For all our devoted "fans"....

Hi all,

We haven't forgotten about you...just EXTREMELY busy these days! We're in Hawaii this week house-hunting and up until today, the prospects didn't look good. Between sketchy neighborhoods, scary landlords (is that Dog the Bounty Hunter???), and teensy-weensy living quarters, Chris and I began to think we were destined to live out of a box at Wakiki Beach for six-twelve months until base housing opened up. Granted the views would be awesome and the square footage certainly wouldn't be a problem... ;)

After having base housing options go down the toilet--can three people actually reside in 900 sq. ft of living space?--we located a townhouse in Kailua that suits our fancy. It's actually quite incredible--mountain and golf course views from TWO lanais (one upstairs, one down), three bedrooms, three baths, a granite-covered kitchen, covered parking, gated access, and 1700 sq. ft of glorious living space. We still have to work out the details and the paperwork, but have offered an oral agreement to rent the property. The owner/landlord is a AF LT Colonel, so we feel pretty good about that...military renting to military always seems to make things just a bit easier! :)

That's all for now. Actually, I'm just taking a break from two papers and two finals to write and let you all know about our exciting residential news. We've been here since Monday and have yet to spend time on the beach. :( I guess an actual 'vacay' in Hawaii will just have to wait...no rest for the weary!

Love,

Amanda

Adventures in Self-Feeding....

I think someone told Noah that it's not about how much you get in your mouth...but how much you can smear on your face.

Fun with utensils--is it really a spoon or maybe...a paintbrush?

What mess??? I don't see any mess!

Oh no! This means I'll have to have a bath, doesn't it?

We don't have much time to write these days, but thought these photos would most assuredly bring about a laugh or two!

Happy Halloween!!

Noah went on his very first 'Trick-or-Treat' excursion last night! Here he is all dressed up as Stitch--as you can see, he's all excited about the massive amount of Snickers, Hersheys, Sour Patch Kids, and Sweet Tarts he planned on bagging in massive quantities. No, not really, but he played along with Mommy and Daddy's dress-up game with a good sense of humor.

Mommy, Daddy, and Noah actually had a busy night last night. Akiko, who is in charge of one of the English school I used to teach for, asked if we would escort her Japanese students and their parents on base to experience 'Trick-or-Treating' first-hand. So we gathered up a few other American friends and off we went...5 Americans with 30 or so costume-clad (so VERY CUTE!) Japanese kids and their parents, going door to door amongst the American houses saying "Trick-or-Treat!!!!" It was a really neat experience, although Noah thought it was cold...and loud...and not fun, and wailed his desire to be taken back to the car 20 minutes into our night out. You can't blame him--I'd wail, too, if I wasn't getting any of the scrumptious benefits of being out in the cold and wet!!!

We had a really good time, though. I got to see a few of my old students and give them one last hug and a 'good-bye' before we PCS outta here. It's kind of sad actually--for someone who used to cringe at the prospect of a teaching profession, I really did enjoy my time teaching English here and will miss these guys alot.

Well....Happy Halloween from the Dudleys! We hope you have lots to show for your night out--just remember, Reese's cups are our fav and their square little packages fit quite nicely together in a small shipping box to Japan! :)

No Commentary Required

Diving for Salmon...

I'm BAAACCKK! Four 15-page papers in two weeks is a killah I tell you!! :)

Now that I have my proverbial head above water, I'll share with you an actual water adventure that the Dudley family and a few friends went on last weekend. Don't worry....I'll get to the Singapore photos, just decided to play catch-up in reverse order.

So, the Rokkasho salmon festival....a very interesting event to say the least. We laughed our butts off as we watched a few hundred people participate in a 3-minute dive after fish in a large blue pool--kids were slippin' and slidin' and shovin', adults were scramblin', jumpin' and divin'--it was like watching a greased pig catching contest, Japanese style. Chris had dreamed about the moment he would wrangle a fish with his bare hands (he does love his salmon fishing, of course), but realized afterwards that the event selling out of tickets and him not getting one was not a bad thing. I don't know who got the worse end of the deal, actually...both fish and people exited the pool a little bloodied. For the fish's sake, I hope they got in a few well-aimed whaps with their tails before being carted off to the cleaning tables.

Salmon stew...just like in a Campbell's soup commercial--mmm, mmm, GOOD!

Adorable little Japanese girl eating yummy, delicious salmon eggs (GACK!)

Noah had a great view on Daddy's shoulders

Just Mommy and Meeee!

The Kuehns (Tim and Monica) and the Milds (Andy and Keli)

The Great Pool of Salmon

The Wranglers. Ready, Set...

GO!

I got him, Mommy...you go in for another one!!!

(insert Japanese subtitles here)

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Chris turned 31 today...wow, time sure does fly by! I get to pick on him for being "older" but I'm not all that far behind. :)

So, if you haven't done so yet, be sure to wish Chris a very "Happy Birthday." I'm sure he'll appreciate all your warm wishes, your love, your generous thoughtfulness...and your reminder that he's no longer a spry young 25. ;)

Happy Birthday, honey! Noah and I love you very much!

Amanda

Singapore Zoo...

Our first and only posted pic (thus far) of our trip to Singapore...and a cheesy one at that! :)

Chris and I look pretty cute, but poor Noah looks stoned. Probably because about five minutes after this photo was taken, he was passed out and snoozing pretty solidly in that stroller. ;)

When things slow down here a bit, I promise to get more posted. With our slow Internet connection, uploading takes For-EVER!

~ Amanda

Gomen Nasai Present...

You know what's great about Japan?


This:



Not the little booger holding the box of stuff (although he certainly is cute, isn't he?), but the "gomen nasai" box of goodies that we received today. From a guy. That a man would actually think to make an apologetic gesture with a gift (other than when/if he's trying to get out of the relationship doghouse) makes it extra special. ;) Yeah, yeah...I'm so funny.


So here's the story:


Our car began to give us some mechanical trouble awhile back, so we took it in to a Japanese repair shop in hopes that the mechanic could fix the problem without it costing us a lot of dough. Turns out, the car is doomed to be recycled into scrap metal and spare parts...the needed repairs far exceed the car's value plus the added cost of reinsuring it. When we offer to pay for the inspection (keep in mind it took the guy a couple of hours to diagnosis the extent of the problem), the mechanic graciously refused and apologized for not being able to help us. So, we thanked him and left.


Then, I get a call this afternoon from the mechanic, apologizing profusely and telling us that he still had our title (I assume he used it to get price quotes on parts) and if I would tell him where we lived, he would come by and drop it off. I told him it was no problem, we'd be in the neighborhood later and we'd pick it up ourselves. When we go to pick it up, he's waiting for us with the title and a nicely wrapped box containing the items you see above. "Gomen Nasai...I'm VERY sorry," he repeated and handed Chris the box and the title. We hadn't even noticed the title was not in the glovebox of the car, probably wouldn't have noticed until we actually drove it to the junkyard, and we weren't really concerned about it anyway. The mechanic, on the other hand, was VERY concerned based upon the number of apologies (and the box) he gave us.

So, the box contains this cute little hand towel set. Very nice towels, actually. But that's not my point. Here's what I find so great about this little anecdote: a) The mechanic performed a couple of hours worth of work on our vehicle and when he realized that he wasn't going to get paid for a repair job, he still didn't want any form of payment for his time; b) He apologized for not being able to help us; c) He offered to come to our house to drop the title off (granted it was his mistake, but that was still a very nice gesture; and d) He had a "gomen nasai" goody box ready and waiting for us when we came by to pick it up. My first instinct was to politely refuse and tell him that it was really no problem, but then I would have been perceived as rude. Funny how that works here... :)


As much as I'm ready to leave Misawa, this kind of thing is why I've come to love and appreciate the Japanese people so much. It's not so much about the gift, but the gesture. I've dealt with plenty of repair shops in my time (former insurance adjuster here, if you recall), and this is not the norm--mechanics typically don't make a point of "investing" time and money in customers they can't get a return on in kind. M-a-y-b-e if they thought you could potentially bring them business for their "kindness," but this guy is aware that we're leaving in a few months. He fully realized that return on investment opportunities--in the form of referrals and additional repair jobs--were slim to none.


What a NICE guy. I know when relocating often, they say that there are at least three professionals you wish you could always take with you (if they're good): your stylist, your doctor, and finally...your mechanic.


I'd say he's most definitely trifecta material. Arigato gozaimasu, Date-san!!

Our Art Gallery Conundrum...

Today marked our last big Asian bazaar shopping spree before heading back to the States - we FINALLY purchased a tonsu (a large wooden step chest), picked up a limited edition print of two koi, a sandalwood carving, and a painting highlighting two beautiful cranes taking flight before Mt. Fuji. Our home has officially become an eclectic tribute to our international travels; everywhere we go, we make it a point to return with gorgeous pieces from that region. Sakura (cherry blossom) pottery and scrollwork from Korea, aboriginal paintings from Australia, hand-woven fabrics and watercolors from Thailand (we actually watched the artist as he worked), silk obis and furniture from Japan, and stuff from W-A-Y back...carvings done by members of an Indian tribe in the Pac NW (we watched them make these too). And that's only half of it. In addition to the international art I've failed to mentioned, there's also the beautiful pieces that Eileen has done, specifically the oil of me poised atop a fallen log at Deception Pass, that hold positional significance throughout our home--adorning walls in the foyer...the livingroom...the hallway...and our bedroom. So very cool.

Soooo...there in lies my conundrum. I have an art gallery for a house and we've run out of room. :) Half of our stuff is lying on and around the bed in the guestroom. My goal for house hunting in Hawaii is to find a house with enough walls to hang everything. I think I'll be sad if I have to pick and choose. :( I also am in need of some serious recommendations for positioning and paint color. I'm TERRIBLE at layouts, color, and design, so I think I'll be employing the use of the people at This Young House, http://www.thisyounghouse.com/ (thanks Jamie for the recommendation!) once I get there. I so love their ideas!

Once we get settled there and I get some good advice, I'll be sure to post pics of all the stuff we've accumulated in the last five years. It'll blow your mind. Once Chris retires from the military, I'm sure we'll need a 4,000+ sq. ft. home to house our collection. It's certainly become quite the past time!

Love to all,

Amanda

It was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times...

Just wanted to let everyone know that we're back from our trip to Singapore. How'd it go you ask? Well...the opening line from A Tale of Two Cities seems to best describe our four day adventure. There were great occasions and not so great ones; fabulous evenings at sunset spent dining along the waterfront and a horrible final evening made "complete" by a tired, screaming baby, 2 papers due for school, and a surprise and infuriating restaurant bill for two of $462.00 (yes...FOUR HUNDRED, SIXTY-TWO DOLLARS!); a fun-filled day exploring the city and various Asian museums with a newly-made missionary friend from China, and a 7-hour airplane ride with a wasted guy who puked all over himself 20 minutes after takeoff.

It's hard to ever complain about such vacations being horrible--after all, you ARE thousands of miles away from home and work with the people you love, taking in new sights and experiences. But this trip might take the cake on the "not so fun" factor. It's hard to say...Chris and I are still weighing the trip's positives against its negatives. After our many adventures in countries like Australia, Thailand, S. Korea, and even here in Japan...Singapore was just...well...disappointing. It just didn't measure up. Maybe we're a bit jaded after having been to so many different countries and been a part of so many exciting experiences. *Frown* I hope not.

When I get longer than just a moment to write, I'll post a better synopsis of our travels and include some photographs. At least, the photos turned out really well! Chris managed to get an action shot of two white tigers fighting...how cool is that??

We leave for Hawaii in just over a month to find a new home. Let's pray that trip goes very well and there are no troubles to speak of--no unconsolable babies, no drunk guys who lose all bodily function and no unexpected, enormously expensive dining experiences that just make you wish you'd just stayed home.


Amanda

The Internist...

So, I had a follow-up visit with my Internist today and I've changed my mind...he's an okay guy. :)

When the the big "D" hammer fell in May, this doc and I were basically the equivalent of oil and vinegar...we just didn't mix. He saw it one way and I saw it the other--it seemed he wanted to quickly prescribe every 15-letter medication out of Stedman's Medical Dictionary that my body could handle and I was quick to tell him that long, drug-induced bouts of nausea, severe migraines and stomach cramps (amongst other unmentionable things) was NOT my idea of "getting better." I suggested supplementing natural remedies--green tea, cinnamon, and dark chocolate--to keep things like "risk of liver and kidney failure" at bay and he would shake his head and comment about "strange and risky" alternative medicine. Oh, the irony...

So maybe he's a little too conventional for my taste (me being a little too alternative for his) and therefore he doesn't need to know the specifics on the 3 tiny bars of DARK chocolate I eat after dinner some evenings, the dash of cinnamon I have on wheat toast in the mornings, or even the green tea with echinacea I like to sip on in the evenings while watching episodes of "The Office." BUT...I do like the fact that he's very proactive (not reactive) in his methods, is beginning to ask me for my opinions in how I should increase/decrease my medications in response to my highs and lows, and has become generally more receptive to any suggestions I might have.

Here's the common problems I think physicians face and hence why I think we initially butted heads: a) They have patients who do little to educate themselves on any condition or chronic illness they may have and develop the "Uh-huh...okay...I will(but I really won't)" response system; or b) they have patients who come in to regurgitate the long list of reasons why they can't possibly begin to fulfill any of the recommendations the doctor has made to improve their health and save them from any lasting ill effects of their condition. Luckily, I don't fall into either of those categories. :) Therefore, when someone like me walks in--well-read, proactive in treating my condition, receptive to alternative suggestions--I imagine I might be quite the handful to deal with...at least initially. :) I know it bothers the heck out of some doctors that I make a practice of reading up on research in medical journals before I go in to chat with them...but I firmly believe in the idea that "an uneducated patient is a dead patient." And I plan on living a L-O-N-G time--like Rose from Titanic, dying an old lady, warm in my bed.

I digress. :)

So, me and the doc jive now. That's my news. There was no fist-bumping or back-slapping or anything, but I was rather touched today when he asked me to come into the clinic some time to educate his other patients, me now being an "expert" on treating and living with diabetes. How cool was that? I think he was only half-serious, of course, but it's still a compliment nonetheless. And just in case you're wondering, my blood sugars are still way off at times and I still get sick from severe highs and lows, but considering that they were originally in the 580s and now regularly fall in the 120-180 range, I've come a long way. Before May, I had no idea just how sick I was...God was truly looking out for me.

So, here's to achieving "normal"...and no longer wanting to smack your doctor. ;)

Amanda

13 Months

I haven't taken many pictures of Noah lately. It's kind of hard when you're chasing around a VERY mobile little boy, in conjunction with maintaining a daily work out regiment and 30+ hours of school every week. Yep...you read that right. The professors at UMUC expect each student to commit 15-20 hours a week (per class) to participating in discussion boards and group projects, reading our texts, and completing weekly writing assignments. And since I'm taking two classes, school is very much like a regular full-time job. Make that TWO full-time jobs...Noah has become quite the handful! :)

Anyway, we hit "pause" today on Mommy and Noah's over-active remotes and Daddy helped in taking some pretty cute photos of the little guy. He's an amazing 13 months old--complete with unruly blond hair, bright blue eyes, grabby (and grubby) hands, 8 fangs, and a capacity for eating a whole grilled cheese sandwich, an 8 oz. bottle of milk, and a jar of applesauce all in one sitting. Where he puts it all, I have no idea. I guess it's in preparation for the bottomless pit he'll acquire in his teenage years.

Well, here he is! As you can see, we have a little Beethoven in the making. Gotta get him started early--he's got a lot of catching up to do to be as good as Grandpa. :)

Enjoy the photos! Hopefully, we'll have plenty more next week when we return from our trip!

~Amanda

Trip for 3 to Singapore...64 Buckaroos!

Well, it's a little more than that--especially when you consider train tickets, meals, and a hotel. :) But when you can fly 3 people round-trip from the Land of the Rising Sun to the Lion City for under what we spend on dinner out some nights, you simply can't pass that up!

Chris has accumulated a great deal of frequent flyer miles over the last two years, and since the airliners are doing all sorts of funky things with their premier status programs, we decided it was better to use those miles rather than risk losing them. So, with two telephone calls and a couple of clicks of the mouse, the Dudley family is set to spend Columbus Day weekend in the company of some Singoporeans. For a married couple who rarely does anything without planning out specifics first, this trip is soooo deliciously spur of the moment! I love it! I feel like we're doing something impulsive and daring. :)

Here's to one last "HURRAH!" before leaving Japan....

53,000

...that's how many babies in China are sick from formula tainted with melamine. I'm thoroughly disgusted. First pets and now kids...how could anyone EVER willingly poison a precious child????

I thought the Olympics were supposed to be some big turning point for China--yeah, right. Human rights violations...check, government corrruption...check, age falsification of Olympic athletes...check, poisoning children for financial gain...CHECK.

I'm going to go throw up now...

It's Official!!

Written orders are finally in hand--Hawaii here we come!!! Chris finally received the necessary paperwork to wrap up our journey here in Misawa and begin preparations for heading to the Aloha State. We'll initiate our packout here very soon, so that upon return from GA in November we can get our household goods packed and underway for that long boat ride across the Pacific.






Ahhhh...I can already smell the wonderful salty air from my lanai.... :)

Aloha!

Amanda

Heroism and Sacrifice

I wrote the following in response to a forum comment regarding John McCain not being a "hero." While you may or may not agree with his politics, I find it hard to ignore the sacrifices this man has made in service to his country. And while I won't elaborate or dwell on the blogger's words (although I thought they were extremely off the mark and very misinformed, but that is MY opinion), I will share with you my thoughts on what heroism is truly all about. Please feel free to share your thoughts or comments as well.

Here's to all the heroes out there.

Love to all,

Amanda



I’m curious as to when heroism became so strictly defined as requiring death or wearing a shiny medal on one’s chest. I’m quite sure that if you speak with a Medal of Honor recipient, he or she could quickly name someone who was a greater hero in their own lives…a teacher, a social worker, a parent, a minister, a friend…someone who is no less of a hero despite the fact that they didn’t die for their cause or receive some prestigious award. Heroes are defined not by the idle words or opinions of those who stand indifferent to their bravery, courage, sacrifice, and service. I think a hero can only be truly defined by those whose lives they’ve positively changed and impacted…and I think their actions don’t necessarily require some dramatic ending or great personal sacrifice to be identified as “heroic.” For you or me, someone who donates a single book to a third world reading program may not appear to be a hero—they didn’t commit some brave act by throwing themselves on a grenade or jumping in after someone drowning. For a little girl or boy who never had the opportunity to read before that book was placed in their hands…that small, unnamed benefactor may most certainly be a hero in their eyes. It may open the door that would have otherwise never been opened. And I don’t think it’s fair or just to deny them or anyone the right to name their own hero.

For me, John McCain is a hero, as I’m sure he is to those POWs who lay bound and broken with him in Vietnam. As are my father and grandfather, who fought in Vietnam and WWII respectively, and came home without ever being bestowed some great honor by their country. They’re heroes because I recognize them as such and their sacrifice touches my life in a profound way....We all experience arduous times, but none greater than those who sacrifice who and what they love most for a cause greater than themselves.



(I feel like a wrote a college essay submission--now where's my scholarship? ;) )

Bedtime...

As a kid, it really hurt my feelings when my parents would march me off to bed in the evenings. It was like they couldn't wait to be rid of me..."Brush your teeth, put on your pajamas...hurry, hurry, hurry, march, march, MARCH!!!" For all I knew, they threw some fabulous party when my sister and I went to bed--complete with balloons, cupcakes with sprinkles, and streamers--and didn't want us to crash the festivities. Therefore, I resented being shuffled off to bed, night after night, while they enjoyed themselves without me. ME...the one who was suppose to be the most important person in their lives!


Now as a mom to a one year old, I know exactly why your child's bedtime is the most gloriously anticipated moment of the day....

It's called S-I-L-E-N-C-E.


Here's to all the overtired parents out there!

~ Amanda (Zzzzzzz.....)

Air Show...No Show... :(

I was all excited to go to the Misawa air show featuring the Japan Blue Impulse team--my very first air show EVER! But it rained. So typical....

The static displays were stationed along the runway for everyone's viewing pleasure, but since I see the planes there everyday, I wasn't too thrilled about the prospect of enduring the drizzling rain and crowds of people to do a walk-through. So, we left and did the next best thing--go to one of our favorite places to eat...the sushi go-round! :)

It's not swank, but for about $1.50 per plate, you can't find a better sushi bargain. Salmon is my fav...and this from someone who thought sushi was disgusting only three years ago! Guess you have to travel all the way to Japan to appreciate some really good fish! Even Noah enjoys a mouthful or two. Careful on the wasabi there, mom! :)

There's only one thing I simply can't bring myself to eat, however...the raw horse meat.

I'm pretty brave when it comes to food and usually believe in the "don't knock it unless you try it" way of thinking, but this is just a bit too extreme for even my palate. Apparently, it's quite the delicacy and has a delicious flavor. Ummm...I'll just take their word for it. I like my horses still whinnying and trotting around on four legs.

Well, that marks the end of another weekend here in Misawa. Only four more months to go! Speaking of which, I'm actually getting pretty nervous about our upcoming move to Hawaii. Chris will be away about 75% of the time that we are stationed there and will probably not even be around long enough to help me gather up our bags and dog from the airport, get new IDs, pick up our car, or even unpack our house once we arrive. It's funny how you marry into military life and seem to remain "single" for most of your 20+ year journey.

Anyone willing to volunteer to come a stay with me a week or two in Hawaii to help?? I make a pretty good margarita... :)

~Amanda

Labor Day Weekend Wrap-Up - Misawa Air & Space Museum and the Ryusendo Caves

Wow! We had quite the fun-filled holiday weekend--spelunking, space exploration, treasure hunting, and more! We were fortunate that Chris was able to have five days off due to a change in his work schedule; we made the most of it, especially since the new school semester begins next week. Oh, joy! ;)

In the two years that we have lived here, we've never made it over to the Misawa Air & Space Museum that lies adjacent to the Air Base. How sad is that? :) This past Sunday was a rainy one, which presented us with the perfect opportunity to explore a fun, indoor activity that Noah was finally old enough to enjoy. The museum had a bunch of really neat interactive stations that allowed even the smallest hands to manipulate--touching, pushing, pulling, and turning gears, levers, wheels, and pulleys. Noah loved it!

On Monday, the weather finally cleared up, allowing us to venture on a beautiful drive down the northern Japanese coastline. Japan is very mountainous, so a 130 km (78 miles) drive takes about three hours or more. Therefore, we opted to split up the drive time between the three of us and not make Daddy do all the tiresome driving...here's Noah readying himself for a "go" behind the wheel.

Heh...of course not! :) We actually took a break at rest stop and I brought the little guy up from his carseat to munch on some yummy animal crackers and fruit.

We finally made it to Ryusendo Park and we were glad to give our legs a nice stretch in the short walk to the caves. Chris tossed Noah up onto his shoulders, unprepared for the little guy's upchuck reflex that was spawned by the long car ride. :) We thought that his spitting up days were over...guess not. :)

Here's Chris cleaning up:

Sadly, I laughed at Chris' misfortune...then got spit up on as well. :( Not so funny when it's you.

When we were all clean from the incident (or as clean as we could be), we traveled on down the gravel path to the caves and stopped at the river to take a couple of photos. If any of you want an indicator of how tall the little guy is, here it is in the photo below. Do a Chris/Noah size comparison, keeping in mind that Chris is almost 6'4" in height. Y-E-A-H...Noah's not so little.

He appears to be prepping for a dive into the river...or practicing his best "clap, clap, clap" routine. I'm not so sure. :) The kid loves water, so we weren't surprised to see that he wasn't frightened by it rushing below him on the bridge. In fact, he was thrilled.

We unfortunately didn't get many photos inside the cavern due to it being poorly lit, but it was a neat experience. I think "ryusendo" in Japanese means "dragon cave" or "dragon waters," but I don't know which. :) It certainly looked like it could be home to a dragon, but I think all it housed were a few thousand sleeping bats, which we didn't get to see due to the penetrating darkness and steep caverns. The walls were cool and wet and water continuously dripped from above. At first, I thought it might be bat guano (Gross!) but I was thankfully mistaken. Here's a bit of trivia: Ryusendo, a natural treasure, is one of Japan's three biggest and greatest limestone caverns. Inside the cave is an underground lake, which is world-famous for its remarkable transparency of 41.5 meters. Pretty nifty!

Well, that's about it for us. We had a great weekend and hope you did as well! The next school term is just on the horizon, so after next weekend I'll have to take a sabatical from blogging for awhile. We look forward, however, to going to the Air Show on Sunday to see Japan's Blue Impulse team perform! They are the Japanese equivalent to the Blue Angels...it should be thrilling to watch and hopefully I'll get some great photos!

Until then,

Amanda