Spending time with our Emma...

Since we moving during the summer months we had to send Emma back early before it get's too hot for her to fly. Luckily a friend of ours was flying to Chicago so we got Emma on her flight and she took her along for the ride. Jason's parents picked her up at the airport in Chicago. I really appreciate them driving 5 hours each way to get our baby girl. She has been gone 4 days now and it is so strange not having her at the house. We really miss her and can't wait to see her when we get to Michigan the middle of July!!


Jackson holding a sea cucumber or sea slug...
Good ol' boy Foster (the Grubbs dog)...Emma's bud
Kent and the kids came to meet us for a afternoon at the beach.

Emma never got tired of chasing the ball up and down the beach.
Jackson and Soph playing in the sand.
Such buds!!

I just thought this was cute...
Now at the rollerslide park one last time.
This is a great roller slide! It goes from the middle of the building for a long ride down.
Gracie giving the chuck it a try. ;)

Grace's First Birthday

Wow! Grace is 1! Where did the months go?
We had a party with our closest friends over to celebrate her special day. The weather was beautiful so it gave the kids a chance to play in the backyard.
Grace did great during the party, except for a cry when we were about to sing Happy Birthday to her. She made a quick turnaround once she tasted the cake and was happy playing and making a mess of it.
We are so blessed to of had such a wonderful first year with her. I pray that the coming months/years continue to be this good...
Naptime before the guests arrive.

Only in Japan will you have all the shoes by the door. ;)

Catching up...random pictures...Grace's birthday party coming soon...

Grace is 1! We were on our way to have lunch with Daddy for her special day. She was so tired and as you can see in the next couple of pictures she didn't wany anything to do with me taking pictures in her birthday outfit. Thankfully, I got at least one before she fell asleep. Grace and Jackson riding her new birthday present from Papa and Yaya. Thank you...she LOVES it!



Grace loves to dance. I actually got her to dance for the camera.

Milo loved when Grace would give him the doll. He thought it was the funniest thing!

Jackson and Molly--best friends-going for a flip in the chair at Daddy's school. All the kiddos hanging out at lunch time. After many days of rain we went to Pirate Park to play. Jackson loves this playground...or mostly the name...but anyway he had so much fun! Testing out his climbing skills. Playing in the sand...what kid doesn't like to do that!?! Grace saying "cheese!" Jackson running...what he does best! ;) Grace got a hold of Willow's baby doll. Posing in her japanese kimono outfit. naptime! Eating breakfast..

Germany here we come...

Yes...it's true...we are moving to Germany! It is still hard for me to believe. I don't think it's really sunk in yet. Jason got assigned to Sembach Elementary School teaching mild to moderate learning impaired. Sembach Air Base is located about 1 hour southwest of Frankfurt not far from Ramstein Air Base. We are very close to France...which is exciting! (Check out the map below to see better details.) Another bonus is that our friends (who live behind us now) also got a transfer to a school which is very close to where we have been assigned. It will be more comforting having some familiar faces around...especially for the kids!
This was a major decision for our family that we prayed about for many nights before deciding. We LOVE it here in Okinawa, and have made friends that have become family. So that is the hardest part in leaving! I know that no matter where we go, or what life holds for us in the future we will always keep in touch with them. I have a pact with a good friend of mine that we will always see each other in the summer...hint, hint, Tritia! ;-)
So here is the plan...we will be leaving Okinawa the middle of June and heading to the States for our summer vacation as usual. Then about the beginning to middle of August we will fly to Germany where Jason would need to check in with his new administration. We will stay in the base hotel until we are able to find a house. Yes, of course we are going to live off-base! I am so excited about a new house. Some of the houses we have looked at are gorgeous! It will be interesting to see what we find when we get there. I plan on doing all I can to dive right into the community by keeping myself busy with the kids. I know that is the only way I will be able to handle this major transition for our family. It is so important to show them how fun and exciting a new place to live can be. Jackson is excited about going to new parks and riding the trains. He doesn't even know what he has coming for years to come.
Crazy to think that we are going to see four seasons. Spring, summer, fall, and best of all snow! I have never lived in a place that has snow like we are going to see. We are on the same latitude as Vancouver, Canada or maybe a little higher. But with that said, it will be VERY COLD! I imagine there will be many days ahead of playing in the snow with the kids. What a change for us. We have lived on this tiny, beautiful tropical island for the past 7 years, and now we are going to a huge country where we will experience new kinds of weather, culture, food and many more.
I will be sure to keep you updated on our moving progress in the coming months.
For right now, we are going to soak up every minute we have here in Okinawa because I know it is going to go by faster than we can keep up!