it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

As per many requests, I am finally updating my blog again! I apologize again that updating is not more of a habit for me, but the days that something exciting happens, I am usually too busy to write about it, and I feel like every other day is boring, so there's nothing really to write! But again, I'll do my best to update more regularly.

So it's already DECEMBER and I cannot believe how quickly, again, I feel like time has passed! I've been here for 3 whole months today, and while everything is starting to feel more "normal" it still feels so new. The only other time I have moved from one city to another was when I went to college. I don't know if it was the fact that I could actually read signs, or had a car of my own, or what, but when leaving Abilene to go home for the first winter break, I felt like I knew more about the town than I do here. I still don't know if I could get too many places by myself here yet. It's scary to think about the what if's...what if I get lost, what if I get in a wreck, what if I miss the last bus, what if I get on the wrong subway...the list could go on and on. Not being able to speak the language makes everything so much scarier! I never thought about what it was like for those who moved to America but couldn't speak English, until I moved here. Crazy.

So, back to December. The kids had their Christmas party on Sunday, and let me be the first to say that it was the most extravagant Christmas party I have EVER been to! Let's rewind to Friday, before the Christmas party. Since Kelsey and I don't have our own classes yet, we just kindof fill in where we are needed and do whatever needs to get done. Last week we spent a lot of time in Santa's workshop: making cookies, wrapping presents, drinking hot chocolate, wrapping presents, icing cookies, and wrapping more presents. We also were in charge of The Wheel of Holiday Cheer that we used for a game during the Christmas party. (I don't have the pictures up yet from the Christmas party, but as soon as I do, I'll be sure to post the link so you can see the masterpiece that is The Wheel of Holiday Cheer and everything else Christmas party.) Saturday we moved a million tables and a zillion chairs from all over the school into the gym where the Christmas party was going to be. Finally Sunday arrived and it was time for the party! Since there are two campuses at MeySen, one campus had their party in the morning, and the other in the afternoon. The kids opened the party with a singing Christmas Tree where they sang Christmas carols in English for their parents, grandparents, and anyone else who came to watch! Then it was game time for the whole family! The kids got to play games with their parents, and there were even games for just the mothers and fathers! When I post the pictures, I'll explain the games because you just have to see it to believe it! After the games, the kids put on their Santa hats and sunglasses and performed a dance to Rockin Around the Christmas Tree that they have been working on since November. All the classes did so good! Hopefully I can post a video of the kids doing their dance! The kids also did Japanese performances, and they were so cool! The boys in K4 did a dance and they all looked like little ninja's! It was so awesome! The girls wore traditional kimono's and danced to traditional Japanese music. It was really cool to see their dance! The kids in K5 did skits, and even though I couldn't understand any of what was being said, I could understand the story from their acting. And I asked some of the K4 kids to translate for me, which ended up being really interesting because they didn't know a lot of the words in English to tell me what was going on. The party ended with the kids singing Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You and then it was time for the kids and parents to go home! During the party, the parents all had their high-tech video cameras and digital cameras, etc. and I have NEVER seen a larger group of parents as proud of their children than I saw on Sunday. It seriously reminded me of the paparazzi. All of the parents couldn't wait to see their kid on stage...it made me so happy to see the parents really be supportive of their kids.

This week is going to be a crazy one...tomorrow is the Mochi Festival, Thursday is garden day and birthday parties, and Friday is Bible talk. Then next week I am working the Christmas party for Friend's Club and then it's closing ceremony, and then it's winter break! I seriously think that time goes by faster here than it ever has in my whole life. I never think "Man, when is it going to be Friday?" Instead I think, "Whoa! Today is Friday? But I thought yesterday was Monday?!" Either way, I am still loving it here and everyday I get more and more excited to have my own classroom!

In other news, 4 of my best friends graduated from college on Saturday! I was so sad I couldn't be with them on such an important day, but they know and I know I wish I could have! I am so happy to see what the future holds for them and what God's plan is, and I know they are too. And even though Kristen still has one little semester left, I know big things are in her future too! It's so weird to think that my best friends from college are going to live and work in Abilene, go to culinary school, student teach, and then there are the two that are still waiting for God to show them His perfect plan :) The offer is still open for anyone who wants to come join me in Japan!

Wow...this is REALLY long. Maybe I shouldn't update more often; you'd end up reading a novel in a weeks time!