Panther Deployment Return

A couple weeks ago I had the extreme pleasure of being there to document the homecoming of our sister squadron after an 8 month deployment to Iraq. It was an exhausting but exciting couple of days. We've been there, supporting our friends during this loooong separation, so we were honored to witness so many happy reunions!

The first round of returns included 9 jets. Most people in both squadron turned out to welcome the guys home. Many of us brought cameras to take photos for our friends. I was glad that I had enough time to wander around and take photos for many people that I know. Below are some of my favorites:

I love this poster. Their squadron's mascot is the panther.

So this sign is about how their panther cubs have missed their paws. ;^)

We lined the taxi-way as they pulled in and cheered. SO exciting!

Tears of joy. These are the moments that make our waiting worth while.

I love this shot of their shoes.

This was one of the most precious things I have EVER seen.

This little baby walked out to her daddy for the first time. *TEARS*

The second wave of jets arriving to cheers below!

Denia (above) and her hubby Russ were only married for a couple

months before he left. She was SO excited to welcome him home!

She had a razor ready and shaved his moustache immediately. LOVE IT.

The next day the main body flight was set to return around midnight. Main body includes most of the maintainers, as well as pilots and other service members not flying jets home. Most of the girls I'm closest to had hubbys on that plane, and so I was willing to stay up late and be there to take their photos. In fact, many ladies from our squadron planned to be there. We all grabbed our gear and piled into my car, grabbed some coffee, and were preparing to drive over to hanger 949 when I got a devastating phone call. Apparently they had been weather diverted and it would be at least 12 hours until they arrived. I can't even imagine the looks on the faces of those family members. But I respect the fact that it was our wing commander Col. Rothstein who made that announcement.

We were disappointed to say the least, but I went home and crawled into bed around 1:30 am. Then, I got a phone call around 4 am saying that they had just been notified that the plane was in-bound and would be arriving in twenty minutes! I'm SO glad my friends called me so I could be there to take photos for them. I was deliriously tired but it was such a beautiful and emotional reunion that I was honored to be there.

Holding their breath, waiting to see the face of their beloved.

Such joy!

Laura Breau was my secret sister. She and her hubby Jesse are SO in love.

I think the photo above of her running, crying and screaming through

the crowd is one of my favorites of the morning!

When I got home I was too keyed up to sleep so I edited those photos and posted them on facebook for the viewing pleasure of friends and family back in the States. Then I crashed around 7 am and slept for five or six hours till it was time to get up and welcome the final cell. I know it was difficult for these ladies to wait while their friends were reuniting with their husbands. But I'm sure it was well worth the wait!

What an incredible experience! What an honor. The sleep deprivation, sweat and tears were all worth it - and the ladies were great about showing their appreciation. I was happy to do it. And I know they will do the same for us in about a year. The cycle of paying it forward continues! Love you ladies!

Towada Modern Art Museum

Last Friday I took a day trip with a couple of friends to look at cherry blossoms and check out the Towada Modern Art Museum. I had seen pictures of the goofy sculptures out in front of the museum on several of my friend's facebook pages but hadn't been yet, so I was excited to go on yet another Japanese springtime adventure!


I learned while we were down there that Towada City is significant in Japanese history because that is where they bred the Samurai horses! They are very proud of their heritage and have decorated their downtown with all kinds of horse motifs. The ones below are metal sculpture heads on top of concrete barriers at the edge of a blocked-off driveway.

We were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum, but we had fun taking silly pictures in front of the giant, colorful sculpture in the park across the street. The museum itself was actually very impressive. They have several exhibits by notable international artists. Who would have thought you would find stuff like this in the middle of Northern Japan?


After the museum, we walked around the downtown area and ended up in the park where they hold a special festival where women do archery on horseback. We also found what looks like an outdoor sumo ring down there and are planning on finding out more. We were under the impression you have to travel to Tokyo in order to see live sumo, but it would be awesome if we could see it only 30 minutes away! This was a week day so not much was going on. But we entertained ourselves by taking lots of pictures (as usual.) =^)


I am thankful for friends who invite me out to experience the local culture and make memories while we're here. It was a welcome reprieve from my hectic schedule lately!

God Fearing American

My brother is in a celtic/folk rock band called The Amber Clad out at Belmont University in Nashville where he is studying Guitar Performance. They were able to record and release their first single before the school year ended. It's called God Fearing American and is available for free download at the website below. Nate has a pretty sweet banjo solo about 2/3s of the way through. You should check it out - and pass the word along to anyone else who might be interested!

https://www.noisetrade.com/theamberclad#

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival

I am SO thankful that I made it back to Japan in time to see the cherry blossoms blooming. Not only was it a beautiful reminder of how God is making all things new after the darkness and destruction. But James and I missed out on really enjoying the cherry blossoms last year because of my gall bladder surgery and his deployment. Next year we have no idea what the guys will be up to so this was like our one chance to get out there and see the best scenery that Japan has to offer.

They have a big festival at Hirosaki Castle and so we caravaned out there with nine other friends from the squadron and spent the afternoon wandering around and taking pictures under the incredible flowering trees.

There were SO MANY blossoms. Incredible!

The place was absolutely packed with Japanese people enjoying the start of Golden Week. But we didn't mind. It was good being out and among them and seeing them smiling and enjoying time with their families. Life goes on - thank God for springtime!

Home Kits

The base has been providing all kinds of opportunities for people to volunteer and help our Japanese neighbors recover from this disaster. There are tens if not hundreds of thousands of people who are homeless and having to move into temporary government housing until they can rebuild. These people have lost all of their possessions, so our base chapel has been compiling home starter kits to help get them back up on their feet. Kits included things like pots and pans, cups, bowls, kitchen tools, towels, laundry detergent and clothes lines, soap and shampoo, and a Japanese Bible. Below is a video our local news team put together showing the student volunteers working to put the kits together!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25nui4rvKws&feature=share

First Glimpse of the Aftermath

Soon after I arrived back in Japan, the weather turned toward springtime and requests for family portraits in front of cherry blossoms started flooding in. Unfortunately, my usual photo area by the beach was messed up by the tsunami, so I needed to find a new venue - fast! I grabbed my camera and drove out into the city of Misawa, exploring several local parks and other scenic spots, looking for a nice background or place to pose for pictures.

When I reached my final destination, the beach shrine just off of 338, my jaw dropped. I had been driving around in the same old Misawa City, then all of the sudden the land on both sides of the road showed the destructive power of the wave. Dirt, rocks, broken tree limbs, etc. littered once well-tilled rice fields. I followed the path from the shrine parking lot back 100 yards or more to the coast and just stood in awe of the destructive power of the tsunami. Words can't really describe the eerie feeling I had down there. Below are some photos from my first glimpse of the aftermath.

I don't know if this gap in the sea wall was there before the tsunami,
but the concrete is noticeably cracked and tossed around. Wow!

Look at the way the metal was twisted and mangled!

These were sizable trees, almost as big around as my torso,
completely snapped off by the wave, 100 yards from the beach.

These smaller trees were all completely uprooted.

There were markings on the concrete and trees down there showing the water level. It was over 7 feet higher than normal this far north of the epicenter. Unreal. I am so thankful for how little we were affected by this disaster.