Changing Command

I've had several opportunities over the last couple of months to take photos for friends whose husbands are being promoted or shifting their command from one job to another. The most significant ceremony I attended was on January 31st. Our squadron's DO (second in command), Col. Jantz, was taking command of the 35th Operations Support Squadron - a HUGE promotion. It was a big deal and many people attended the ceremony, held in one of the largest hangars on base. However, it was exciting on a personal level because his wife, Becky, has been a dear friend and mentor to me since we arrived and I love their whole family. It was great being there to support them during this significant transition!

At the start of the ceremony, the oldest daughters of the former commander and the new commander sang the Japanese and American national anthems - a great way for the families of both men to be involved in the festivities. They did a great job. I got a little emotional as I snapped photos of both pairs of grandparents as they saluted the flag and watched their son (in-law) be honored for his outstanding career.


After a couple of speeches were made by the current Wing leadership and the former OSS commander, they performed the official change-of-command by passing the flag from one man to the other. Then Col. Jantz got up there and said a few words. We were all impressed as he made it clear that everything he does is for God, and that the main reason he was taking over this position is because of Him, and that they are excited to see what God's got in store for them over the next couple of years. He also got very choked up as he thanked his parents, kids, and especially his wife for all they do. It's always touching to see a strong man of God share what's on his heart in a very public way. =^)

At the end of the ceremony, they gave flowers to the ladies of both families, and then we all went over to the Officer's Club for a nice reception. They had lots of food and cake set out for guests, and we all enjoyed celebrating with friends. I couldn't stay long but made sure to get a good family picture of everyone decked out in blue - their new squadron's color. There is not a more deserving family for this job and I'm so happy for them!

Frosty Weasel 2011

This past weekend was the annual squadron ski trip. This year the normal location was closed so we got to spend two and a half days at Appi - one of the premiere ski resorts in the area. Below is a website if you wanna check it out.

http://www.appi.co.jp/foreign_country/english/winter/about/index.html

It's about a two hour drive south from here - which got interesting at times in the snow. Below are a couple of shots of the snow piled up on the side of the roads. Thankfully, they are pretty good about plowing the roads down there, and our car has all wheel drive.

The mountain at Appi is not nearly as tall as those in Colorado, but they had several decent runs. I can't ski or snowboard because the risk of falling and hurting my back is too great. But James had a great time snowboarding for two days.

Group photo!

The hotel was pretty nice, and fairly comfortable considering it's a Japanese establishment. (They're not big on comfort in this country). We had a nice big room overlooking the mountain. It had two small, hard double beds (Japanese standard), but the toilet had a heated seat which was AWESOME after a day spent in the snow. The staff were excellent - the usual Japanese excellence in customer service - with the added benefit of a couple English translators. They were even courteous enough to warn us that the steps leading up to the front door might be "slippy." hahaha. I love Japan.

The view from our room.

During the day, everyone (except me) hit the slopes. Then at night we would all come back together and hang out. Saturday night we all crammed into one person's hotel room and played games. Sunday night we all gathered in one of the conference rooms for a chili social. It was nice eating a hearty bowl of chili after a weekend of Japanese food. It's still not my favorite.

Sunday I got to try two new things. The first was snowshoeing. Since I can't ski or snowboard, my friend Beth offered to take me snowshoeing so I wouldn't be completely left out of the winter festivities. It's really just like intense hiking so I figured I could handle it. We drove out to the woods on the far side of the mountain, strapped on our snowshoes, and started to follow a beaten track through the trees.

Me and my friend Beth before taking off.

Me and my other friend Laurie with our snowshoes.

Note my SWEET snow pants. Normally they would

Seem awfully loud - but I fit RIGHT in with the crazy

Japanese fashionistas on the mountain.

We thought we were on a snowshoe track, but apparently it was just a short cut to the edge of the ski runs. We were just deciding what to do when two of our friends joined us on their way down the mountain. Within a few minutes, we had a big Samurai pow-wow going on. It was fun seeing them in action and taking some pictures for them in their gear. After they went on their way, we turned around and hiked through some super deep powder on a round-about track back to the car. I was a little sore by the time we got back but that was nothing my next new adventure couldn't cure...

Pure, pristine powder. Below, our tracks in the snow.

After we returned from snowshoeing, I took a long nap and then a bunch of us went for a long soak at the hotel onsen. Onsens are Japanese hot springs/public baths. They're a great place to go relax and have a little "me" time. However - they are different from hot spring pools in the States in one particular way. The onsens are divided in half to keep men and women separate because you can't enter the pool till you've completely stripped down and scrubbed your whole body in the provided shower area. My friends go all the time, but I've never joined them because I'm too modest.

However, the onsen tickets were included in our hotel fee and it was supposed to be really nice, so I figured I might as well try it out. Thankfully, my friends are very kind and put me at ease. It was a little awkward being in there with a bunch of naked Japanese people but - hey - when in Rome... The pools were too hot for me so I didn't stay long, but it did help relax my sore muscles. The bath house had several different pools - two separate ones indoors (one scalding and one cold) and then two outside in a brick courtyard. We went outside since the indoor pool was so warm, and enjoyed soaking underneath the gently falling snow. It was definitely an experience for the record books.

Over all it was a good weekend. I'm not sure it was worth the money for me. Aside from the snowshoeing and short trip to the onsen, I didn't do much this weekend. But James hasn't been able to snowboard at all since we got married two and a half years ago and he had a great time - so it was worth the sacrifice.

Winter Living in Misawa

It's official - winter has begun. Snow started falling from the sky about a week ago and it hasn't stopped for more than a couple of hours. We've got at least 2 feet of snow on the ground, and the mounds of snow piled up next to the sidewalk from all of our shoveling is now up to my shoulders. The crazy thing is they say this isn't even a bad storm. Last March they got 24" in 24 hours. =^O

We have a phenomena here in Misawa called snow-banding, where it will be clear with blue skies for about an hour, and then a wall of snow will come out of nowhere and we'll be stuck in blizzard conditions for an hour. Stop and repeat. As you can imagine, this makes for some very interesting flying conditions here in the winter time. We've heard stories of guys coming in to land and all the sudden the end of the runway just disappears in a wall of white.

This also makes it very difficult to keep our sidewalks and cars clear of snow. We're required to go out and shovel by 8:00 am sharp so the school kids can walk to school. The snow is so heavy that it takes a long time - often over an hour. Then a new snow band will move in and dump another 3 inches and we have to start over again. Technically we only have to shovel once a day, but if we don't keep up with the snow, there will be too much to try to move in one morning. I took the picture above and hour after we shoveled for the SECOND time. Can you tell? Nope.

Above, you can see the snow piled up on our cars. It's not unusual to walk into the grocery store or church and walk out with your car looking like that. One day I spent several minutes clearing off one side of my car, and by the time I was finished clearing the other side, the first half of my windshield was completely covered in snow again. Thank goodness we invested in some very effective snow brushes/scrapers.

I am SO, so thankful that James is home and able to shovel for us in the morning. He's been flying nights lately and so he technically could be sleeping in. But he's gotten up early every day and spent over an hour thoroughly clearing the sidewalks and our parking spaces. It wouldn't take so long if the snow plows didn't just pile up all of the snow from the road right behind our cars. It's nice that they plow so frequently, but they just create mounds of ice and snow that we have to break down in order to go anywhere... You'd think they could come up with a more effective way to do that.

I'm realizing that snow is way more fun when you're young and don't have to worry about shoveling and driving in it. However, I will say that the snow here in Misawa is beautiful and I can't help just staring out the window and watching the giant flakes falling outside. In the States snow doesn't stay perfectly white for long, but here we're in a perpetual winter wonderland. Gigantic icicles crown every building on base and the evergreens make it all picture perfect. I'm looking forward to our squadron ski trip this weekend so I can actually take advantage of all of this powder rather than griping about it. I can't ski or snowboard, obviously, but my friend Beth is going to take me out snowshoeing close to our hotel and I may go out and build a snowman or sled with some of the kids while their parents hit the slopes.

Living in Misawa continues to push us outside of our comfort zones and introduce us to all kinds of new things. You'd think that as a Colorado native snow would be fairly routine. But I've never experienced anything like this before. In the Springs they have some crazy blizzards... but then they cancel everything and you stay home for a couple of days until all the snow melts and you can get back to work. Here, life continues regardless of what the weather is doing, and we have to get on as best we can while the snow keeps falling.

I have a new respect for the power of God and the limits of human ingenuity. His creation is at once beautiful and terrifying, and is rightly putting us in our place. Pray for us as we're being challenged without and within.

FINGERS Fini Flight

This week we had to say good bye to one of the couples from the squadron. Ryan (FINGERS) and Sarah Cross are on their way to Cannon AFB in New Mexico to join the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) community. They were the ones who invited us to join our couples Bible study, and Sarah babysat me the day after my gall bladder surgery so that James could go to work. Needless to say, it was sad to see them go. But I know they are looking forward to this life change, and that the people in Cannon will be blessed by their friendship and service.

One of the official ways we say farewell to pilots is to go out and celebrate after their final flight. Even though it was snowing and freezing cold, I joined several friends out on the flight line to take pictures of the event.

There he is - taxiing back after a final landing in Misawa!

Sarah (in the blue) and her son Micah watching with friends.

It's tradition that the honoree be tackled, hog-tied and sprayed
with water and champagne after their fini flight. I can't
believe they still sprayed him down considering how cold it was.

FINGERS was a good sport and we got some great
shots of the family before we dashed inside to warm up
and eat some pizza. Fun day!

We will miss you guys! WOOD!

Soupe Au Pistou

For Christmas, Jon and Claire gave me a copy of Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. It was no small gift as the set includes two 700 page volumes that cover everything from the basics of measuring and cutting, to pairing food with wine (very important in French cuisine), to recipes for every imaginable food group. There are twelve pages dedicated to nothing but artichokes. Incroyable!

Like so many others, my desire to own this particular cook book was inspired by the movie Julie & Julia. It's the story of a young woman struggling find to find her purpose. Her one joy in life is cooking, so she decides to cook her way through Julia Child's entire cookbook in one year and write a blog about it. The images of food in that movie are mouthwatering, and I figured that if Julie Powell can pull off these complex recipes, I can too!

The first recipe I found that seemed manageable was a Provencal vegetable soup with garlic, basil and herbs called Soupe au Pistou. It was easy enough - I slowly boiled a mixture of fresh, frozen and canned vegetables and pasta, then flavored it with a kind of tomato pesto made of tomato paste, grated parmesan cheese, garlic, dried basil and lots of fresh olive oil that our friends sent us from Italy. I was pretty proud of myself - I only had to google a word or technique three times in order to figure out what Julia was talking about. (I learned that there are four cups to a quart, that a soup tureen is a large ceramic serving dish, and how to mash garlic. I wasn't very successful on that last part but the soup turned out just fine.) The best part was seeing the eyes of James and our dinner guests light up after their first bite. The soup was hot and hearty, with powerful but not overwhelming flavor. It was the perfect first step in my journey to master the art of French cooking.

Bon appetit!

In the last year...

We crossed oceans and immersed ourselves in multiple cultures.
First we moved to Japan and have made a whole new group of
Life-long friends in our new squadron. Samurai Wood!
Then we explored the Republic of Korea and New Zealand,
And now we’re planning a trip to the sunny shores of Guam.
I went from a land-locked girl with a fear of the unknown
To a true international traveler and have the passport to prove it.
I’ve got the travel bug and now no dream is too big.

James finally stepped into the jet and the job he’s been training for
For over three years, and made it through his first deployment.
Through creativity and earnest effort he has made a place for himself
And contributed to a unified sense of squadron pride.
His artwork will soon extend beyond their patches and logos to a
Mural in the entryway of the squadron building. So proud of my hero!

As he’s been zooming around in the sky, I’ve been making my own mark.
With endless volunteer opportunities and an overflowing social calendar
There is never a dull moment here in Misawa.
My new camera has been put to good use capturing so many memories.
And I’ve been challenged through multiple leadership opportunities.
Looking forward to a return to youth ministry and mentorship in January.

As usual, this last year was a rough roller-coaster with health concerns.
But we finally found some answers and (after a small operation or two)
We are both beginning to feel a bit more normal. Baby steps.
This new year we have a renewed commitment to staying fit.
With a new pair of running shoes comes the promise of a new me.
Praying for the resolve to see this through....

The last few months has been the beginning of a season of “new”...
Seeing new places, trying new things, facing new challenges.
A new way of cooking, new business opportunities, a renewed
Desire to write and create things that will have an impact
Well beyond my small world. A return of ambition and a commitment
To finally following through. It’s time. No holding back.

As ever we have high hopes for the coming year.
Looking forward to New Year’s Eve 2011 and
Toasting to a year full of blessings and adventure.

Quinn's 100 Day Ceremony

On December 28, 2010 I had the privilege of taking pictures of the 100 Day Ceremony for my friend Sharon Gilmer's baby girl Quinn. It's a Japanese ceremony designed to bless babies on their 100th day of life. Sharon's close Japanese friend Emiko made all of the arrangements and gave Quinn her little ceremonial kimono for this special occasion. It's kind of cool because I think Claire was the first to befriend Emiko and now she has become and important resource and comrade to many girls in our squadron.

The ceremony took place at this beautiful Shinto shrine outside of Towada City. It was snowing when we arrived so we felt like we were in a Japanese snow globe as the giant flakes fell down all around us. I had fun taking pictures with my new fisheye lens while they were busy getting Quinn into her kimono.

The ceremony itself took place inside the main shrine building. I have never been inside one of these shrines before, so that was a neat experience. Normally people are not allowed to take pictures inside because it's a sacred space, but we were given permission since it was a special occasion.

Below, you can see Sharon and Quinn right before the ceremony began. Quinn had on a little blue kimono, and then they had the big ceremonial kimono draped around her. It's held up with ribbons tied around Sharon's neck. Very cute!
The priestess was dressed in a vibrant orange kimono and moved very gracefully. She began the ceremony by striking a giant drum several times, then she went up to the front, kneeled, and chanted as she asked the spirits for their blessing. We had no idea what she was saying so Emiko whispered a brief translation for us. Then the priestess asked Sharon to come forward and make an offering of an evergreen branch and pray for good fortune on Quinn's behalf. The other ladies and myself were then asked to do the same thing as participants. I was very uncomfortable with this as this was definitely not a Christian ceremony. But I was afraid to appear disrespectful or ruin the ceremony and so I went through the motions and just prayed to my God instead. =^/

It was definitely a unique Japanese experience that no one else has had (yet) from our squadron. Emiko is close to another girl named Anna from the squadron who just had a baby in December and gave them a baby kimono as a shower gift. So I imagine there will be another ceremony in about three months. Below is a picture of Sharon, Quinn and Emiko with the priestess.

Another girl from the squadron named Susanna also came along for the ride. She is fairly new to the squadron so this was one of her first Japanese adventures. She was so excited!

It was an honor being invited to take part in this special day for Sharon and Quinn. Sharon was our sponsor when we moved here and was very close to Claire and Jon when they lived in Misawa. It will be sad when she leaves in a couple of months.

One of the last things we did was write a wish on the back of one of these tablets and hang it up as a prayer. Sharon wished for lots of love and happiness for Quinn - something I think she'll have plenty of in the future. ;^)

Then with one final prayer at the front of the shine, the ceremony was complete. Sharon helped Quinn throw in some money as an offering, then ring the bells, bow twice, clap twice and bow again. I don't agree with/believe in Shintoism but it is kind of fun observing their formal ceremonies.
After that was over we went out to lunch at a traditional Japanese restaurant in Towada. When we were finished eating, they did one more small tradition where they put together a ceremonial "first meal" for Quinn. There were 5 dishes that each had a special significance, and Sharon had to pretend to feed each one to her baby. The whole thing was fascinating and I'm thankful I got to witness this rare glimpse into Japanese culture and tradition!

Happy 100 days, baby Quinn! Blessings to you and your family!