living in japan.

March 2011 :: Three years down, however-many to go!  A baby GIRL due to arrive in three months time — looking forward to her birth at the midwife clinic Ezra was born in, eager to meet and greet her.  Still struggling to find a space I can use for relaxing, reflecting, processing in our new home, though we’ve been here for a year.  Jones has been in preschool (youchien) for one year, and is doing really really well — and it has helped me flourish within the culture here, giving me an “in group” to be a part of, which isn’t available outside the school system.  I am less lonely and feeling a little more “normal”.  My seriously overwhelmed breakdowns are decreasing (thank you Jesus!) and I find that life here is becoming just MY LIFE, rather than a strange alter-life in another culture.  I still look forward to our once-every-two-years trip to the states, but have become a seasoned and somewhat bitter air-traveler.   Let’s just say its not the highlight, and flights don’t hold that element of excitement for me anymore.

February 2010 :: We are on the cusp of year three in Japan, and just a week away from moving into our new home for this next season of life.  Good-bye language study, hello ministry! (At least for Bryan — I’ll still be spending the vast majority of my time being mommy, cook, seamstress, and creative chief of the O’Donnell home.)  The new place is just down the road from where we are now, and though packing up all our boxes just to move a 10-minute walk away is a little annoying, we are so thankful for the way God has provided for us in this season.  Absolutely EVERYTHING has fallen into place — every detail has been taken care of, and it has been a message to us of God’s care for our lives and the perfect timing of this move. (We originally thought we’d be in our current home for one more year.)  Examples: 1) We made some new friends a month before finding out we had to move, and those friends have connections and we’ve gotten all our boxes and packing materials for free — and they own a 2-ton truck we can borrow on moving day.  2) We can paint in our new place.  And do whatever we want to it.  This is VERY rare in Japan with rental property and something I just thought I was giving up in moving here.  Thank you, Jesus.  Though life far from home remains difficult, You provide all we need.

June 2009 :: My ideas surrounding life here continue to change.  I’m so thankful that things have taken a turn toward normalcy, it looks like year two won’t be as tumultuous as year one.  I like it here.  Its far away from home, but I’m learning to enjoy the differences and hopefully will let them change me.  I’m eager to give birth here, to welcome a new little one into our home, to plant roots and be invested in Japan on a deeper level.  We don’t know quite what that means for our family yet, whether we will stay in Shizuoka or move to another city for our 8-year assignment, but we are excited at the possibilities — we feel happy to go anywhere, so we are eager to find out where that will be.

October 2008 :: Yesterday, I was driving through Shizuoka, on my way to do a little sitting, reading, pondering, and praying at Starbucks, and I thought for perhaps the first time that I loved living here.  This, my friends, is a miracle.  Whenever God blesses you with insight and a thankful heart, it is nothing short of a miracle!  Today I am praising Him for the ability to look around me at all the differences, the challenges, the new things, and say, “I love it!  Thank you for bringing me here!”

March 2008 :: This blog is sort of a companion to The Seed, which I use to update family and friends on the life and ministry of the O’Donnells in Shizuoka, Japan. The previously mentioned confusion about my loyalties between the two blogs has been officially resolved:  I’m going to post here.  I like this place, and I don’t want to give it up.  So, to avoid being elusive, our little family of three moved here in February 2008 — already, I’m amazed at how much can be communicated with hand gestures, facial expressions, and that ever-so-important “mom connection.”  Right now, Japan and I have a love/hate relationship.  My feelings are drastic and change at the drop of a hat.  Whatever the emotions, though, the country and I still maintain a friendship, and I’m certain I’ll discover part of who I am whilst living here.. perhaps for a very long time, who knows..  I’m just glad God will give me what I need to handle life here.  Sometimes I really enjoy it, but sometimes I’d give anything to go home.