Long Time...

Hello all! I hope you are all doing well... As for me, I've been sick. Thursday I came down with a fever and bad headache. I felt better yesterday, except for having absolutely no energy... Today I have most of my energy back... The only thing bothering me is the expected sore throat that can last for up to a week. Hopefully that will go away soon.

Well, it has been a long time since the last time I posted anything, and I'm sorry for that... It just seems that nothing that interesting has happened since the movie night, except for the joy and amazement of everyday life! So I will highlight some of the everyday things that have happened recently, in order of my memory, not in order of happening... I visited my first gasoline station on Wednesday... The first thing that struck me was that there were no pumps... To save space, the pumps hang from the ceiling and can be pulled down. The second thing I noticed was that there is no self service here. When you drive up, someone tells you where to park, asks how much you want put in, fills you up, and gives you a window wash. When they're done, they usher you out, as if you had been in a mechanic garage. As we were sitting waiting for them to fill us up, I happened to notice the price sign. It said something like 243 yen (roughly equivalent to $2.45). Well, then I was told that gas is sold by the liter, not the gallon! That's one reason most people take the trains... :)

The next thing that has happened that comes to mind is Coen learning to walk. He has known how to walk for about a month now. But just yesterday he decided that he could walk. The funny thing is that he's pulled himself around holding on to stuff and going sideways so long, that now he walks like a crab. :D He looked so funny last night when he just randomly decided to walk in circles around the living room for about 20 minutes!

I also wanted to share with you yet another Japanese sunset... You are going to get really tired of sunsets, but they all look so different. The picture of this one REALLY doesn't do it justice. I also had to include this picture of Coen. He is sitting in his bouncy thing. When I took this picture, he had been looking at me for a long time, and then he would start laughing hysterically, and bounce for a few minutes... Then he would watch me again, and then he would laugh and bounce....

Another cute thing I've learned is that Eastin's favorite food is "ban-an-pean-butter", translated banana and peanut butter. :)

I don't think I told you about the chocolate chip cookies I made last Sunday with the boys. They were a success, AND gluten free! I let Aidan help me mix them, and then I let each of them make a pan full, and see them once they were done. I have found that the secret ingredient for cookies is potato starch. Unfortunately, until last week, the only potato starch we had was contaminated. All of the cookies were eaten that day!

Well, today is my day off, so since there is a possibility I'm still contagious, I decided not to have friends over like I had planned to do. Now my plan is to finish the last 6 chapters of The Hobbit, and probably start the Fellowship of the Ring.

Thank you all for your prayers, and thoughts!

My love to you all,

Hannah