寂しいいいいいいい！

最近は送別会が次々にありまして、本当に寂しなりました。久しぶりの友達を会って、色々な事を思い出して、やっぱり日本は深く心に残ります。必ずまた遊びに来ます。そして、皆さんは是非、是非、是非モンタナに遊びに来てください！

My last few weeks have been filled with farewell parties one after the other. Seeing old friends and meeting close friends for the last time, I really am sad to be leaving. Memories of Japan will be with me forever! We promise to come back and visit, and our home in Montana will always be open to friends.

Saying Farewell

With just 3 weeks to go before we leave Japan, it is starting to feel real. We have already had to say last goodbyes or hopeful "See you agains" to several friends. We know we will miss a lot of things, big and little, from this place we now call home. So, the 3 of us all have our own, "must do before we leave Japan" lists. Lucy's first was to eat lots of sushi, mine was to pass some of my treasures on to some of my treasured people here. Eiji's was to take Lucy and I to his childhood stomping ground, Amakusa, so he could show us the places he used to live, play and study. We got permission to go into his old high school and watch students as they practices KYUDO archery. He gave us a full commentary on what it was like when he was in the same practice hall 20 years ago. Many things left to do!

この前は家族３人は栄二が育った町、天草の本渡市、に遊びに行きました。そこで、栄二が遊んだ所、卒業した学校に見に行きました。日本に出る前にしたいな事がいっぱい。LUCYは寿司がたくさん食べたい。Michelleは大事の人とゆっくり話して、『ありがとう』の気持ちを伝えて行きたい。時間が足りるかしら？

Dancing at Lucy's Last Sports Day

Last week was Lucy's Day Care's Sports Day Festival. Different than at home, Sports Day in Japan means that everyone (parents, grandparents, friends, whoever!) is welcome to come and watch the day of races, dancing and games. This year, at her new school, it was incredibly organized and Lucy was all smiles! The last couple years, she suddenly decided she didn't want to run or dance in some events, and pouted on the sidelines instead. So, dancing with her in the "Parent-child Dance" and seeing her trying her best in all the events made me a bit teary eyed. This is one of the many things we will miss about Japan.

UNDOKAI

When we told Lucy that we were moving home to Montana, the only thing she cried about was having to leave her friends. She quickly chose a small box full of toys she wanted to bring, and is fervently encouraging everyone who steps in our house now to buy some of the "unwanted" so she can have money to buy new ones in Montana. We talk excitedly about the new adventure awaiting her...riding on one of the big yellow school buses, treading the snow that awaits, having to teach her new friends how to pronounce her last name! We have all had so many wonderful friends here. I hope we will find a community of equally cool and comforting friends in Montana too.

USA へ

I am crazy busy because, WE ARE MOVING BACK TO MONTANA IN NOVEMBER!!!!!! Can't wait to get in touch with everyone back home, but I have to get everything on this side of the Pacific settled and sent off in the next month. Hope to see you soon!

１１月から、アメリカへ引っ越します！！！！楽しみですけど、こちらの友達との別れはちょっと寂しい。アメリカの新しい生活が始まったら、このblogに写真とNEWSをのせるつもりです。こちらにも連絡してね！