In something not related to the BIG BIG, now known as our possible move to Tokyo, I've been playing with our camera. It's a gorgeously big thing-very fancy-and was a gift from my brother in law. Of course, because it is gorgeous and fancy, I don't really know how to properly use it to its best advantage.
I just point, focus on my intended targets (most often the children), and shoot.
I'm a pretty simple girl that way.
But this is all a-changing since I've pulled out the book that goes with the camera. There's lingo and all sorts of nice words to describe the different settings, but like I said, I'm pretty simple. I just look for symbols and move forward from there.
So would you like to see our most recent experiements with the camera? The children were very glad to assist (as always), and there are quite a few good shots that came of this very technical process-which to most probably isn't very technical. But hey, I'm a learning girl. This is all a work in progress.
The wee one was super precious (and drooling) as he played around, and eldest, well...I think we may have caught a glimpse of her in a few years. I thought the camera was supposed to add ten pounds, not ten years.
Nothing fancy was done with the fancy camera, but I did go outside my comfort zone of ready, aim, fire.
So enjoy!
So sorry I wasn't able to come back and tell you all yesterday-the time got away from me. It happens with children (both big and wee).
But to confirm and/or answer your questions...Yes! We may be making a big jaunt across the western sea. I'm not quite sure how much I can really talk about blog-wise, so it's probably best to keep things to a bare minimum. Plus, I don't want to mis-state things. As things roll along and husband gives the go ahead, I'll let you all know what's the what and how things are going.
This hasn't been a devil-may-care decision; something we decided to do for the heck of it. This was something that was offered to my husband through his job. And believe me, we hemmed and hawed over it-most of the hemming and hawing coming from yours truly.
What can I say? A move to a completely foreign culture makes me go detail crazy.
So...
Very short story made shorter, a new acquisition for his firms' bank needs to make the transition from their old practices to the new one, and my husband would be helping to lead the team as they do this.
We have gone over and over the pros and cons with great intensity. My husband has talked to Partners and other colleagues who have made this journey, and discussed things with the members of the Japanese team. I've looked at the ex-patriot living and neighborhoods; weighed and measured how much there is to do with children (so much!) and families (even more!). I even found a Sacred Heart school to enroll my daughter in-which is very special to me as I attended one in New Orleans for 15 years.
Image courtesy of the International School of the Sacred Heart
We've decided to move forward after our fact-finding missions, and we couldn't be happier with our decision. Now we wait and see how things proceed. This isn't a definite by any means. There are still things that need to fall into place for this to happen. But things do look good.
Image courtesy of Melissa Smith
Thinking about this in plain terms, it's a wonderful opportunity for my husband. For all of us. And family wise, we are all on board and very excited. Eldest is excited about the many adventures she'll experience (as are we all), and I'm looking forward to expanding my children's horizons. The wee one probably won't remember this except through pictures, but that's just fine.
Can you imagine our little one returning state-side spouting off in both English and Japanese?
I'm sure by the time we return-if this works out-we all will.
I was very blessed to grow up in a home where traveling around the world was a yearly occurrence. One summer it was France, the next Singapore. My visits to foreign countries helped to shape me and my world view, so I can't help but think this short exchange will do the same for our children as well- or at least for our daughter. My husband, who also traveled quite a bit during our college years, agrees.
Image courtesy of Melissa Smith
There is so much more I could comment on as far as the wonders of living in Tokyo go, but then this entry would never end. As things proceed-if they continue to do so-I'll tell you all a bit more about this wonderful city.
For now, though, keep your fingers crossed(and maybe your toes, too!) and pray with us that this all works out.
We're really hoping it does!
Thank you all for being so patient. I've been given the go ahead by my husband to let you all know what our family's BIG BIG is this morning, with the caveat that this is still not one hundred percent, though things do look good.
We'll know in a few short weeks time whether or not this will happen for certain.
I'm going to leave you all with a hint-two actually-and then write more about it later once the wee one is down for his morning nap.
Enjoy your musings and guesses and please keep those fingers crossed! We are all very excited for this opportunity and hope all things work out.
THE HINT:
For the next two years we may rename ourselves the Cherry Blossoms....
Or perhaps the Lotus Blossoms....
Ideas?
Today is a very special day for our wee one.
Today he will enter into his Faith; becoming Baptized and welcoming the Lord into his life, his mind, and his heart.
This is a very exciting day for us-especially since it's taken a while to get to this point. It's wonderful that my parents will stand as his witnesses and Godparents, that husband and I will continue our journey down the path God has laid out for us, helping our little one to do the same. It's also exciting because eldest will be able to participate and renew her own vows.
She had to get a special new dress just for this occasion, you know. And considering how much she doesn't like dresses, this speaks volumes about how important she considers this to be.
Unfortunately, his christening gown no longer fits.
I was horrified to find this out. Just horrified. Not to mention very sad. This gown is well over 100 years old and has been passed down through my father's family through two centuries already. We've all been baptized in it, and the plan was for our little boy to be as well.
But due to timing, the ability to have the Godparents in town to bear witness, and the fact that our little monkey man is almost eleven months old now, the gown just doesn't fit.
Oh, yes. The pink ribbons from eldest's christening are still in the gown sleeves and on the cap. They've been there for nine years. They were waiting to be removed for the next special child we were to be blessed with.
It's not really the gown that matters. I know this. It was just a part of our family tradition that I longed to carry on and really wish we still could. What matters most, though, is not what he'll wear on the outside today. It will be what he will receive inside.
It's what he's going to become a part of and what he will welcome into him. There is nothing more beautiful than the entrance of God into a person's life. It doesn't matter the Faith, just that you have it.
We are all blessed to be witnesses and participants in our wee one's very special celebration. Please praise Him and pray for our little boy at 1:30 today at St. Patrick's Cathedral as we take this wonderful step forward as a family and in our Faith.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8
