First off, before I get back on-topic-as in address the subject heading--I'm curious what people think about referring to the U.S. as "the states." I obviously need to be less irritable about little things. Having laid the blame squarely where it belongs, nevertheless I proceed to my confession. When anyone says, "the states," it has a nails on blackboard affect on my ears. I understand the logic for not saying America, but isn't saying the U.S. good enough? Anyway, I should and do have far more important things to do than talking about my distaste for the current trendy way of referring to the U.S.
Vyda will arrive in America on July 15th. Tickets out of Japan go up quite drastically after the 15th. So poor Vyda will be on airplanes literally all day with a four year old and five month old. The good news: Four year old Arielle is an amazing travel companion. She flew from the U.S. to Korea when she was three months old and hasn't ceased to be anything short of amazing since that time. The not so good news: five month old Ryosei is a far cry, so to speak, from his older sister. When he's not having an unabashed tantrum/meltdown he's really a cute, friendly baby. But when he uncorks it he gradually ratchets up the intensity of the protest until he gets picked up or falls asleep.
Because of my contract I'm not flying out of Japan until August 1st. Vyda has seen her family once in the past five years (a year and a half ago), so obviously she's really looking forward to this opportunity. The rarer something is, the more the value seems to go up. So we definitely don't take visiting family for granted. We've lived in Asia for the past four years so we get a healthy dose of reverse culture shock when we re-enter the "states" (clutching my ears in agonizing pain).
August 21st we'll venture out to Hawaii since my grad school starts on August 24th. Recently, Arielle has been saying, "I have to go to schooled" ("I have to go to school" in standard pronunciation) to remind us that everyday she has kindergarten. So, in honor of Arielle, lately I've taken to proclaiming at random times throughout the day, "I have to go to schooled," while wishing my school was only $240 a month --including a school provided lunch on M/W/F--instead of easily ten times that!
Vyda is in charge of pictures and word on the street is that she should be fulfilling her part of the division of labor any day now, meaning it could easily be another couple weeks.
I just did a public guilt trip so maybe the pictures really will be posted any day.
I still want to make a few more posts about our life in Japan.
That's all for now.
2 comments:
We're glad you're going to be so close, too bad we can't come visit you in Hawaii sometime. How long are you guys going to be there? Maybe we could take a trip next year (most likely not, but there is always the possibility). Good luck with school and good luck to Vyda flying with the kids. Just pray a lot and things will work out. I did that when we went to Kansas City, MO and the boys were angels.
I hope, by now, you are having a nice time in the states, Vyda. And that you and the kids were still friends when you landed.
Clark, I have never thought about how to refer to the U.S. but once you pointed it out I can certainly say I agree that there is something annoying about referring to the U.S. as "the states." I can even hear this girl from my grade six class talking about going to "the states" and thinking it was annoying.
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