May has come and gone...here's what we've done!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!

We started this month off with a trip to JAL Okuma Private Resort with Jason's battery! Normally, we get to go for 3 days, but this time was just an overnighter. It was a great time as a family and we got some beach time in as well. Throughout the month, we have been enjoying the beautiful outdoors (in between the days on end of rain). We have lots of night of grilling and eating outside as well as football games with all the neighbor kids.

Also, this month, Paige finished her first year of Cubbies and got her first book award. The awards banquet was very quaint and simple, but Paige was very excited!

This past weekend, we experienced our first direct-hit typhoon! It was quite the storm and we are so thankful everything fared here. There was lots of damage on the base and I have only seen small parts off, but the island was very lucky! We are now officially in typhoon season til November. We are really looking forward to summer and in a few months the arrival of Tucker!

Our First Family Visit!

Back when we found out we would be stationed here in Okinawa, we learned that my Aunt and Uncle has just recently booked a cruise that would stop for a day here! We have been awaiting their arrival and we had a wonderful day with them! It was so nice to have family close...even if it was just for the day! :) First, we took them to our house on base and showed them around, then we visited our lovely BX (base exchange)! We were all pretty hungry, so we took them to one of our favorite Tepanyaki restaurants, Capitals. It was very yummy!

Since Greg is into bikes, this was appropriate...a lowered scooter :)

After lunch, we toured around American Village!

Connie and I decided to dip our feet into the Doctor Fish and have a "fishy" pedicure! These fish eat off the dead skin on your feet. We tried to get Paige to do it, but she was a little scared. Connie and I laughed and laughed...it was a very wierd feeling!

Of course, you can't visit American Village and not go on the ferris wheel! :)

Connie is one of the only people I know that can fit comfortably on these kiddy rides!

After touring some of the hotspots of Okinawa that were close, we headed back to the ship. Greg and Connie have become good friends with the captain of the ship and arranged for us to take a private tour of the ship's bridge!

They even gave Paige an Ocean Princess hat to wear!

Of course, she made Daddy wear it, too!

The captain let the girls sit in HIS chair and wear HIS personal Captain's hat!

The logo in the background is the captain's tatoo and when he had a ship in his own command he had it painted on the ship!

It was such a fun day! Paige thought we were going on another cruise and was very disappointed to leave the ship! We are so thankful that we got to have this day with them!

Beach time and some other stuff :)

It's April already! The weather has finally started to "warm" up and that means that being outside is a must here in beautiful Okinawa! This weekend we not only got the house cleaned and got the baby's room started, we went to the beach! It was just beautiful out and the perfect day for it! We went to a beach called Toguchi Beach...it's small but it has alot of stuff to do. There is a giant roller slide (which was very full today so we didn't play on it) and beautiful scenery and a big beach. The tide was out big time so the coral was exposed up to about 1/4 of a mile! Jason, Paige and another friend of ours walked out and explored all of the sea creatures that were "stuck" in the little pools of water. They had a blast. They even brought back a bright blue starfish for us to see! Paige picked up a sea cucumber and admired the clown fish :). As you can see, I take the pictures, I am not in them. I sat on the beach and managed to get a crazy sunburn...oops!

This week was also an exciting week for us...we found out (earlier than most expected) the we are having a BOY!!! I was very impatient and couldn't wait the 4 weeks to find out at my appointment. I decided to go off base to a Japanese OB/GYN that does ultrasounds for Americans who want to find out the gender earlier than on base! It was quite the experience and words can't describe it. It was a great day and we are very excited for Tucker Andrew to arrive!

pregnancy, spring and a terrible disaster

As I sit here to update everyone, I am thinking about the last month and what we've done. As you know, I am in my 2nd trimester now and have mainly spent the last month being sick. Jason has been so amazing taking care of me and Paige. During the week, he comes home at lunch to check on us and makes sure Paige is being a good girl! :) She has been so wonderful as well. She helps around the house and in any way she can. She tells me all the time that when the baby comes out I will feel better. I love her.
Over the last week, Paige and I have been trying to make a trip back to Arizona...with no luck. The last couple days have been even harder due to the major earthquake in mainland Japan. We watch the news daily and are still in disbelief of what has happened there and all of the damage. Here in Okinawa, we felt nothing at all. That night and into the next day we were in a tsunami warning, but nothing happened. We are very thankful that we are ok, but we are praying for those on mainland that are not. There have been several troops from Kadena sent to help in the relief efforts. Jason is on alert and they are ready should they be called to go help. Please keep everyone involved in your prayers. It's very devastating!
We are doing well here and are anxiously awaiting summer and getting in some much needed beach time. Spring is in the air and we have all the windows open and feel a nice breeze and the birds singing! We are so blessed!

The First Half of February

This month started off pretty good! We decided that we needed a bigger house to accommodate a new baby in September. We were VERY lucky to be able to get a bigger home in a matter of 3 days! We had a week to move, but we did it. We now live in a 3 bedroom 1 1/2 bath, 2 storied duplex with a very big back yard! It is perfect for us! When the rain stops I will take some pictures of the outside (by then the inside will be put together...haha). Sightseeing has been very scarce with the weather and with moving and being sick. We are very anxiously awaiting the arrival of summer!

These pictures were actually from December, but I just forgot to post them! We took an afternoon trip to Kurashiki Dam behind our now "old" house. It is beautiful and peaceful.
This is the MEN'S bathroom! It's a little small.

Happy Valentine's Day! This is our little Valentine (she said she was hehe)