Color me Japan, now and always

It's been years upon years.
My writing dried up with the activity of life.
There is a manual labor that comes with single momming it while being a military spouse that is unlike any other. There were also the emotional woes that come with an amazing tour in Japan followed by an emotionally (and physically) congested tour in southern Texas.  It was enough to shut this lady up and make me bear down for the metaphorical burst of hot humid air.

Before I move on to what happened to the Sullivan's, let me take this moment to briefly wax poetic about some of the aspects of Japan that were ideal for us...all those years ago.

Take a little family who is committed to adventure and all things challenging and new.
Plop them in an exquisitely crowded land steeped in tradition and modernity with a complex language, a beautiful people, and a 7.5 earthquake hunger inside of their stomachs for eastern food.

There is pop culture that wreaks of mature uniformity contrasted with a youthful "kawaii" cuteness.  Don Quixote costume shops press the envelope for silliness in a distinguished environment.  The jankety shakes of a train takes people across town.   It can bring on a claustrophobic feel while the next turn happens upon a bamboo forest and stream nestled tightly into the city backdrop.

TAKE. ME. BACK.

The sights were pagodas and boxy apartments - concrete and greenery.

The sounds were the scurry of small vehicles with the obtrusive and comforting reverberation of jet blast and thumping propellers in the background.

The smell was a mixture of seaweed and hot noodles - cherry blossoms and asphalt.

My most favorite experience while in Japan, and a great excuse as to why this blog ran on empty, was the addition of a little baby to our family.  The boy to our girl, the silly to our serious, and the laid back amidst our stresses - he brought balance to our gang.  He could sleep in a carseat!!! This fact alone relieved so much stress amidst Space Available and commercial flights (...with the exception of that one flight to Malaysia, which made the flight attendants stoop with embarrassment for my uncontrollably vocal baby).

I will never write anything that is a worthy summation of the experiences I had across the Pacific.  The foreign land that contained a little microcosm of USA, NAF ATSUGI, will always be close to my heart. 
arigatou gozaimasu - I miss you.
2012-2015

I've got the World on a String - Weekend

The entire weekend, I had the following song in my head:

I've got the world on a string
I'm sitting on a rainbow
Got the string around my finger
What a world, what a life - I'm in love

And after the weekend I've had, it will be difficult to stop humming it....

This past Thursday was Brian's 29th Birthday!  It was not only his special day, but it was also our first date night since he returned from his month long detachment in Australia the week prior - it was the perfect evening to go all out.  We began the night by sipping cocktails at the top of the tallest building in Yokohama - it felt like we needed to contact air traffic control to maintain our altitude as we looked out over Yoks and Toks (Tokyo), which lies just north.
After a couple beverages, we touched earth again and enjoyed more cocktails and dinner at a swanky joint along the water as a Japanese jazz quartet performed directly in front of us.  I forget how amazing live music is until I'm in the moment. After a romantic and thrilling evening in sky and on land, we caught a cab back to the train station and took the 30 minute commute home.  Happy Birthday, HUN!

....and it was only the beginning of the weekend....

The following night, we found out there was a Brewer's Cup also located in Yokohama!  Twist our arms, we went back to the thriving port city with Piper in her ergo and sampled a variety of brews in the futuristic convention hall of Osanbashi.  Beer was the big luring point yet before long an upright bass and harmonica player began playing some blues to encourage our palates.  Piper decided it was time to take center stage and start shaking her tail feather - the locals treated her like a superstar - they took pictures of her killer moves (that she learned from me, of course) and she went around giving everyone high fives.  Watching Japanese people react to my daughter makes my heart sing.  They give her more attention than I ever could - I hope she doesn't get a complex.
In a nutshell, or in a pint glass, we had a stellar evening.

Saturday began sooner than desired but it also packed a punch as most of the Diamondbacks set up camp at the Kamiseya Cherry Blossom Festival.  Sadly, the blossoms were at the end of their blooming peak, however this did not keep everyone away from the event!   

That evening, we cleaned off the stink of being outside all day, thoroughly applied the hair gel, got our Lucky Strikes, and walked to our neighbor's house in the down-pouring rain in our 50's apparel for a MAD MEN party - well worth the walk! I kick myself for not taking pictures of Brian and I at this event, however, knowing our group, there will be a next time!

After a weekend full of activities, I figured Sunday would be a great day for Brian and Piper to rest around the house and for me to go to a Fertility Festival in Kawasaki with my girlfriends!  (all in the name of culture, right?!)

Yup - you guessed it

Sake!

 After we had seen what we needed to see, my friend and I decided to do some shopping at H&M and catch the train back.

I walked into my home but my husband and child weren't there!  So I hopped on my bike, to catch the bus, to catch the train over to Ebina where I found my husband and daughter getting a STARBUCKS!  (I didn't feel so guilty about shopping anymore).  We got some fried rice and gyoza (pot stickers) in Yamato for dinner and came home exhausted.

this cap says "No war...but" soooooo does that mean....

I do have the world on a string and I think I may be sitting on a rainbow.
Crazy weekend in J land.

On the bucket list: A Sakura Stroll

Picnicking under the cherry blossoms in Japan, (Sakura, in Japanese), have become a part of my bucket list.
And
I'm thrilled to announce that within the same day of putting that on my list, I achieved that goal.
Sometimes you don't know what you want until you've got it.

It was Monday, April 1st - no joke - and Piper and I went to Yamato, the neighboring town, to look at the blooming cherry blossoms against the backdrop of a suburban Japanese neighborhood and a small river.  The sky was a hazy blue and the temperature was delightfully residing within the cool temperatures of the 60's.

The circumstances were perfect for Piper and I to become absorbed within a Japanese tradition - that tradition of enjoying a seat under the blooms of a cherry blossom tree while snacking on some food and watching the delicate pinkish petals saunter to the ground.  Upon looking at the new resting place of said petals, it appeared as though I was surrounded by pale confetti or a gentle snow.

This is the first year I've seen Japanese cherry blossoms (we've lived here for 9 months!) and I had no idea from which tree they bloomed.  I have since discovered that they bloom from the most jagged and warped-looking wise trees.  The trunks are a dark hue and the bark is rough, bubbled, and jaggedy against the quadruple threat of the seasons.

These trees remind me to expect the unexpected.

They also remind me that the simplicity of nature is worth treasuring.
It was nothing short of magical. The peace, the awareness of nature and the changing of the seasons.  The large Japanese koi fish (carp) were looking for food below amidst the falling petals that rested upon the water's surface - it was gently inspiring.

Meanwhile, my daughter saw this as an opportunity to socialize.  She waved at every person she saw - she walked, smelled flowers, and said Konnichiwa to all the locals.  It's a perfect union really - Japanese people seem to adore her outgoing personality, blond hair and different-looking western appearance, and Piper loves that Japanese people seem to appear as if they're always smiling and they inevitably engage her in a conversation that makes no sense.

Since seeing the blossoms, it has rained a couple days.  I wonder if the blossoms are still there with the heavy water drops and the ushering in of Spring and new leaves.  Whether they remain or have already come into the expiration of their 10-day blooming period, I will treasure the stroll I had under their beauty with my daughter and look forward to it next year.

Runnin' around the Flight Line

After Brian left in August, I realized I needed to establish a rhythm in something.  I couldn't start classes as soon as I wanted, some spouse things were ramping up so I couldn't commit to anything that would involve more sitters, so I decided, it was time to RUN!

The duo

Running isn't my first sport of choice. If I could have it my way, I would play a team sport like pick up basketball everyday with a group of people as out of shape as me :) but the fact is, I need an activity in my life that can involve a jogging stroller - and freedom.

my favorite new running gadget - support local! (well, Kansas at least)

With Brian in my rear view, I embarked upon running around the neighborhood and exploring my new surroundings.  I ran around housing, the football field, the areas I knew - and then I discovered it...(on a bike ride with my neighbor and friend, Erica and her kiddo, Ethan)
The flight line run.

On the way to the south side of the runways

My personal fav route is running along the south side of base, past the golf course, around some weird base buildings and then there you have it - open spaces. There's something about open fields and grass that reminds me of home.  I find that my soul is calm when I can gaze a long distance. And there's something about seeing airplanes that remind me of loooooove :) (awww cheeeesy)
Around the southern loop, you can look north to the runways and west to the mountain ranges and mt. Fuji...and well, I like looking north and west.  So does Piper.  She leans up in her stroller and points out all the aircraft - the helicopters, the Japanese jets about to take off and even the tiny distant jets in the sky - she's got her father's eye for flying vessels!  She has a hoot and I have the chance to roam freely and listen to whatever music mix I've made for myself.
ME. TIME.

Fuji-san at dusk

I have also discovered that I am in intense admiration for all the runners and especially, women out there running with me or past me.  They're running hands free or they've got their jogging strollers, (single or double), doing their single parent thing.  Who knows if they have a sick kid, a whiny kid, or having a splendidly easy day (riight) - They don't get time off, people - our husbands don't come home at the end of the day....And these women are out there busting their butts, working hard, making themselves look and feel good.  I'm proud to be running amongst them and I want to be like them.

running the north side of the runways give you a great viewpoint of the 102 Hangar

The last thing I love about running, is the ability to push my body.  I've seen my body do sports, run a marathon, make a baby, gain and lose weight, get up into my 20's - the body is a SPLENDID thing and the only thing in this world that gets better with use.  I'm thankful for my health and my goofy head that thinks I can seriously participate in races - showing up is half the battle, right?

the view from the east side of base (looking west)

Dancing Queen

Watching (and dancing) to the best scene in the best movie of all time. (Singin' in the Rain, of course!) This little girl is hilarious. :D

Piper is almost...almost 2

Sometime around August, I stopped counting months and realized that my baby is almost 2 years old. And now that it's almost the holiday season (and her birthday), I realize that I'm glad I've given myself ample warning!

When we got here in July, Piper didn't say much.  These days she's surprising me on a daily basis.  And since we are in a land where I'm slowly trying to grasp the language, I find it fitting that I let you in on some of Piper's lingo.  Here are some of her favorites:

She has her family down: "Daddy, Mommy, and Doggie"
"BUBBA" for Bubbles
"CAHHH" for car.
"Heeeigo" for Here ya go.
"Thaygo" for There ya go.
"MEHHHH" means kiss.
"ganku" for thank you.
"Buk" for Book.
"Mooww?" with voice raising an octave or two to indicate she's asking for More.
"Wok" means Walk
and her all time favorite, the one that puts a huge smile on her face is:
"Cooookie"

She's turning more into a kid everyday by wanting to spend time outside, walk everywhere, play at the park, push her own stroller and walk Tommy - and when I say, "walk Tommy" I mean she has the reigns! (they're training each other :)

It's amazing that in a matter of minutes she can make my heart sing by saying "Ganku" when I hand her some food and then making me disappointed by throwing her food at Tommy...she really knows better...
oh well, She's a kid - and I'm crazy in love with her. MEHHHHH!!!!

Back to School - In Japan!

Never did I ever really groove with school until I got to college.  It was something about the independence and freedom and depth of knowledge that I loved....mixed with the old buildings, funky styles, weird hours, triumph's and defeats, debates with teachers, and vehement responses to liberal teachers who tried imparting their "wisdom"...everything about it made me realize, WOW there is a lot I don't know.

In Japan, I am reminded of that again.

Sometimes the feeling of being a dummy is overwhelming and I have to remind myself that I do know a lot - just not a lot about anything HERE.

I'll never forget the grudge I felt when entering college and told my sister, "I don't want to be a Freshman again." And she said, "Oh hun, I understand, but you'll always be a freshman in life at some point"  And I realized, "Oh - ok"  It reminds me of that feeling you have when you have a newborn baby and you get really frustrated that you aren't getting any sleep....and then you say, "Oh - ok...I just won't sleep that much then" Ahh, the joys of succumbing to reality and being okay with it.

So - I'm a dummy and a freshman yet again - and I'm totally cool with it - I think.  The best part about it is that there's nowhere to go but up. This week, I'm taking an evening classes in Japanese and an online course in East Asian Studies.  The overall goal is to receive a certificate in Japanese so I can build the international resume - but the bigger goal is to expand my mind yet again!

I'm going to say this now and probably have to remind myself of this later but - I love to reach new levels of understanding by studying, writing, discovering - You get one chance, why not push your mind and worldview in more ways than you could have ever imagined.

My homework

My future evenings and nap times will commence with lighting a candle, listening to some lounge music, sipping decaf tea and studying.  How Marvelous.

Foodie Flashback - Grapes

In the Fall of 2004, a young man (Brian), moved into a house called "the Palace".  This was a home beautifully situated in a prime location for walking to his engineering courses in Lawrence, KS.  Shortly after I helped him move in, we discovered a swath of bees encircling a trellis of grapes in the backyard.  In a college town filled with Landlord slums trying to pawn off pest infested or mold ravaged homes to unsuspecting college students, it was a delight to see something so delicately grown on the premises.

We gently tiptoed to the grapes, hoping not to be suspected by the intimidating stingers that black and yellow insects possess.   

We were 5 feet away....the bees didn't see us.....4 feet away....they hadn't picked up our presence just yet....3 feet away.....a couple were starting to come toward me....2 feet.....I reached out my hand and I realized the bees couldn't care less.

In fact, they were flying in circles, dazed and drunk in the sunshine with grape juice on their black and yellow sleeves.  After getting past the presence of such a small and vicious predator, I worked up enough courage to try one of these plump purple grapes.  Through the delicate clumps of fruit, I found one that looked the least poisonous. (I may be from Kansas but I ain't no country girl used to pickin' things off the vine!)  I put it in my mouth, discovered the thickness of the skin brought on by the strong summer sun and finally bit into a juicy Welch's commercial.  However, I'm fairly certain that Welch's uses a great degree of sugar to leverage their fruity goodness on the masses.  This grape was pure, simple, grape-y, and had stupid little seeds.  Never had a I tasted a grape that actually tasted like grape juice.  Is that a weird discovery?

Brian and I ran inside to find scissors - we wanted more and knew the bees had already had their fill.  We cut a few clumps...and then I realized that I accidentally cut a bee in half.  Seriously, these bees were so wasted, they didn't care what happened to them.

I flashed back to that moment yesterday when Piper and I were gathering produce from a local grocery store.  The exciting aspect about shopping for produce in this country is that they only sell produce that is in season.  Whereas in the states, you can always find something like strawberries in the store...but seriously, who is growing strawberries in say, November? Chile? Australia? I have no clue. 

But at the entrance of the store were these dusty purple grapes.  Piper immediately ran over and stuck one in her mouth - I yelped (to myself) for fear that Piper was going to choke and die in the middle of a grocery store in a country far far away.  (Grapes always freak me out as being a choking hazard).  I looked at her face and her eyes lite up,  she looked at me and no sooner could I say "uncle" that her tiny little fingers were snatching another.  Okay okay, I bought the bunch since we were already a couple grapes in and Piper seemed to like them.   We got home and I was taken aback.
WOW - there they were - the grapes that made the bees fly in circles from intoxication - those sweet, thick-skinned grapes - and this time, without the annoying seeds.  I should probably return for more; these things don't last forever.

there he goes

Brian had a port call in Japan and it was glorious.  
I horded his time like a chipmunk storing up nuts for winter - or something weird like that - because most of my military friends stateside don't get the blessings of having their husbands home in the middle of a cruise.  The best and the worst part of it is that we got used to having him around.  

 Anywho....
This past Sunday, we got to take Brian to the boat in Yokosuka.  
We got to climb aboard the USS George Washington,

see his room,

 sit in the ready room like the professionals do,

see the hangar bay, 

enjoy dinner at a seaside Chili's on Yokosuka's base,

 and then we had to say our "good bye's" at the carrier.  We'll see him soon but it doesn't get easier - especially as Piper gets older.  

my sentiments exactly, Piper

But, luckily, this past week (a couple days after we said "bye"), we got to snag an afternoon with Brian because he had to fly to NAF Atsugi before he headed back out to the boat for some night qualifications.  
Piper and I biked up to the field to watch him.   

We heard the engines spool up and anticipation rose in our chests.  There was a rumble all around us as we watched a beautiful metal creature build speed and rise from the earth with a glowing neon blue afterburner blazing behind him.  And I thought, "wow, that's my husband going back to the boat." 
Emotions swelled, but I believe it was from the exquisite nature of the sight than from sadness. 
And just like that, Piper and I were alone again and biking home.

Local Adventures

The best part about living in Japan is that the carrier can make a local port call!
So, shortly after setting up my home, I welcomed a handsome house guest. 

Even though Brian has been "over here" a lot longer than I have, he was semi-instantly deployed upon his arrival, so luckily, we were able to discover Japan together.  And actually, since Japan is about the length of Maine to Florida with the land mass of California, when I say explore Japan, I mean we got acclimated to the little bit of Japan that's around us.

We saw fireworks in Yokohama,

went back to Yokohama the next day to explore China Town,

bought a new bike and baby seat,
Biked over to a friend's place in Zama,

Had a sushi date in Yamato,

went to the zoo with the Thomas',

played in the pool in our backyard,

had a date at an amazing korean bbq joint,
discovered several places we will return to and others we will not...
witnessed a couple bon odori festivals (which are festivals involving dances and the honoring ancestors),


and before Brian skipped town, we snagged a date in Tokyo!
we biked to the train station,

caught a train to Shibuya/Tokyo,

crossed the busiest intersection in Japan,


shopped for books and music,
and then,
relished in a 5 star dinner with exquisite wine pairings.

We took a taxi to the train and then biked home.
From biking to spectacular meals, we have loved experiencing the full gamut.
And to think, this is only the beginning!