Once Upon a Tanbo

As most of us know, there was a huge earthquake followed by tsunami that mauled northern Japan last week. Watching the wreckage and death/missing numbers on tv has been heartbreaking.

There have also been concerns about a nuclear power plant apprx. 150 miles away from where we live in Fukushima.

After a REALLY hard decision process, I’ve decided to take Sakura to stay with my mom and step-dad in California for the next two weeks. Even though the radiation is minimal, she is only 1 and I don’t want her to be in a dangerous (although controlled at the moment) situation. I can only get a week of work, which was pulling teeth as it was, so I will go with her for a week to help her get situated and then will come back on my own 😦

She will stay with my mom until golden week in late April (about a month) until I get another week off work where I am planning to bring her back to Tokyo.

I don’t think its hit me that I won’t be seeing my little girl for about a month, but I think with the situation considered, it probably won’t be a decision I regret. Even if there is nothing to be alarmed about she’ll get to spend some quality time with my family and definitely improve her English before going back into Japanese daycare.

Anyways.. that is what is going on.
Now we just have to survive the flight…. NOT going to be fun I imagine.

Long time no see.

Happy New Year all!
Its been… oh… a long time since I last wrote. I really need to start updating again, although this is going to be a very busy year for me.

We went back to America for Christmas and came back on New Years Day which was quite an experience in itself. The flight over was “ok” since it was a night flight at Sakura slept in 2 hour or so spurts for most of the flight. The way BACK to Japan was another story. She was awake for 9 of the 10.5 hours (she FINALLY exhausted herself the last hour or so) so I felt like a zombie for the first couple days back. PLUS the day after we got back I got food poisoning from our lunch and spend the whole evening in the bathroom in misery.

Not the best start to 2011, but that’s ok. I am finally back at work today where things are pretty slow, but they will start to get busy as the admission period commences starting towards the middle of February. I am also starting the first classes towards my masters next week. I’m a bit worried how online/independent studying is going to go – but I am going to give it my best. I think between doing assignments and the busy period at work (Feb – April) I am going to be somewhat overwhelmed, but once summer rolls around I should be less busy again and at least the classes I am taking now are introductory ones and therefore (hopefully) not too hard.

America was nice. I missed it, a lot. It always takes me 2-3 days to adjust back but by the end of our about 2 weeks there my Japanese had already become crap! I couldn’t believe how quickly it goes away if you don’t use it. But it was nice to be back home. 2012 will definitely be the year I (and Sakura) return to the states for good? Hopefully I will be able to find a job in the San Diego/Orange Country area so that I am close enough to family to get some help while I am on my own. (gulp)

Sakura is so big now! And speaking so much… being in the all English environment only for 10 days improved her speaking so much. She can now sing songs and she must have learned at least 15-20 new words while we were there. I’d say her vocabulary of combined English and Japanese words must be over 50 by this point. She’s definitely very vocal and able to communicate basic needs. She’s also starting to get into the tantrum stage… VERY stubborn and VERY “my way or the highway.” She is more than happy to prostrate herself on the ground to throw a fit. (sigh) We are trying to ignore her when she does this but its hard with all the evil eyes and “kawaisou” comments that get thrown at us.

Anyways I guess that’s most of my update! I hope everyone had a happy holiday season!!

No not really… its not that I don’t have the desire too.. I just have nothing to really write about besides working. That and most of my “free” time now is spent either with Sakura before she goes to bed and doing chores/spending time with Ryohei afterwards.

We are all still alive and well though! I took the morning off today because Sakura had diarrea 3 times this morning and I decided to take her to the doctors. However Ryohei will be on Mr. Mom duty tonight since I have a nomikai with some of my coworkers tonight – yay! Finally some nomikai action for me after years of none 😛

Also just about over a month and a half until we go back to the states for Christmas – yay!!

Anyways just wanted to say we are all alive and well – things are good 🙂

Had a fairly fast week. Was nicely broken up because of the holiday we had on Thursday. I had a GREAT day visiting with Lulu and Nay and another friend of ours who doesn’t blog. Its been such a long time since I just “hung out” with a few friends at once. I love getting together with Lulu and Nay since they are my oldest blogging friends – we have the most random conversations. Definitely funny that when we first met we were all still unmarried and no kids, and now Lulu’s #2 is on the way. Time goes by so fast….

I had my first advising session with my graduate school councilor on Friday late at night. (Time difference = very sleep Sarah) She went over the classes and schedule with me and I’ve registered for my first two classes which will start in early January. I’ll also be taking 2 classes over the summer as well. I can’t wait to get started with the classes, its going to be a challenge (and fun) to be studying again. The last time I studied formally was 5 years ago in uni, and the least time I cracked a book was when I was studying for JLPT 1-kyuu 3 years ago.. ha ha ha.

Tomorrow we are going to the base to visit Bryn and fam!!! We are going to have the “famous brunch” so it should be exciting!! I think Sakura will really enjoy seeing Bryn’s kids too 🙂

The weekends go by so fast, but next week will hopefully be quick too. We are going back to Niigata to see Ryohei’s family and also check out the famous fall leaves by his grandma’s house. We went last year with Sakura when she was only 3 months so should be interesting to go this year while she’s 15. Maybe we’ll try and make it a yearly tradition 🙂 Although the way things are playing out we probably won’t be here by Fall 2012… Thats for another post tho – I’ve def. had some frustration with Japan lately, but again I’ll save it for another day.

mata ne~

Because its 2:30am and this will probably be the only time I get this weekend to write.

GOOD

– Graduate school application is complete and on its way to review. I think I’ve met and in most cases exceeded the requirements so fingers crossed things will go without a hitch and I’ll be signing entrance papers by the end of the month.

– Had my first “Drinking Party” in ages with coworkers. VERY fun. Tried to get through all 12 varieties of umeshu… managed through 6… no hangover. Good enough.

– Getting to see Lulu and Nay next week!

– Getting to see Khea and get false eyelash tips Sunday!

– Invitation to “amazing” brunch on the Air Force Base by Bryn!

– Doing make-up and wearing at least one accesory to work this week.

– In general, enjoying work.

BAD

– Crap morning and evening Tokyo commute. No Salaryman I don’t want to smell all beer and shochu you drank last night.

– Have to work on Monday (national holiday, but not at work ;_;)

– Time with Sakura is pretty much.. 3 hours a day 😦

– Sakura is replacing a lot of her English words with Japanese (not really BAD per say, but frustrating for me)

– Sakura is going through a major Daddy phase, so I’m feeling left out.

– Diet is not going anywhere… sigh

Thats it!

Just got back from 4 days, 3 nights with Gaijin Wife and co in Kyushu!!!

Wow that trip went by super super fast….

Here are some pictures from the trip!!

Using the awesome double buggy as a “wagon of love” for Sakura and R-kun!

Enjoying the famous “sand bath” in Beppu!!! It was nice for the first 15mins but the last 5 were HELL.. I was dying to get out….

Book club with M-chan and R-kun!

Showing Gigi the cat a rare moment of affection……

Sakura happily allowing herself to be fed by Illahee’s S-chan and T-kun when they came all the way out 3 hours to visit for the afternoon!

Milk date!

Sakura walking around like some sort of 1 year old yankee child at the airport before we left!

We had a great time filled with LOTS and LOTS of action. Let me say that if you read GW’s blog it is ALL TRUE! hahah… And GW is awesome and full of genki despite running a very very busy household. The “Dads” agreed to watch the 4 kids for us last night so went to a ghetto inaka karaoke box and had beer/chu-his and even got buzzed enough to pull out a random selection of j-pop to classic 80s to britney spears music… thank god no videos from that.

Also wanted to thank Illahee for making it all the way out with her three kids – it was great to meet her!!

I really really enjoyed my first trip to kyushu… I hope one day I will be able to make it back again.

PS I’m leaving out a lot of details as I’m sure GW will be able to tell the stories of our trip in a much more interesting way… oh and yes there was a spider (500 yen sized) incident last night however I am absolutely sure it will not result in another baby… hahahaha I may have been put off giving Sakura a little brother or sister forever 😉

hehe… thanks again GW I hope that you enjoyed the time as much as we did!!!!! ganbare!~~~~