esme talking to the cat

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esme and daisy

Esme meets Sadie and Nate

We're here

We've been here a little over a month. Feels like forever since we left Japan, but we talk about Hiroshima and our friends there all the time. We miss you guys. and HAPPY, HAPPY Birthday, Amara Chibi Chan.

The plane ride here, starting from the first minute we stepped into the Hiroshima airport about 5:45 that Wednesday morning when the boys took off running away (way away) from me down a long corridor while I stood there helplessly holding Esme watching Jan struggle with the carts carrying all 13 of our bags, was tough. I might write about it one of these days, but for now, would prefer not to reminisce.

anyway, here is the latest with us:

Jan: Green card arrived last week!! He hasn't bought his first property yet, but he's loving looking at houses, meeting with other investors, and just generally getting to know the market here. He can't wait to buy his first car in America, and is trying to convince me to get a 10 year old Lincoln Town car or a cadillac. I guess the back seat is SO big that getting 3 car seats across it isn't a problem. We're hesitant to buy a mini-van (the uncool factor) but don't want a big gas-guzzling SUV for obvious reasons, so we're a bit stuck.

I'm adjusting to stay at home Mom status, and although a bit tired of playing Spiderman and the bad guy games, I am enjoying it. Even nicer now that the weather has warmed up a bit and we can walk down to my friend's property and hike around, play in the creek, look at the ducks, goats, cows, horses, etc. The play school the boys are in on Tues. and Thurs. is working out well, but I have to say 9:00 - 2:00 is a bit short. My Mom is such great help...I mean she cooks nearly all the meals, does all of the washing, and all of the cleaning. She is fantastic. Esme is so spoiled. Most days, Mom holds her for her morning and afternoon naps. I'm spoiled too. It will be nice to move out eventually and get a place of our own, but it will be another big adjustment for me with 3 kids on my own all day. We have joined the local Y and they have a daycare option for parents which is really nice. A good swim several times a week is keeping me sane. Haven't found the time to go out with many friends yet, but hope to soon.

After tearful goodbyes in Hiroshima, Jolon was very excited to be greeted by Allie and Taylor at the airport in Nashville. He spent the first week acting quite wild and frazzled, but once the jet lag wore off and he settled into the new routine here, he calmed down. We talked lots about new beginnings, new friends, etc. but naturally he was nervous before his first day at the Tues/Thurs. play school. He has a sweet teacher who seems very kind and capable, and he likes her. By the second day he came home talking about two new friends: Max and Jack. He and Kellan just finished a round of swimming lessons at the Y, and he loves being in the pool. He and Kellan still speak to each other in Japanese, and we talk about their Japanese hoikuen friends a lot. If he sees a dinosaur, he'll mention Shintaro or he'll talk about playing sumo with Yura. Just the other day he said, "Ogawa is my best friend." So cute. We're thinking of our Aozora friends as they get ready to become Ohisama gumi.

Kellan: Kellan walked right into the first hotel in Hiroshima that we stayed in after we moved out of our apt. and shouted: "America!!" Hard to tell how much he understood about leaving. Seems like he's had an easier time adjusting than Jolon. Although he still uses a lot of Japanese, his English has already gotten lots better. (He used the word, "probably" the other day.) We've been here 5 weeks and just yesterday Jan said that he heard him talking to himself in English for the first time. After a month of swimming lessons, he can put his head under the water for several seconds and open his eyes. He's done surprisingly well adjusting to the playschool. He's still a bit hesitant to go in at first and usually cries a little, but he hasn't thrown any fits yet. Which is worth noting, because he can WAIL when he gets upset playing with Jolon or when he gets too tired, too hungry, etc. He's still scared of dogs and Grandpa's cats, but he can be fearless in other situations, like today when he fell in the creek while trying to go across. I totally expected a flood of tears, but instead he just announced, "My pants, and my socks, and my shoes and my legs are wet........but I'm ok."

Esme: Her nickname Chibi has sort of morphed into, "Chibber." Quite an ugly nickname but we all use it so it may be around for awhile. She started pulling up around 7 and 1/2 months. She waves goodbye. I think, "Night night," may be her first official word. She'll repeat it after me when we say good night to everyone before I take her upstairs to her room. She still usually takes 3 naps a day and because that third one is around 5:00, doesn't often go to sleep until after 9:00 which is after the boys are already asleep and way too late for me. Waving is one of her favorite tricks and she can really slay strangers when we're out shopping and she gives them a big grin and wave. She adores Jolon and loves when he tries to make her laugh. She loves watching Kellan as well, but is a bit more wary of him as he tends to hug too tightly and talk too loudly. She still strokes my hair as she's going to sleep which is one of the best parts of my day.

jolon with his friends

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playing in the park after hoikuen

Goodbye Party at Hoikuen

Several months ago Miu's Mom asked if we were planning to do some kind of goodbye party with Jolon and Kellan's classes. I said I'd like to but wasn't sure what to do. She took it from there and worked with several moms in both classes and organized an amazing event. I didn't know how the event would go, but I've been in Japan long enough to know that I was going to be expected to make a speech. Chikako helped me write the first and last part in Japanese and Sachi read over the middle and agreed to translate it after I read the English. We arrived on time at 11:00 to a room full of people in the hall. Organized chaos as the pre-ordered lunch boxes were distributed, the last people found their seats, and Sachi made sure the microphone worked. Someone whispered to me that about 100 people...almost everyone in both classes, including lots of fathers had shown up. I fought back tears just looking around at all of the people who have played such a big part in the lives of Jolon and Kellan these past 5 years. Walking in the room I immediately noticed the beautiful, hand-made decorations. Apparently each family had been given 10 or 20 strips of colored paper and been asked to make a paper chain, bring it back to school and then they were all attached and hung from the ceiling. You can see in the pictures the amazing signs that Imamura-san and Hamada-san made. After Sachi said hello and welcome to everyone she announced that we would start with the ubiquitous group picture. Again chaos but somehow within 10 minutes everyone had joined together and we took several group shots. I started my speech, which took way longer than I expected because I forgot just how much longer it would take to translate into Japanese. My delivery wasn't great (I was really nervous), but thanks to Sachi the meaning was clear and I think it was a good speech. I did cry but didn't completely break down which I was worried about. We organized to bring an English book for each child so I started pulling them out of the sacks and assumed Sachi would just call out each child's name. But someone had the idea that Jolon and Kellan should announce the child's name into the microphone and that each child should then come up, receive their book, and say "arrigatou," into the microphone. Parents starting trying to take pictures of their kid receiving his book. Took ages but was very sweet. I'd made a cake for each class and so next the cakes were announced and brought out. I started to eat my lunch and figured that the teachers were going to make speeches and it would be over. But before the teachers spoke, one by one, each mother stood up and said something to us: telling us what we and/or the boys meant to them, or related a funny story or wished us well in the States. Lots of tears. Some women couldn't even finish speaking they got so choked up. We've really made some good friends here. Raising children is so difficult and having a network of friends like this has been very important to me. Thank you Aozora Moms. Thank you Lion Moms. We love you.

Goodbye party at Paul and Joy's

The boys were beside themselves with excitement as we approached Paul and Joy's last weekend for a lovely goodbye party. Not surprising, considering what was in store for them: croquet in the garden, loads of toys, freedom to run everywhere and get into anything, marshmallows on the bbq (or Felix-style, over the gas range) and as always, an endless supply of good food, cake and ice cream. We had a wonderful time spending an afternoon chatting with good friends. Thank you, Paul and Joy.

how's the packing going?

ask esme. she's the one calling the shots these days.