Proud to Serve

As many of you know, David is in the Navy and they have seen fit to send us to Japan for three years. It just so happens that Ashlyn and I joined David over here the same week the 9.0 earthquake, subsequent tsunami, and Fukushima-Daichi crisis happened. Since then, it has been an emotional roller coaster and has shown us just how strong our relationship and family ties are.

I am beyond proud of my husband, who has been part of the MUSTIN crew that has been tasked with an unprecedented amount of  time away from port. They participated in Operation Tomadachi by helping with relief efforts and providing assistance in delivering goods to the shelters. I know the entire crew is proud to have been part of such a good deed.

The downside to this is the time away from family. I know we all miss our spouses and they miss being at home. It's a challenge for Ashlyn to keep seeing change, but surprisingly, she has never had any reservations towards Daddy, regardless of how long he's been away. It's like he's just been gone for a long day at work. I'm sure when she is older and understands more, she will be just as proud of Daddy as I am.

I have made some great friends through all this, and existing friendships have been strengthened. I just want to thank those of you I consider true friends, you've made this challenging time much easier. DOMO!

First Travels in Japan

I am not very good at navigating, so when the opportunity arose to get out into Japan with our friends Shannon, Ben, and Savannah, I took it. Since David isn't here to teach me how the train system works, it was nice to go with someone who knows and is willing to take the time to teach me. I haven't taking the AOB (area orientation brief) classes they offer here because they are a week long and I am still working on getting Ashlyn to take a bottle consistantly.

We traveled to Machida, which is between Yokohama and Tokyo towards the west. It was about 45 minutes of train rides, with only one change over. Our destination - THE FIVE STORY 100 YEN STORE! We were all very excited since we had heard about it and even the small 100 yen store in town was pretty neat. Shannon and I were particularly interested in the 5th floor, which was rumored to be mostly craft stuff. WOOO!

When we arrived in Machida, our first order of business was to eat. We went into this tower that was a mall inside and discovered there was a floor that was nothing but restaurants. The menus are plastic food in the window. It's really cool for those that are visual people.

 I chose a dish that looked good, and it was! It was a meat patty on a bed of rice, with cheese, and a teriyaki/BBQ sauce. It was so good that I ate all of it, even though I was full. I hope to go back and try another dish or two in the future.

After we ate, we wanted to go right to the 100 yen store. It was not the easiest to find, but we eventually found it. As we walked around, I loved looking down the busy walkways that were as wide as streets. It was a beautiful day to be out and about, and many people were.

 After asking a few people where the store was, we found it! It was so very overwhelming because there was SO much to see, and it is nothing like our American dollar stores. This stuff is quality! The  photo below is the section I was most interested - crafts! Are you surprised?!

 Shannon found these awesome utensils for Ashlyn! I know how hard it can be for young children to grip them when they first start feeding themselves, so I thought these were neat. I won't divulge how much I spent, but it was far more than I expected because there was so much good stuff! I plan on going back for sure.

 Ashlyn is such a happy traveler. Even though she didn't nap and wanted to take in all the sights, she did so well, and I'm very proud of her. She napped for maybe 30 minutes for the 6-7 hours we were gone, but she was smiles all around. I just wish David had been there to experience it with us. Hopefully he will be home soon and I can show him this shopping paradise.

Beautiful Blossoms

Everyone knows that Japan has a beautiful spring, and that the cherry blossoms are something everyone should see if they are able. Since I haven't been able to get off base yet, I am grateful that there are cherry trees all over base! The trees are currently in full bloom, but the weather isn't that great, and Ashlyn and I are still trying to shake the last of this virus. I'm hoping that the weather will clear up and so will our noses and we can make it out with my 'real' camera. Until then, I thought I would share some of the pictures I was able to capture with my awesome iPhone 4 (I LOVE the camera on this thing!)

Just walking to the exchange is a beautiful walk, as all the streets are lined with trees. I had to make a trip out this morning, and it was well worth it, even though it was a bit wet. Nothing a true Wash-a-tonian can't handle!

I am not really sure what type of flower this is but it grows on a tree that is only about 12 feet tall. I don't think it's a Rose Tree, but it is lovely regardless. Anyone know??

A Neat Commodity!

Well, I've been in Japan for over a month and I have yet to step foot off base. I intend to remedy this in the coming week if Ashlyn and I are feeling good, but I wanted to share a cool thing we've come to enjoy while being here.

These vending machines have both hot and cold drinks! We both wish that these were offered in the states, especially in places were it gets cold and insta-hot drinks would be so nice. We have tried a few of the items available, but there are plenty more to try.

The day I started getting sick, I thought hot soup in a can sounded like a good idea. Even though it was a nice day out, it felt great on my throat and was actually pretty tasty! They also offered corn pottage, which I later tried and found to be decent.

There are a bunch of different kinds of coffee in these machines, both hot and cold, but this one made me giggle. I don't think there is anything remotely American about this coffee aside from the depiction of a motorcycle on it. I am not sure the reason behind this, but I'm amused. :)

The "Pancakes-in-a-can" have piqued my interest. I hear they are delicious but I have not been near a machine near breakfast time, so I have yet to try it. I've heard that it includes syrup!! I'll get back to you once I have the opportunity.

One of the great things about the military life is we get to experience some of the cool things from different areas and cultures. So far, this is one of the things I already know I'll miss. It is so convenient and quite good. I am excited to find more things over the next few years that I will have a hard time living without after we leave, and share them with everyone. CHEERS!

Thank Heaven for Small Blessings

Through this past month, a lot has happened. Ashlyn and I traveled to Japan, we survived a natural disaster, hundreds of earthquakes, the panic surrounding the Fukushima - Dai Ichi nuclear plant and possible radiation. However, it's only been the last week that has been really scary.

On March 30th, while shopping, Shannon and I noticed that Ashlyn sounded like she was snoring. I didn't think much of it, except that I'd have to clean her nose when we got home. By that evening, she was not feeling well at all and ended up getting sick all over me. The next day, she had a well baby check up and weighed in at 15lbs 5 ounces, and over 26 inches long. The doctor said that she had picked up a little virus and that it would have to run it's course. Over the next two days, she was miserable and seemed to be getting sick more often, but she wasn't running a fever at all, so I wasn't overly concerned.

Saturday morning, David came home to TWO sick gals! I had caught whatever bug she had and we both felt like hell. Daddy went from one job right into caring for his ladies. Saturday was rough, especially in the evenings since that's when Ashlyn was at her worst. However, Sunday was downright scary. We had been fighting keeping her nose clear so she could breathe, and she was coughing so hard that she would end up getting sick. If she was asleep, she was laying on one of our chests so we could monitor her breathing. It was like walking on eggshells.

Sunday night, I took her into her room to get ready for bed. As I was changing her diaper, she fussed a little and then went silent. When I looked up at her face, she was choking and turning a deep purple. It was the scariest moment of my life. David came running into the room after I hollered and grabbed her and turned her over to smack her on the back, which did the trick. She was able to force up the mucus clogging her airways and got sick all over her bedroom floor. As parents, David and I hit our breaking point. We couldn't take it anymore, she was going to the hospital and they were going to tell us what was wrong.

We got there and they did chest X-rays, a blood draw to test her hydration level, and mucus swab to check for RSV. Everything checked out fine, except she tested positive for RSV. It was what I feared, but I learned that it is FAR more common than I had first thought. We just have to ride it out and watch her closely. Thankfully, she's already looking much better and almost back to her normal, sweet self. She will have a cough for awhile, but soon enough she will be right as rain. Now, if only I can get better!

Through all of this, I'm just very thankful that David was here to help me. I don't know what I would have done without him. The timing couldn't have been any better for him to be home. It may not be for very long, but God knew what I needed. Thank heaven for small blessings...

The Speed of Time

When I was heavily pregnant with Ashlyn, time was passing so slowly, and I couldn't wait to see her face. David and I talked endlessly about what she would look like, if she would have David's toes, or my hair. We daydreamed day in and day out about her future and what type of woman she would become. Daddy began to fret about public schools vs. private schools, and once he realized he had a wedding to pay for, the panic set in!

Well, now she's 4 1/2 months old, and I can't believe how fast time has flown! We now know she has my hair and eye color, and David's toes and eye shape. She has far exceeded our expectations, and everyday makes us laugh and smile. As excited as I am to see her start to roll over, try to sit up, and begin to form sounds that will eventually be words, I feel a little sad inside. Time has flown by far too fast.

Our little girl has nearly doubled in weight and grown 5 1/2 inches. She wears 9-12 month clothing because she is so long. Maybe she will play volleyball just as her dad hopes she will. Looking down at her when she's sleeping in my arms, I realize that it won't be long until she wants to get down and go play instead of sitting in my lap. I try to take mental photographs, along with real ones, that will chronicle her life and share it with others.

She has become my lifeline and the deepest connection to my husband. Together we created this little girl and together we will help her become the most she can. As every parent does, we want to see her be the absolute best she can be in whatever she chooses to do. But those are all things for down the road. Today, I'll hold her in my arms, kiss her sweet face, and sing her to sleep while she lets me, because we all know how quickly they grow.

Shake, Rattle, & Roll...

It's been an interesting start to our stay in Japan, to say the least.  On the morning of Friday, March 11th, 2011, I was all packed up and ready to move into our new apartment. It was exciting because staying in the Navy Lodge gets old quickly. Annie Carroll, wife of one of David's shipmates lent herself and her car to help me get all of our stuff to the tower in one go, while my friend Shannon took Ashlyn for a walk in the stroller to meet me there. Once at the tower, we unloaded the car and I quickly made myself at home. The loaner furniture was set to be delivered that afternoon, so for a few hours, it was a waiting game. 

After just two hours, the movers showed up and spent less than 10 minutes moving in the bare essentials we would need until our household goods arrived. I signed for the delivery and sat down to chat with Shannon and change Ashlyn's diaper. The day before, Shannon had mentioned that we would experience earthquakes quite often and it would feel like swaying. Well, it wasn't even five minutes after the deliverymen had left when Shannon stopped talking and said, "Do you feel that?" I nodded at her and we continued our conversation. After about 15 seconds, we realized it was still going on. Not only that, it was getting stronger! We stopped talking and paid attention to the shaking and after another 10 seconds, the doors and blinds began clattering and the shaking became violent. We looked at each other and said, "It's time to go!" I hadn't even put Ashlyn's pants back on from the diaper change, so I grabbed them and ran out of the door. I didn't grab a blanket or even my cell phone. Those that know me well realize that this is a big deal!

Our new place is on the 8th floor of the tower so I had to run down the stairs with the baby in my arms. It became a challenge because she was wiggling from all the excitement, and I am not the picture of health. The staircase became flooded with other people trying to get out of their homes quickly, but it was slow going because of the shaking. The stairs came up to my feet and jerked to the left while I was trying to run down and it was a challenge to keep my balance. It felt like the staircase that never ended. Once I was safely outside, I realized I had nothing to keep Ashlyn warm, so Shannon generously shed her coat and let me wrap her in it. We stayed outdoors for about 20 minutes, still feeling the ground moving beneath our feet. Finally, we were slightly cold so we made the trek back up the stairs because the elevator was out, and breathlessly, we each went to our own apartments.

Less than 10 minutes later, the shaking began again. This time I was ready! I donned the Moby Wrap, grabbed a baby blanket, and shoved my cell phone in my pocket. I wasn't going to be caught unaware again. Once again outside, all the neighbors were chatting while we continually felt the ground moving. This time we waited 45 minutes before going back into the building. Shannon invited me to hang out at her place, just in case something happened.  Once we got back to her apartment, we couldn't relax because aftershocks were happening every 5-15 minutes. It was almost like the shaking never stopped!

Wanting to know what was happening, we turned on the news, and warnings of the tsunami began. It was scary to not know if we should stay high and avoid the water, or go down and not get stuck in an earthquake. Soon after, images of the tsunami in Sendai and the oil refinery fire in Tokyo began being shown, and the sadness we felt for the people of Japan became overwhelming. When we realized the darkness in the sky wasn't  clouds, but smoke from the refinery fire, we started looking towards Tokyo. And not a moment too soon did we begin to see explosions. It was heartstopping and I knew I had to get the phone so I could share this with others.

There are no words to explain the emotions I experienced. It was fear, sadness, anxiety, and awe...all melded together. How could this be happening? It was all so overwhelming.

David had duty the night before and I had expected him home in just a couple hours, but those hours came and went, and that evening I received an email that he'd be home late. Then late that night I got one that said he wouldn't be coming home that night at all. That night, I stayed at Shannon's house because I did not want to be alone....just in case. This whole time I was counting my blessings that I had someone to lean on in such a tumultuous time.

That night, I slept little more than 3 hours and it was broken sleep at that. Talk about a miserable night. Everytime I would nod off, another aftershock hit. Well, they called them aftershocks, but in my opinion, anything above a 5.0 is a freakin' earthquake all it's own! Within 24 hours of the first 9.0 earthquake, we had encountered over 100 'aftershocks' that measured at least 5.0 on the Richter Scale.  That morning, Ashlyn was awake by 5am, which is quite early for her. Barely being able to function due to being so exhausted, I resorted to the iPad. Thank GOD for technology and Toy Story. I held her on my lap and let her watch the movie, while I sat there in a daze, still swaying with the quakes.

 Finally, a few hours later, I received a message from David that he would be coming home sometime that afternoon. I impatiently waited for him in my own apartment, and when he walked in that door, I nearly came apart at the seams. Finally, I could stop being strong Mommy, and I could be the scared woman I really was. It was ok, because he would make it better. Knowing that my time was limited, we spent that time together very wisely. His ship was going to head out to assist in the relief efforts the next morning. As proud of him as I was, I was sad to see him go, but I reminded myself that the people of Japan needed him more in this time of crisis than I did.

More than two weeks later, I'm hoping we will get to see him soon, even for just a short while.  I could use more hands with the baby, and a shower that doesn't include an audience! It's exhausting entertaining a 4 1/2 month old with just a few toys. A big thank you to the wonderful ladies in the building that have lent me a couple things to make it easier until out stuff arrives. It is much appreciated and I plan to return the favor.

As for our experience of Japan so far, it's been interesting and memorable to say the least! I know that if David and I can make it through this, we can make it through anything!