Snack of the Week

No, it's not "Drink of the Week." But it is one of my new favorite snacks. I think I could eat a whole bag at once. I'm pretty sure it's healthy; just look at all the pictures of veggies on the bag! Am I right?

And now for something completely... pointless...

This is how Noah eats a breadstick... he chews up and down the sides, kinda like the way one would eat corn-on-the-cob. He's also been known to eat his bananas this way... and pickles. Interestingly, he does not eat corn-on-the-cob. He won't eat if off the cob either, but that's another post entirely.

Going Back in Time

Thought I might dig up a few shots from our stop in Seattle on our way here...

The Move Continues...

Thank goodness for Starbucks to prepare us for household goods delivery day! And what a day is was... we're still recovering... still unpacking... This is the move that will not end! Here are some scenes of the move-in... (and for those who might wonder, there are at least 4... maybe 5 places right here on base where I can get Starbucks!)



Noah finds a place to hide...


These stickers are on pretty much everything. I imagine I'll be finding them for months, even years to come! We actually have a few from Devin's past moves. They really "stick" with you!









Things look much better now. We've made a lot of progress, especially in the kitchen, living, and dining areas. I'll show you more later....

Uninvited Guest

(From Devin) So our dog has been sniffing around the laundry room all day (annoying us like crazy) so we block her access to that room. I figure there is a gecko in the room. No big deal. Later on, she starts sniffing under one corner of a cabinet in the kitchen. So we open the door, wheew... stinks!! We'll deal with it tomorrow and decide to block her from that room. Then all of a sudden, she wigs out, barking like crazy. I go into the kitchen, pull out the roaster pan drawer under the oven... a RAT!!! The body is 5-6 inches long and the tail another 3. No field mouse, no house mouse, A RAT!!! It even took a wiz in our roasting pan! I hope the thing likes Raid Rat Bait, because that's whats for dinner, buddy! Show of hands, who buys a new pan (it's a very nice calphalon pan that we got as a wedding gift) and who just says wash it VERY VERY good? Follow up question, how expensive a pan does it have to be before you say, wash it!

Southeast Botanical Gardens

Here are some of my favorites from our trip to the Southeast Botanical Gardens on Thanksgiving weekend...

While I'm on the subject....

The potty story reminded me of this. I know many of you have seen it on Facebook already, but... I can't help myself! It makes me giggle each time I see it...

This place cracks me up...

I love how Okinawans add those extra touches to make even everyday things special. For instance, all the taxi cabs I see have these lovely lacy seat covers on all the seats... even the headrests. Also, road construction signs have pictures of different flowers on them... like, "Caution: Road Work Ahead" with a photo of a lovely orchid beneath the Japanese and (thankfully) English text.

So it should have been no surprise to me today when I went to the ladies' room at a shopping center... (Marcie's typing this... just so you know... and, if you feel you're about to get a dose of TMI, then go ahead and skip reading the rest of this...)

Anyway, like I said... I go into the ladies' room. I walk past the "squattie potty" stall... just wasn't feelin' it... and proceeded to find a "normal" toilet. I'd barely laid tush on the seat when all of a sudden I began to hear the sweet sounds of nature... blowing breezes and birds chirping... Wha?!?!?!? Can you believe they have automated nature sounds that play so as to drown out any... um... noises one might make whilst takin' care of business. And sure enough, the lady in the stall next to me had chirping birds playing as well. It. Cracked. Me. Up. I thought I was going to laugh out loud right there in the stall. I don't care who you are; that's just funny.

Clown Car of the Week #2 (sort of weekly, really)

This one was taken at the base exchange parking lot. It kind of reminds me of a very very very teeny tiny school bus. A bus you can put into your pocket. I think it also reminds me of a golf cart I used in Florida.... except smaller.

Bustin' at the seams...

No, I didn't have too much turkey and dressing at Thanksgiving dinner. But I am feeling bloated... in a good way. I'm counting my blessings, as I often do. Oh, I'm not REALLY counting them, mind you. That would take far too long. But I'm taking some time to reflect on the blessings in my life. That's a good thing to do on Thanksgiving Day or ANY day.

Frankly, I'm amazed. In awe... awestruck. Dumbfounded... When I look over my life and see how God has brought me from where I was to where I am, I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to see where He will take me next. I can tell you for sure, I never thought He'd take me HERE. I was beginning to think I'd never get married. Then I thought I'd likely never have children. I FOR SURE thought I'd never live in Okinawa!!! But then, that's just like God. He's always doin' somethin'. For I have a husband that far surpasses ANYTHING I'd ever prayed for, two BEAUTIFUL children (if I do say so myself... and I do...), my health! which is no small thing!! And now, I find myself living on a subtropical island. Who'd have thought? I'm an Okie. Never really wanted to be from anywhere else. But, for whatever reason, God has brought me here for a time... brought US here. I can't wait to see what He'll do. Like I said, He's always doin' somethin'.

This brings me to another "Top Ten" list. (No, I will not make Top Ten lists a regular item on this blog. I have neither the creativity nor the patience.)

The Top Ten things I (already) love about Okinawa... in no particular order...

10. The ridiculously beautiful weather we've been having lately.

9. Those trees I keep seeing... the ones still in bloom with all the pink flowers... so lovely.

8. The sunsets. Oklahoma has beautiful sunsets... but here... oh. my.

7. The view of the East China Sea that appears as I crest the hill heading toward Gate 1... ahhhhh....

6. Blue Seal Ice Cream -- YUM!!!!

5. Beni-Imo purple sweet potatoes... oh, what the Okinawans can do with this little gem! (More about this later...)

4. Lumpia!!!! OK, technically, this treat is Filipino, but they're here and they're deeeeeelish!!!!

3. Funny little Japanese cars and signs, menus, etc. with Japanese "translated" into English.

2. The (occasionally ear-splitting) noise of jets flying right over my house on a (nearly) daily basis... That's the "sound of freedom."

1. My husband... working so close to home that we can meet for lunch during the week. I love getting to see more of him!



I'm so blessed and thankful for my beloved family and friends!!! I hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Love,
Marcie

Drink of the Week

"Drink of the Week" sounds better than "Beverage of the Week," so I've decided to change it. I can do that. I have the power. ;)

Anyway, I will now introduce you to this week's drink...


Pepsi: Mont Blanc

I love Pepsi! Not diet, but regular. So, I'm thinking... 'Cool, a Pepsi product.' Devin and I tasted it. We decided it tasted a little like cream soda... there was a hint of vanilla... OK, so far... but then... wait for it... the aftertaste. What IS that? we wondered. Devin tasted coffee; I thought I tasted some sort of liquor... either way, we both decided we would not be fans of this one.

After some research, I discovered that Mont Blanc (yes, it means "white mountain") is a French dessert that consists of pureed chestnuts and whipped cream (among other ingredients, I'm sure). That's the flavor Pepsi was going for with this seasonal offering. Well, I don't know much about chestnuts... but I do know I won't be partaking of another Pepsi: Mont Blanc...

Next!

Clown Car of the Week (installment #1)

(From Devin) While some have seen this already on Facebook, those who haven't (MOM) will be able to get updates via this site.

We saw this "clown car" next to Jusco and (of all places) Tony Roma's (you know... the place for tempura chicken and grilled cheese). Yes, this car is truly a 4-door. No photo shopping of the picture to make it look bigger. Paint this one red, white and blue and you could just hear a Ring Master introducing the next act. The best thing about this one is the yellow license plate (hard to see I know, but trust me, it's yellow).

What's the big deal about a yellow plate, you ask? It means that this baby has a 2-stroke engine in it. Like a weed eater, some snow mobiles, dirt bikes, bass boats. Of course the one in your bass boat or dirt bike is probably bigger.

Next week, I'll try to actually tell you what kind of car I'm highlighting. For this week, just enjoy the view.

Beverage of the Week

Welcome to the first ever installment of "Beverage of the Week." (OK... we probably will not keep this up every week... but I like the title.) We will also tantalize your taste buds with "Snack of the Week," and Devin is working on a project of his own involving modes of transportation. If you were hoping for more sophisticated material such as Okinawan culture, flora and fauna, or the history of the Ryukyu Islands... well, you've come to the wrong blog. (Just kidding... we'll get to that stuff later...)

OK, so the first ever "Beverage of the Week" is... well... I don't know what it is. I could sit with my Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji character sheets and try to decode it, but really? Am I seriously going to do that? I just bought this one 'cause I thought the bottle was pretty.


I liked the flowers on it, and as it turned out... that's what it tasted like... flowers. No, I've never really eaten flowers, but... it was tea that tasted like flowers smell... if that makes any sense. Sort of like floral-scented dirt. I did not care for it and will not be buying it again. Tune in next week for another installment of... "Beverage of the Week."

This Soba is Makin' Me Thirsty!

The Okinawans are thirsty people. I've come to this conclusion not after hours of sociological study, but rather... well... see for yourself.
Vending machines like these are everywhere! And, when I say, "everywhere," I mean... EVE-RY-WHERE!!! You'll see them on almost every corner, and occasionally, they're even more plentiful than that. Sometimes you'll even see one in what seems to be the middle of nowhere... next to a fence by an empty field... in a back alley... Like I said, they're everywhere.


Have I made my point yet? No? OK... here's more...



It does get pretty... um... warm here. And with the humidity, perhaps so many vending machines become necessary. Don't want to get dehydrated. The drink selection seems truly endless... they've canned and bottled everything you can imagine... fruit drinks, sodas, teas, waters, coffee... Coffee? Yes, coffee... in a can... If you can drink it, it's sold here in Okinawa in festive packaging that's hard to resist.

Stay tuned for more culinary adventures...

Home Sweet Home!

Again, old news for some of you, but here are some views of our house...



A view of the back...


Lots of space, lots of windows... I think we're going to like it here!

So far... so good...

OK... so this is old news for some of my Facebook friends, but I need to bring some of my non-Facebooking relatives up to speed on our journey thus far...

Here's a view of the TLF -- Temporary Lodging Facility -- which I "lovingly" referred to as "Tiny Lodging Facility." Not much to look at, I know... but remember, these buildings are meant to stand up against typhoons. The inside was clean and tidy... and... I think I mentioned... tiny.




I suppose it wouldn't have seemed so tiny if we hadn't stuffed so much stuff into it... high chair, dehumidifier, Emerie's bed, dog crate...



The bed was surprisingly comfortable. (Emerie sure did get around. It's amazing how fast she can move on those tiny legs.)



Nice view! And the rainbow's not bad either!




Our sweet new ride... yes, I drive a van. This baby is a Toyota Estima. We later obtained a second car... a Toyota Windom... photo to come...

Just like the old days...

It's funny, but I've had this familiar feeling lately. I told Devin the other day that it feels like I've gone back to college. There are so many things I've been going through that remind me of going away to OBU "back in the day."

There are orientations... handouts that remind me of syllabi... There are tons of classes to take, but they sound fun! Instead of Western Civ, I can choose from Beginners Japanese, Decorating with Obi, or a class on how to shop at Jusco! Now that's my kind of class! (More on Jusco later... I'm just beginning to discover all it has to offer.... so fun!)

On-base housing is like dorms and apartments. You have to go find your mailbox at the post office and learn the combination. There's a bookstore. The food court at the BX is kinda like the GC... my fellow Bison alums will know what I mean. There's always some sort of party or activity going on.

There are lots of new people to meet... only instead of asking about hometowns and majors, the talk is about kids and their ages, geckos, and where to buy a shower curtain liner.

I definitely feel like a freshman!!! ;)

I enjoyed college, but this is way better! There are beaches, great places to shop ... I'm not broke all the time... and I don't have to worry about never having a date! :)

Top 10 Things I Miss About Oklahoma

10. Fall. It's cool here in Okinawa, but not that cool. I miss sweater weather... Fall leaves... the beautiful colors. This place has a beauty all its own, but I miss Oklahoma Fall.

9. Winter. Yes, I know it's not even here yet, so how can I miss it? I just know I'll miss wintry, snowy days... watching the flakes fall... so peaceful and beautiful...

8. Getting in the car and driving someplace without having to think... Am I on the left side of the road? What street is this? Why don't they label the roads better? What does that say in English? Is this my blinker or my windshield wiper switch? (and so on...)

7. College football. Oh, we do get college football here, but it's on Sunday... not Saturday. And I have yet to see a team that I really care about. It's all... West Virginia vs. UCONN... whatever...

6. Mexican food on every corner. Oh, I miss my Mexican food! I could SO go for some street tacos right now!

5. Ice and water in my fridge door... sometimes it's the simple things...

4. Sitting on the couch in our back living room and looking out into the backyard.

3. Our king-sized bed!

2. BRAUM'S MILK!!!! Oh, how I miss Braum's skim milk!!!

1. My beloved family and friends. (Duh, what did you think #1 would be?)

Yep, I miss Oklahoma... but I'll bet I'll have another blog post in just under 3 years about all the things I'll miss about Okinawa!

Mama said there'd be days like this...

I don't actually remember my Mom saying that exactly, but we all know it's true... I guess I'm having "one of those days." Maybe even a couple of "those days." I wasn't even planning to post any of this, but... it's what's going on with me. It's not pretty. But it's real. Just me bein' real. Besides, I can't stand those blogs -- we've all seen 'em -- where everything is always swell. The kids are perfect, the husband is perfect, the mommy is beautiful and... perfect. I get it. A blog shouldn't be a place to air your dirty laundry. Nobody wants that. But let's be real sometimes. Things are not always rosy.

Today, I'm not feeling rosy. This place... this place is... not home. Even my home is not my home. This furniture is not mine. That crummy excuse for a bed is not mine. It just feels... foreign. Maybe that's 'cause it IS foreign. Not just the Japan part of it... but ALL of it. I'm experiencing two cultures at once. Japanese culture and Air Force culture. So many of the other spouses have done this before. I'm sure it's never easy for them, but this is WAY out of my comfort zone. We were so busy when we first arrived... getting driver's licenses, getting our house, getting stuff for the house, getting things done... but now... Devin is back to work for the most part. We're as settled in this house as we can get until our household goods arrive. So now what. Devin has work. He interacts. He has friends (or at least acquaintances) already in place at the office. Me? I'm starting from scratch.

It's a lonely feeling. I barely know anyone. What do I do with my time? What do I do with my kids' time? Where do I start? Everything is complicated by the fact that I'm still finding my way around this place. Driving on the left side of the road doesn't yet come naturally. I have to think harder about everything.

Sorry for the whining folks. I know things will get better. God has already shown me twice today that this is true. All these feelings I have are probably normal... and the good thing is, I know the truth. God is here. Just like He's in OKC. Just like He's everywhere. He's still guiding me. Opportunities will open up. I'll build relationships... friendships... that stuff just takes time. I'm just experiencing some growing pains, I guess. I know this will pass, and I'll find my "Okinawa Groove." I just wish I could get there already.

I was so optimistic and confident... before I got here. It's easy to be optimistic and confident when you're still half a world away. I cried the night we arrived. We'd gone to bed... exhausted... and I let go and cried... wondering, "Now what?"

Here's what. Day by day, this place will be more like home. I'll find my place. I'll meet people. I'll get more comfortable driving and exploring. I'll learn. I'll grow. I'll experience things I won't likely get the chance to experience again. I'll ask God to show me how He wants to use me. And He will. And there will still be "days like this," but they'll be few and far between.

(This blogging thing might just take the place of therapy!)

Love y'all!

Just in case anyone is worried that all my posts will be novels...

they won't. ;)

We're here, so now what?

Our sponsors had rounded up a couple of volunteers to meet us when we arrived on Kadena. Frank and Kelly have been amazing! They had enough help and vehicles to pick up the four of us, our 8 -- make that 14 bags, and Doris with her crate. They whisked us to the TLF (temporary lodging facility) to get us settled. They'd stocked the fridge and cabinets with some food. The place was small, but clean. The bed... I just wanted to go to bed. So, to bed we went... until about 3 am. Our bodies had no idea what time it was. For the first two nights, we awakened at 3 and 4 am respectively. Our bodies thought it was morning, so we got up. Ate breakfast. Watched tv.

It was a relatively smooth adjustment, and within a few days, we were sleeping just fine. Of course, we've been going to bed around 8 pm each night because that's the kids' bedtime. This place is too small... if the kids go to bed, we all go to bed. So, we've been getting plenty of sleep.

We had a busy first few days... buying a car, getting a driver's license, learning to drive again, finding a house, getting sick. Yes, getting sick. Devin was wrestled to the ground by a lower GI virus. He was sick! He looked sort of sweaty and gray for a couple of days. Got so dehydrated that he ended up getting two liters of IV fluids at the clinic. That was Thursday and Friday. He was better Saturday, so we went out. By Saturday afternoon, it became clear that I had not escaped. Now I had the bug. Fortunately, what took Devin down only threw me a jab. After about 24 hours, I was back in business.

That brings me to today. Whatever today is. Let's see... oh, yes... it's Monday. Don't ask me the date. I just know we move into our house tomorrow!!! The government furniture is being delivered today, and Devin should be picking up the keys as I type this.

Thanks for reading my ramblings. Of course, that's the beauty of the blog... it may be that no one is reading this, and I'll never know.

More edge-of-your-seat commentary to come...

Our Okinawan adventure begins... Part II

Let's see... where was I... Oh, yeah... the trip here. I've kinda been trying to block it out. Our flight from Seattle left at 4 am Thursday. We could check in no earlier than 6 hours prior, so we were there feeling pretty proud of ourselves just before the 6 hour window. Well, guess what? We weren't alone in our thinking. There were people everywhere... the line was... oh, it was long. All of them lined up for our flight. So we waited... filled out some papers... waited... (remember, we had a 3 1/2 year old and a 16 month old in tow)... and waited. The line moved little by little. Finally, it was our turn. Only then did we find out that Devin was given misinformation not just once but three times. We were told that we needed only to check in with our checked bags. (We had 8!!!!) Now we find out that we need our 6 carry-0n bags and our dog as well. Those things were back at the hotel across the street. We were told (three times) that we could bring the dog and carry-on bags later after the initial check-in. They weren't too pleased about it, but they let us check in part-way, go back and get other bags and dog, and go straight back to the front of the line to finish. What a hassle! We were rushing and rushing. It's going on midnight or so... the kids were doing amazingly great. Looking back, it was a blessing to have been given such misinformation. Could you imagine the loooooooong line and wait with the other baggage plus Doris in her crate... all of us trying to get through that maze of people. A rare thing to be thankful for being given the wrong instruction.

Anyway, so we made it onto the plane. Boarded around 3:15 or so. The kids did great -- another blessing!!! Emerie slept much more of the flight than I suspected she might, and Noah was occupied with a video game, movie, or snack. They were super! Then the bad news. We had to divert to Misawa Air Base. The headwinds over the Pacific slowed us way down and now we had to stop to refuel or we wouldn't make it to Yokota AB which was to have been our first stop in Japan. Long story short, this all added about 3 hours to the trip.

So, we end up on Kadena AB 3 hours late. Exhausted. Wearing the same clothes for the past 30 hours. Nasty teeth. Greasy hair. You get the picture. It's not pretty. I only lost it once. At around hour 26 when we were awaiting takeoff from Iwakuni Marine Air Base... our last stop before Kadena. My Noah finally decided to sleep. But he couldn't get comfortable in his seat. His head kept falling forward. I had to leave him buckled in, because we were supposedly about to take off. (The sitting and waiting was almost unbearable.) Noah started crying. And crying. He said over and over, "Mommy, can you make me happy?" Oh, my poor, sweet boy. There's was nothing I could do for him... nothing I could do to make it better... so I cried right along with him. I had already told Devin back at the Seattle airport... after the checking-in debacle... that I wasn't going to do this again. After hour 26, I was sure of it.

Never again.

Our Okinawan adventure begins...

Whew! What a journey! And we've only just begun. Actually, it feels like this journey started months ago when we first found out about this assignment. It seems like so ago now, and so much has happened... the planning, the research, the doctor appointments to get medical clearances (a journey for me, in and of itself!), the shopping, the excitement, the fear, the anxiety, the tears, the organizing, the sorting, the packing, the flying... OH, the flying.

What a trip! Already overcome with emotions... leaving my home... my beloved friends and family... That's stress enough! But then, add to it the actual travel! Ugh! It was OK to Seattle. We were so blessed. Doris made it on board safely and we all arrived no worse for the wear in the Emerald City. I love Seattle! We had a wonderful day Tuesday. Just a quiet day with our little family. Resting and enjoying some of the glorious Pacific Northwest fall weather. That night, our Noah was up sick... vomiting... ugh, ugh, double ugh. The stress rose again. Would we all be healthy for our (EARLY) Thursday am flight? And when I say "early," what I really mean is... the trip actually began late Wednesday night.

We were all healthy (Thank You, Lord!)! I'm so grateful for all of the blessings God threw in amidst our travels. It seemed like there were these continual messages from Him that let us know He was guiding and protecting us. And even though the trip was not without it's difficulties, He would (and DID!) see us through.

I'm hoping this blog will be fun for our friends and family. It will be a diary of sorts for me, I suppose, so I apologize in advance if I veer off on some tangent or another. This is a trip of a lifetime for me... a trip that's more than just a change in geography. I get the feeling that God will use this experience to change me... to grow me... to show me I'm stronger (with Him!) than I think I am...

Anyway, I hope whoever reads this will find it... interesting, or informative, or insightful, or humorous... And even if no one reads it, I suspect it will be good therapy for me.

Love to all!!!!