This grin puts everything into perspective

Denied

We went to Shuri Castle with Brian a couple of weeks ago (I promise I'll blog about Brian's trip!). Finn was a rockstar that day-we started our day out early and went to the southern part of the island to a museum, to the Japanese Naval Headquarters during WWII and on to Shuri. Those days are awesome but a little trying AND tiring. Finn was getting a little tired so I gave him some Mom Mom milk to take the edge off. Well, this happened to be as we were entering the "courtyard" aka paying area of Shuri Castle. Some Japanese college student dressed up in 1800 Ryukyu regalia tells me in broken English that liquids are not allowed within Shuri Castle. Enter the cute Japanese teenager walking past us carrying her bottle of tea. I try to communicate that it's milk and in a spill proof sippy cup. No go. Brian and Jared were ahead of us and are already in the courtyard. The guy keeps refusing entrance. I ask if we can just wait on the side while my son drinks his milk. Again, Japanese women are walking by with their bottles of green and jasmine tea. We sit and wait for about 10 minutes. Then a college aged Japanese girl, also decked out in 1800s style Okinawan clothes, comes over and says we can go into the courtyard, "misunderstanding" she says. I smile, bow very far down (to convey gratitude) and see Jared and Brian waiting for us. Then an armed guard comes up and tells me we cannot go any further, "No drink!" Now there are like 15 cc of milk in the sippy cup, just enough to cover the nipple if the cup is inverted, but Finn is really wanting to bite on the sippy cup spout because it feels good on his poor gums. I tell him that the woman said we could enter and he points to a corridor for us to wait in. Again, more people walking around with their exposed, partially empty tea bottles. Sigh.

2009 in review

Let's look back at 2009...

January- cat's out of the bag that we're expecting a little on on August 18, 2009!! Had a miscarriage scare. Saw first picture of little one at just seven weeks! Feeling pretty homesick
February-Little one looks like a miniature baby. Valentine's Day was quite memorable as I threw up in the men's restroom of the Globe and Anchor. Klassy.
March-Found out a little boy was developing exactly as he should be!
April- Eric and Nickole came for a visit!!!
May-LOVIN' the beaches!
June- Finish school year, got an awful sunburn while wearing sunscreen on a rainy day (go figure), couldn't get a plane ride home, finally did, flew business class on a transpacific flight, saw family for first time in 10 months, met new ob, discovered baby was in distress, transported to hospital and two days later baby is born two months early. Baby daddy still in Japan when said baby born and arrives two days later. Baby is small but strong and a fighter.
July-Discharged from hospital, spend every day at hospital with baby
August- baby daddy has to fly back to Japan, same day baby is discharged from hospital. Get to know baby on home turf.
September- baby hits seven pound mark, gets monitor off (a real baby not attached to anything!) and fly back to Okinawa to finally unite my little family
October-Mama Jean flies back to the States, we are alone. Get to know baby.
November-Settle into a routine. Parents/grandparents come for a visit.
December-first holiday season as a little family. Brother/uncle comes for a visit. Baby rolls over!

Looking back, I can't believe all of that happened within one year!

December 29, a day that will live in infamy

That's when Finn K. Sawin was introduced to "solid" food.

The Holiday Season

How lucky were we this year? For our first Christmas as a family, we started the holiday out with Jared's parents over for a visit and my brother was able to spend several weeks with us in December and January. It was fantastic!

Here's Finn meeting Santa Claus for the first time:

Jared flew up to the mainland to visit with Kyle in Tokyo before heading back to Okinawa and Finn and I enjoyed our weekend alone.

We spent Christmas Eve with our Jewpanese friends, Paul and Saori.

No matter where you are in the world, at midnight the stockings are hung by the chimney (facsimile) with care and there are hopes that Saint Nicholas soon will be there! Actually, I snapped this right after the Big Guy headed off for Taiwan...

D&V visit, part three

We just had so much fun when Jared's parents visited!

D&V visit, continued

Took D&V to Shuri Castle, Churaumi Aquarium, Pineapple Park, Ryukyu Glass Forest and more!

Thanksgiving

Happy First Thanksgiving, Finn!

Just like home!


Meat galore


My stomach hurts just thinking about all of the goodies


Wii fun for all!


We weren't alone this year! Our celebration last year, party of two, exploded into a party of eight in 2010!! We were so fortunate to celebrate Finn's First Thanksgiving with is Grandma and Grandpa Sawin as well as my dear friend Sherin and her two kiddos. It was awesome and we had too much food. There was no live-action football or Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (as it was the wee hours of Thursday am in the States) but there was lots of love and laughter.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this year I was so thankful for:

modern healthcare
modern jet travel
the intertubes
my husband
my son
family


Thank you, God!!!

Hello blog, my old friend

I've come to see you again.

My head is down with shame as I am now re-entering the world of blogging. Goodness, I've missed you. I've been selfish with my time and need to do a better job of putting our little daily nuances out there to share with our nearest and dearest (and, I suppose, anyone who happens to surf upon my humble little piece of the web).

I think I'll start back in the summer, when life hit the fast forward button...