A Visit from the Pope

Dear Friends and Family,

I wanted to pass along some exciting news!

The Pope came for a surprise visit today. I had no idea he was even in the area, but he was very kind to grace us with his presence. He didn't stay very long, but bore an uncanny resemblance to a little boy we know. The similarity was remarkable!

What was most interesting was his strange fascination with toy trains, stackable boxes, and rolling monkey balls. He also seemed to have a propensity for being very silly. Who knew!!! I really thought the Pope would have no time for such things...he's such a busy guy and all. I also had no idea he would be so approachable, so easy-going, or so HANDSOME!!

Maybe we should consider becoming Catholic? :)

Love to all,

Amanda (and the Pope)

The animal tamer...

Since Noah just recently got big enough to fully enjoying the panda Chris brought home a few months ago, I thought I'd share some cute moments with you. Enjoy!

~Amanda

Fear Mountain and the "Wild" Horses at Cape Shiriya...

To escape work, school, and the ever-present claustrophobia associated with Misawa living, Chris, Noah, our friend Keli, and I opted for a little adventure this past weekend and decided to take a little roadtrip to the upper peninsula. We had heard rumor of a herd of wild horses that roamed free along the northern coastline and thought it would be fun to go in search of them.

After winding up and over mountains, passing through teeny coastal fishing villages, and traveling around the "Obscurity Wood of Hiba" (I kid you not--check out the sign), we finally made our way to Cape Shiriya, the northeastern most point of Honshu and home to the Kandachime horses. The result of two hundred years of crossbreeding between the Tanabu and French Breton breed of horses, these guys' claim to fame is their remarkable ability to withstand northern Japan’s brutal winters. Their name literally means ‘to stand in the frost’.



Our first view of these magnificent creatures involved a pretty amazing display of both their remarkable intellect and fiercely untamed spirit. I managed to capture the moment on camera:

"Hey, Blackie...Quick!! Go get some more change from that tourist. The old man just hung up on me when I told him last week's oats were stale, the hay was moldy, and that we're organizing a strike if something doesn't give ...."

So much for wild. :) I think one too many tourist has offered up a tasty treat and these guys now recognize that humans aren't to be feared. They were beautiful, though, and their imposing (yet elegant) stature reminded us of the Clydesdales we've seen in the States. It appears the Budweiser horses have some Far Eastern competition should the beer company ever be in need of additional "actors."

Noah greets Mr. Ed...





















...and shies away from others! (No, the foal isn't dead, just resting)

















Keli with one of the babies...
















Grazing at the cape...

The stallion...(he's the one that's closer)
















Family photo...



Having made good time on seeing the horses, the four of us then decided to travel inland and visit (or revisit in the case of Chris and me) Osorezan, which translates into English as "Mount Fear." The mountain is actually a volcano in the center of the peninsula and is considered one of Japan's most sacred locations. Unfortunately, my nose didn't find it so sacred--I had forgotten just how strong the sulfurous fumes that emanate from the place were and I was quickly reminded upon our approach as I grew nauseated from the "rotten egg" smell. Your nose just never seems to adjust to such things.

Before entering the temple, I took a few photos of Noah, Chris, and Keli at the beautiful red bridge that marks the gateway from "hell" into "paradise."





















Given our surroundings, it felt rather eerie to be there with a happy, smiling Noah. The temple is dedicated to the souls of unborn babies and dead children and I felt rather sad to witness the number of pinwheels (each represent a lost child) while in the company of my own little guy. Walking beyond the temple, we noted the piles of pebbles rising from the ground that are built in effort to ease the children's struggle in getting into heaven.


Since it was hot and Noah was getting a little pink, the four of us decided to cut our visit short and head back to Misawa. Although it was a long day trip, we had tons of fun! Here's a grinning Noah to prove it!



Cheers!


Amanda

Hektor...

Much to our chagrin, Chris and I have realized over the last several weeks that we've become rather dismissive of Hektor and not very kind to our fuzzy buddy over the last several months. With our preoccupation with school, work, personal issues, and most of all, Noah, we've allowed ourselves to ignore all of his good behaviors and focus minimal attention on him only when he's been underfoot or asking for something directly--food, water, to go potty, or sit with us on the couch. (Yes, he actually asks. It's amazing, I know. He sits up to "ask" and can distinguish the difference between specific words and phrases. "Hektor--Do you need to go potty?" **No response** "Are you hungry?" **No response** "Are you thirsty...do you want water?" ***THAT'S IT, THAT'S IT!!! Excited begging motion, woofing, and jumping inserted here.***)

I digress.

We've been rather poor doggy parents, so here is a shout out on the little guy's behalf for being such a great dog:

Thanks, Hektor:

1) For sitting quietly at our feet while we study, read, play with Noah, or watch television.

2) For waiting in the foyer after coming in from the rain, knowing that your paws are needing to be wiped and lifting each one in the process.

3) For knowing that crumbs aren't allowed on the floor or couch and eating treats only in designated places (like taking them to your bed without being told).

4) For taking yourself to bed each night without being told (sometimes ahead of us), and resting there quietly (even when you have to go "out") through the half hour Chris is getting ready to go to work and only after I after get up. This is MUCH appreciated!

5) For not being a yappy, overly-hyper dog, like so many of our neighbors' four-legged beasts.

And especially:

6) For defying the "breed disposition" and not giving in to jealousy or showing any ill-will towards the baby for being displaced in the family....by exhibiting patience, acceptance, and affection towards Noah...even when he grabs a fistful of your facial hair and tugs until it hurts.

7) For knowing what "Go check on the baby" means and following through. That's really awesome!

8) For aspiring to be like Nanna from "Peter Pan"--watching over your little buddy carefully, knowing how to distinguish a serious cry from a whiney one, running to "check" on him when he falls over, and coming to get me when you think I'm needed. And I'm sure in your little doggy brain, slobbery kisses aren't disgusting germ spreaders, but the best medicine for bumps and bruises!!

And in the future:

9) For waiting patiently and lovingly at the window for Noah at 3:30p.m., because somehow you just "know" that's what time he gets home from school each day.

10) For being the always ready playmate that every little boy needs in his early years of development (especially when mommy and daddy can't keep up the pace).

11) And finally: For helping to ease Noah's many hurts, hurdles, and heartbreaks (as only doggy pals can do) as he experiences the rocky climb from boyhood to manhood.

Thanks, pal! Even though we may not have shown it as well as we should have, you've been an incredibly awesome member of our family!

~ Amanda

Grilled Thai Beef Salad

Chris made this for dinner tonight and all I can say is....WOW. Healthy, tasty, full of flavor...and I don't even like curry, which is a main ingredient in the marinade!

We have always eaten rather healthy, but with my new diagnosis we went in search of great cookbooks in which we would not have to sacrifice taste for diabetic maintenance. Ellie Krieger's (she's a dietician) The Foods You Crave is an excellent source of recipe ideas for someone whose looking to adopt a healthy diet and yet still enjoy some of your favorite foods--fried chicken, mac n' cheese, and even chocolate desserts! YUM!

I highly recommend giving Ellie a shot and buying her latest cookbook. Or, if I've yet to convince you, look up a couple of her recipes through the Food Network and give them a try!

Bon Appetite!

~Amanda

8 Months to GO!

That's it...only 8 months left here! Woo-Hoo! With time ticking away, it won't be long before Chris, Noah, and I will finally be out of Misawa and on to sunny, breezy, beautiful Hawaii!


A couple of weeks ago, we made our first official step towards being outta here. It was a glorious moment and it made the upcoming move finally seem real. After having driven a 1993 Mitsubishi RVR for the last 6 months (a piece) and a 1991 Toyota Carib before that (an even bigger piece), we elected to utilize the military overseas purchase option and get a Volvo. Hurrah! If you don't quite understand my current state of euphoric bliss over car buying, I suggest you do the comparison:


This:





Versus this: (only in titanium grey)





Ahhhh....NOW you understand! I knew a visual image would help! Sexy, right??? ;)


While I try not to sound too overjoyed with the prospect of leaving this joint (I'll miss you Keli and Erin! You guys are the best!!!), I can't wait to re-experience the simple pleasures of being stateside again. Like driving on the right side of the road, walking through a Barnes and Noble while sipping lazily on a cup of coffee, and even Wal-Mart....you know you've been gone too long when Wal-Mart generates thoughts of excitement! Even when the last mental image you have of the place involves an tobacco-chewin', overall-wearin' guy who picks his nose while commenting to the lady at the checkout counter, "You reckon these har pair of shorts will last me good as my last uns??" Gross.


Our next big step (not for a few months) is going on some house hunting leave so we won't be homeless when we get there. We're facing the decision of whether we want to continue renting or finally cross the line into adulthood and make the biggest investment of our lives. Scary. We'll keep you posted. Hopefully, many of you will consider coming out and sharing a drink or two under our lanai either way! :)


Amanda

A Perpetual Fog...

Blah....that's what I feel like....just blah.

A better description might be that I feel incredibly hung over--blurry vision, headache, dizzy, can't concentrate, nauseated--but missed out on the "good time" that normally preceeds that particular state of being. And since I'm banned from any and all alcohol consumption, I guess I won't be experiencing the highs associated with the "party in a bottle" effect ever again. Drat....that stinks. I was never much of a consumer to begin with, but it would be nice to have a more temporary condition in which a fun high preceeds the dismal low. That way, at least, I could blame feeling sick on having a really rockin' good time and incredibly poor judgment. ;)

Moving towards a more serious note, we don't have an endocrinologist here in Misawa, so the Internal Medicine doc and I have been playing around with various medications, trying to see what works and what doesn't. It's been a painful process....quite literally. Flu-like symptoms with the occasional hypoglycemic crash has left me feeling very weak and EXTREMELY muddled. Thirty minutes ago, two Navy chiefs just stopped by to ask me about the neighborhood and I can't recall our conversation beyond "pig farm" (there's one nearby) and "high heating bill" despite the fact that they were here for 20 minutes. It's frustrating. Normally I try to be pretty articulate, but chaining a series of related thoughts together and expressing them to others in conversation is definitely hard right now. I'm sure those two chiefs left my home thinking, "What the heck has the smell from the pig farm got to do with increasing winter heating costs?" You know...I don't know. I'll get back to you on that.

The good news is (yes, I'm determined not allow negativity to completely preside over my current emotional state) is that my blood sugar levels have dropped dramatically. Beginning over 500 (extremely dangerous) and battling in the 200-300 for over a week (really not good), I've managed to pull them down to average in the mid to low 100s. I've even had a few reports of 70 after long cardio sessions on Screech, my stationary bike. Yes...I named him. Since we're certain to become life-long companions, I thought it most appropriate. And No...he's not named "screech" for the sound he makes as I pedal furiously no where, but the sound Noah makes everytime I go anywhere near him. They say 9 months old is the beginning of separation anxiety for babies.

I believe it.

~Amanda