Life in Japan

Leigh, Rorey and Andrew

Rorey’s adoption was finalized today.  We are all so happy that she is officially ours! We can’t wait to see them Friday morning.

I often post photos that show the seasons in Arisugawa park. This is the park across the street from my apartment, an oasis in this middle of this metropolis. I cannot remember if I have posted any of summer in the park before. I don’t especially enjoy the park in the summer. Everything is green with a haze that comes from the high heat and humidity. Today I realized that the park in the summer is not so much about what can be seen, but instead it’s about the sounds. Screeching cicadas, crows cawing and the song of birds are the sounds of Arisugawa in summer. There is something about the sound of a million cicadas that just makes me hot.

A perfect thing to do in the park on a hot summer day

My plan to post daily was changed when I made a hasty decision not to take my laptop on my August trip to the US. I left on July 31 and decided just minutes before not to take my laptop. I realized that taking it would mean leaving in the car during our 10 hour visit to Schlitterbahn, not a good idea during a Texas summer. At that point it was too late to set up automatic posting like I did when I was in India in February. So today I am going to post photos for August.

Today is Luke’s Birthday! It is such wonderful blessing for us to have him as part of our family-as our son-in-law and the husband of Allyson and father to Maddie and Izzie. We love you Luke!

I woke up at 4 this morning to get ready for my 6:30 flight to LAX via Houston. I miss this girl’s cute cheeks already. All our flights were on time and after spending a few hours in the lounge at LAX we boarded our flight for Tokyo.

Today the ladies in the Boone Branch had a shower to welcome Rorey. They are a great group and Rorey received some wonderful gifts. She slept in her car seat to and from the shower and most of the trip to Charlotte. Andrew and Leigh drove us back today. We have early flights out in the morning. Today on our way we got to have yummy, thick milkshakes at Cook Out, stop by and see where Leigh works, visit REI, Sam’s and eat at Chick-fil-a.  It was a great day!

Leigh works here

Just me and my Papa

Then Andrew, Leigh and the Baby Girl dropped us off at La Quinta and bid us farewell until we see them in Dallas on September 3.

Appalachian Family

Bammy Rorey and Papa

Today we were up early again and on a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit Andrew, Leigh and Rorey. They picked us up at the airport and after a stop at Costco we drove back to Boone and had dinner at a restaurant. I ordered the French onion soup and was surprised when it was served with a pair of scissors to cut the stringy cheese, this was a first.