Safe!

Hi everyone, I just wanted to thank you for praying for Colin as he traveled home. I also wanted to let you know that he made it home safely, and the rest of the family loved having him back. I could hear the pleasure in Momma's words as we were chatting over email after they got home from the airport.:) I'm sure it was very different at home with both of us gone ...

  Last Tuesday was a good day overall.:) It was a full day, and I stayed busy most of the time. That morning started early for me. I got up at 6:30 and fried some eggs for everyone's breakfast. Then at 6 : 45 I woke up Aidan so that he could get his homework done and eat breakfast. Although I set my alarm clock for 6:30, that isn't what woke me up. Colin jumping out of bed to take pictures of the beautiful sunrise is what woke me. That was the most beautiful day that we had had since we had gotten back from the states ... Then around lunch time, Colin and I left for the airport. We got there in time for some looking around. It took about an hour and a half to get there ... We walked around for a while just chatting and laughing at all the little souvenirs you could buy. I think the only thing we ended up buying green tea kit-kats. (I do believe that you can only buy those here.) Then after he walked through security I walked up to the 4th floor and out to the observation deck. I found his gate and took pictures of his plane. I would put some of the pictures on here , but haven't taken them off of my camera yet ...

Since Wednesday and Thursday were relatively dull days, I'll skip on to Friday when something exciting happened!:) On Friday afternoon I left Tsukishima and traveled an hour out to Honda. After arriving at the station I walked half a mile to Honda Chapel and the missionary school where Jenna teaches. She met me there and together we walked to Bob and Sharon's house. We had planned to watch a Dr. Who episode called 'Blink'. I have heard that is is the scariest episode featuring David Tennant as The Doctor. I must admit that at one point I think we all screamed.:) You can't blame us though ... If you have ever watched it you know what I mean ... Imagine all three of us sitting around in a dark room - two on a sofa and one in the chair on the other side of the room ... I, the only one who had never seen it, was the lucky one to be separated on the other side of the room! It wasn't so much scary to me as just startling. It was fun to get to see it though. That night Jenna and I spent in the guest bedroom there. 

 On Saturday morning (after a delicious breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast) Jenna and I decided to walk over to the Chiba mall. She wanted to show me how different it was than LaLaport ... I must admit, it was very different . We had intended to ride bikes there and back since it was within easy riding distance. Well, it just so happened that a typhoon came through the night before and it was still raining by the time we left. So we walked the nearly 2 miles there under umbrellas, and got pretty well soaked. On the way back it was raining even harder! We had waited until around 2:15 to leave, hoping the rain would stop ... So now we had to go back in the rain! We got to the house around 3:00 and changed out of our wet clothes. They looked like we had fallen into a swimming pool! Then we made a lunch that we had picked up at a little grocery store. Then we headed back to Tsukishima. On the way back here, we were sitting on the train and Jenna suddenly said, "Look, there's Captain Jack." I thought that she meant the Captain Jack from Dr. Who, because there were people standing in front of me and I couldn't see anyone out of the ordinary ... Then I happened to look up, and I said "Jenna! There's Captain Jack!":) So when he happened to get off at the same station where we were changing trains, Jenna asked if we could get his picture ... As most Japanese guys are, he was kind enough to oblige us. 

 Sunday was a good day. I can't really remember anything extraordinary that happened, but I do remember that it was a very good day. We had choir rehearsal here after church, and Fukuda-San, Iori, Keiko, and Mitsuo-Kun came. Jenna and I had made chicken stew for dinner, and we had hot chocolate for dessert. I think it was all good! After that Jenna, Abi and I watched Pride and Prejudice. 

 Jenna stayed over on Sunday night as well. On Monday morning she and I went to LaLaport. (Don't worry, we had no intention of buying anything!) We went, because we wanted to talk to one of the girls we had met who works at Perfect Suit Factory. Her name is Keiko, and she lives in Tsukishima. We wanted to invite her to the vision fair that Grace City Church Tokyo is having here next Saturday. After we got back, we stopped at a Mos Burger for lunch . That was absolutely the best fast food hamburger I think I've ever had! Simply delicious!!! Then Jenna and I planned out our Saturdays until I leave Tokyo in December! I think we have every Saturday packed, and we're still trying to squeeze in some things that we want to do together ...:) 

 Today she and I took Coen to the Imperial Palace with us for a guided tour. The whole tour was about 75 minutes long, and covered approximately one and a half miles! I had lots of fun there, took tons of pictures, and learned lots of interesting stuff. For instance, I learned that the most beautiful keep on the palace grounds, the Fushimi-yagura keep, was originally built in Kyoto, disassembled, and rebuilt in Tokyo during the reign of the third Shogun in the 17th century! I would never have guessed! Then we came here and all took a nap since we have stayed up until midnight for the last three nights, and we got up unusually early this morning!:) After that Jenna had to go back to Chiba, and I did reading with the boys and made supper. Pray for Coen, because I don't think he feels well today for some reason ... I don't think it's anything serious, but do pray for him ... Perhaps he will feel better in the morning.

  Tomorrow morning I have my next calligraphy lesson. This time Hinako's grandmother is coming here and bringing Hinako so that she, Eastin, and I can all write together! 

So, now I think I'll go to bed!!! 

Good night (or morning as the case may be) to all of you!!!!

All my love,

Hannah