Your Japan Questions: Answered!

I have a lot of photo editing to do before I can post about our fun Saturday adventure. So instead, I'm just going to answer all of your most pressing questions.

What? You say you didn't ask any questions?
Ooooh!
That's right!
Only Doug's sister Beth asked any questions. So guess what?
I'M ONLY TALKING TO HER!

Let's chat, shall we Bethy? Here goes:

"Is this a dream? Pinch me. No, not there."
I think that's a question. No. No, this is not a dream. We really truly are in Japan. And you don't get to choose where we pinch you.

"Where do you eat while you are at the Base hotel? Kitchenette or cafeteria?" So far we've done most of our eating in our room. Our hotel room has a small kitchenette stocked with a few basic small appliances and dishes as well as a fridge, oven, microwave and dishwasher. When we arrived we found it had also been stocked with FOOD by our new friends, Janeen and Merrill.

Aside from that, there are quite a few eating establishments On-Base. In the BX (Base Exchange) there is a food court with a Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Subway, Charlies, A&W, & Baskin Robbins. We went there for lunch today for the first time. There are also a few other places around the base ranging from the Officer's Club Buffet, to a Mexican restaurant, to a couple of Coffee Shop/Cafe's. Oh, and a Burger King. (Bleh!)

"Important questions?" Extremely.

"Where did you go to church and what language was it in?" There is a newly expanded and renovated chapel a few minutes off-base. It has a Military Branch which we will attend, (in English) and a Japanese Branch that meets later in the day in the same building.

A little aside: The Branch seems REALLY super nice. The Relief Society is small, and the Primary is HUGE!!! But is was nice to walk in a feel right at home.

Bonus question: What's the Yen rate? 107 Yen = $1.00. So it's basically 100 to a dollar which makes it simple to convert. Even for the math inept like me.

So there you go, Beth. A few of your questions answered. I have a whole post full of answers to questions no one has asked yet, but it's still in my head. And the accompanying pictures are still un-taken. So that'll have to wait.

***UPDATE!!! After having a few days to really get excited about living off-base, Doug came home yesterday and told me that housing had offered to let him look at three empty units On-base. So we went and looked at the available units aaaaaaaannnnnnddddddd...
WE'RE STAYING ON-BASE! And I'm a tiny bit disappointed because I was all stoked to be in the SUPER CUTE brand new house. BUT, ultimately, convenience for Doug won out. Being On-base means he'll be close enough to come home for lunch every day and it'll mean no commute. Not even a short one. We'll be able to survive with one car, and we'll be right next to the school. A few other On-base advantages: the apartment has been freshly cleaned and newly painted, but we're allowed to paint when we move in and decorate however we want. Also, we wont have to pay any utilities and we'll have a dishwasher. BUT, like I said, the main thing is having more Doug time. And that's always a good thing. (Except, of course, when it's not.)

And with that, I leave you. (In Japan.)
(me, not you.)


The End.

Late Night Ramblings...

It's one a.m. and because I'm an idiot, I'm still awake. But it's a good thing I am, because if I'd gone to sleep at a reasonable hour I wouldn't have been able to
a) take Sam to the bathroom when he came stumbling out in a daze a few hours ago, or
b) hear Max madly yelling "I WANTED TO WATCH IT!!!" over and over in his sleep. So see? The crappy day I'll have tomorrow as a result of sleep deprivation will be WORTH IT! (Actually, I would have been able to do both of those things since both boys have taken to sleeping in my bed with me in Doug's absence. But que va.)

Speaking of kids, (weren't we at some point?) today when I was talking to Sam I said "You can go swimming in 7 minutes." To which he replied "But that will take hours and hours!!!" Only he said it in his high-pitched, r-less, th-less, l-less little voice which I LOVE but don't know how to translate into type! (As long as it's not coming at me as a whine. 'Cause then I hate it and want to duct tape his lips together. BUT I DON'T, CPS!) (Joe says he can't hear a word Sam says because it's above his hearing level. But the neighborhood dogs seem to hear it just fine!)

Speaking of Doug, (well we are now!) today he left for "mock deployment". This is (evidently) where they go camp out for a few days and do obstacle courses and pretend they're competing on Survivor! He was pretty excited to go until he called me tonight and mentioned a large thunder storm headed their way which dampened (pun intended) his enthusiasm a drop. (intended and even pre-meditated!)

Speaking of Doug's call, he wasn't supposed to call me tonight, but he did because HE GOT OUR PASSPORTS!!! Maybe you don't realize what great news this is.
That's because you don't know how the lady at the base Passport Office tried to ruin my life two weeks ago! Allow me to reminisce a moment...

Me: "Hi, I need to turn-in these passport applications..."
Lady: "I can't accept these. They need to be typed." (I still had writers cramp from filling out four, yes FOUR, applications just before entering that &#&*@! office! Plus also, I have excellent penmanship when I fill out applications...making it extra insulting!)
Me: "Uh, okay Jerk-face! blah blah blah."
Jerk-face: "What is your departure date?"
Me: "SAM AND MAX! KNOCK IT OFF!!! Um, probably August 1 or 2. My husband finishes COT on the 30th. You guys, just hang on! Sit still. No! SIT! SIT STILL AND BE QUIET!!!
Jerk-face: "OH! Oh no. These are taking 4-6 weeks to come back right now. You wont have them that soon."
Me: "Seriously you guys, stop it. Do you want a time out Max? Sammy SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW! Soooo...I'll have to fly to Japan by myself? Gabey, let go of the cords..."
Super Mean Jerk-face: "Yes. You should have started this process weeks ago!"
(Couldn't. Doug wasn't 'Active Duty' yet.)
Me: brain aneurysm.

That's when I kicked her in the shins and stormed out. Then came back with 2 dozen eggs and taught the Air Force a lesson!

Which is why our passports came TODAY and not four weeks from now!!!
VIOLENCE, PEOPLE! It's how things are done!

(Some of the above retelling may be slightly exaggerated/completely fabricated...)

Speaking of eggs, I think I'll make French Toast for breakfast. Or German Pancakes. Or Crepes! UMMMM....breeeeeeeakfaaaaaaaaast! Gotta go to bed!
GOODNIGHT!

On The Move

It’s the beginning of the end. This is our last 'real' week in Rhode Island. Yesterday we went strawberry picking one last time, today we're headed to Costco (it's in Massachusetts) to exchange our vacuum, and tomorrow I have 500 Snickerdoodles to make. (Cross your fingers for a nice, cold day!) Saturday we’ll get in one last trip to the Spray Park at the Y, and Sunday will be our last week at church. (In Rhode Island, anyway.)

Next week is when things start to get really crazy. Doug will be working as usual, and I will be left to deal with the movers. Three entirely different sets of movers who will come on different days and be packing things to be sent to different locations.

My job will be to supervise, but I can’t, for liability reasons, help pack or move anything.
That’s right. We're moving half way around the world and I don’t have to lift a finger. I should be happy, but instead I’m getting a little panicky.

Usually, this close to a move, we’re pretty organized. Most of our stuff has been packed and only the dregs are left. There is always last minute shoving into anonymous boxes, but for the most part, things are carefully packed and well labeled at least a little bit in advance. This time, I was told the movers had to do all the packing. So even things I would have liked to have packed away are still sitting un-touched on their shelves. Labels that would have been typed on the computer and printed, do not exist.

All of this I can handle. But there is one thing I worry about. I mentioned above that we have three different movers coming. This is because one shipment will be sent to “non-temp storage”. This is stuff that will stay here in the US that we wont need in Japan. (Some people store large appliances, etc. I’m just leaving some of my 10,000 books.) Next is the “slow boat” shipment. This is for the majority of your stuff but also big items like furniture. Finally there is the last (fast boat?) shipment. This needs to encompass everything you’ll need right away. Some bedding, dishes, a crib for the baby, toiletries etc.

All these shipments are independent (obviously) from the stuff we need for the month of July. (Doug will be at COT in Alabama, me and the boys will be at my friend's house in Florida.) My biggest worry is how to sort everything out!

I can just imagine what it will be like when the movers arrive:

Fast Shipment Packers: “So, Mrs. Dub, you said to pack these books, right?”

Me: “No, not all the books. Can you please just take the ones appropriate for beginning readers and… SAM! STOP WASTING THAT PACKING TAPE!!!! Sorry. Just the books for grades K-3. And I guess maybe of few ‘older’ books for read-aloud's. MAX! PUT DOWN THAT BOX CUTTER!!! And WHERE is Gabey? You were supposed to be watching him! Is the baby gate still up? SAM PUT THE BABY GATE UP BEFORE GABE FALLS TO HIS DEATH!!! Okay, so the books. Just take them all. In fact, just pack all the books in all the rooms.. I’ll sort ‘em out later. Excuse me, I have to save my child’s life now.”

--Two months later in Japan--

Doug: “Emily, how come we have all the leather bound classics you were supposed to leave in storage and we don’t have any sheets, towels or underwear?”

Me: “Um, what are you say...?? Hey! Look over there!!!”



Wish me luck!!!

Brain Overload

Six years ago, Doug was working on finishing his undergraduate degree at BYU and planning on entering Dental School. Somehow, he got it into his pretty little head that it would be a good idea to join the Armed Forces to help pay for school.

I was opposed to the idea. I mean, it's a little terrifying having to turn your life over to strangers who basically own you and determine where you live for a set number of years. (One reason I never served a church mission! But at least the church uses Divine Inspiration to make these decisions!)

Anyway, one of the arguments that helped win me over was the "we'll get to travel and maybe even live in a foreign country!" one.

Well, that was a low blow.

'Cause see, I've always wanted to live in a foreign country--or at least travel extensively in one--and this seemed like the only way. My dream was to go to England, but anywhere in Europe would be a dream come true.

So Doug applied for an Air Force scholarship and won a spot. They would pay for three years of Dental school in exchange for three years of him Dental-ing on an Air Force Base.
When he decided to specialize, they deferred his repayment for two years.

So here we are with one year left of his residency. That means one more year before he begins his three year repayment.

Until recently, the location we'd be spending our three year repayment was up in the air.

Well, not any longer.

And I'm still processing it.

And probably will be for the next twelve months.

So if you want to know more you'll have to Click HERE.

'Cause I'm still pretending we're going to England.