What a great year!

Wow, I can't believe we have been here a year! It is funny how time can seem to stand still and fly by at the same time. As we reflect on our last year, here are some of the things we love about Okinawa and miss about the United States.

OKINAWA
being surrounded by beautiful beaches
sushi, Japanese curry, and soba noodles
snorkeling
fun friends
learning about the Japanese culture
fun (and slightly dangerous) parks
our new dog Zoey
no snow
Tokyo Disney this September

THE U.S.
family and friends (we miss you)
family and friends (we really really miss you!!!)
Mexican restaurants
Target, Joann's, Bestbuy, & Home Depot
Michigan football games
streets with names
normal television
crisp apples
fresh berries, watermelon, cherries, & plums
finding what you need at the store
nice movie theaters

I would call this the year of learning for us. Learning to rely on each other. Learning to drive on the left side of the street. Learning about life in the military. Learning about Japan. Learning a bit of Japanese (and I do mean just a bit). Learning we really can do anything as long as we are together.

White Beach

We went camping at White Beach for the first time last weekend. The beach is on-base on the Pacific side of the island. You can sleep in a tent, trailer, or cabin for totally cheap. We were very excited to have a sleepover at the beach. The beach was beautiful. It is jellyfish season so we didn't go too far into the water. Here is a picture of a brown jellyfish that had washed up on the beach.

We saw a TON of HUGE hermit crabs.
Here is the old, smelly trailer we slept in. The cabins were booked and it was too hot to sleep in a tent so we stayed in a trailer. I thought it would be fun for the kids (which it totally was), but one night was enough for Josh and I.The boys had fun playing hide and seek in the trailer.
They loved the bunk beds too.We played miniature golf. Brand and I got a hole-in-one.
It was so nice to get away as a family, even if it was only 30 minutes from home.

Officially No More Cast!

I feel as if summer has just began for the boys and I. Brand had an appointment at 7:30 this morning to see if his arm was healed enough for the cast to come off. After 7 1/2 weeks it was finally time to take the cast off!!! Can I just say a huge YIPEE!!! If you look close Brand is wearing his swimsuit. Completely aware that the following action could have totally jinx us, I signed the boys up for swimming lessons starting 90 minutes after Brand's doctors appointment. I couldn't resist, a new session was starting at the pool on base and I decided it was worth at least signing Brand up. And it worked out perfectly.

Brand got his cast off.

He was still nervous to move it, but that only lasted about an hour.
We celebrated with donuts.And then we finally got to go swimming!!!

After the 30 minute swimming lesson we went home for lunch and then back to the pool for 3 glorious hours of swimming. Now this is what I call SUMMER!

Happy 4th Birthday Max!

Our little firecracker turned 4 this week. I can't believe how fast 4 years has gone. There is never a dull moment with Max around. He is either cracking us up, driving us crazy, or melting our hearts with his sweetness. Max's current favorites include:

-Spiderman, he is always shooting things with his web.

-Zoey, he gives Zoey the most love whether she wants it or not.

-The Wii, he loves playing Super Mario Galaxy.

-His friends, of the 4 friends he plays with 3 are girls. It is definitely having a calming effect on him. It makes us laugh when he asks if he can "go play with the girls."

-Ice cream, he asks for it every night.

-Brand, Max will stop at nothing at get Brand's attention. He totally loves Brand and tries to copy everything Brand does.

For his birthday Max had a party with his friends in the morning.

In the evening our family went for a ride on the ferris wheel and played some games at the arcade.

He loved his new swimming pool.

Max found his cake in the fridge and helped himself to some frosting before the party.

Change of Command Ceremony

We are learning that the military is all about ceremonies. Josh's Command changed Commanding Officer (CO) this week and Brand and I attended the ceremony. Josh was a "sideboy" in the ceremony which means he stood along the red carpet and saluted the current CO, incoming CO, and 3rd Marine Logistics Group (MLG) Colonel as they arrived and left the ceremony. It was very interesting, as each arrived and left the ceremony a bell was rang, their name was announced, a sailor whistle was blown, and they were saluted by the sideboys as they walked the red carpet. It was carried out as if the ceremony was held aboard a ship.

Josh is facing the camera on the right saluting the 3rd MLG Colonel as he leaves the ceremony.

The bell ringer.

The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Band.

The Color Guard, notice there is an American flag, a Japanese flag, and a 3rd Dental Battalion flag. The leaving Commander passes the incoming Commander the Battalion flag to symbolize the outgoing CO relinquishing the Command to in incoming CO.
If Josh hadn't been a sideboy in the ceremony he would have been standing in the field the entire time with the rest of the Command. At 9:30 am it was already so hot one sailor collapsed and 3 more stumbled to the side where medics took them away.

No more cast...well almost.

From the very beginning the doctors thought Brand would only need to wear a cast for six weeks. Well, six weeks was today and we were very excited. All we could think about was swimming pools and beaches.

Here is Brand having his cast removed.

Here is Brand's arm right after the cast was removed.

Here is Brand walking carefully to radiology, he was still very nervous to move his wrist.

And here is a picture of Brand's new Harry Potter colored cast...yep two more weeks in a cast.

Oh well, the most important thing is that it heals right. If that means more time in a cast then that is what we want. At least the cast starts below his elbow this time. It will be so much more comfortable for him. I was happy to get rid of the old smelly cast and Brand was happy to itch his arm for a bit.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July! The 4th of July was one of my favorite holidays when I was a kid. We would celebrate by going to a parade in the morning, a barbecue with my cousins at our grandparent's house in the afternoon and then watch the most amazing fireworks show in the evening. This year we tried to celebrate the same old way. There was no parade, we did have a nice barbecue with some families from Josh's command and we attempted to see some fireworks. According to neighbors, in years past you could see the military fireworks show from our base. This year you could only see the top 1/4 of 2 or 3 fireworks. It was kind of sad, but we know the Japanese do a really cool firework show in August so we will have to watch for that. Here is Josh and Max waiting for the fireworks to start.

Living on a military base in a foreign country I think we are reminded more than most how great it is to be an American and live in the USA. I remember taking the boys to eat at Burger King on-base when we first moved here and feeling totally out of place when I realized we were the only ones in the restaurant not in uniform. Now it has become the norm and it is going to feel weird when we come home to visit the states. My heart still skips a beat when I see a young marine dressed in fatigues, a helmet, and a bullet proof vest driving a camouflage truck wave at my boys as he passes by. My boys are definitely having different experiences than I did as a kid. My favorite patriotic moment is going to the movies on-base. Before the movie starts the entire theatre stands for a short patriot movie clip set to the National Anthem. It is amazing how no one makes a sound, not even the kids. All you hear is the Star Spangled Banner as you watch jets flying through the sky, bombs exploding, tanks firing during battle, kids being reunited with their deployed parent, and the American flag waving in the wind. You really can't help but be proud to be an American.