...Middle of the Week

Today...it rained.... I know that this is no unusual thing, especially for Japan during this time of year. But this is the first time it has rained since I got back from my vacation! This summer has been so hot for Japan, that there is something like a 'heat bubble' over just Japan. This causes all of the typhoons that usually come through Japan to bounce around the island, and hit Korea instead. So today, a typhoon finally got through the bubble and let us have it! It has been cloudy all day, and in the early afternoon it was so foggy that I couldn't even see the other side of the river!!! (It only takes about 5 min. to walk to the river from here.) So that means I couldn't see half mile away, which is unusual for being up this high! And, for the first time in several weeks, I just had to go for a walk...in the torrential downpour! :) For some unknown reason I woke up this morning and wanted to go for a walk. This is the first day I've wanted to go for a walk in about a week. When I woke up at 7:00 it was just a light rain. Well, I didn't get a chance to go out until about 2:30. I borrowed Abi's rubber boots, grabbed my umbrella, and left the house wearing my denim skirt and favorite T-shirt. The thing I've learned about typhoons, is that the rain never just falls strait down. It always comes in at an appalling angle. Today was no different. Very soon after I left the house I realized that my umbrella is not waterproof! (Which really doesn't make sense, because this umbrella has a design that only shows when the top is wet!) By the time I got back, I was quite throughly SOAKED! Literally, from the top of my head to the bottom of my socks, I had water dripping off of me...

I felt so good! It made my day to be able to stomping in water puddles wearing rubber boots, and get horribly wet, and be blown around by the wind! Although lots of people stared at me while I was walking through the rain during the worst part of the storm (a fact of which I was not aware until later) I really enjoyed it.

Other than that, my day has been pretty calm. Part of this morning was spent learning the results of the livestock show that my sisters competed in. That was really exciting! I am so proud of them! I have a special place in my heart for the competition they just completed. It was the first time I ever showed a cow, and I have fond memories of that show from the past two years!

Tonight we had guests over for dinner. A Christian singer who is going to be doing a mini-concert at church this Sunday came to rehearse with the bass player that plays at church. I have enjoyed listening to them practice while I have been writing. I look forward to the concert!

Before I go for the night, I just have to share with you this memory of mine... All day today I have been remembering one day when I was very small. I recall this one day when it was rainy and cloudy all day long. I was the youngest member of my family at this point, and had not started school. My Mother decided that on that dark, rainy day we would spend the day together having fun. So for several hours that morning my brother and I listened as Momma read aloud to us. For lunch we had homemade popcorn and chocolate milk, and in the afternoon we fell asleep listening to Momma read to us again. I don't remember what she was reading, but listening to our parents read aloud has always been very special to my siblings and me. Just that simple day made a lasting impression in my memory! I'm thankful for all of the special times from my early childhood God has allowed me to remember!

Well, now I think I'll call it a night!

My love to you all,

Hannah