Off We Go

Okay, well the movers are here, so I guess this is it. Next time I talk to you all we will be in the States permanently! Love to all, we'll see you soon!!!

Mamamamama

Jocelyn said her first word! Well actually, it's not really a word so much as a long string of sounds generally followed by a resounding thbppt, which is her new favorite thing to do while I am trying to feed her. And, while it is extremely cute and I am very proud, I am also getting tired of the formula showers. I must caveat this by saying that not everyone agrees that this is Jocelyn's first word.

Me: Jocelyn said her first word!
Jocelyn: Mamamamama. Thbppppt!!
Tim: That's not a word.
Me: Is so.
Tim: That's just a bunch of sounds strung together. She doesn't know that mama means you.
Me: Does too.
Tim: Well, if mamamama means you, then I must be aiiiooouuuiieee. So she said my name first.
Jocelyn: Thbppppppt!!


Another exciting, albeit somewhat scary thing, happened to us today. We were standing in line at the BX and I was talking to one of the ladies know from Caitlyn's school, when Caitlyn said there was a bug on Jocelyn's stroller. I looked but there was nothing there, so I blew it off as being a fly or something that had flown away and continued my conversation. Suddenly Caitlyn tugged on my sleeve and pointed to Jocelyn's stroller. There was this HUGE ASS SPIDER crawling right next to her head. I about shit myself it was so damn big. Somehow you fly into "Mommy Mode" at crises like these, thank god, since I would never in my life touch a spider like that otherwise. I just reached in and squashed it with my bare hand and flung it to the floor. Afterward I freaked out a little and checked Jocelyn all over for spider bites, but she was fine. I just can't imagine where a spider that big came from or how it got into her stroller. Thank god Caitlyn was paying attention and noticed it. Ick! I still get the creeps thinking about it!

Wah!

Tim left for Texas today :( So, I am all alone with the munchkins for almost a month until we leave for Buffalo. I wasn't really worried or upset until he actually stepped on the plane, and then I started to cry a little :( I know we're only going to be apart for a month, but it's the longest we've ever been apart and I miss him already!

I have so much to take care of for our upcoming move. I can't believe it is here already. It seems like just the other day I was freaking out over trying to get orders and now it's time to leave! This was a very hard day for Tim, too. He's lived in Japan for over 5 years now, and going back to the States seems like going to a foreign country to him. Misawa has been his home for so long, and, even though we're totally thrilled to be back in the same country as most of you, it's hard to leave a place that you know like the back of your hand. Especially because I don't know if we'll ever make it back here. We'll most liekly come back to Japan in the future on vacation (esp. since Jocelyn and Vanessa were both born here), but I don't now if we'll be able to come all the way back up to Misawa. I have to admit, I'm not really all that sad. I enjoyed Japan, it's a beautiful country with beautiful people, but I am so excited to be coming home. It makes me feel kind of bad that I'm so happy about leaving, but please remember that I spent four years in Hawaii, too, so I have been away from family for a good deal of my adult life.

Okay, now I'm just rambling. The whole point of this post was supposed to be that I miss my husband and I'm sad we're going to be apart for so long. I hope this month goes by quickly because I can't wait to see you all on our vacation!!

Weddings, Pho, and Hai

I know I haven't blogged in forever, but 've been so busy what with getting ready for the big move (Tim leaves on Wednesday, wah!!!). I also just got back from the most whirlwind trip I've ever made. My girl Susanne got married last weekend and I was one of the bridesmaids, so I few all the way from Misawa (with Jocelyn, mind you) to Tacoma Washington for three days to be a part of the wedding (cause she's worth it!). The weird thing is that Jocelyn was a perfect angel for the entire trip (which was actually a total of 6 days - 3 for travel and 3 there) and became a perfect monster as soon as we got back! I think she's still getting used to having her schedule all f'ed up for so long (we are the complete opposite timewise of the States, so when it's day there it's night here and vice versa, so our bodies were very confused for the whole trip since we didn't have time to adjust to anything). The wedding, however, was absolutely gorgeous. (The photographer said pictures would be ready on his website in 6 to 8 weeks, so you're gong to have to wait for me to post pics because the only thing I did forget to bring was my camera!). They had a Catholic ceremony, which actually took me by surprise since Susanne was not raised Catholic and I hadn't realized that Greg's family was Catholic, which I was really surprised to find that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was only about a half hour and it was really touching. The parents also gave a blessing which was particularly moving (that and when Susanne came down the aisle with her dad trying not to cry were the only times I was in real danger of making the ugly cry). The reception was just perfect, too. The food was fantastic, the quartet was a reall lovely touch, and everyone had so much fun. Even though I had Jocelyn with me the whole time I really didn't feel like I missed out on anything. Even though it was very difficult to travel alone with an infant (I had Jocelyn in her Baby Bjorn on the front, my backpack on my back, her car seat in one hand, and my luggage in the other - not fun!!), I got to see my two best friends that I hadn't seen in two or three years and reconnect with them and to be a part of one of the most meaningful moment's in Susanne's life. Plus I got to eat Pho!! It was totally worth it :)

Oh, one little funny anecdote about how living in Japan is turning me into a total racist. When we went out to pho, after I gave the waitress my order, she repeated it back to me and I replied with a resounding "hai" (which is pretty much the only Japanese I really know). The waitress gave me the dirtiest look, as if she were saying, "I'm Vietnamese not Japanese, you little cracker bitch!" I was so mortified you'd think I would remember that I was in the US where no one speaks Japanese. Not so. Not then ten seconds later, I did it again! To the same lady! And then I did it again when I bought some shoes from a Korean lady! Laura and Susanne found the whole thing very amusing, but I am very trepiditious about going to LA now. I'm going to have to carry around a little disclaimer stating that I lived in Japan for a long time and I am fully aware that not all Asians are Japanese, please forgive the round eye :)