Preparing for the big move

Less than a week to go. It is hard to believe that we will be moving next Friday. At this point we start saying things like..."this is our last Sunday in Japan," "this is the last time we will go to this park" "this is the last time I will go on this run" and knowing me, this will probably be my last blog before we move.

Last Saturday our day was jam packed. In the morning I went on "my last run" with my friends Jodi and Corry. It was a beautiful clear day, and so we decided to do a photo log of the run so that I could remember it. Here are just a few of the pics (the whole album is on facebook):

As soon as I got home from running we had to hurry and get ready to go to Sakuhinten at the yochien. I have no idea what that word means, but basically all of the kid's artwork was on display. Here is Cailey with her teacher, her picture is the top right:

Then they created a sceen from Peter Pan out of milk cartons, empty bottles, toilet paper rolls, etc. It was pretty impressive.

We left Sakuhinten and went straight to a lunch with Shane's former boss (who retired about 6 months ago) and his wife. They wanted us to meet them at this restaraunt named Ukai-Toriyama but we had no idea what we were in for. First of all, it took 2 hours to get there. Navi said it was only 48 kilometers (about 30 miles) away, but in Japan that takes 2 hours! When we finally got there is was well worth the drive. It was in possibly the most beautiful setting I have ever seen.

The restaraunt had about 50 private Japanese style huts. Here was ours:

The view while we were eating was amazing. Here it is with the window opened:Here is the guy grilling the salted fish they served for one of the courses. By the way, you were supposed to eat the whole fish, head, and all. I ate everything (even skin and bones) except I just couldn't do the head and tail. Nakajima san and his wife:Very nice people. Nakajima san always took very good care of Shane and our family while he was his boss.

The drive home took even longer on the way home because of traffic. It was one of those pull-your-hair-out drives of slowness. But we did see an LDS church on the way. It was one of the new designs they are using in Asia now. I had to take a picture.

Last Tuesday was our yochien walking group Christmas party/our farewell party. Here is pic of the gift exchange for the girls:

At the end of the party, they gave us a scrapbook of messages written from each of the kids to Cailey and Bryant. It will be a treasure to us to remember our friends here. They also went around a circle and said something to us. These are the women that I have grown to love so much. We were all crying. I am going to miss them so much.

Wednesday my friend Yayoi (one of my friends from the walking group) invited me over to her house for lunch. I went early and watched her make it. It was a delicious meal and we always have so much fun talking. She has been a great friend.

Thursday was Sushi. These same incredible women went with me for one last very Japanese lunch. We went to have sushi at the kind of restaraunt where the sushi goes around on plates in a circle and you choose the one you want. It was actually pretty good.

Today was the ward Christmas party and tomorrow we will say goodbye to everyone in the Yamate ward. 3 of the 5 of us have to give talks at church (Cailey has the talk in Primary). Tomorrow evening all of the Primary presidency and families will have a dinner together. It is hard to say goodbye to so many incredible people.

For some reason I had the song "It's a small world" stuck in my head yesterday (maybe because we recently went on that ride at Disneyland). I thought about the line "there's so much that we share that it's time we're aware it's a small world after all." Maybe this has been the most profound lesson that I have learned from living in Japan. There are so many good people in the world. We all have the same hopes and desires for happiness. I am so grateful to have lived among the Japanese people!