おは伊予ございます！

(Ohaiyo gozaimasu = good morning)
At least on this keyboard, it:s easy to type Japanese.

What could happen now? This morning is Monday in Japan and China, but what matters is the time in Virginia. Referral packages are expected in the US Monday. So IF our agency in Virginia gets referrals, they will call us with basic info about our child. It will probably be middle of the night in Tokyo. We asked them to call us at the hotel or on our cell phones, but if they can't get through, an email is fine.

We ｔｈｉｎｋ photos will come later with the original documents(to be delivered to the lab where I volunteer because FedEx doesn't deliver to houses where we live.) Complete translation of the info will come by email later from our agency.

I know all of you wonder when we would travel. Maybe 7-9 weeks after referral (we'll be so busy with paperwork and travel plans. But there is no guarantee when. I wonder how we'll sleep tonight?!

On another note, my hostel is great. I had a roommate from Israel and a breakfast mate from Germany. The place is filled with foods and shampoos from around the world. 2 years ago I stayed in a wonderful hostel in Santiago, Chile. I am thinking of the Chilenos today.

Hi ｆ路ｍＴｏｋｙｏ

Ｉ：ｍ　ａｔ　Ｓａｋｕｒａ　Ｈｏｓｔｅｌ　ｉｎ　Ｔｏｋｙｏ　（ｉｎ　Ａｓａｋｕｓａ．）　　Ｉ　ａｍ　ｎｏｔ　ｕｓｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｋｅｙｂｏａｒｄ！
Ｉ　ｈａｄ　ａ　ｆｕｎ　ｖｉｓｉｔ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｈｅ　Ｏｋａｎｏ　ｆａｍｉｌｙ　ｔｏ　Ａｓａｋｕｓａ　ａｎｄ　Ｔｏｋｙｏ　Ｎａｔｉｏｎａｌ　Ｍｕｓｅｕｍ　ｉｎ　Ｕｅｎｏ　Ｐａｒｋ．

Ｔｈｅ　ｔｅｍｐｌｅ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｉｎ　Ａｓａｋｕｓａ　（Ｓｅｎｓｏ－ｊｉ）　ｉｓ　ｅｓｐｅｃｉａｌｌｙ　ｅｘｃｉｔｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｓｅｅ　ａｔ　ｎｉｇｈｔ．　Ｊｅｆｆ　ｊｏｉｎｓ　ｍe tomorrow at the 根ｗＳａｎｎｏ　Ｈｏｔｅｌ，　ｗｈｅｒｅ　ｈｅ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｂｅ　ｆｏｒ　ｗｏｒｋ．　　Ａｌａｓ，　Ｉ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｂｅ　ｓｉｇｈｔｓｅｅｉｎｇ．　　Ｏｕｒ　１３ｔｈ　ａｎｎｉｖｅｒｓａｒｙ　ｉｓ　Ｍａｒｃｈ　８ｔｈ，　ｂｕｔ　ｈｅ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｂｅ　ｏｕｔ　ｏｆ　ｔｏｗn soon, so we need to celebrate now!

Ｗｅ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｔｏｒｋ　ｉｓ　ｆｌｙｉｎｇ，　ａｎｄ　Ａｐｒｉｌ　１１ｔｈ　ｉｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｕｔｏｆｆ！！

Ｓｕｇｏｉ！！　　（ｃｏｏｌ，　ｇｒｅａｔ，　ａｗｅｓｏｍｅ）　Ｔｈｅｒｅ’ｓ　ｓｔｉｌｌ　ａ　ｃｈａｎｃｅ　ｗｅ　ｃｏｕｌｄ　ｂｅ　ｍｙｓｔｅｒｉｏｕｓｌｙ　ｓｋｉｐｐｅｄ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｍｏｎｔｈ，　ｓｏ　ドン：ｔ下ｔ世ｒほぺｓうｐｔ　むｃｈ！

in the mail?

Rumor Queen reports two agencies confirm referrals have been mailed!

Let's hope we're in.

Let's also hope our friends Renee & Joe (LID 4/10/06) are in! We overlapped briefly at Yokota, and they sold us their car. We originally met on Rumor Queen!

We. Do. Not. Know. When.

Well, I'll preface that by saying there are rumors matching has started or is finished and the cutoff is April 9th, 11th, or 12th. But none of it's solid yet.

As the excitement builds, everyone asks when? when? when?

If we knew when, we'd tell you. I don't understand why people don't understand.

Tonight for the first time, I got "why don't you know when?"

Ugh! Please, if you know anyone else adopting, don't ask "when" unless they are a really close friend you and really think they might know when. For the adopting family, it is a pregnancy without a due date.

I'll be so glad when the "when" questions are over. Only to move on to the next era of questioning!

orange pagoda & noodle shop

Today I met with new friend, Aoi. She wants to practice English, and I want to practice Japanese. Her English is much better than my Japanese! Mainly, we want to be friends. We are about the same age. Aoi has three young boys, so we had a good time browsing through Babies R Us. She could help me decipher many of the products (the Japanese have thought of everything you never knew you needed.) The baby food here looks especially yummy and healthy. We also had lunch at Joyful Honda (a home department store) next to Babies R Us.

Then I drove around Tamako (lake Tama) to visit this striking orange pagoda. It is so bright. Behind it is a hillside with dragon sculptures, temple grounds, a big cemetery.

It's so close to Yokota, I can bike there. But I don't think many Yokotans know about it. Driving there is tricky. I rely on my GPS here, even when biking.

This is from yesterday. Noodle lunch with the English class.

Heather, Kayoko, Matsuko.

We sit on the floor for this lunch.

Cold soba noodles and tempura.

Delicious!

I thanked them for the Japanese lesson.

Kobayashi Family House

Once again, I subbed for my friend Cameron's Tuesday morning English class. Once again, they took me out after class. We went to nearby Kobayashi Family House in Tachikawa (Jeff's birth city.)

It's an old farm house with a thatched roof. The house was built in the Edo era about 140 years ago.

We took our shoes off to walk on the tatami mats.

The house's flexible structure helps withstand high winds and earthquakes.

Room to welcome important guests.
The blank wall was an area for calligraphy.



Plum trees (ume) are already blooming in the yard.


Now the students teach me.
Silkworms live high in the roof.
They are good silkworms! People use the silk for fabrics.



Dolls are on display inside for Hina Matsuri (Girls' Day or Doll's Festival) on March 3rd.
The dolls are usually very expensive. These prince and princess (oji and hime) dolls are very old.

The Doll's Festival display, including servants, guards, the princess' furniture and carts.

Prince and princess, servants.

I guess even an old farmhouse needs a fancy display for Hina Matsuri.

It's a day to pray for young girls' health and happiness.

Snow Country

Some photos from our culture group trip to Yuzawa:

dinner

Miss Tokomachi and the Tokomachi Snow-dude
(at Tokomachi Snow Festival)
They greeted us at the train station.



Me with three Totoros!

Snow Country

Yukiguni

My culture group friends & I returned from Yuzawa last night. We had a relaxing time. The area is famous for the novel Snow Country ("Yukiguni" is the Japanese title.) Now I'd like to read it. The main character is based on a real woman who lived there. I learned a bit about the area's history in the Yuzawa City Museum, which displayed old ski and farming equipment, old photos, art, and typical tatami rooms.

I'll post some photos later, but I already loaded them on Flickr to share with my friends. You can view them here: Flickr Snow Country set.

Domo arigato gozaimasu (thank you very, very much) to Michiko for hosting us at her condo.

odoroki yuki!

(surprise snow!)
We had a mini-blizzard this morning. By noon, all the yuki (snow) melted. Last winter, we only had one tiny snow. So we are surprised this winter!

pink blossoms in our neighbors' backyard

We can see our friends' house from our backyard.
Barbara & I joke that we can see in each others' bedroom windows.

Yashi (palm tree) outside the kitchen window

Walking to the lab with pink umbrella woman

"1 day" left!

Filler

Juni shi (the Chinese Zodiac)

• I've learned cutting way back on caffeine is good while expecting a referral.



• Yesterday, I subbed an English class for my friend Cameron. I know the ladies (and one man) from previous teaching and a new year's party. We had an English lesson about the Olympics. Then they took me to lunch and taught me Japanese. I love that class!



• They had a good laugh over "juni shi" (12 Chinese zodiac animals.) Because revealing your animal reveals your birth year, and some of them like to keep that a secret.



• I just read a friend's thoughts on the orphan crisis in Haiti. Well-put. Until recently, Jennifer lived in Tokyo, so when I read her pre-referral posts, I feel like I'm re-living her anticipation.
  

I'll be busy greeting a new family tonight/tomorrow, volunteering at the lab, then going to Yuzawa with my culture group for the weekend. One of the ladies has a condo there, so we'll be having a slumber party in tatami rooms. There's a snow festival this weekend with big snow sculptures lit up at night and concerts. Although I'll miss Jeff and the cats, I'm thinking the onsen will feel good!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

(Best wishes and congratulations. Have a prosperous and good year.)

It's Spring Festival in China. Also known as Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year. We hope people in China are enjoying this week off work, celebrating, feasting, and bringing in the new year.

It's Year of the Tiger.

This is Violet (Mom's cat) of the Spring Valley Stripers.

Nanjing Lu (road) in Shanghai from my trip in October


Yu Yuan (gardens) in Shanghai


May the CCAA have a restful vacation and come back refreshed and ready to match!

Valentine's Day

It's the night before Valentine's Day here, and love is in the air.

Francien's torte from our culture group's Valentine party

The bebos getting nappy.

Nothing like a nap together on a snowy afternoon.

Happy Valentine's Day

Okinawa ni ikimashita

(We went to Okinawa.)

The beach at Nago Bay

Chilly, but nice!

Jeff was fond of this red fish at Churaumi Aquarium.

another cutie

Friends Beth, Orlando, and Sky.

They took us to Sushi Zen by the water.

Beth & I met by internet, so it was great to finally meet her in person!

"Mama, you're the best!"

Grasshoppers

Finally, some sun!

Southeast Botanical Gardens

Bouganvillea

Shisa dogs: the one with her mouth closed holds in happiness.

The one with his mouth open guards the place.

This pair looks like they just brushed their teeth.

Uchi ni kaerimashita!

(We returned home!)

I'll share a few photos from Okinawa later.

You can check for updates on Amanda. (Sorry I messed up the link in a previous post.) The internet is slow, and many sites are restricted in China. To access Blogspot and Facebook, one has to use a virtual private network (VPN) or proxy server, so it can be complicated. That's probably why Beth hasn't posted much, besides being busy!

We had some cool & rainy weather in Okinawa, but still relaxed and had a nice drive up the coast (it's a bit like California.) Then we met some friends who live near Kadena - had sushi dinner and got to play with their dog.

As for what to expect next, well... referrals could come in early March, but there are no guarantees. Sometimes CCAA skips months (no referrals) for various reasons. Sometimes families get skipped for various reasons (a fluke, partial days matched, dossier mis-filed, LID turned out to be different.) Those cases are rare, but a possibility. Usually it gets resolved by the next batch. So we will just relax and enjoy February - spring is starting!

Okinawa

Today I go to Okinawa for the first time. Jeff has been many times. He's there now, and I'm flying down today to meet him. Looking forward to some beachy weather!

April 5th cutoff

First of all, Happy Groundhog Day! We're guessing our girl saw her shadow and needed more time, because the new cutoff date is April 5, 2006. We are April 6. (Please read FAQs if none of this makes sense.) But the good news is, Fliss and other April 2006 friends are IN! And we are most likely next. Referral calls are already coming in.

Jeff & Doraemon practicing with the Ergo Carrier. Thank you, Sweeney family - we love it, and so does Doraemon!

He likes it, really!

And last night it snowed!