Home At Last...

........and how sweet it is.

For those who know, this one has been anything but relaxing, with my mother in and out of the hospital. I actually left New York on Wednesday to fly back down to Florida, putting the likelihood of making the Friday night flight to Tokyo in jeopardy. Despite the extra flights, I am glad I did as I probably avoided an even longer hospital stay for my mother by being there and opening my mouth.

To describe the scene at the hospital would take too long. I will just say that I have never seen such disinterest and incompetence, putting my mother's health at stake. Frankly, the experience has made us rethink living so far away.

Unfortunately, since my time in NY was cut short, I wasn't able to see or speak to everyone I wanted to. But, we did get to have some fun and here are the pictures to prove it.......I'll post more of the whole trip tomorrow.....


Molly, Max and Ariana bonding over chips and salsa.....
being creative with sidewalk chalk.....

being creative getting the sidewalk chalk off.......
Mia and Ariana at the Children's Museum...



Ariana and Baba experiencing the best of New York - sitting outside on a lovely day on the Upper West Side people watching..

"Mommy, Ariana's crazy!".....

....said Molly as Ariana ran loops around the house screaming. We were visiting our friends the Mutch's on Sunday and Ariana was screaming with joy as she, Molly and Max played together. First in the house, then outside in the backyard with the sprinklers and sidewalk chalk, it brought tears to several people's eyes as they watched them enjoy each other.

As I looked at the outdoor climbing gym complete with slide, I remembered taking pictures there with Max and Molly for our dossier as we started our journey for Ariana. Here we were, watching her climb around like a little monkey, Molly and her only months apart.

We are spending our last few days visiting with friends in NY after a lovely few days up at the beach with Nana and Gramps. Ariana met her aunt Norma for the first time and was able to see Aunt Virginia and cousins Suzie, Bob and Kay. We also got to visit with old friends from Tokyo.
My mother is back in the hospital - not the best news and certainly worrying, but she expects to get out today.

I hope.

Better Times

Just a quick note - mom is home and doing much better. We were able to meet baba in Canada and have a lovely few days (too few days if you ask me) at the beach. Ariana was able to spend the day with her friend Jack, who she knew in Tokyo, and we were able to visit with aunts Norma and Virginia and cousins Kay, Suzanne and Bob.

We leave tomorrow for NYC and friends and will be back in Tokyo this time next week.

Will write more and post pix soon.

Not So Hot or Sunny

Grandma showing Ariana pictures of mama at 16.....see the amazed look on her face.....


On Tuesday my mother was taken to the hospital and has been there ever since. Every day we think she will get out and every day they say maybe tomorrow. A cardiac specialist was in yesterday and they are now treating her heart. They have her on a concoction of medication that will hopefully stabilize her and allow her to leave.



So, Jed graduated yesterday successfully and today there will be a baba san family lunch, both of which were events I wanted to attend, but will have to hear about instead. I was really looking forward to the lunch, as I would have met relatives for the first time. More importantly, Ariana would have too. So, for all of those relatives who are reading this, you will just have to come to Japan and visit us there.....



Speaking of Ariana, she has been brilliant throughout. We have been spending a lot of time in the hospital and she has been so good, playing with the toys we packed and also with the "glove" balloons our favorite nurse Donna keeps making for her. I am grateful because the time has been quite stressful. Her stellar behavior has just made it so much easier.

I have been rewarding her actions by getting out every day either to the pool or the zoo or the science musuem or some other what I think will be fun for her activity. I think the pool is her favorite.

Everyone keep your fingers crossed my mother will be home soon and we can continue our summer vacation.

Sunny Smiles

Here we are in sunny Florida - the weather has been great and Ariana has been charming everyone here. Everyone, except for the nasty woman in the pool who made her way over to us just to say "you know children aren't allowed in here".

Now, we have been going every day since we got here - Ariana laughing and splashing and having a fine time; the residents laughing and splashing and commenting on just how cute she is. Not once did I hear anything about her not being allowed. And I said as much to the woman in the pool. Nicely. She replied "Well, those are the rules". "Really?" I said, "I don't see that posted anywhere". "Well, I know" she replied. I ignored her. She continued "this is for adults only". Oh just shut up (no I did not say this out loud, because I am a nice person).

We made our way to the other end for awhile and then got out as planned. As we walked towards our towels, she commented on how cute Ariana was. I didn't reply. She didn't deserve it.


While we have spent most of the time here visiting with grandma, we did visit with new friends Glenda and Samantha yesterday. One of the many wonderful aspects of adoption, in particular Chinese adoption, is this amazing network of people all over the world. Through Families with Children from China, a worldwide organization, I was able to connect with Glenda. We spent the morning at a little water park and then had lunch and ice cream. It was nice Ariana and I got a chance to play with people our own ages.

Ariana has made friends with two of the residents here - Sydney, who she now calls "my boyfriend" and Dorothy, a woman who gives her rides in her wheelchair. In the dining room, she travels between them and her plate, keeping the waiters and waitresses on their toes. She is warming up to Basil and Dorothy, my mother's table mates, but they are not quite as much fun.

We leave tomorrow to meet baba in Washington, where she will have a whole new group of people to charm. I know she is up to the task.

The Little Graduate

Ariana "graduated" from the Blue team yesterday, complete with a diploma and class photo. Actually, we had an early ceremony since we will be in Florida when the official one happens next week. The kids sang songs and then the director called Ariana up and gave her the certificate. She seemed less than thrilled as if she already knows that a diploma from the Blue team is only the beginning of a long a frustrating journey through kindergarten, elementary, middle, high school and then college and grad school, if she is so inclined.

We are off tomorrow for Florida - and then up to Maryland to see Jed graduate and meet more of baba-san's family. Ariana will be meeting cousins she hasn't met before - come to think of it, we will all be doing that as long lost cousins will be joining us for a celebratory lunch. It is very exciting.

The 13 hour plane ride is not so exciting, but we are staying overnight in NY and will be getting a visit from Ariana's Godmother, who Ariana enjoys very much.

I will spend this last day getting last minute gifts and attending yet another May birthday party for Ryder, one of Ariana's friends. Luckily, the timing coincides with the time we must be out of the apartment due to some electrical work being done on the building. And most importantly, packing. Trying to get a month's worth of stuff for Ariana and I into one suitcase is always a challenge. It's not so much the clothes, but all of the other little things - wires and chargers, cosmetics and swim stuff. And shoes, shoes, shoes............

Picture Update

The computer is back. Only in Japan would the delivery man show up with the computer unannounced and when asked to come back in a half an hour, giving me time to run to the bank to get the money to pay him, would agree. What a country!!

I am busy getting ready as we leave for the US in a week. In Lieu of a long entry on what we have been up to, here are some pictures to keep you busy:

Ariana had the week off from school so we went to visit her old playgroup. She has decided she likes various types of head gear, preferably worn together. We call this picture "Porky, the pig train conductor, carry purse".
Baba san and I registered voters at one of the international school festivals. Can you tell who we are voting for?? (note to nanna and gramps - I swear, I did not influence him in any way!!)

Ariana now likes to carry every stuffed animal she can hold to school.......
My first attempt at Ikebana - Japanese flower arranging. I like this because rather than buying plants that are sure to die under my "black thumb of death" and feeling guilty, these flowers are supposed to die at some point anyway...

yes, Ariana can fall asleep standing up...at least part way......

China

As you know, the earthquake that hit China has been devastating. Months ago I sent out an email asking you to vote for Jenny Bowen as she was entering a contest to run with the Olympic torch in China, where she lives. She made it and will be running in June. She is a wonderful woman who runs this organization and needs your help. Please take a minute to go on line and make a donation.

It's Gone...

My computer left today for a hopefully brief vacation where it will be gently massaged back into working order. In the meantime, baba san and I will be sharing his - I get to use it while he is at work and whenever I can pry it out of his hands on weekends. I will also get to do other things on my "to do" list, like clean out closets, start crocheting again and of course looking for butter.

Yes, for all of those wondering, we did feel the earthquake very early this morning. It seemed to go on forever, shaking lampshades, nudging drawers open and toppling pictures. We laid in bed wondering if it was serious enough to get up (we are getting jaded), finally getting up and standing in Ariana's doorway, with her in my arms. She was not happy, the "dead to the world" sleeper that she is. When it was all over, she moaned and whined as if to say "you woke me up for this!!", but settled down fairly quickly. I on the other hand took awhile to fall asleep, listening to Tess, who apparently was not having an easy time getting back to sleep. I kept thinking that since animals have a special sense about these things, perhaps she was sensing another one and I should stay awake just in case. That lasted only a little while as it was after 2 in the morning and I was tired.

Walking Tess this morning, it was as if nothing happened. That's the funny thing about earthquakes here in Japan. As breezily as one would ask "how are you?", we ask each other "did you feel the earthquake last night?" - we actually have them every couple of days; some barely noticeable and some, like last night, definitively earth moving.

what fun....................

Butter???

The phone rings.
"There's butter at The Garden" Celine says, apologizing for not letting me know sooner. "I was there yesterday and got 5 - they don't have a limit". "Ariana" I yell, "get dressed now, we need to go out". We rush down to the store, but no luck, they are all out. I have already scheduled a trip next week at the same time - hopefully, I'll be able to get some then.

Ariana and Violette playing

eating cupcakes at the disco
watching her friend Ezra do a dance on his mamma's knee
she and I dancing...ok, so she is checking out the other girl's outfit...
"Baba, you are not John Travolta, please put your arm down"
bubbles, bubbles, bubbles.......