Kristen, Brielle, and Nathan Come to Visit: Sunday-Wednesday

Sunday, March 19th

Here's Part 2, starting with Sunday.  It was so fun to have Kristen, Brielle, and Nathan at church with us on Sunday.  Ken conducted and I played the organ, so they were kind of on their own.  We provided the musical number, "The Family is of God."  I will post a video of our rehearsal of it after this post.  Then, Ken needed someone to say the closing prayer, as the one assigned wasn't there.  So Kristen did- in Japanese!  We were proud of her.  After the three hour block, we had Shokujikai, which, being interpreted, is Food Meeting- my favorite kind of meeting.  We have shokujikai the third Sunday of every month, and it just so happened that was the week they were here.  Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures.  But we had a fun time eating and visiting.  Afterward, we got some good pictures.

We asked Ryohei to tell us his conversion story.  It was a little noisy in the other room, so we went in the Relief Society room and he told us his story.

The few remains of dinner.

Amane is just one day older than Kristen's Samuel.  She was missing her baby, and Amane let her hold him- for a minute.  He likes his mama.  And who doesn't?

Brielle, Nathan, and Remi

That evening, we went to Kadowakis for dinner.  We met Kazuko at the volunteer center when we first came to Japan and they have become dear friends.  First, they gave the kids a lot of gifts.

They prepared a delicious Japanese feast for us.

This is scattered sushi.  It has all of the ingredients of sushi, but it's served more like a salad.  Notice the little quail eggs that they carved and decorated.  It was a work of art.

Look at that delicious feast- served in the Japanese way- in many little, beautiful bowls.  Afterward, they presented each of us with our soup bowl to take home.  Each had been carefully chosen for us.

A very popular treat here is tacoyaki- fried octopus pancake balls.  Shiho had prepared everything so she could help the kids make tacoyaki after dinner.  They had a blast. 

Pancake batter is put in the pan, then octopus, then more batter.  There is also dried fish and seaweed. 

When they were done, the kids served each person a tacoyaki with Japanese mayonnaise and okonomiyaki sauce.

These are some of the funnest people in Japan.  Kazuko is just a crack up. 

Dessert was fresh fruit

Nathan was after-dinner entertainment with his kendama.

Then Kazuko schooled him in kendama.  She is really good.

They both were going great.

Kristen and Shiho are close to the same age and really hit it off.

Shiho was so good with the kids.  Everyone had such a good time.

BFFs!

Monday, March 20th

On Monday, we drove to our favorite beach on the Sea of Japan.  It has a bridge you can cross to a little island.  It was a beautiful, though windy day.

Ken, Kristen, and Nathan hiked to the top of the island to a little shrine.

A view from the island back to Yura.

I didn't get a picture, but when we got to the mainland, the kids and Kristen had a fun time beach combing.  This is THE best place for beach combing as there is a lot of beautiful, polished sea glass and pottery shards. 

We then headed up to Atsumi so they could try the foot onsen (hot springs.)  The water was hot, but the day was windy and cold.

We then shopped in a little curios shop up there and the kids participated in a treasure hunt- running from business to business collecting stamps.  When they filled up their paper, they each got a candy prize.

We then drove back to Tsuruoka and ate at a ramen shop (owned by Kadowaki's son.)  The kids were so excited to sit at a Japanese-style table.

And the ramen was delicious.

That evening we had to attend the Buddhist funeral of a sister in our branch up in Sakata.  It was a very interesting cultural experience for the kids.  I led the branch members in singing "I Believe in Christ" and "I am a Child of God," adding Christianity to an otherwise Buddhist funeral.  It was a moving experience to testify of Christ and the plan of salvation through music in that setting.  After the funeral, we were invited to share some sushi and other little treats with the deceased's family.  We then went to tempura restaurant and each had a piece of tempura.  I had squid- my favorite.

Tuesday, March 21st
Kristen's hotel was just behind our local mall.  We met them at the mall that morning and did some shopping.

Before we left, I took this picture of the sign outside our apartment.  I realized I didn't have a picture of it.  Random.

Nathan was far less interested in shopping than in playing his kendama all throughout the mall.  In the foreground you can see that Ken is not interested in shopping either.  He is looking up Japanese words and writing them in his notebook.  He spends a good deal of time doing this every day.  He truly is fluent in two languages, but he is constantly studying and learning more.  (That's what he's doing right now in fact as I write this.)

A bread store or panya is a delightful cultural experience.  You get a tray and a pair of tongs, then put what you would like to purchase on your tray.  The kids were so excited to try the doughnuts.

Nathan said it was the best doughnut he has ever had.

We then headed to Tsuruoka City park and walked around.

And took a few pictures.

We then went across the street and toured the ancient school here-Chido School. It was a school for children of Samurai.  It is now a museum.  The kids had fun imagining what it would be like to attend the old Japanese school where you remove your shoes and sit on tatami mats to learn.

We then went to a local bakery that sells strawberry daifuku- one of Kristen's favorite treats from her mission. 

We ate our daifuku in the little shop.  They were delicious.  In the middle is a white-chocolate dipped strawberry.  That is surrounded by an (sweet white bean paste) and soft, sweet mochi. 

We were driving by here one day and Ken saw this sign in the window- advertising the strawberry daifuku.  It was just before Kristen came.  We felt it was a sweet, little miracle to find it just before she came.

We then went to Kapazushi's- a sushi place where you order the sushi and it comes on a train to your table. 

It is delicious sushi.

They also have fried chicken nuggets and French fries if you aren't into sushi.

We then went . . .you guessed it- back to the mall shopping!

This was my favorite store- the Japanese version of Vera Bradley.  Just seeing this picture gets my blood pumping! 

I may or may not have purchased a beautiful treasure!

Love these three!

We drive by this statue in downtown Tsuruoka (in front of the train station) all the time, but I finally took a picture of it.  It represents farmers bringing in the rice harvest.  It's a perfect representation of this agricultural area.

We had a little scare while we were shopping.  Kristen, Brielle and Nathan went elsewhere in the mall while I sat on a bench to rest.  I actually fell asleep on the bench.  When I woke up, there was Brielle.  She had become separated from her mom and Nathan. and couldn't find them, so came back to where I was.  Soon, Kristen came so upset.  She couldn't find Brielle and it really scared her.  There were some tears as relief set in.

Nathan REALLY wanted to ride a train.  He had never ridden one before.  So we walked over to the train station to check into it.  We decided to do it in the next day before they had to fly out.

That evening we attended our branch's FHE.  They put on a feast for a king that evening.  It was such a fun, fun night with so many people we love.

They call it FHE, but it is also choir rehearsal.  I took this picture from the little keyboard I play for our rehearsal.

Tuesday, March 21st

Sad day.  Their plane was to leave at 1pm, so, after loading up the suitcases and checking out of the hotel, we took them to the train station so they could ride the train.

Ken and I drove to the next station to meet them.  Here it comes!

A happy boy!

Signs of spring- my favorite color.

We then headed to the airport. 

As there was on their way here, there were problems checking in.  It took a very long time and caused quite a bit of anxiety- but, in the end, all was well. 

The Satohs came to see them off.  They are such dear friends.

The Hina matsuri (children's festival) doll displays were all over town.

Sad goodbye.

Headed through security.

Just after they went through security, Ryohei showed up to see them off.  He was so apologetic at being late. 

We finally got Kristen's attention and she was able to say goodbye over a phone they have set up just for that purpose.  Can you see the glass wall?

We all went out on the observation deck to wave them away.  All of this is beautiful Japanese tradition.

Kristen said they saw us waving as they left.

Even the airport employees pause to wave goodbye to the plane. 

And so ended a grand week with Mackrorys.  Thank you for facing the rigors of international travel to be with us.  And thank you to Jared for tending the three youngest children at home.  We made memories to treasure for a lifetime!