actually use it again in future travels.

I was shocked (seriously) when I saw how much this stylish bag costs--on sale no less. I could buy an extra round-trip ticket between Japan and home for that much!

Do people really pay this much for handbags? Yikes.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Being Tommy's Mom

Photo credit: Patrick

One afternoon about a year ago, I was at the gas station. A woman I didn't recognize approached me as I was filling our van with fuel. "Are you Tommy's Mom?" she asked. "Yes," I replied. "Oh," she continued, "I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am that he was there to help my daughter." She then told me what a good influence Tommy had been in a challenging time.

"Are you Tommy's Mom?" I had been asked a few weeks earlier by a different woman. "Yes," I said. "Well," she said, "You probably already know this, but he is such a great kid." And she proceeded to tell me how my oldest son's actions had helped her and her family.

A friend of mine who worked with Tommy last year reminds me every once in awhile how impressed she was with his level of responsibility in a challenging work situation.

In the wee hours of the morning on May 5, 1989, my first child was born. It happened in the usual way with an anxious phone call to a midwife followed by an anxious drive from Silver Spring, Maryland, down to Georgetown, John trying to drive both quickly and gently as we navigated the construction on the Beltway. Each bump set off another painful contraction.

We arrived safely, and about 3 hours later, so did Tommy. I was a night law student at the time while working full-time in a firm downtown. I was exhausted as I held that small, warm bundle. Exhausted and exhilarated. And frightened. And wondrous. "Hello, little baby, we love you," I had said before we even knew he was "he". I have continued to say it as we have gotten to know who "he" is.

He is a gentle young man with an open heart and a cheerful manner. He is a conscientious young man who is learning to make his own way in the world. He is a talkative young man who stops to listen to the difficulties of others. He is sometimes a slow mover, but takes immediate action when needed. He is a thoughtful young man with a lively sense of humor. He has had his share of hurts and troubles, but his spirit of perseverance keeps him looking up, his eyes on the eternal goal.


As a new mother, I was for a time uncomfortable with the name "Tommy's Mom". Influenced by the writing in popular women's magazines, I worried that it lessened my value, my dignity, to be labeled by the name of my child. I was young and ambitious and focused on worldly success. I wanted to be known by my own name for my own achievements. As time went on, I first accepted the inevitability of the name. Then I grew to understand that Tommy, and any of our children whose names have become part of mine, is a daily gift of grace and love to our family and to the world. In giving me this child to nurture and love, God did not limit my dignity. He increased it.

When I was first called "Tommy's Mom" I did not appreciate the honor that was being given to me. But I do now. When someone asks me if I am Tommy's Mom, I respond,"Yes," with a grateful, joyful heart.

Happy 20th birthday to my dear son. May God grant you many years.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

New bloom

Two falls ago, we rescued a tree from the woods behind our house. It had been tossed in a debris pile, but I noticed that it was still alive. Getting it into our yard was quite a project. John dug a large hole to plant it in (Corretion: I have been reminded by Katie that Tommy and Patrick actually dug the hole. Sorry for forgetting your part in it, guys.), we cleared the debris off and then had to figure out how to get it over the fence. It was quite heavy, as the root ball was pretty much intact. Probably the only reason it survived for almost a year in that pile. After using the fence as a fulcrum to lever the tree over and into the hole, it was planted. It has been slowly coming back, growing more and healthier-looking leaves. Last year, it had a few blooms, but nothing like what we saw when we looked out the window this morning:

Photo credit: John

It is covered with beautiful, pale pink flowers.

Photo credit: John

Now we want to identify the tree. Camellia trees are common in Japan, and we think it must be some type of camellia, but I can't find a photo with flowers that look exactly like these online. Does anyone know?

Photo credit: John

I really hope it is a camellia. When I was a teenager, I read (and loved) a series of books about a wealthy g irl in the 1910s who named her car "Camellia" for the flower I think, but I never knew what the flowers looked like. If these are it, I can see why she liked them.

Photo credit: John

But I can't imagine the car was as lovely as the blossoms are.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

A thousand words

Last Friday, we actually were up to a little more than playing hookey. We went out with my friend, Therese, so she could take photos of the g irls in the lovely matching Christmas dresses my mother made for them. And of Meghan in what we call her "cherry blossom dress", which Mom made for her to wear for Easter.

Meghan is not quite 11 months old, but we wanted to catch the cherry blossoms for her one-year-old photos.

It was a bit too sunny that day, and Meghan was recovering from a cold. It was also nap time. But Therese handled the challenges of the light and the crabby baby and the clothing changes with grace. Best of all, she took beautiful photos of our beautiful daughters. Not that we're proud of them or anything. ;-)

If you are in Misawa and are looking for someone to capture your family on film, I highly recommend Therese. She is a true artist.

Take a peek at Therese's website: http://www.thereseannphotography.com/

If you'd like to see her photos of our daughters, scroll down to the lower left of the page, and click on the set of photos labeled "Sweet Sisters."

Thanks again, Therese. :-)