I just looked back at my last post - other than newsletters - from May 10th!! Guess I need a shove rather than a nudge...
Classes do keep me busy. Three different elementary schools, one high school, one after school elementary class and one evening adult class.
Then there's the house... cleaning up dog hair, washing clothes, cleaning up dog hair, hanging clothes to dry, cleaning up dog hair, taking clothes off the hangers, cleaning up dog hair, ironing clothes, cleaning up dog hair, you know...all the normal stuff...plus cleaning up dog hair. I have no idea why they are not bald! I sometimes wish they were! Once in awhile I even cook. Breakfast pretty much daily, but dinner... John and Ian do that a lot more often than I these days. Thanks guys :-) I enjoy baking but the mealtime dishes have kind of left me with all our crazy schedules and fewer times we're all here to eat at the same time
Speaking of cooking! OH MY GOSH!!! We got the most awesome gift from the church we attended way back when we lived in Texas!!!! A BRAND NEW GAS RANGE/OVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND one for our church here!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!!!!
The one it replaces was more than 30 years old. Much smaller.(although huge for Japan sizes) The oven would light - sometimes, but never stay lit without something in it cooking - which made pre-heating impossible. Even then it would usually go out and need relighting 2 or 3 times per baking session. So never could it be left and not checked every few minutes because no flame and gas still pouring in could mean much trouble!! The door didn't close well so we used a bungee to keep it from falling open ;-} It had served well but its day was done. And the church oven had totally died.
With this new beauty I even have thoughts of a dinner here and there ;-)
Ian seems to be doing more and more in the music with his H2O hiphop group. They have several events each month and a pretty good following. He also does some guest DJ stints for other performers and events.
He still works at the clothing shop in downtown Nagano and has several repeat customers that he enjoys helping with their special requests. He and his girlfriend, Chika, enjoy the time they have to spend together going and doing or just hanging and taking it easy.
Zack did really well in his first two university basketball tournaments. It was so great that John could arrange to go and see all the games in both tournaments and I went for the weekends both times. They placed third in the Kanto area and fifth in the Rookie(meaning freshman & sophomores). He's really enjoying university life and the new friends and freedoms. Still a pretty full schedule between classes and basketball but not nearly as strict as high school dorm life. He finally had a free day to go take his license test and passed so we took his scooter to him on the 18th and he says it's much nicer than the bicycle.
John keeps busy with all his classes, church piano, English service and Bible Study and cooking a couple times a week for neighbors &/or students that we entertain at our house. He's had a bit of trouble the past couple of weeks. On the 11th, in Tokyo for basketball, we went to meet a longtime friend for lunch before the game. It was raining. John was wearing crocs. Not a good combo. On the way to lunch he slipped, but didn't fall three different times. The restaurant our friend chose was located down a flight of stairs - marble stairs- wet from the rain. On the first step John slipped and caught himself by slapping a large window - thankfully it didn't break. He proceeded. On the last step, his feet slid out from under him and he came crashing backward on to the preceding steps. Slick, wet, hard-edged, marble steps. The edges of four steps caught him - so to speak - leaving him multi-colored at his shoulders, mid-back, lower-back and legs. Of course...he jumped up saying he was fine, while I was in shock still along with our friends, asking repeatedly if he was OK or felt he broke anything. We proceeded to the table where we discovered he had crashed his elbow and was leaving a blood trail. It was a small cut. But it bled,and bled, and bled, for several hours. And just when we thought it stopped - it bled more.
So here we are two and a half weeks, major swelling, discomfort and discoloration, multiple Dr. visits where they say it's nothing to worry about, x-rays (that revealed no breaks!thank you God!), emergency room visits, draining of fluid, antibiotics and hours and hours of ice packs later... and it still seeps blood and fluid constantly. But the docs said `don't worry'...right.
Kaelyn said a special prayer for Jiji's arm though so we know that's why it isn't any worse and actually is beginning to look a little better. Thanks Sweet Girl - MUAH!
I'm a month away from heading stateside after more than two years! and YES! I'M EXCITED! Video chats and phone calls are a blessing but come no where close to in-person! It's always emotional, and even a little scary, to go off and leave the 'boys' here. Just have to remind myself that God goes with me AND stays here with them. And I really need to see and hug all those others of you!
So any of you who would offer up some prayers...for John's elbow to heal, for the three of them to be safe and well and needs met while I'm away, for my travel, oh yes - and the catalyst for my trip - Daeon and the birth of our 9th grandbaby in late August, and whatever else may occur to you :-) we would be very grateful.
Please do remember the Japanese people still struggling greatly from the effects of the 3/11 disasters. As well as all those in every part of the world that are facing their own troubles. Thank you always and may God bless you abundantly!
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