Misawa Monday Preparedness Perspective - Roxanna

Roxanna and Mark moved into the building next to ours a few weeks before we did and we liked them right away.  For one thing, Roxanna has super sassy hair that I admire and envy and she has no problem teasing Doug. :) They have five kids: the oldest is Janelle (our fearless babysitter), then Cam=Max's buddy, Eva, Chipmunk=Sam's buddy, and almost three-year-old Quinny=Gray's nemesis.

I see or talk to Roxanna pretty much every day.  Sometimes multiple times.  Sometimes we Skype just for fun.  (Okay, once Janelle Skyped us...) Sam practically lives at their house after school.  We've spent the last three Christmas Eve's, numerous parties and lots of date nights with this family.  We trade babysitting constantly...

I don't know what we're going to do when we have to leave our friends here in Misawa.  :(
This is from Roxanna's blog:

First day of Japanese First Grade (ADORABLE!)

Okay, I'm not an expert on earthquakes, but I feel like one after the hundreds and HUNDREDS of aftershocks we've had since 11 Mar 11.  I'm embarrassed to say I've only been really bothered by just a few.  Monday's 6 point something didn't even get me out of bed.  And my neighbor said she kept right on applying her mascara - crazy!

The thing that really bothers me is the uncertainty of life in Japan.  The nuclear reactors, although far from us, hang over our head like a cloud of radiation dust :(  The suffering of so many people here makes me SO sad.  I cry for them and pray for them often.
BUT, I can't let myself think this way for too long - it's paralyzing.  So I have to DO something.  My good friend Emily (an awesome blogger) posed a question this morning.  I decided to DO something by answering it and posting it.  Here's my response: 


Me:

I pride myself on being a planner (did I say proud?  yes, that's probably my main problem!).  When I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 11 years ago, I was all over the food storage and emergency preparedness bit.  We moved here almost 3 years ago without the food storage :( but with the kits loaded up and ready to handle ANY emergency.  Last summer I noticed in the shed outside where we stored the kits... RAT droppings! Urgh!!!  After the rats were caught and disposed of (that's a story of it's own), I decided to tackle the cleaning of the storage unit.  What a mess!!  Those rats got into everything that wasn't in a plastic container.  Including our 72 kits - even the clothes and bags themselves!  

First lesson learned: keep the kits inside and protected from critters.  

The next general conference we attempted the reassembly of new kits.  That can be an expensive endeavor with 5 kids, so we did not complete them.  Little by little I bought items they were lacking.  Then 11 Mar 11 came: no power, no way to communicate.  Once we stumbled around finding all our family members and came inside due to the tsunami, we analyzed what we had and didn't have.  Turns out we didn't even touch our incomplete 72 hour kits, but we were glad we had plenty of candles, flashlights, bottled water, food, and blankets in our house.  3 days later we had minimal power, so we took the kits out to complete them.  

Lesson 2: finish the kits right away, just adjust the budget to do so.  

Yes, I said we didn't even touch the kits, but if we had to evacuate like our neighbors just 30 mins south of us, we would have been in a world of hurt.  Four days after the quake/tsunami, I shopped for the rest of the items for the kits and I took my good neighbor (a Catholic) with me.  My neighbors took pleasure, at times, making fun of our kits prior to 11 Mar.  They don't do that anymore :)  They are GOOD people, don't get me wrong.  

Lesson 3: encourage friends, family and neighbors to assemble kits and help them do so, it can be an overwhelming task.  

I mentioned that my family was scattered and locating them proved difficult.  What we lacked was a plan (gasp!  I know, what kind of a planner am I?!)  Last night we spent family home evening with a map of our town, highlighting all the places each member of the family is during a typical day.  We discussed a good meeting point and good phone numbers to call.  We discussed other methods of getting messages of whereabouts to each other using a central point.  We tracked the routes of everyone so we can all know who is walking/riding where.  We are placing more complete contact info inside each of the kids backpacks with their info and numbers to call (even alternate numbers like family out of state or the Command Post for those of us on a military installation).  We are also training the kids to call the numbers.

Lesson 4:  have a plan and a backup plan-- and make sure everyone understands the plan as best they can.

Watching the news of the aftermath and survivors in shelters, we have been able to analyze other items that would be handy.  This time we can see extra emergency blankets would help with the cold many are enduring.

Lesson 5: learn from others' experiences.    

In addition to that, we saw how quickly those people had to run for higher ground.  

Lesson 6: kits need to be in an easily accessible area - safe from critters.  

Our kits are now in the front coat closet on top of the cases of bottled water with a list of other things to grab.  We've also realized that the brain is in flight mode in an emergency and will NOT be able to recall many things including, "grab the passports and external hard drive."

TODAY we all know where the kits are, what's in them, where to locate important information, where everyone is during a typical day, and how to move quickly in an emergency.  We are so grateful for many things, but mostly that our Lord prepares a way.  We are prepared more now than we've ever been and feel at peace for doing so!

I feel better today after writing this and realizing I am actively engaged in DOing something everyday!

Happy Weekend Points

• We have Conference Weekend a week late over here so we just finished watching it this afternoon.  Loved it as usual. It was comforting to hear so much said in support of Japan and about the church Welfare program.  Oh, and I was reminded I'm supposed to stop calling myself a "Mormon" and use "Latter-day Saint" instead.  Okay, okay...got it!
• We've had two really great days with Sammy having minimal melt-downs.  That is something to be celebrated!  Here's to a calm and peaceful SPRING BREAK!!!  (ha!)
• I read something cool in an e-mail from my sister Laura today.  She is in Romania (visiting my sister Jenny) and wrote this about the first leg of their journey leaving from San Diego:

We brought cards and candy bars to hand out to military people that we may see. I wanted the the girls to make cards to thank them for their service to our country. When we got here, I was worried we wouldn't see any military personnel but when we walked into our gate, it was FILLED with military. There were probably 60-70 guys. Jeff talked with one and found out they're headed off to Iraq and Afghanistan. We really are so grateful for them! The girls walked around handing out the candy bars and cards they'd made. Some of the men seemed really touched. It was pretty cool.  

Yay!  Go Laura!  (But yes, you're still black-listed for visiting Jenny and not me.  Cheap tickets are no excuse.)

• Gray was super adorable and smiley today.
• Our friends invited us over for a delicious Conference Brunch which included fabulous French Toast.  I may or may not have had around five pieces.  I lost count.  But in my defense, it was really, REALLY good.  And they had Spray Whip.  Enough said.
• I got to take a two hour nap between sessions.
• We had a friend over for dinner (his wife and kids are in the states) and had a great evening.  (Even if I did mess up the dessert.)  As an added bonus (for us, not him) he's a Doctor so we had him diagnose all the kids physical and mental ailments.  Plus, he plays the piano!  Thanks, Dave.  You're a handy guy to have around!
• And last, but definitely not least:  One week from today, if all goes well, and there are no more big earthquakes, and pending approval, Doug and I (and Gray) will be heading to Australia for a much-anticipated, almost didn't happen thanks to 3/11, fabulous, fun and sun filled vacation.  Why?  Because it's free.  Why is it free?  Because Doug is AWE-SOME!!!

And now I'll leave you with your jealousness.


P.S.  If you still plan to send backpacks for Operation Backpack, please use this address now:
Jessica Payne
PSC 76, Box 8302
APO, AP 96319

This address is the same as a stateside address, it is just not considered an Official Mail Box. 


:)  :)  :)

Here We Go Again

Thursday April 7th, 11:30 p.m.
Yet another "aftershock"
Initially reported as a 7.4, it was downgraded to 7.1
3 dead, 132 injured

At 2330 last night, the shaking started again.   Doug was already in bed.  I was looking at "houses for rent" on Craigslist--daydreaming about moving to the warmth of Southern California. It’s been a few days since the last big aftershock and life {was} settling down--starting to feel almost normal again--"new" normal.

At first the shaking didn’t faze me.  Then it kept going and the lights and computer flickered and went out.  The shaking got harder.  I ran towards the stairs trying to stay oriented in the pitch black with the floor moving.  When I got to the bottom I yelled up “Dougie!  Get my babies!!!”  The house was still shaking. 

Doug was already in motion “I’ve got Gabe!”.  He had a flashlight and was kneeling next to Gabe's toddler bed when I passed.  I ran to Gray’s room, bumping into things along the way, and snatched him out of his crib for the second time in less than a month.  There is nothing that can fall on him.  I just wanted him in my arms.

By the time I got  back to the top of the stairs, the shaking was subsiding but my hands couldn’t stay still.  I held Gray for a few more minutes then we tucked both little boys back into bed.  The big boys amazingly never even woke up.

Next we found some more flashlights, got out the candles, and made some phone calls to the states on the corded phone--trying to get news about possible tsunamis.  Doug said "at least our 72-hour kits are ready!  Oh, except they don't have any clothes in them...!"  I grabbed a spare duffle bag from the hall closet and found outfits to stuff in for all four boys.  You would have thought we would have been TOTALLY ready.  Is anyone ever TOTALLY ready?

I thought of the day-old e-mail from my dad; "I just got your package in the mail...I'll forward it on tomorrow."  Two battery-powered lanterns that Amazon wouldn't ship to an APO address are somewhere en-route to my house.  A week too late.

Sometime after midnight, Doug got called back into work for a "recall".  I pondered whether or not to stay dressed.  Finally, I took my jeans off and got in bed and started reading with a battery operated book light.   The loud speakers off-base were blaring messages--tsunami warnings-- and continued until after I fell asleep around 1:30.  I don't remember Doug coming back in.

---
Cold cereal for breakfast this morning.  On the plus side, the weather is warmer.  The kids played outside today between rain showers.  On the minus side, that means no snow to pack into the refrigerator and freezer to keep the food cool.  I sure missed having the H family here...it's hard to be home alone in a crisis.  What was that I said about not panicking and leaving?  I'm ready to go now!

The power came back on late this afternoon.  Don't know exactly when.  I took a nap when Gabe and Gray went to bed and when I woke up a bathroom light was on.  

Hallelujah!!!

Thankfully, this outage was MUCH shorter than the last one.  The destruction and damage "minimal".  Life carries on.

Our 72-hour-kits still sit in the front hall closet--with the recent addition of some kid clothing.  We're that much better prepared for next time.  

Let's hope "next time" doesn't come too soon!

Kid Update

Baby Gray: is now officially Toddler Gray!  Our little Fuzzy Bear!

He had his first birthday yesterday and he's toddling all over the place (with occasional pauses to sit down and regain his balance.)  We had his party last night and like most one-year-olds, he seemed very confused by it.

Tell me those beautiful eyes aren't gray!!!

CUTIE PIE!!!

But he giggled all through his birthday song serenade, then enjoyed devouring his teddy bear ear--after he got over the foreign taste.  (Doug claims this is the last sugar he'll eat until next year.  Hmm...we'll see.)

Gabey:  Still loves to say "Peacock", call people "Peacock Head" and wants a peacock cake for his fourth birthday (coming right up).  After Max's recent piano recital, we went to the mall food court for lunch and ate at "Peacock" just for him.

He misses his girlfriend/wife (there was a ceremony) Madeleine a lot.  

He's stopped asking about preschool (they don't have the staff to restart it) 

He plays with his buddy Isaac every day.

Sammy:  If we are Facebook friends, maybe you've noticed Sammy's new haircut.

Sam wanted Gray to experience playing in the snow.  Gray lasted about 90 seconds.

No?  Here's the story:  Sammy has been wanting a Mohawk for awhile now.  A long while.  Doug's response?  "Over my dead body."

But then I was reading "Kids Are Worth It" by Barbara Colorosa and it said:

"[I]f you let your children make most of their own decisions (decisions that are not life-threatening, morally threatening, or unhealthy) before they reach puberty, they rarely take the quantum leap into serious rebellion in the teen years, because it's hard to rebel against one's own decision."  

She then describes letting her 11-year-old son have the barber shave one side of his head and put two stripes in it.

 So I took Sam to get his haircut and told him he could get whatever he wanted.  He was THRILLED.  Of course he requested a mohawk and was jumping for joy when he came home. It gave him quite the shot of attitude.  (Clearly!  As you see by these pictures taken right after arriving home.)

 For example, notice the pants.  He put on jeans voluntarily.  After TWO YEARS of boycotting jeans because they aren't "cosy"-- he put them on.  He told me today (he's wearing them again) that "Well...I think that...they look 'cool'."
Do you know how many pairs of knit pants and sweats I've purchased for this little punk?  A LOT!!!

Also, he got out the black (pirate) vest from the dress up bag.  Evidently that looks "cool" too.
(He wanted to wear this outfit to church.  NEGATIVE!)

I told Doug:  "I think it looks kind of "punk rock"!
Doug:  "Is that good?"
Me:  "Um...I don't know..."

Maxwell:  Max had his first real-life piano recital on Saturday.  It was a BIG DEAL!  We had to drive to Hachinohe and he got to perform on a Bechstein grand piano.  

Great posture Max!

He played a pretty hard song (above his current skill level) called "Italian Jazz" and he did a great job.  When he made a mistake, he stayed calm and kept going. 

His awesome teacher:  Masayuki Kajiura

We are very proud of him even though he claims that practicing is the worst torture ever.  

(And now you're wondering why I don't let him make the decision to quit?! Well, because the example in the book was about hairstyles not music lessons, so just back off, will ya?!?!)


TTFN!

Misawa Monday Preparedness Perspective

(Wow, I've always wanted an alliteratively titled weekly post!  Sweet!)
Today's guest post was written by my friend Janeen.  Also known as "Healthy Friend Janeen".
Janeen and her husband Merrill (who is Doug's good friend and also a Dentist) were our "Sponsors".  That means, before we even moved here, we were e-mailing them asking questions about Japan, and they were helping us get housing and setting up our post office box.  I liked Janeen before I even met her and was determined to win her friendship with baked goods of the overly sweet and chocolaty variety.  Little did I know she's one of the most fit people on this base.  She's a certified personal trainer, she teaches SPIN, does (and wins) triathlons, and she teaches a class on plant-based eating and nutrition.  Plus, her house is super clean.  It's frankly astonishing that we're such good friends.

Them and Us!  (At Tokyo Disney)

So What's in Your Bag?

We had some neighbors (good friends) who used to make fun of Mormons for their emergency bags. Haha They have seen the light and even went to the store the week after with another LDS friend and list in hand of what they needed for their own bags. Nothing like a little earthquake scare to shake you into action, eh?


This post is dedicated to what I wish I had known or had on hand before the big quake in our 72-hour emergency bags.


We were low on decent flashlights. We did have a few, but the Buzz Lightyear and the Princess flashlights didn't really cut it. But the LED flashlights were great.


I had sort of not given much thought to candles in the past - I am such a de-clutterer that I have been known to get rid of them. We had two that I had been given as gifts recently that worked out really well. We perched them on a tall dresser (out of reach of little people) and with the reflection off the ceiling they did a good job. They also smelled good, which was an added bonus.


So I spent a good chunk of time on Monday getting all of my stuff out of the closet designated for our 72 Hour kits. I am embarrassed to say that we didn't even have a kit for our 22-month old. (oh the shame!) I have some crazy friends who would go through their 72-hour-kits every 6 months (usually during General Conference weekend). I'm totally on board with that idea now! In fact, we are starting THIS conference,  just to start the tradition. Also, this way my kids can see what is in their kits. (*My kids so wanted to be a part of the packing of the kits, but there was no way that I was going to let them pack 4 lbs of Pokemon cards - if Pokemons really had powers?... maybe)


I found quite a bit at the BX (pleasant surprise), but we had to order a few things too. We ordered stuff from Survival Solutions (they made a special trip to the USPS just for us, they normally ship FedEx), Emergency Essentials and the American Red Cross.


So in the Kits:
- 2 Radios, both are battery operated AND have a hand crank (batteries packed separately in case they corrode) (*ordered one of them from American Red Cross)
- Sterno cook stove and flammable bases
- Flashlights, LED (with extra batteries packed separately because they corrode over time)
- 2 28 LED lanterns (the Lanterns were awesome at night because they could light up the whole room)
- Candles (we have one that burns for 100 hours, and some others that have multiple wicks)
- Waterproof matches
- 1 small can opener
- 1 emergency tent/shelter (very primitive; folds into a little bag)
- Sleeping bags (same sleeping bags as we use for camping, just stored in a different place so they are easier to grab)
- 2 emergency blankets (think shiny & reflective & light, not warm and fuzzy)
- First Aid kit (our family doesn't have any Rx meds, but that is something to have extras of - we put band-aids, Tylenol/Advil, ploysporin, sunscreen, splits/bandages, etc in there -- I just cruised through the pharmacy aisle to see what we'd need)
- Ponchos for everyone
- Cash!!! (If your electricity is out you can not swipe a CC and you'd can't get money from the ATM)
- Personal hygiene items (in mini travel size, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, lotion, hand sanitizer, folding brush/comb, feminine hygiene...)
- Toilet paper and wet wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Multi-purpose tool, hatchet, mini saw, work gloves, duct tape
- Little games and activities: UNO, Rook...
- Food: Little handheld Tomato Soups, Rice and Beans, plain oatmeal packets, granola bars, apple sauce, fruit cups, crackers and peanut butter, cereal bars, dried fruit, nuts, gum, chocolate, plastic sporks
- Water (recommended: 1 gal/person/day)
- Water purification tablets
- We also have our important documents in a ready-to-grab folder


That is all I remember off the top of my head. 

So get it together!

Thanks, Neeners!!!

Operation Tomadachi---NODA*

Today we have a guest post written by my husband Doug.  He hasn't been "Feeling Bloggy" lately and hasn't kept up his blog.  So I asked him to post it here.

Yes Cololnel Rothstein, I have FINALLY done it!

Our base commander has instituted the slogan "Have you done it?" He goes around asking people this. Now it is generally known what he is referring to, but for the first day people had to figure out what "it" was. "IT" is going on the Red Cross volunteer trips.  (Check out "Misawa Helps" on Facebook.)  My friend Tyler has taken over the head role from my other friend Wes who moved on Tuesday.

Anyway, I showed up early Thursday morning and boarded a bus with some friends. Luckily I was in the bus with the Air Force workers and not the Marines who are up from Okinawa helping out. They are a different breed for sure!
We loaded up and headed south about 2 hours to Noda. This is a little town of about 4700 residents. It sits in a cove on the coast and the tsunami, I'm told, was amplified as the wave entered the cove and wiped out 500 of the 1200 houses.  Fortunately "only" 37 were reported dead.  Evidently the emergency sirens worked. The displaced victims, I'm told, are living at the high school or with family. It was reported from multiple sources, though I can hardly imagine it, that the tsunami wave was 20 meters! (1 meter=3.2 feet)

As we entered the town center I began to see signs of damage; broken windows, flooded shops, and a lot of debris. Then we pulled into the center plaza: looking west was a large plane of leveled houses. It was just unbelievable.

Once there Capt H met with the town's mayor who gave us our assigned clean up area for the day. We then unloaded a van of food and blankets and diapers for the locals. Nearby I saw where they were keeping all the personal effects like photos. A lady was crouched down rinsing silt and sand off the pictures and hanging them to dry. There were some really cute pictures there too.

Once at our site we all immediately set to work. Imagine a newly zoned construction area...in the city dump. This is how is seemed, and our job was to clear it while trying to find things that where not broken and setting them aside: statues, bowls, plates, bottles of booze...someone found a title to a property undamaged in a card board tube (how does a cardboard tube survive a giant tsunami!?), pots, toys, tools, etc. Everyone was eager to work. All the rubble was hauled to the "curb" and piled there.

I decided to start where I was standing. I found a lot of roof tiles so I started a pile of the unbroken ones. As I worked I began to see people take to different techniques. Some would focus on finding unbroken items. One man seemed intent on finding the largest things to conquer. He'd spend ten minutes beating bricks off a fallen wall so he could haul it away. Another was making a large stack at the curb with cinder blocks and then moved onto making a collection with the landscaping stones (this house seemed to have had beautiful landscaping). I moved over closer to where my friends were working and got caught up in some rubble there and soon noticed I was drifting around not really sure where to work or what to do. Running through my mind was advice I think I heard from Em, "just focus on where you are".

It was true, you just had to focus on the spot you are working on. I found a stretch along side one foundation and focused there. I soon saw some progress and found some nice photographs, a framed collage of a family pictures, some clothing, (though they likely wont want it) some more roof tiles, bowls etc.

I spent about an hour in one spot near another foundation uncovering a lot of kitchen ware, then moved over to the next house helping two other men heft giant logs out/off of its floor. Our crews made a lot of progress, yet when you stand up and look over the whole area, the magnitude is sobering. As were carrying a plastered covered wall to the pile, Merrill mentioned the quote from Elder Uchtdorf "Lift where you stand." True, it is overwhelming as many things can be in life, but you just have to start where you are and lift where you stand.

Though we did a lot of work, recovered some personal effects, I think the biggest gain from this "operation" was what the name implies: Tomadachi-Friend. We were seen by the people of Noda as friends coming to help out. That is the mission, to show them we care and build a true friendship between the U.S. and Japan. Then if I look at the few lots that we cleared out I'm sure it made a big difference to those people. I think I would be grateful for the few photos recovered if I lost all of my photos of our family.

(the remnants of the tsunami sea wall)

I am so grateful to have been a part of that day's efforts. I am also thankful to have had the opportunity to live through/during these disasters. It will forever be a part of me and my family. I had the boys get out of the car and stand in front of a giant ship in Hachinohe so they could later see they were a part of these events. Often this verse has gone through my mind since Em read it to us the other night: "Thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain. Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed." (2 Nephi 2:2-3)


To top off a great day of tsunami damage clean-up we had a large quake while we were loading up the bus to leave!!!!!

Here is a better written article on Noda.

*Other titles for this post: Where do I start? Is this helping? Do I pick up those little things? Do I bother with that giant beam? Did this really happen? Will this ever be done? What do I grab before fleeing? How'd that house get there? Why is that house demolished and the others around it fine? Wow! 

More Ways to Help

As life settles down around here, people are finding more and more ways to help.  Many are volunteering to do clean-up and the Red Cross is sending out bus loads of volunteers almost every day.

A few days ago a group on base (I forget who) collected and donated gently used shoes to Noda--a town to the south.

At the elementary school, someone designed a t-shirt to sell to raise funds for Sendai.

Next week, the kids will also be working on folding
Paper Cranes for Japan.
The Bezos Family foundation will donate money for every paper crane they receive.  Max and Sam's school has set a goal to make 1,000.  I'm trying to work it into an evening Relief Society activity so we can make some too.  (Though I confess, my origami skills are lacking...hopefully I can manage a crane!)
This is one you can help with too!!!  (Click the link for details!)

I plan to buy this print from Etsy when I have the budget for it.  And there are a million other things listed on Etsy under "Handmade for Japan" that raise money for relief efforts too.  Check it out.

And don't forget:  Operation Backpack!
We'll be taking the boys to the 100 Yen Store (Daiso) to buy supplies tomorrow.

---

In other news:

Even though my laundry looks like this right now...

Hey, at least it's all clean!

 when I heard the song "Grace" tonight, I had to stop folding immediately and make this movie.


Dear Kate Havnevik,
I'm sorry I don't have permission to use your song.  May I have permission to use your song?  I really love it.  And if it's any consolation, I did buy it on i-Tunes!
Sincerely,
Emily

And now, once again, I've stayed up too late.  And the laundry still isn't folded.

Goodnight!

Preparing to be Prepared

On 3-11-11, the first thing I did when the shaking stopped was go to my upstairs walk-in hall closet.  For some reason, a few days earlier, I had randomly noticed and made a mental note that we had one of our (five) 72-hour kits on a shelf by the luggage.

I walked into the dark (no power) closet, and without needing to search, grabbed the boxed kit, and took it downstairs to be placed by the front door.  (Where it stayed for the next two weeks.)

My next task (after talking to the boys and assessing damage) was to look for the "Can Safe".

Ever seen one of these?

This is where we keep our emergency cash: dollars AND yen.*  (No pearls or ugly watches, unfortunately.)  This isn't cash for an emergency pizza craving.  We NE-VER take money out of it.  This is cash to have on-hand in case something happens like--say--an earthquake that knocks out the power in an entire city rendering all ATM's useless and making it so stores only accept cash because credit card machines don't work.  

We were at the beginning of just such an emergency and I wanted my Can Safe handy.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find it.  I started pulling out cans, and then more cans, and then even more cans. (By now I had a flashlight to help me.  (Still no power.  Dark pantry.)  I still hadn't found it when Doug came home and was quite frantic.  I started worrying I'd given it or somehow thrown it away.  I was NOT a happy camper.  But I went back, looked again, and FINALLY found it.  I pulled it out and put it by the door.   

In addition to the "box" 72-hour kit, (gift from parents?) we have two backpacks which make up 72-hour kits for 4 people.  We had these in our locked, backyard storage closet.  Not handy, but I did know right where they were.  (Now they're in the front closet by the door.)  

We bought these while we were still in Dental School in San Francisco in case of--ya know--an earthquake.  We got them from Emergency Essentials and when we dug through them the other day, we realized they have some pretty good stuff in them but really unappealing "food".  (Energy bar chunks of some sort...my boys would probably starve first.)  We'll be fixing that by adding some better food and a few additional things like kid-medicine, clothing, and diapers.

SO, my point here is this:  We were (are) in pretty good shape when it comes to disaster preparedness.  We have 72 hour kits for 5 people.  We have plenty of stored food and water, batteries and flashlights.  (and now diapers.) However, there were a few things we could have used and things we could have done better.

And that's the case for most of us up here.  With that in mind, I'm going to start publishing a guest post from someone in Misawa every Monday.  So you can hear what some other people experienced and wished they had, etc.

In the mean time, this is what I ordered from Amazon today...
Two of these:

(Max and Sam can hang them from their necks and they don't have a concentrated beam to SHINE DIRECTLY IN PEOPLE'S EYES!  Have I mentioned that kids are still annoying during disasters?  THEY ARE!)

And two of these:  

They do require batteries, but according to the Amazon reviews, they work well and the bulbs last forever.  No propane required.  (I can save it to use with my cook stove.)  Also, I wont have to worry about candles tipping over!  (But I do have lots of candles now just in case!)

Next disaster, I'll be that much more prepared.

*FYI:  In case you want to rob me and empty my can safe:  Good luck!  Mormon's believe in having food storage.  I have a whole PANTRY filled with cans!  You'd have to use the money you steal to pay for your carpal tunnel therapy after opening 1,563 cans of beans, peaches, and sweet corn!

A Few Little Things

*  We said good-bye to the H family at the airport yesterday!  We've been spending as much time as possible with them the last few days (weeks, and months) and it was NOT easy to say good-bye!  A *few* tears may or may not have been shed by me over the last three days.The good news is, we'll be able to meet up with them in a few short months in California.  Then, when they head to Argentina, we'll visit them there too!  (They'll never be rid of us!  Buwahahahaa!)

Doug, Wes, Dave, and Merrill

When two dentists and one doctor showed up to see him off, Wes said:  "This confirms my suspicions about the Med Group.  (i.e. that they're all a bunch of slackers.) Next time I'm going to learn more about teeth and less about flying planes."

My Gabey with the three awesome H kids

Gabe didn't want to give Madeleine a hug goodbye.  When we came home he said "I didn't want Madeleine to go to California!"  Later Max said "Just don't think about them leaving Mom.  When I think about it I get tears in my eyes!"

Janelle, Me, Tami, Rose, Janeen

*While we were eating Farewell Brownie Sundaes with the H's Monday night, the prego lady (pictured below) was having her baby via emergency c-section.  :(  No bueno!  :(

Not ideal circumstances for his arrival, but he's here, he's perfectly healthy, and he's BEAUTIFUL!!!  Wish Liz a speedy and easy recovery!

*My blog friend Carina asked me to write something for TodaysMama.com.  Read it HERE.  (It's surprisingly short for me.)

*Please spread the word about "Operation Backpack" on YOUR blog!  The Misawa Girl Scout blog post with details is HERE.  You've only got about a month to get your stuff over here, so CHOP CHOP!!!  The address to mail things from the states is:

Misawa Girl Scouts

attn: Jessica Payne

Unit 5027

APO, AP  96319

Mail your donated items through the USPS (no UPS or FedEx) and fill out a customs form at the post office.  This is the complete address and is same as a P.O. Box.

Thanks in advance!  :)

A Little Good News! (And a lot of links...)

Last night we were looking at a map of the coast and wondering about some of the spots we've visited and how they fared during the tsunami.  We worried that Matsushima Bay (start here and click "newer post" to see more pics of the beautiful area) may have been wiped out.  But after a little googling this morning, I found this article and felt better.  Matsushima Bay sustained some (relatively) minor damage but was mostly spared!  Hooray!
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In other news, I keep hearing from people in the states who are frustrated by being so far away and desperately wanting to do something tangible to help.

So far, all I've been able to tell you to do is donate money to LDS Philantropies or the Red Cross.  But today my friend Cami told me about Operation Backpack.  You can put together a backpack of goodies for a Japanese child and send it to the Misawa Girl Scouts for distribution.  I believe this idea originated at a different American base in Japan but was adopted by our Girl Scout Troop here.
I'm excited to put some of these together with my boys!  This is a great project for kids to help with.  Here is some of the information:

We will be collecting packs and items until 15 May 2011.Example of items for a backpack could include:

• paper, pen, crayons
• coloring books
• flashlights w/ batteries
• stuffed animals
• playing cards
• comics
• tissue
• non-perishable snacks
• new or gently used backpacks
• games
• hats
• small blankets
• stuff animal
• toothpaste/brush
• lotion
• chapstick
• hairbrush/comb

Please no clothes and provide extra batteries for electronic items.Please indicate whether your backpack is for a girl, boy, or either sex.  
Also indicate the general age.
The backpacks can be a clean, used backpack or a new one.

Items can be mailed to:

Misawa Girl Scouts

Unit 5027 

APO, AP  96319

Questions can be sent to:
JPayne.GirlScouts@gmail.com
Click here for the COMPLETE details!  :)

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If this idea doesn't appeal to you, consider holding an auction or fund raiser and donating the money.  I know it's not the same as giving a coat or blanket directly to someone in need, but it amounts to the same thing!
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Thanks everyone for your prayers, good wishes, kindness and generosity!!!

Another Aftershock

I was still in bed cuddling with Sammy this morning when the aftershock hit.  It wasn't big, (here) but it was looong.  I kept waiting for it to end and when it didn't I wondered if I should get up and grab Gray out of bed...again.  But he didn't wake up and nothing fell over, so we stayed put.

When the boys were at school, I came down here and looked at CNN.com.  Watched the movie above.  Too depressing.

Later I turned on the T.V. in the kitchen and heard more about it.  Evidently this "aftershock" was big enough to start a new round of tsunami warnings.  Fortunately, none materialized.

Just another day in Japan.

Yesterday we had all 3 hours of church for the first time since the quake.  The heat is working in the Chapel, but not the rest of the building so we all brought our blankets again.  I was happy the kids could go to Primary again but dismayed how small our Branch is now!  Only about ten women were in Relief Society. LOTS of people took advantage of the "Voluntary Departure" and I don't blame them a bit.
We also held a special fast as a branch yesterday that our fears surrounding the earthquake/tsunami/meltdown would be calmed.  Not that the problems would cease, but that peace would come to us.

The good news of the morning is that it's a sunny day today!  Between Saturday and Sunday we got six-eight inches of snow.  (I would say three feet, but Doug says six inches.)

It's still on the ground, and still cold, but at least the sun is out.  For the sake of all those displaced/homeless/without heat, I hope spring comes SOON.

Cleaning Up The Mess

Nothing like a little good, clean (extremely dirty) volunteer work to get you out of your funk when you're (me) sitting around feeling sorry for yourself.  (myself)

Yesterday morning I shoved Max and Sam out the door for school (about 10 minutes too early), and grabbed half-awake, half-dressed Gabe and Gray, threw a bunch of stuff in a back pack, piled on a bunch of snow clothes, and rushed up to "Miss Janeen's" house.   A very kind lady from church, Sister (Natalie) S. and friend Debbie, had offered to watch my two little ones, Janeen's two little ones, and Lyana's one little one so we could volunteer for the Red Cross doing clean-up for the day.  

We left the kiddies at Janeen's and went to "The Mokuteki" on base.  (Casual dining/auditorium/game room and current Red Cross base of operations.)   

First we got briefed on what to do and what to expect:

"Be careful.  Don't wander off alone.  Be respectful of the Japanese.  Don't step on rusty nails.  Don't saw your hand off. Stay hydrated, but be aware there are no toilets to use..." 

Stuff like that.

I call him Tyler.  YOU can call him Captain H.

We were told we would be going to two locations.  First the beach, then a pig farm.  The pig farm was in desperate need of our help, but was covered in snow.  They wanted to give it a few hours to melt before we went there.

Walking down the path to the beach.

So we went to the Misawa beach first.

Dropping of our backpacks at the Sea Wall.

We were told that our main job was to dis-entangle the fishing nets from the trees.  We were told that the nets were worth tens of thousands of dollars and the fishermen wanted us to salvage all they could.

Doesn't look so bad from afar...

When we got there though, it turned out to be a little harder than expected.  The nets were super heavy and completely tangled in the trees.  We ended up trying to find smaller debris to drag into piles.

Rose, Janeen, Lyana, and I

This thing was most effective at pulling the nets out.

Whatever this thing is, it would grab the net, and then start backing up.  Sometimes the nets were so tangled the tires would spin.  Sometimes it would uproot a whole tree.

Getting ready to reverse.

The first line of trees was flattened.  The next few rows were just stripped of branches and greenery up to almost their tops.  We found this boat surrounded by twisted metal quite a way in from the shore.

Making progress!

Heather, Rose, Janeen, Anna, Lyana

Next stop:  The pig farm!  (I wasn't excited about this one, but that's not exactly the point, is it?!)

Arriving at the Pig Farm

Whatever was sitting on this site was leveled.  I don't know what kind of shape it was in before, but the tsunami definitely finished it off.  It also drown a whole barn full of pigs. (thousands.)  (The building below left in the picture.)

We were told all the pig carcasses had already been cleared out the previous few days, but they pulled out at least three while we were there.  It wasn't pretty.

What used to be a barn.

The goal on our particular day was to wade through the muck to try to pull out the metal.  Most of which was in the form of re-bar or tin-roofing.  It was hard, dirty, and overwhelming work.  (And a little frightening because you didn't know what you were about to uncover or if you were about to fall into a hole in the muck.)

Believe it or not, this is serious progress!

It was pretty daunting.  And as I mentioned, overwhelming.  But I worked along side friends and we told ourselves that it was making a difference.  Even if it was just a tiny one.

We only worked until about two but I was completely spent by the time I got home.

That night we had the H family for dinner as usual.  Their days here are numbered so we've had them over every night for the past...week?  Two weeks?  I can't keep track of time any more.  The last ?16? days have been the longest of my life.  But we want to see them as much as possible before they head state-side.

When they left, I fell asleep on the couch.  (I can't really remember much of the evening...maybe I fell asleep before they left?  I hope not.)  I do know that all night I had nightmares that I was back at the farm and we uncovered a buried cistern or cavern, opened it, and let out some horrible disease.  And we were all standing around wondering if we'd already been exposed and if it was too late...yuck.

BUT, that wasn't so bad.

The worst part of the whole experience, was looking at the mess and knowing there are whole towns and cities down south that look like this.  Not very far from where we are.  And that what we do here is just a drop in the bucket.  

This is all still so unbelievable to me.

The BEST part was feeling like I was doing something to help.  Even if it was just a TINY something.  (And believe me when I say I didn't have a self-centered thought or self-pitiying feeling all day.   Nothing like seeing what people have lost to remind you of what you still have.)

SO!  I will go again.  

And I will add another drop to the bucket.

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Now it's 2a.m. Sunday morning.  

Time to say goodnight!