Celeste in Jinbei

I love her smile.
Four of her upper teeth in front are coming in and she started making this face.

She is so cute...

Time with Japanese friends

昨日は、日本人のお友達と時間をすごすことができました。 まんちゃさんの家にみんなで集まって、おいしいご飯とデザートをいただき、子育てのことや里帰りから帰ってきたひろみさんのお土産話を聞いたりしてとっても楽しかった！

I got to spend Friday afternoon with some Japanese friends. Four mothers and 6 kids were gethered at Mayumi's house and we enjoyed good Japanese food while kids played.

ひろみさんの、もうすぐ2歳になる息子さんは、今回の里帰りで日本語がかなり上達したんだとか。上の小学生のお姉ちゃんはもちろん日本語ぺらぺらで、読み書きさえできてしまうという…(お母さんがどれだけがんばっているかが見受けられますよ！)息子さんがぺらぺらと日本語を話しているのを見たら、もう私も毎年里帰りしなくちゃ！と密かにあせりました。

Hiromi's almost 2 year old son was speaking Japanese really well after they spent 7 weeks in Japan. Her 8 year old daughter was already fluent and she can even read and right some Japanese and that's great for someone who doesn't have proper Japanese language school to go to in the area. I can tell that Hiromi is working really hard to teach them Japanese. After I saw the younger son speaking Japanese like a little normal Japanese child, I decided that's what I have to do no matter what! I got to take my kids to Japan as often as possible and stay there as long as Aaron allows us:P

小学生の子供たちをもつお母さんたちでも、1歳前後の子供たちがいるため、せいちゃんもこれから一緒にこの子達と遊びながら成長していけるんだなぁって思うととてもうれしい。まさかこんな田舎に日本人がこんなにいるとは思わなかったし、日本語教育を孤独にやりながら子育てしていかなくちゃいけないんだわと嘆いていた私にはとっても心強い人たちばっかりで、本当にこういう人たちを準備していてくださった神様に感謝。

There were two elementary kids and four kids that were from Celeste's age to almost two years old, so they are pretty close in age. I'm so excited about this. I couldn't imagine that I would have this many Japanese friends in this little country town and that we are getting together as friends and trying to teach Japanese to our children! I'm so thankful to God for preparing these wonderful people in my path.

みんな日本語で子供たちに話してるし、これから小さな子たちのための日本語子ども会も週日に始めようという話になっているので、ますます楽しみな私。　いろいろこれからお手伝いしていけたらいいなぁと思います。 We are starting baby Japanese class during the day while older kids go to school. I'm going to get to help and so happy about it.

I also hope that I can share my faith with them too!

Clapping!!

She started clapping a few days ago. I was able to video it!

The hardest but the happiest B-day ever.

July 11th was my 30th Birthday. I was sad to say good-bye to the 20s but also happy to have my birthday with my daughter for the first time. I hope I can continue walking the path to heaven the next ten years and lead Celeste in the same direction:)

Bella's Lullaby from Twilight

I got a music sheet off of some website. It's not perfect but good enough to enjoy, hahaha.

Celeste's First VBS!

うちの教会でVacation Bible Schoolが始まっています。 教会の周りに住む子供たちがたくさん来ていて、すごく賑やか。 普段教会に来ない人でも、この時期は子供を連れてきてくれるのでとてもすばらしいことですね。　歌やクラス、ゲームなどを通して、楽しみながら神様のことを学んでいる子供たちの将来が楽しみです。

The VBS in our church started! It's is an exciting and fun time for us and in the area around church! Lots of kids are coming to learn about God and have lots of fun.

去年は何をどう手伝っていいのかわからなくて、ただうろうろしていただけだったんだけど、私も一児の母ですから！と積極的にVBSプランナーに問い合わせし、自分からできることをお手伝いしています。　VBS前にゲームに必要なもののペインティング等、お絵かき大好きな私は楽しみながらやらせてもらい、VBS中はせいちゃんも参加している赤ちゃんクラスでお手伝いをしています。　 赤ちゃんを連れてくる教会外の人はほとんどいないので、いつものメンバーのお友達(プラス1歳、2歳クラスでは恥ずかしくてやっていけない子も交え笑)と一緒にやってます。

I am of course in the cradle roll class and being a helper for the precious babies! Celeste is enjoying her class very much.

年をとって頭が硬くなる前に、神様を知ることって重要なり せいちゃんはここんとこ誰にでもフレンドリーで、教会の中を人から人へ抱っこされています。　たくさんの親戚がいるような雰囲気の中いろんな人と触れ合える環境があることは、せいちゃんにとてもプラスになっているみたい。　人気者のせいちゃんのおかげで、私もお友達がたくさんできて、せいちゃん効果に感謝な毎日です。

I really think it's very important to teach children about God! It's hard to learn anything when you are older, you know. I hope Celeste learns a lot about God and be a Christian someday.

She is such a cutie and everyone in church loves her. She is friendly,too so she doesn't mind other people holding her. I love that, too and thanks to her I have been blessed with lots of chances to get to know other poeple in Church.

Bright Eyes

I love her bright and beautiful eyes:)

Yesterday, after a few weeks of rejecting spoon feeding, she finally ate some from the spoon!! I'm so excited.