Lil bits o' heaven

I love my family.

I loved Hawaii but I don't miss it as much as I miss my family...

Thank goodness they will be here in 24 days!!!

Well deserved "vacation"

I'm in O'Hare International Airport in Chicago blogging in the food court.  Thank you American Express for my free 45 minutes of internet! :)

The beach where I will be fixing my farmer's tan :)


I am off to go see my faaaamily in Honolulu, Hawaii! This is my annual trip to see my family.  Since they live on the other side of the planet, the tropical islands of Hawaii serves as half way :)  I'm especially excited this time around because my niece, Luna will be coming! I haven't seen her since she was born a year and a half ago!! I plan to spoil her rotten! :)

Additionally, I need to fix my MAJOR farmer's tan that I got on Memorial Day waiting in line to hear the President speak... it's really bad guys. It's like a 3/4 length sleeve tan... Anyway, I have an excuse to sit on the beach and fix it before I get back.

Once I get back, it will be the last part of the countdown to our wedding.  Only one month left :)

xox,
Reina

Japan, DC and love.

You know how much I love our nation's capital?  A lot. It's one of the cities I felt most home in and the most challenged.  I love it because it has history and the annual Cherry Blossom festival is no different.  I feel so alive and so proud of my Japanese heritage, especially during this time of year. These cherry blossoms demonstrate the friendship that Japan and the US have which makes me feel safe and happy and it also displays a simple beauty that is so inherent in Japanese culture. 

The reason why I got to go down to the tidal basin this year was because my mom came and visited Dave and I! We took a trip down to DC and walked along the water among the beautiful Cherry Blossoms. My mom was SO in awe! Even in Japan, they don't have this many trees in one location, blooming at one time! It was quite the sight and I was delighted that she was so happy.

I have a new love of the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial... duh.

Dave and I visited the "spot" for the first time since he proposed on December 24, 2009. 

Man, it's been a while!

Happy MilSpouse Day!!

I can't wait to put this on my blog but, it's not me yet!!

It's Military Spouse Appreciation day.  I don't know yet how the rest of the world or various military installations appreciate their spouses but for me, on my blog, I want to take the time to say thank you.  Thank you to all of you fabulous bloggy friends who are part of this bizarre yet rewarding lifestyle.  Thank you for your encouragement and support.  Thank you for just reading, just listening as I learn my way around.  Thank you for YOUR often unacknowledged service and great sacrifice.

How do you think MilSpouse Day should be celebrated? How would you feel appreciated?

Holiday Season

When you think Holiday Season, I think about family and gifts being exchanged. It's a time for people to get together and to celebrate the things we most enjoy in life... or in some cases, this holiday season makes for some crazy times, during which you want to cut yourself away from this said family and go off drinking with your friends instead.

This is IF you have the luxury of family. As crazy as they might make you feel, they are your people. As I grow older, it has become clear to me that the holidays are a time of new family. Being able to share special moments with those who are not my blood but those who are kind enough to open their homes to me. There are those, like our fighting heroes (our service members) who are not afforded the luxury of being home (sometimes years and years in a row, to the dismay of their spouses, parents and especially, children).


If you are able, please consider sending a care package to one of our service members (deployed or stationed over seas) whose day or holiday season you might brighten up by sending them a care package. Simple things such as much needed baby wipes, socks or gum or more fun items such as candy or reading material might not sound like much of a luxury for you but in certain parts, it can make all the difference.

What makes this a more personal experience is the letter that you include. Receiving a care package from a stranger is a great morale boost for our troops and being able to make it even more personal shows your support for our men and women who SACRIFICE to fight for us (whether or not you agree with the politics behind the wars that we fight or the military's presence).

So please, while you are writing your holiday shopping lists, please consider sending a care package to one of our troops. You can ask me if you'd like to find somebody or consider going through tried and true organizations like Adopt a US Soldier or Soldiers' Angels. If you feel uncomfortable sending one personally, you can volunteer with your local USO that holds large care package assembly sessions in which you can meet other people who are interested in helping our troops this holiday season.

Thank you for your support.

My List:
1) I have an incredibly strong and supportive net of people who I am finally starting to trust in hearing my concerns.
2) A mother who had enough courage to write to strangers about helping her son through a deployment.
3) The USO. Did you know that most all of their effort (over 90%) is fueled by volunteers and donations? If you are able, please contribute.

In the Interim...

I’m sorry about my absence from my blog. Things in my life have been a variety of crazy put together.

Who KNEW that going on informational interviews would result in me gaining weight!? If you know me, you know that I don’t count calories and I don’t fret about my silhouette. In the past few weeks, I’ve gained weight and I can really blame it on one thing in my life that has changed! My irregular eating schedule combined with informational interviews and the coffee and snacks I intake with them. Alas, I get to meet some incredible women in DC and I only have Emily G. to thank for those connections!!

Another thing that has prevented me from blogging was a super exciting change of pace. My family welcomed its newest generation. My sister gave birth to a beautiful baby girl!! I am officially an Aunt to somebody!

LUNA

I flew back to Japan in hopes that I might make it in time to witness her birth but alas, she was born 2 hours before I arrived at the hospital with all my luggage in tow. Both of them are healthy and are now home. A few days after my sister came home, she and her husband were watching videos that he had taped of her in labor and her screaming alone made me think twice about wanting babies. In the end though, Luna (born on the day of a blue moon) is gorgeous and cuddly and is worth every bit of discomfort that my sister could have experienced. Ok that is just a biased observation by somebody who wasn’t my sister nor a person in the room when she delivered…but anyway, Luna is SUPER DUPER cute with long limbs and fingers. We are speculating as to whether she will become a model, a dancer, a violinist (like her mother)… Oh so many possibilities!

Man these international flights are a drag! 14 hours one way, and 13 another. It was completely worth it to see my family but I really truly detest traveling, especially alone. However, on the way there, after I found out my sister had been admitted to the hospital (her water broke...) and before she was in labor, I wrote Luna a letter that I hope to give to her on her 20th birthday. These flights give me some much needed time to think.

Tonight, I am thinking about the possibilities of life...