Dream Come True

It has always been my dream to go back to the place where I grew up. I didn't really grow up in the United States and to some people it might sound wierd to hear me say that I am from Japan. Having lived there for 10 years (1 year when I was 2 years old and then another 9 from 9-18 years old) I really grew to love and admire the Japanese people and their culture. Their home became my home and I am the person I am today because of my experiences living there. When Mike joined the military and ventured off to be a doctor I knew that there might be a small possibility that we would be able to live in Japan someday. Over the last 7 months we have been working with the Navy and Army Consultants to see about the possibility of living over there. Since there are no Army ENT spots in Japan we would have to swap with a Navy ENT. The chance of getting everything to work out was slim and we weren't holding our breath....but the possibility was still there. Today we just found out that the swap will happen and Mike will be reporting to his new job as a Staff Head and Neck Surgeon at the Hospital on the Navy Base in Yokosuka, Japan in August for a 2 year assignment. Now begins the long process of paperwork and such to get us situated and ready to move overseas. We are all so excited. We have been prepping the kids for a couple of months about the possiblity of going to Japan. They are so excited even though they don't really understand what this kind of move will bring. There are so many things we are looking forward to with our move. I think the kids are the most excited about Tokyo Disneyland and riding the Shinkansen (bullet trains). Here are some things I just can't wait to do:

-relearn Japanese so I can speak almost fluently by the time we leave Japan
-visit my old apartments and show the kids where I lived and played
-visit my old school (ASIJ) and visit with some old teachers
-take the kids to the LDS Tokyo Temple in Hiroo and attend my old church ward
-visit Shibuya crossing and see Hatchiko which is a popular meeting place and 15 mintues from where I used to live
-play with the kids in the most amazing multi level arcades
-take the kids to Tokyo Disneyland, Disney by the Sea and Universal Studios Japan
-buy and dress the girls in traditional Japanese kimonos
-visit and climb Mt. Fuji
-eat yummy crepes (they really are the best there)
-go to the Sapporo Ice Festival in February
-go to the best Cherry Blossom Festival in the world in the spring
-ride on the shinkansen
-take pictures of Japanese life
-take the kids to a sumo match
-take the kids to Tokyo Summerland, Toshimaen Water park and all the other crazy and fun amusements parks near Tokyo
-eat lots and lots of gyoza
-visit some Japanese heritage places such as Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nara, the shrines and temples at Nikko, Iwami Silver Mines, Yakushima Island, Himeji-jo Castle, the Great Buddha in Kamakura, the Imperial Palace, and many other places I am sure to find and want to visit.
-ride up to the top of Tokyo Tower
-eat Moti's Butter Chicken and Nann at the most fabulous Indian Restaurant in Roppongi
-eat at many of the great international restaurants in Tokyo
-stay at a traditional Japanese Inn and give the kids the experience of the onsens
-go to Harajuku and visit Kiddie Land (the coolest toy store from my childhood)
-ride bikes at Yoyogi Koen Park (10 mintues from my old apartments)
-run at the track at Yoyogi Koen with an old running group and my long time friend and coach
-run with the HS girls cross country team at either Yokohama or Kinnick and attend one of the meets at Tama Hills (ah the memories of running up gut hill during cross country season)
-live in the community and get to know my Japanese neighbors
-eat authentic Japanese food and learn to like some things I didn't like as a kid
-travel to Beijing, China where Mike lived for 3 years as a kid

Of course we would love to take the time while we are over in Asia to visit other places such as Hawaii, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Who knows how much we will be able to see while we are over in Asia but I'm sure no matter what we do it will be amazing. I am so excited to show my kids what a different part of our world is like. Their eyes will be opened to different cultures, different foods, different smells, and very tiny living quarters. I am confident that the kids will adjust well to a different culture and I will feel like I am back home in a way. It will be GREAT!!!

Just for laughs I have added some pictures of Mike and I visiting Japan in 1998 and some of my old High School photos.