Sunday, May 3, 2009

Time to say goodbye...

This is going to be my last post for a while. The time has come for us to move back to the US! We will have movers here Monday and Tuesday. We are also staying with our dear friends, the Deavers, on Monday and Tuesday. Then, we will go into the TLF (on base hotel) for 10 nights until we fly out on the 16th. When we did the numbers, it was cheaper for us to go to the TLF than to pay rent everyday. :)
The computer is being packed up tomorrow, so I won't be able to blog though I plan to still take MANY more pictures in the days (weeks) to come. I will have a lot to catch up on!
We have truly loved our time here on this wonderful island. We really had no idea what to expect, but we have been pleasantly suprised. Of course, it had its challenges. I realized today that even after two years, I still can't figure out the lint catcher on my Japanese dryer. I can't read the buttons on my dishwasher or AC. I never realized how much I am in love with having a garbage disposal, as it is one of those items that you miss once you haven't had it for a while. We have missed family terribly, but we found a special closeness within our own little family and that has made home quite the haven. The boys have only had themselves to be with for the majority of the time and they have formed such a strong bond of brotherhood.
We will miss the people here and their gentle, kind and humble personalities. We will miss the simpleness here. The Okinawan's are not into having to have lots of "stuff" and that has been such an eye opening and wonderful lesson for us. We will miss the way that this culture always treats everyone with respect and kindness. The way that everyone here just obeys the law, because it is the law.
We are looking forward to our new adventure in California; to being able to be with family once again on a more (hopefully!) regular basis. But, we will have a warm place in our hearts for this wonderful little island out in the East China Sea.

Family Pictures

A few girls from the branch offered to take a few family pictures of us on the beach here in Oki. It was just perfect for pictures...and by that I mean the sun was far too bright in our eyes, it was raining AND is was horribly windy. :)
But, with lots of patience from everyone, we were able to go to two different locations and take a few pictures. Thank you so much to Bambi and Fayette for taking these for us!
I won't give a running commetary on all of these pictures but if are wondering what we are all looking at in our hands it is hermit crabs. The beach was crawling with them and we all had fun catching them and comparing whose was best.