Gift #264- Japanese Cherry Blossoms

The Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom!  This is a beautiful time of year in Iwakuni.  My friend Sarah took this picture today down by the Kintai Bridge.

Gift #263- A Japanese Egg Hunt!

Miyu showing me her happy face.

This little guy is new to our class.  His smile melts my heart.  You should have seen his little face when he tried the sour sweet tarts!  

Aoi is one of my favorite students.  He is always quick to give me high fives and hugs!

We had an egg hunt at with my Japanese preschoolers yesterday!  It was so much fun and will make such a wonderful memory of our time here in Iwakuni.

Gift #262- Acorns!

I was out on a walk a few weeks back and found some acorns in a neighbors yard.  For some reason, I felt drawn to pick them up and put them in my pockets!  I don't have the best memory, but I have one very distinct memory from childhood and it involves acorns!  When I was little, I used to sit out in my front yard and wait for my dad to come home for lunch.  We had a big acorn tree right out front and when I wasn't sitting in my little metal framed lawn chair, I was collecting acorns!  I remember getting so excited when I would see my dad drive up!  It has been almost 35 years, but I would still be so excited to see my dad drive up!

Gift #261- Meals delivered to my door from very sweet friends

I think that Macy must have told her piano teacher (who is also our chaplains wife) that I had been a little tired lately and that she had to eat ramen two times last week for dinner.  She also knew that Hank was away and, I guess,  thought that I could use a little help.  She got busy and asked some ladies from the church to make a few meals.  We have had three home-cooked meals from sweet ladies in our church over the last week.  One of the ladies asked me if I had any cravings.  I told her Chick-fil-a!  So on top of the authentic Filipino meal that she made for us, she tried to recreate a Chick-fil-a Sandwich!  It was delicious.  When Rebecca (the organizer) told me that some of the church ladies would be bringing meals, my first instinct was to say "no-thank you".  But Rebecca (the organizer) wouldn't hear of it.  So instead I have just said a very sincere and heartfelt "thank you".  Such kindness is so overwhelming and is such a gift.