1.27.2009

Tag??

I have been tagged by my dear friend Brittany. In this little game, we are to reveal 7 "interesting" things about ourselves, that not many people may know..... so here it goes......!

1. Well first of all this is harder than it seems. I'm a friendly, people-person but one thing about me is that it is not very easy for me to tell things about myself. Opening up sometimes is a little difficult. There that's one thing! :)

2. I do like teaching 1st grade (they are adorable) but I know I would really enjoy working as a chef, after having gone to a culinary school.

3. I would love to live in France - any part - but somewhere where I could fluently speak and live in French. It's so beautiful and after having taken 13 years of French classes in school, I ashamedly admit that I cannot remember 75% of what I learned. :(

4. I check facebook and my email probably like 4 or 5 times a day. It's almost an addiction. I wanna know what other people are doing, catch up with others (especially through pictures) and see who I can catch online and chat with. Of course this does not happen when students are in the room, but when they go to recess or lunch break or even prep time...my goal is to check email once in the morning and again after school - no more in school. Good goal right? :)

5. I crave chocolate just about everyday. If I could just eat chocolate of some sort for the rest of my life - I probably would - providing it had no affect on the body. It's so delicious and nutrious (as one of my kid's said the other day while eating some chocolate my Dad gave him) and it's yummy and well that's about that - and yes, I've had my chocolate of the day!

6. I love watching One Tree Hill and the new 90210. Yes I'm 23 and still enjoy those shows but what can I say? It's addicting and it's become a weekly night that Brit and I get together for (at least OTH).

7. Living in Saipan is an amazing experience. This is my 2nd farthest place away from my family and it never gets any easier. Some have asked if it's easy because I continue to move farther and farther away - but it really isn't. It's really hard - hard to stay in contact and even in touch. I miss my siblings and parents and family back home more than I ever and I hope that they know that no matter how far away I choose at the moment to live - I will always love, care and appreciate them - and I am always here for any of them - even if you just need someone to talk to!

And that's that! So now I get to tag someone else....and I will tag.....Lisa! Have fun!!! :)

More Visitors!

This past week Jake and I were visited by my parents: Tom and Barb Miedema.
It was a fast week but an amazing, relaxing and fun week! Mom and Dad were on vacation and so we spent quite a bit of time in the sun relaxing and swimming. Jake and I still had work but we both worked half days and then took off doing something in the afternoons.
They came to our classrooms for two of the 4 workdays and handed out candy, read stories and played games with them. My kids really loved Mr and Mrs. M. :)
On Monday we took them to Managaha Island with Mark and Brit. It was a great, warm day. We all came home sunburned - yes even us locals! :)
Mom and Dad spent time in the mornings driving around the island or visiting our classrooms and we spent the afternoons at beaches, swimming or relaxing.
It was so good to have more family here. We love being able to share our new home with family and hopefully friends some day (hint, hint)
Thank you again Mom and Dad for flying out and spending a week with us. We were blessed to have you be here with us and experience what we get to.
We love you!
We love you all. Blessings,
J & J

The next morning after they arrived!
Mom and I eating lunch at the 360 Restuarant
Dad reading to two of my boys!

Mom playing memory game with the rest of them! :)
Our mode of transporation for the week! Thanks Russ and Kanae! :)

1.11.2009

Japan!

On January 1st at 4:00am, Jake and I flew off from Saipan on a direct flight to Osaka, Japan. We could not wait to land in Japan and get off island for a few days. Plus neither of us have ever been anywhere on this side of the world, besides here: saipan! So needless to say we were excited to get outta here!
Our flight to Osaka went smoothly - we were both tired enough that we slept pretty much the whole way. We landed at 6:30 AM Japan time. Ready for a full day of sight-seeing and travling. We bought a 3 day Kansai pass - which we could use on any subway or train or bus system in 5 different cities.
This is us on the first subway ride.

Once we got into Osaka, we walked around our Hostel's area until we finally found the hostel tucked back down two side streets. We checked in around 9AM, settled into our tiny room that was literally like 3feet by 10feet with a tiny t.v. and a tatami mat + blanket for sleeping.

We dropped off our bags and headed out. We wandered around looking for temples and shrines, food every once in a while (like Mc D's where we ate our first breakfast). We found tons of temples and shrines, parks with statues and benches (which were always nice for our tired feet), and the shopping district with more people than I ever seen in my life.

( Here I am standing at one of the entrances)

Jake at one of the many temple entrances - which were also packed with people. We happened to be in Japan over one of their main holidays! So nobody was working and they were all celebrating the "firsts" of their year. Like first temple visit (hence all the people), and first shopping sale/day (hence all the people there too).

Later that evening, Jake and I went to this Japanese curry restaurant for dinner and then found our way to the Floating Garden Observatory. We took the ladder and escalator up to the 177th floor where we had this amazing view of Osaka.
Day 2:
We meet up with Pastor Greg (our Pastor at SCS) and Joel (the P.E. teacher) at the Osaka Castle. We did the Castle tour inside and outside. It was great to meet up with people we knew and who spoke English! It was a beautiful castle too - one of my favorite sights we saw.

Joel, Pastor and Jake walking out of the Castle!!!

Me and the gorgeous castle!!!

Afterwards, we sayed goodbye, and then Jake and I took off for Kyoto, which was about a 40 min. train ride.
(women dressed in old-style kimonos and Japanese clothing - sleeping)
Once in Kyoto we walked around finding gorgeous and busy temples. We found the Grand Orange Temple and several others. The temples are so beautifully built and set up, but always makes me wonder things about faiths - like Buddhism. (That's a different blog though...)The Grand Orange Temple (one of the buildings)

We spent the rest of the day in the Gion district which used to be the old Geisha part of town. The buildings were beautiful, old and all I could imagine was the history. I had heard that you could pay and dress up in a kimono and get the Geisha make-up - but we couldn't find it anywhere.

This is me in the Gion district.

It was also Jake's 23rd birthday on Friday Jan. 2nd - and so we ate at this Japanese noodle restuarant. Great food - and you can tell Jake was happy it was his birthday!!

Jake and I spent the night at a nice hotel in Kyoto - because we walked around for 2 hours looking for a hostel and every time we found one, they were full. So we found this nice hotel and got a room there, which also gave you a nice kimono robe for later....

The next day we were up early again with a goal of finding the Golden Temple and the Bamboo forest. We eventually found both along with other temples and palaces.

Here is the Imperial Palace wall - which felt like we were walking miles around.

A garden at another palace we found. So peaceful and serene. I told Jake once we own a house - he will have to build me one of these in the backyard! :)


We finally found the Golden Temple. It was majestic and an amazing site.

After the temple we made it out to the Bamboo Forest and mountainous area, where we rented bikes and biked all around that part of the city. It was by far our favorite part of the city with beautiful houses and temples, stores full of amazing Japanese dishes and souvenirs and great food. There was also the Oih River running right through this part of the town. It was just beautiful!!

The Oih River, one of our bikes and Jake and I!!!
The only snow we saw - at the tip of that mountain!

We took the train back to Osaka later that night and headed back to Hotel Toyo - the hostel we stayed at the 1st night. Our last day was filled up with the Aquarium, IMAX movie, food and shopping at the harbor mall.

Jake and the Aquarium!

One of the world's tallest Ferris Wheels

We headed back to the airport, sad but ready to leave. We had 4 full and long days and saw some amazing sights. We are so blessed by God to be living on this side of the world and able to travel and see different cultures and peoples that He has created.

What a great trip! We can't wait to do it again!

1.10.2009

Happy New Year!

2008 ended with a great vacation and time with Jake's family.


We were blessed to have family here with us. To show our favorite spots and things to do on the island, to explore new ones and new things, to show our stores and local things to buy and especially to meet our new family here. They were able to almost meet all the people we have to come to love and be with here and that was also a blessing.


Jake and I had a great time with his family! They were safely blessed with their travels to and from here.

The Van Dam's after church and a full week of fun and sun!!!

We then celebrated our New Years with dinner for two at Taste of India, a bonfire on the beach with the Sawyers, packing for our Japan trip, and a nap/movie, fireworks greeted in the New Year on the front balcony and here we are.

Ready for 2009.

We pray that all you reading this will be blessed this coming year. Know that Jake and I love you, miss each of you that we don't see,and pray for you as well.

We love you all!

Love,

J & J



p.s. Look for the next post and pictures of our Japan trip!