preparing for paradise

In about a week & a half, the kids & I will be flying to Japan, then to Okinawa.

To say I’m thrilled, doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Not because I’m dying to live on a subtropical island (though I’m certainly not complaining), but because I miss Joseph (ie. my soulmate). And being a single mom to a large brood isn’t at all glamorous, easy, or ideal. (I’ve definitely spiked in my emotional eating & have eaten more ice cream & chocolate in the last five weeks than I have all year.)

Sure we’ve only been apart for five weeks, but traveling around like a nomad with five kids in tow is a demanding task (it’s already been nearly two months since we left Texas!). I’m craving stability, normalcy, & probably most of all, our complete family unit again.

Right now we are still in Washington, having traveled to Utah as well as places around Washington state. We’ve seen cousins & aunts, uncles & grandparents. We’ve played, we’ve swam. We’re now ready to go home, which of course, is where we can all be together as a family again.

In Okinawa, we’ll be living off base, which to us, is incredibly exciting. We wanted a more cultural/immersion experience, & that we will get.

Joseph called me this morning (he’s 16 hours ahead, which means today is actually tomorrow, there) & told me he found us a little place. He has been in Okinawa for over a week now & has had time to explore a bit, get a car, & find us a home.

It’s a four story house (more like an English flat, or something you might find in Europe, or places where land is scarce) not too far from the beach (just a few minutes walking distance) & nearly a stones throw from the seawall. It sounds lovely.

Joseph sent us this little teaser–the beach down the road from where we’ll be living.

I’m sure photos like this will become cliche (I mean, how many pictures can you take of white sandy beaches before they all start looking the same??), but for now, in my land-locked semi-arid existence, this looks incredible.

beach

Until we leave, there are lots of loose ends to tie up–eyeglasses to be gotten, tourist passports to be issued (which are needed if we want to travel at all while over there), a car to be sold, & as always, plenty of laundry & dishes to wash, & diapers to change. Lots of hum drum, day to day stuff that to be honest, can be dull & somewhat tedious, but of course must be done.

But in these last days in the states, I have a picture in my head–of us on the beach. Joseph, me, & the kids. I don’t know about you, but that sounds really nice.

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