Life in Japan

My friend in Oregon thinks I have a glamorous life, traveling all over the world. Don’t get me wrong my life is great and I am so grateful for all my blessings. I am especially thankful my loving and very generous husband who shares his travel benefits with me so that I do everything I do. However, as I started to think about it in many ways most of my life is similar to that of any mother or grandmother. I serve in my church callings, I do laundry, recycle, grocery shop, go to the post office, cook, clean…..I just do it in Japan and that is sometimes a bit tricky because I don’t speak much Japanese. Usually, it isn’t a problem. This morning, with Rick coaching me before hand, I was able to tell the dry cleaning man not to come next Wednesday because we would be on vacation and to come again in two weeks. We won’t know how well I did until June 11 when we see if he comes or else there are shirts hanging on the door when Rick gets home next Friday.

As I thought about all the traveling that I do (December-January Utah, Texas, London, March- Utah, May- Utah & Texas, Next week-London) I have come to realize that these trips are just normal Mom/Grandma trips. In December, I went to visit my mom, spend Christmas with most of my kids and then help with Ally and Luke’s new baby. In March, I went to visit my mom and my kids in Utah including my future daughter-in-law. In May, I went to visit my mom and seeing my kids in Utah for a couple of days was a bonus. Then I went to see my kids in Texas and attend Andrew and Leigh’s graduation from Texas A&M University. Now, next week I am going to London to see Ally, Luke, Maddie and Izzie. To me where I go and what I do seems quite normal, it’s just that I don’t get there by car.  Living halfway across the world from any of my family, but Rick, I am incredibly grateful that I get to see them as often as I do.

The other day I was emailing my friend Dee, who currently lives in Russia, about our various plans for the summer and said, “What’s crazy is that this all seems normal!”  So what is normal anyway?  Who decides what is normal?  Well, maybe I should do something glamorous like plan a trip to China for Rick and I and Dan and Dee.

of Seminary (for this year, anyway).  Seminary ended last Thursday.  I thought that I would be happy about it and get to sleep in.  In some ways I am happy about it, but I am not sleeping in.  In fact, I am getting up even earlier.  It must be due to the fact that I am getting to bed earlier, no more late nights doing final preparations for my lesson.  When I say earlier, I mean really early.  Today it was 3:30 am!  That is a bit early for me.  I read and studied and then went for an hour long bike ride.  Tokyo is great at 5:00 am.  It is light and there are not too many people out.  I can ride on the sidewalks and not have to dodge the crowds.  This morning I rode to Omotesando and Harajuku.  It was so quiet.  This is the good part about not having seminary.  I have three months to study what I want to and go for early morning walks and bike rides.

Walking home from seminary last Wednesday morning I realized that it was almost over for this year.  Thinking about not seeing my students for three months caused me to cry for a minute.  I will definitely miss the kids that are graduating this year.  Friday morning I woke up and started planning for next year and teaching the New Testament.  I figured out that if I read 4 pages a day between now and the end of August I should have it finished.  I have memorized 5 of the 25 Scripture mastery verses and will learn 2 each week and will have all 25 done before we begin again in September.  I am excited to teach again.