Last Day of First Grade

There's a time stamp on this post somewhere, but for posterity:

It's Monday, March 24, 2014, 8:02 am and Izumi is off to her last day of first grade. I'm feeling all those motherly emotions-- "where did the time go?" "what happened to my baby?" etc. 

A year ago today, we were frantically packing our house in Skokie, IL for our impending move here.  Seems like yesterday and a hundred years ago.  

Koji isn't attending his last day of fourth grade. He's at a soccer camp in Okutama. I had no trouble allowing him to miss school today.  Is it really school when the kids get ready, march over there, have a ceremony that indicates school is over for this year, and then come right back home?  I'm trying to get over being offended by this schedule, but looks like I'm not over it yet.  

Where I've Been with Bonus Trampoline GIF

Lent--that period of 40 days during which believers in Christ prepare their hearts for His death and resurrection--began two weeks ago. I didn't grow up observing Lent but over the last several years, I was drawn in to the practice by services at the Evanston Vineyard. This year, I'm far from Evanston.  And I recognize my increasing need to engage my heart with Jesus and His sacrifice. The Sacrafice.

So of course I gave up Facebook.

And as I expected, that has given me an amazing, embarrassing quantity of time to do something else.  However, since I didn't resolve to detach my phone from my hand, I've instead been reading blogs.  Yes, I always read blogs, but in the past two weeks I've been devouring them. They've all been swallowed and my Feedly is almost empty (it was last night.  just went to look at it and there are 54 posts there.  oops. now I have to resist doing that instead of this).

This is what I've learned: other people are writing great things. If I ever want to be one of them, I need to actually write! So here's a story about doings around here yesterday.

Koji loves his Nintendo 3DS. The day before yesterday, he started talking about earning money to buy a new game.  In the past, we've tried allowing him boost to his allowance (which is 1000 yen--around $10--per month) by doing extra chores.  But results have been mixed.  Mostly he chooses things I think he should do for free as part of the family, and then does them hastily and poorly.  And then, because I agreed in advance to do so, I have to pay him.  Not a recipe for happiness and satisfaction.

So this time, I proposed that he work for an hourly wage of 400 yen per hour. He was initially horrified at the thought of working for a whole hour. I helpfully pointed out that he's 10 years old, and adults twice his age and beyond make only a little more than twice that at part time jobs in the area (for example, the nearby grocery store, Yamazaki has posted Help Wanted signs offering 850/hour). A night of sleeping on that logic, and perhaps a miracle from God later, and he was sold.

Yesterday morning he cleaned the floor and took out the trash--20 minutes.  After school, he rushed home, did his homework, and started working.

My son did housework for two hours and 10 minutes. 

He washed dishes.  He folded laundry.  He cleaned the shower/bath (that took awhile.....).  He cleaned the windows and the mirrors.  He chopped carrots.  And so on.  He could have done more, but I was so flabbergasted, I couldn't think of the next job quickly enough!

Did I mention that he did all of the above with an excellent attitude for the duration?!  Truly, all things are possible.

And now, on to the things I've enjoyed online lately:

This quote:
“If only we’d stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time.” ~ Edith Wharton

which I found in this post from Simple Homeschool .

Brief Moments When I Did Not Hate the Bible is a brilliant post that I wish I had written, especially this part: 

"This is what “supposed to” looks like:

• Get up before dawn.
• Cue cheerfulness.
• Flip open a Bible, a notebook, various commentaries, an alternate translation or two and some kind of reading plan.
• Read, absorbed, for 15-30 minutes. Heck, make it an hour.
• The children do not wake up.
• Be touched, in some way, by what you read. “Begats” are no excuse. Be convicted, but not alienated. Be uplifted without being comfortable, meditative yet studious, etc.
• No grumbling stomach: you’re happy to put off breakfast.
• At the end, sit still for a moment. Listen to God. Hear him clearly.
• Only then should your feet touch the floor, the children wake, and your stomach remind you of your need for food and caffeine.

THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO ME."

Please tell me what you think about How to Order A Croissant.

Finally, this post on time expresses a fear I have: people don't engage with me because they think I'm too busy.  I may be too busy?  I admit that I struggle with time management.... but I think I Have All the Time I Need.  

Japanese Groundhog Day

Setsubun (this should be a Wikipedia link or something but to my knowledge, Blogger doesn't let one do that via iPhone) is not really much like Groundhog Day, except as it falls at the more-theoretical-than-actual change of seasons.  

For example, I don't remember people wearing devil masks, throwing beans and shouting, "Out with devils and in with good luck!" on Groundhog Day.

And I believe in this Japanese ritual just as much as I believe in the groundhog's ability to forecast the coming of spring.  That is, not at all!

But the kids really enjoyed throwing beans at one another.  Gently, of course.  

Home Healthy

Tokyo is apparently in the middle of an influenza outbreak.  So my "big kids"--I just used that phrase to describe my older two for the first time today, and was shocked at how apropos it is, except, when exactly did they get so big?!!--are perfectly healthy but out of school for most of this week.  Enough children were absent Monday from their respective classes that the teachers ruled three days of rest as a better option.  Exactly whom will be "RESTING" is an entirely different discussion.....

Once littlest got home from school, she and her sister were right to the tedious and exacting work of creating these puppets.  That's right, they carefully cut these little paper figures off a calendar from two or three years ago--supplied by their grandmother, of course.  Next step, find all the disposable chopsticks in the house and cut them in half.  Finally, laboriously tape each teeny piece of paper to aforementioned stick.  I'm sorry, I sound like I don't appreciate this project.  I DO!  Because they didn't ask me to help.... 

However, I was privileged to attend the show.  I was called to task for looking at my phone while it was going on--for shame!--so I tried to cover my sin by grabbing these photos.  

My sweet little ladies, so earnest and yet silly in everything they do.  I am not completely sorry that I looked my phone during the show.  After all, I was trying to stay awake.....



ONLY because the puppeteers are irresistible, well, I might be up for an encore.  Of the show.  Not the three days off school thing....two more to go....I am SO in favor of homeschool....for other people.  Good night!

Remembering Now

Sunday evening is TV time.  

At 6 pm, Chibi Maruko Chan (CMC) is on.  She's pictured above, on our ultra-modern-TV-with-VCR-attached. If I have dinner ready in time, then I sit and watch with the kids. Watching TV isn't usually a top priority for me.  

But tonight as we were sitting, I was allowed to see the moment from a bird's eye view.  I saw that this simple, almost silly routine we have of laying everything aside so we can laugh together at CMC's antics is special.  We won't have it forever.  Someday we'll say, "remember when we used to do that?"

So I took this photo, for someday.  I'm showing it and telling you in case I need help to remember some day.  

Hustling Away From Cake

Yesterday I was invited to a friend's house for lunch.  She wrapped it up with coffee and cake, a combination I find particularly irresistible.  

However, for the sake of my expanding waistline and the stress that brings--ironic, the reverse is also true--I've committed to give up grains (though I may occasionally allow white rice) and sugar for the month of February.  

This is by no means the first "lifestyle change" I've attempted.  If I want to be honest with myself, it likely won't be my last.  

I'm at the end of my first day.  Today went well as far as my parameters and not well as far as my mood.  But, thank God, I made it through one day.  Only 27 to go!

Joy First

All the world's a stage....

I think Shakespeare said that and I have no idea what he meant. But it's what I thought of when I saw my girls "performing" with utter abandon today.  They were in a space in the middle of Landmark Tower, Yokohama.  They found a star pattern in the tile on the floor, it must have beckoned them to jump on and dance.  So they did.  

Japanese culture doesn't encourage recklessness or abandonment, but when it comes to expressing the joy of the moment, I and perhaps this whole country have something to learn from my babies.  

Thanksgiving is For Anywhere

Best Seat in the House

Thankful for this toilet.  Really.  Between the bidet and the heated place for your bum, it's quite literally the best seat in the house!  

Wordless Wednesday

Blue Sky Day

This morning was choir practice.  I liked it because we sang together.  I didn't like it because our leader wasn't there and it was awkward.  I have the loudest voice, and I don't mind calling people to attention.  But what to say when I have attention if I don't actually know what we're doing? 

Went erranding after, right back to the wholesale market.  Bought the gigantic tin of tomatoes for only 550 yen and never mind about the BPA.  

Stopped in to a bakery for lunch.  Al fresco was in order but all the tables were full so I sat with two older ladies.  One of them told us she's 74, she's busy trying to clean up the second floor of her house so he daughter won't have to do it when she dies.  American me is becoming more used to--and even somewhat approving of--Japanese matter-of-fact ness about death.  In theory.  

Open school yard today at the kindergarten, spent the hour catching up with a couple of mom friends.  

Watched a movie with Aogu; seems like the older I get, the less suspense I can tolerate, even in an utterly predictable movie.  

Much to be thankful for today, just like every day.  God, forgive me for the many moments today when I forgot to receive Your gifts with open hands!  

Old Makes Me New

Went to Urawa to have dinner with old friends.  The relief of being with people already know is so relieving.  Like I didn't know I was holding my breath all day but turns out I was.  Feeling much more alive after breathing with them for a few hours.  God is so gracious!  He knows what we need, what an amazing and wonderful mystery.  

Guest Performance

Today I went to a Mommy & Me Toddler yoga class to be a guest English teacher. I was impressed that the facility prepared this huge, fancy schedule to show all the events planned for today on this floor!

It was funny to me that this large community space, mostly full of offices and formal meeting rooms, also contained this "Japanese Room".  We held our class here.  But for the lack of a restroom, people could actually live in there!  It's hard to see the lock well here, but it opens with a key that needs to be unscrewed for admittance to the room.  Interesting!  

This is the program I put together for the class.  Thank God, it was off the cuff but still somehow lasted exactly 30 minutes.  Phew!

Just when I thought today would be a great day to go back to low carb, my collaborator K-san invited me to lunch.  We had this sandwich set.  No, we didn't share one!  It was teeny enough, we each needed our own. 

The only sad thing about this coffee is they didn't offer free refills.  Otherwise, it was perfectly delicious! 

You may think I'm telling you all this to introduce you to a new way to eat lunch.  

Normally, that would've the case, but at the end of this meal, I failed to notice a huge hole cut out of the terrace to allow a big bush to grow.  

And so I miscalculated and fell right in.  

Ouch.

Power of Attorney

Oops, I just edited this photo to smithereens in an attempt to protect my brother-in-law's privacy.  

It was supposed to show the handwritten  document I created to give him power of attorney.  Don't worry, he's not going to start managing all of my affairs, though I do sometimes wish I had someone to do that.  

Apparently a couple of weeks ago I dropped my prepaid reloadable train card.  I didn't miss it till I received a call from the police station.  I was going to go over there and pick it up myself, really I was.  But it's not super close or convenient to get to *whine*.....

It is close to my brother-in-law's church, a fact which became useless when the police announced their hours.  M-F 9-5

Anyway, my brother in law kindly agreed to pick it up for me tomorrow.  

Thanks to this document and its all important power of attorney transfer to my BIL in this crucial retrieving of my train card.  This time tomorrow night it'll surely be safely with me!!!

Viral

Yesterday afternoon, it was my turn to be on patrol for my kids and others from their school who live in our area.  

The most worrisome part of their trek home is apparently the railroad crossing. "Apparently," because really, from the tiniest preschooler and on up, they are all taught strict obedience to the clanging and yellow bars that signal a train approaching.  I'm infinitely more likely to streak through the crossing after the clanging has started than any elementary school child I've seen.  My own kids take me to task when I pull the stunt mentioned above.  

Anyway, I was assigned to stand by the RR crossing for 15-20 minutes after school was out and ensure that no child would be delinquent.  Also, that no "suspicious persons" would try anything on the kids.  Not sure that the busy crossing immediately adjacent to the train station would be a likely place for their antics....

So I went out there and dutifully strapped on my "patrol" armbands.  Then I stood and waited.  Wait some more.  A couple kids went by and I said hello.  A couple moms went by and greeted me with a standard phrase (otsukare Sama deshita), which means something like, "thanks for working yourself to exhaustion".  Found that hugely ironic.  Said hi to a couple more kids, had a short chat with an American guy who drove up.  But mostly I was just bored.  

What else to do when one is bored than try to make that moment look exciting to your FB connections? (Note to said connections: I am not constantly lying to you with each post I put up but I confess to some exaggeration some of the time).

Grabbed my phone, snapped this photo, threw it out there.  

And now this is our most liked post ever--OK, second most, but it'd in the running for first.  Huh?!  Hardly worthy of the word VIRAL at that level, it's not as if my feed is open for public viewing.  Or maybe it is somehow; those privacy policies are skin & bones these days.  

So my point, if you can follow super extrapolated logic, is this: 

We never know what's coming!  We can guess and plan, and perhaps things go as we hope and predict some of the time.  Much more often they don't.  I've spent great portions of my life so far in a constant buffeted state because I wanted to think I knew what was coming.  Then, huge (figurative) slaps upside the head as I realized--again--that I'm not in control.  

So anyway, I really can't see what's ahead and I am so grateful that being in this moment and learning to thank God for whatever it contains is enough.  Amen. 

Fall is What the Leaves Do.....

and it wasn't until somewhat recently that it dawned on me, this is where our alternative name for Autumn comes from.  

Here's another sign of Autumn, courtesy of Sister in Law's mother.  A delicious sign!

Wordless Wednesday

Same Here and There

Lately my sister and I have noticed that often in the morning and the evening, our weather is similar.

Day Off

Koji and I went to a different church today.  I enjoyed it so much!  If only it didn't meet at the exact same time as our other church....

I was reminded that the living water Jesus offers to the Samaritan woman in John 16 (?) stays living as we let it flow through us to others.  If we try to keep it, bottle it up, it'll be dead water and won't bless anyone.  

This is not the first time I've heard this--I learned it last year in Jill's Deuteronomy study.  But it was significant, somehow, that I was reminded of it today.  Amen. 

Feverish

He was all day and might even be right now, he's talking so much in his sleep.  I spent too much time making him chicken soup and not enough playing Duel Masters.  Never mind that I don't know how to play!