Gift #494- Having a Baby Brother to Love

"I will name him George.  And I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him."  

Gift #493- This Christmas Present....

One Week Old

Thanks for my Reindeer PJ's Baker Family!

Gift #492- Going Home

We couldn't wait to get you home and be together as a family again.  It was quite an adventure getting back to Iwakuni.  We took a cab to another cab.  A local train to the Shinkansen and then transferred to another Shin.  We were loaded down with suit cases and strollers and carseats and babies!  We were a sight!  But we made it back to Iwakuni where our sweet friends Mike and Myia Carreiro were waiting to escort us home!  We arrived back home to our Jack and Josh and to the smell of baked ziti and garlic bread cooking in the oven (courtesy of our sweet neighbor, Doris).  It was so good to be home and together again.  We had spent almost 3 full weeks apart.  The boys spent the first week with Hank.  They spent the second week with their friend Spencer, and the third week with very kind friends who volunteered to sleep over on our couch.  We are so grateful for friends like the Boucher's, Denardo's, Espinoza's, Topel's and Savarese's.  They slept over and brought food and had the boys over for dinners.  I think that Jack and Josh had mixed feelings about us returning!  :0)  

Gift #491- He's Here!

Henry Joseph Thomas

December 17, 2014 3:55 pm  JST

10 pounds 2 ounces

22" long

He waited until his due date to arrive.  He wasn't in a big hurry.   I went in for my doctors appointment and my water broke!  I went up to labor and delivery where they admitted me right away.  Hank and the kids came up and brought my hospital bag.  They visited for a little bit and then went to McDonalds for lunch and home for naps.   The nurse called Hank about an hour later and told him that he should come back over to the hospital.  Henry was born within the hour.  A healthy, bouncing baby boy.  The nurses wagered on how big he was.  The highest guess was 9 lbs. 8 oz.  We were all surprised when the corpsman said 10 pounds 2 ounces!  The Dr. called  him baby moose.  We considered "Sumo" as a middle name.  :0)  We finally decided on Joseph- which means "to increase" or "an addition".  We also thought that Joseph was an appropriate name this time of year.   We were so happy to finally meet baby Henry.  We couldn't be more grateful to the Lord for yet another good and perfect gift.

Gift #490- Snow in the Mountains

Hank took the boys snowboarding for the first time this season!  They had a great time!  We love being so close to snow!

Gift #489- This Message from our Realtor...

CONGRATULATIONS!!

YOU JUST BOUGHT YOUR HOME!!!!

All is well and you closed today :)

We will keep you posted on the progress and you keep us posted on the deadlines. 

Just a reminder to send us the TOPO and we will take a look at the house placement.

We are so happy for you, it is going to be a beauty!!

Kindest regards,

Karen and Angela

Gift #488- Our Cozy Digs

We had a great little apartment in Yokosuka- two bedrooms and a full kitchen.  We made it cozy by adding a Christmas tree made of tinsel and colored lights.  We had a great time together making cookies and gingerbread houses.  We played at almost every park we could find.  We saw lots of movies and ate out way too many times.  I was thinking that Henry would arrive a week early, but he just kept hanging in there.  So we just kept waiting.  We missed the boys back at home, but we had a nice time together as we waited.

Gift #487- Safe Travel to Yokosuka Naval Base

It is quite an adventure getting to Yokosuka, but we made it safely with no troubles.  This was taken on our first leg of the trip- from Iwakuni to Hiroshima.  Everyone is still smiling!

Gift #486- Promotion Day!

Hank was promoted to Lt. Col. On Monday (Dec 1).  We had a very impromptu and informal ceremony in the middle of our living room.  His very kind friends came at 7am so they could celebrate with him before the kids and I left for Yokosuka.  Frank Savarese read the promotion warrant, Jack read the oath, and Josh ripped off the old patch and replaced it with the new.   It was short and sweet.  Hank thanked his friends for coming over so early.  They joked and said that they didn't know that they had a choice.  :).  Congratulations Lt. Col. Thomas.  We are very proud of you.

Gift #485- This......

Jack and Avery Grace last night just after the tree was lit 

at the annual Iwakuni Tree Lighting Festival.  

The tree lighting is probably my favorite base event of the year.  It has such a great community feel.  The weather was a bit warm this year, but the music, hot cider, santa's arrival on a firetruck, being together with friends, and the countdown to the big light-up certainly gave it a holiday feel.  It never fails to warm me up when I hear all of the voices together counting down from 10 and then seeing all of the faces when the tree is finally illuminated.  We came home, grilled brats, and watched a funny movie.  Life can be so very good sometimes.

Gift #484- Thanksgiving 2014

We had such a happy Thanksgiving this year. Many of our friends live on the 6th floor of one of the mid-rise apartment buildings here on base.   They opened up their homes, put tables out in the hallways and we shared the day together.  There was so much food, so many happy children and so many friends.  It felt like we were home.  We shared our lunch with the Denardos- some very good friends of ours from Beaufort.  We actually left the with more food than we showed up with!  We spent the evening with our neighbors here on the street.  The Goerings set up the movie projector out in the yard and played Elf on the side of the building.  The Topels made desserts and appetizers to share.  It was a great way to celebrate the many things that we have to be thankful for this year.