The days of Japanese autumn are slowly coming to a close. The leaves have fallen, the rice fields bare with the stubble of leftover hay stalks. The apple harvest is almost picked over, leaving the trees a bare green, where they were once speckled with red dots. The sunset creeps into my day around 16:30. And most importantly I have taken out all the winter gear...the snow tires & wipers are on; the hat, scarf, gloves, and coat are out; the fresh supply of kleenex and handwarmers are present at school; and the kids are squirmish in their seats from cold or lethargic from the heater.
I love my little kiddos. I know most of their faces by now...but cannot remember the 1,500+ names unfortunately. We had a great time making pumpkins in many of my classes. One boy adamantly drew a fire-filled pumpkin and called out in the proudest voice "PUMPKIN FIIIAARRRU!!" What a sweetie!
Life is good. God continually blesses me, He fulfills my prayers in ways I could never comprehend. I am preparing for baptism on December 4th!!! It will be a day full of His blessings as friends from both here and across Aomori (callin' out my Misawa crew) will be coming to support and encourage me down Christ's path. If anyone would have told me just 3 years ago this is where God's love has taken me, I would have given 'em a cynical reply...but now God lets me soar in His works and when I begin to fall He is the one that picks me back up.
Tomorrow I'm off to the big, bright city of Aomori...a teacher's conference. So they can teach us to confer. It's about an hour drive from my little apple orchard town of Itayanagi. The drive there begins in the apple and rice valley and takes me through the blue forests of Aomori to the cement and neon lights of the port city. And I have the feeling there will be a nice layer of SNOW on the ground by then!!! The pure white flakes are falling gently on the brown decay of autumn... winter wonderland pictures are coming soon!! Ok, much more to come...now I'm headed over to my heated rug!! Pretty fancy you might say?? Well, really think again for those of you with central heating!!! I'll trade ya my rug any day :)! It's an over and out, hebane!
