My Spiritual Child

I want to first of all ask that you all keep Malorrie in your prayers right now. She is in the process of receiving new bone marrow from her brother, Jordan. Right now, she is really sick from all the chemo and radiation. Please, please, please keep her and her family in your prayers.

I picked up the girls from school yesterday, and Finbar told me that they had led a heart-felt discussion with the class about Malorrie and cancer. He said they were very knowledgeable about the cancer and medications. I was really proud of them.

Sophie is becoming such a spiritual child. She wants me to read prayer books to her, and she really wants to take part in our bedtime prayers. After saying her meal blessings, she always adds on something. She told me the other night that she knew Jesus was in her heart because she could feel it beating :) She cried the other night when we were praying for Malorrie :( I'm proud that she is learning to find comfort in God.

We love all! God bless!

Our earthquake adventure

This morning, Gracie and Izzy were in our bedroom getting their hair done for school. I noticed the dresser was shaking and rattling and the bed was shaking. I was going to gripe at the girls for "bouncing," but they were being still. I looked over at Sam to tell him to quit shaking everything, and his legs were still....about then it hit Sam and me. He said, "earthquake," but very quietly and calmly. Izzy still heard him. About that time, Sophie yells from her bedroom, "Mommy, why is my bed shaking?" Izzy looked very scared, so I told Sophie to come to me, and we told Izzy it was OK. By the time Sophie got to my room, she had realized what had happened. Then we were all excited over experiencing our first "shake-the-house" earthquake :)

Our Hina Doll Set

Yesterday, Toshiko, one of my English conversation students, brought a set of Hina dolls as a gift for the girls. She and the other ladies set it up for us. I am absolutely amazed at how beautiful it is. The girls were beyond amazed by it. Take a look and thanks again to Toshiko!

School Christmas Party and Concert

The girls had their first winter concert. They sang "Jingle Bells" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." The pre-K students and kindergarteners were sooooo cute!!!

For their winter party at school, we had a potluck lunch. As always, the other moms went all out to make sure it was a special time for the kids. Christine, the KA kindergarten teacher, had her dad lead a sing-a-long with the kids. He played the banjo - he was really amazing and so good with the children!

I think we were ALL ready for a break though, but the girls are already looking forward to returning to school and Finbar and Christine.

Our 2nd Christmas in Nagoya

Our High School Musical Robes and Hannah Montana Microphones

It's hard to believe we have been here a year and a half! Thanks to our friends Kim and Wayne, Santa was able to deliver exactly what the girls wanted this year.

Gracie asked for a Furreal Friends Piggy:

Sophie asked for a My Little Pony Baby Rarity:

And Izzy asked for a Furreal Friends Parakeet:

Of course Santa delivered a few extra special things. It was such a busy year, and I decided that the girls were old enough to copy their letters to Santa. We almost didn't make it!! Izzy wrote as far as "Dear" and decided maybe it would be best for me to write the rest. She received a long lecture on how sad it was for her to try and get out of writing her Santa letter!!! She did get it done, but they didn't get their letters done in time to receive a letter back from Santa :(

Sam and I got the girls their very first video game - a Wii. We've had a lot of fun as a family playing it.

Anyway, we had a very blessed year and have so much to be thankful for.

God bless you all!!

Prayers for Malorrie

Hi Friends and Family,

Malorrie's counts have come up some, so the doctors are wanting her to have a bone marrow transplant. She and her family are pleading for your prayers. Please pray that God gets rid of the cancer in her body once and for all! She is struggling with the decision of whether to wait and hope that the counts go back down, or to have it done now while she is a little stronger. Please pray that God sends her guidance in making this very important decision. Please pray for her family, as they are having a difficult time making sense of all this - all the while, putting their complete faith in God.

I am amazed at just how strong she is both mentally and physically! She completed high school and has started college while undergoing treatments and chemo - she is a true blessing!

I'm thanking God today for the health of my daughters and family!!

God bless!
~Michelle

Takasu Trip

We went to Takasu on Sunday. It was a really exciting trip. The drive is always beautiful, but we actually got to see a monkey in the wild! Sophie saw one right before we saw the one in the picture (how lucky that I had my camera out). We figured she thought she saw a monkey, but now we're pretty sure she actually did :)

The Goal!

Sam's bridge


Castle on the hill

Sam gave Gracie her first snowboarding lesson. She was so cute. She told me, "Mommy, this is fun, but my bumm really hurts!" I'm pretty sure there wasn't a prouder father on the mountain.

Notice the smile on Daddy's face

The girls had lots of fun sledding and building snow animals. The Three Amigos


On the way home, Sophie apparently bit Izzy. Sam told Izzy when we get home that she could bite Sophie back as hard as she wanted. Well, Sophie wasn't very keen on that punishment, and began begging and pleading with Izzy to show her mercy. "Izzy, I'm your sister!!!! You don't want to hurt your own sister do you?" Upon hearing this statement, Sam and I gripe at Sophie about her hurting Izzy. Through her tears and crying, she tells us, "Yeah, well two wrongs don't make a right." She is way too clever sometimes :)

Kristy and Phil are having a GIRL!!

I'm so excited for my sister-in-law, and dear friend, Kristy. She and my brother are going to have a little girl!!! I expect the newest Combs will be just fine, as she will have three older brothers to look over her. I'm so happy for Kristy - girls are so much fun!!

Bandit..never absent from my heart

Our Border Collie, Bandit has lived a wonderful life! Tomorrow, she will cross the Rainbow Bridge, and join her sister Bea. We were blessed to have Bea for 14 years, and doubly blessed to have Bandit for 15+ years. I credit their old age to wonderful vets, Dr. Young and Dr. Blue, and their amazing staff! I also hope that the love I felt for them played a part.

My heart hurts that I can't be there to hold and comfort her. My heart hurts to lose my precious furry baby. My mom-in-law, Judy, will stay with her in my place. I am forever grateful to her for fulfilling her promise to stay with Bandie as she leaves this world. For the last year and a half, they have totally spoiled Bandit in our absence. Dad walked her, played with her, and loved her daily. Mom fed her and loved her in a way a 15 year-old dog deserves. Princess, their dog, loved and bickered with her, so that she was reminded what it was like to have a furry sister - she missed Bea so much.

Bandie, you will be greatly missed and thought about often. When I thought I wouldn't have children, you helped fill my needs with your unconditional love and never-ending snuggles. When my three angels arrived, you loved and protected them. You were also great about cleaning up any left-over food scraps dropped! Daddy made me feel so much better tonight by reminding me of when we went to adopt you and the beautiful years that followed.

Bandie, I love you, and I so wish I could be there to throw a few tennis balls for you, pet your soft coat just once more, and hold you as you move to Heaven. Some day, we will see each other again.... Tonight, I find comfort in the Rainbow Bride:

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. Her bright eyes are intent; Her eager body quivers. Suddenly she begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, her legs carrying her faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

~Author unknown...

Sports Day at NIS

Fortunately, Sam had the day off today. It was Sports Day (Field Day), so we went to the school to watch and cheer on the Girls and their team.

The school was divided into a green team and a white team. The girls' team, Green Team won, but it was so nice to see the whole school PreK-12th grade come together and have a fun day of sportsmanship.

Most everything was done as a team sport, but they did have a grade-level "dash." We are very proud to announce that the winner for kindergarten girls was:

SOPHIE!!

And second place went to:

GRACIE!!

We are very proud of all three girls and their classmates for enjoying the day and showing good sportsmanship.

Here is Sophie revealing her strategy:

Love,

~Michelle