The time is nearing

For us to leave Japan :( I am still sad that we are going to be leaving, but I am stoked that things seem to be falling into place. Our stuff was picked up on the 7th and 8th of January and we have been living with our futon a few end tables and the loaner furniture lol Surprisingly enough, it still feels somewhat like home, perhaps because its been home for so long??? Whatever the reason, I am glad it does not feel as UNhomely as it did when we first got here and had the loaner furniture.

We have a condo lined up, it is in a good neighborhood, good schools for the kids, nice yard for them and the pup when we get it, close to Jonathans work <3 it is perfect, and I can't wait to get there. The owner said we are welcome to paint any colors we want, which I am THRILLED about.... AND turns out she works at the same base Jonathan will be at.... so he won't be completely alone there, which makes me happy.... he is painfully shy so I am worried, but at least this way perhaps he will have a friendly face passing by every now and again, or someone to go to lunch with or something. And she and her hubby are dual military and so they will only be living about twenty minutes from us and she is helping the girls and me get settled in while Jonathan is away at school! WOOT!

I finally got the car sold! YES! the car is still with me and will be until the ship returns, as it is one of Jonathans shipmates and wifey who are buying the car from us. But they will need to use our car to go take the manual test :) Iam stoked to finally have that task out of the way.

Lets see, what else, I did our tax return all by my lonesome and efiled it and everything. I am stoked about that. I am working on getting Jonathans cruiser paid off and working on stockpiling in the savings acct. So far, it is going well

The kids are doing amazingly well with the transitions.... Michi had a bit of a rough time watching them take our stuff away, and she had some bad dreams the first few days with the loaner furniture and lack of selection in dvds, but she is doing better. The girls are in love with the portable dvd players that jonathan and I bought for them. And I have been sumplementing the movies that Jonathan kept behind with a few new ones, just to add some variety for them ;) Makenna has lost yet another tooth, she got two dollars from the tooth fairy :-D She is looking forward to the new house and of course they are both excited that daddy and mommy promised a puppy.

Unfortunately, while all this good is going on in our lives, tough times are falling on my family. My mother just got laid off and I am so worried about her and my dad. More my mom, because I know this worry and stress can't be good for her already high blood pressure... Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, that she will find a new job in this weakened economy... as always, thank you for reading my ramblings. I know I have not updated in a while but things have been so hectic. Lots of love to all!