my first english class!!

So I just finished teaching my first English class and it went fairly well. I have two girls as of right now, but got a call for a third one today! The girls are both in their late twenties-but since they are Japanese they look like they are 19. (everyone in Japan looks much younger-most 50yr old women look in their late 30s!!) They are both very sweet girls, and speak English fairly well. Luckily they brought their Japanese/English dictionary so when they could not understand they looked it up. During our class time, which is an hour, they were not very talkative, but the minute the hour was up they wanted to talk up a storm. It was kind of funny!
I asked them why they wanted to learn more English and they told me b/c they wanted an American boyfriend! Hey atleast they were honest!!! The women here view the American men as rich and handsom!!They loved looking at the pictures of Chris and I, and wanted to see his friends!! I explained to them I would be gone for a few weeks to deliver baby Lola, and I would be happy to find a substitute, but they insisted on waiting for me to come back. They are both very excited about the baby-so maybe they will bring me some unique Japanese presents.
Other than that, we are doing well. I have been very busy doing things around the house-my creative side has been kicking in lately, due in part to my friend Beth. The weather has cooled off sooo much and I've been trying to go on a bike ride around base everday, as well as take Abby to play.
CONGRATULATIONS LINDSAY!!! Now I will definatly be coming home sometime next year since my friend is getting married!!

life is good

Life has been a little busy over the past few days. This Sunday I went to a local market with a friend and my two Japanese friends. It wasn't very big, but I found some neat stuff. There was a lot of old stuff there, so of course I loved it. I bought an old fishing weight and this long piece of wood that was used in a textile mill. And we found a woman there who has a shop here in Iwakuni that had some great fabrics, Japanese clothes, and buttons etc. After that we stopped at a few shops along the way home and a country store that reminded me of something in the states.
Chris climbed Mt. Fuji on Saturday and said it took him about 4 1/2 hours just to get to the top. ( and I of course am jealous he got to do it!) He jokingly told me that he didn't think I could do it. Hopefully I will be able to do it next year though. I think that is the most exciting thing he will do over the next few weeks while hes gone.
One of the marines who is gone where Chris is, has a daughter who I am watching for a week. She so cute and a very happy child so its been a delight so far. She has kept me busy, but a good busy. Hopefully I will be saying that at the end of the week!
As for baby Lola, she has been sooo active over the past few days. I feel like every few minutes she is doing flips and kicking in my belly. I was reading a book earlier today and had it propped on my belly and she kicked so hard that the book moved!! Its still weird to me seeing my stomach move through my clothes and seeing the wave go across my stomach, but delightful at the same time!Unfortunatly I am still not able to upload photos on here or even to my email, but I promise when I can I will! Hope everyone is doing wonderful!

25 weeks!

So I finally made it to a local Japanese house. I went yesterday with my friend Beth to do pottery and a woman's house and it was great. We got there at 10am and didnt leave until about 4 yesterday afternoon. I made a teacup with a lotus leaf saucer (lotus flowers/plants are very popular here). I loved using the pottery wheel! And then after we did that she made us lunch and we stayed and talked and had tea. Her house was very small b/c her and her husband built it themselves, but it was very nice. It is on the side of a mountain so it is very narrow and had steep stairs, and the yard was beautiful. Many Japanese here grow all their own vegetables etc, so she had blueberries, persimons, and a small garden on the side. All their yards are gorgeous lots of plants. Most families have larger houses b/c the house is passed from generation to generation, often times with several generations living under one roof! Imagine living with your mom and dad with your children too!! But here its their custom and the family also takes care of the baby for the first 30 days!
Apparently women teach their children to go off their instinctual feelings about people and if they do not like them, they will not associate with them. And thank goodness she and her friend liked me. They invited us to go to a local market on sunday and wanted me to come back and do pottery and go sing karoake with them-obviously haven't heard me sing! But lastnight Beth took someone there they did not like her and told her that day she would not speak English!!! I can not see these women being mean to anyone though b/c they were soooo nice and helpful.
I have my Mommmy's basic training class tomorrow all day from 8:30-4pm!!! But I get a whole sea bag full of clothes,diapers,etc! And I heard the woman who teaches it is wonderful. I am a little apprehensive about taking it b/c the woman told me they teach you to change diapers and I've had plenty of practice with that, but I just hope I learn some stuff. I'm sure I will, its just such a long class. But I will meet other expecting mothers too!
Other than that, Chris left lastnight so I'm a little sad and lonely-but atleast I have Abby!!! And I have lots to do so there is no reason for me to be bored. I will update tomorrow or Saturday and tell all about the long class!! Sorry still no pics, I think I am going to have to take them to the library to post them!Love and miss everyone!
If anyone is interested the website for the base here is www.iwakuni.usmc.mil/

In case you guys didnt know.........we are having a girl!!!!! We are soo excited~even though Chris wanted a boy I think he's getting excited about daddy's little girl!We found out Friday morning, which also marked my last visit in town-thank God! I will see the doctor on base from now on until 36 weeks when I will go up to Yokosuka and stay until I deliver. We are both excited about delivering up there and I think the fact that Tucker (one of Chris' bestfriends) being there adds a little too!
Other than that, everything is fairly calm around here. Chris leaves on Thursday for about a month but I've found things to keep me busy. I will be keeping one of our friends daughters while she is gone where he is going, but only for a week. I am going to try and take some Japanese art classes and tomorrow I'm finally going to a Japanese house and I'm making pottery! I'm excited!
I've started to paint the nursery~dont worry I have a mask I wear and its just craft paint so its really not toxic. I'm painting palms trees on both sides of the changing table and we are going to put big wooden letters spelling her name in between. And on the big wall above the crib we are going to do some sort of animal scene,such as Noah's ark etc.
The past two weekends we have gone to the beach, this past a local one that was pretty great and only about 15 minutes from us!! Its been sooo nice. We got a half tent for the beach so I've been able to stay cool and actually enjoy being outside!
We have some great pics and I've been trying for the past week to post them, but our internet is terrible. And trust me I'm getting as irritated as you all, so what I think I'm gonna do is just send out a mass email containing some pics. If you dont get any of our emails and want to email me your email address adh1721@yahoo.com I will update more often than I have been and sorry if there are no pics-I know its not as exciting without them;-(

The restaurant Chris and I ate at tonight...tonkatsu
Well I had a long fun day today! My friend Jenn and I went out in town and went to a few antique stores--saw some great stuff but didnt buy any! Then we went and ate at one of our favorite places-the chicken shack and of course made a trip to the 100 yen store aka the dollar store. The 100 yen store is wayyyyy better than the ones in the states, everything is really high quality and they have everything from crafts to clothes! Then tonight chris and I went and ate at a new place that was pretty good too.I think I over did it during the day though b/c when I came home I had a massive headache and was soo tired, I slept for 2 hrs this afternoon.
We are trying to set up a trip to the beach on the other side of the island tomorrow so hopefully we will have some great pics! Its a white sand beach so you guys know I'm excited!! Other than that Chris is really busy at work, and Ive been doing stuff around the house as usual. We are anxiously awaiting our appointment next week to hopefully find out the sex of the baby!! I think I spend more time laying back and watching the baby kick. It sounds so silly but I just love watching my belly move as the baby kicks and the almost wave like motion as it moves around. I still dont think I can comprehend that there is a baby in my belly though-its amazing to me still! We are making plans and preparing for the delivery in Yokosuka!! I cant wait for my mommy to come and see Japan and be there because I know Im going to need it. Will update later on this weekend!

sooo hot!!

It is sooooo hot here!!! and HUMID!!!! We were trying to go without getting the AC fixed in my truck, but yeah thats not working-getting it fixed tomorrow! Which is good it needs to be fixed for the baby anyways. We had an appointment today with the doctor here on base-Dr. Sullivan who we love!!! We both wish that she could just deliver the baby but there is no facility here. She answered all of our questions and reassured Chris that if I deliver in Yokosuka that he will be there. (which is probably what I am going to do) I have an appointment on August 11th in town with the other doctor to find out the sex of the baby, and so I can meet the other doctor and see if I like him. As of now though I am going to deliver on the base 6 hrs north, and be cared for here by Dr. Sullivan until 36weeks. They will pay for me to go up there, but if Chris wants to go with me and get me settled in we have to pay for that, but they will pay for him to accompany me 10 days prior to my delivery date. They have a place up there where all the expecting mothers stay and we each have our own room with kitchen, bed, couch,bathroom etc.
This weekend Chris is going to be in a Bass fishing tournament with some guys from work and I think that I am going to a white sand beach on the west coast with our friend Janelle. I am sooo excited!! I will def take lots of pics and post them for everyone! Chris is ridiculously busy with work and a little stressed and I am staying busy running errands,getting involved with some activities on base and cleaning the house/starting to paint the nursery! Abby is shedding like crazy so I vacuum everyday!
We both are finally starting to feel like this is our home since everything is finally set up! And we are getting to know people around the base and trying to get involved in the community.Love and miss!