My sister commented that she is enjoying all the pictures, but wanted to see some of Rusty and I. So, here it is -- our first family picture. This was taken in the hospital when Alex was 2 days old. (For a larger version of any of these recent photos, just click on the picture and you will be taken to our Flickr homepage.)
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Monday, March 27, 2006
Meeting Nyanya and Babu
Nyanya and Babu (that's "grandmother" and "grandfather" in Swahili) came all the way from America, just to visit me. I guess that makes me a pretty special little boy. They arrived in Japan the day after I was born and stayed for 2 weeks. We had a lot of fun together. I can't wait to see them again at Christmas!
Nyanya and Babu brought over 3 pieces of luggage filled with nothing but presents for me! There was a super cool Jeep stroller, a playmat, some beautiful handmade baby blankets, some books and toys, and lots and lots of clothes! Thanks to everyone who sent gifts to Nyanya and Babu for them to bring. Mommy said it was like having another baby shower, except without the cake and punch and the silly games.
Nyanya and Babu brought over 3 pieces of luggage filled with nothing but presents for me! There was a super cool Jeep stroller, a playmat, some beautiful handmade baby blankets, some books and toys, and lots and lots of clothes! Thanks to everyone who sent gifts to Nyanya and Babu for them to bring. Mommy said it was like having another baby shower, except without the cake and punch and the silly games.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Visitors in the Hospital
Mommy and I had several visitors during out stay at the hospital. Here I am with Kudo-san, the midwife who helped Mommy so much during labor and delivery. Mommy says there are two people she couldn't have done without for my birth. One was Kudo-san, and the other, of course, was Daddy.
Here I am with my Japanese grandmother, "Oba-san" (Mrs. Saka). The Saka's were Daddy's home-stay family when he came to Japan on the Pacific Rim study abroad program in 1997. When Daddy and Mommy came to live in Japan for the first time (in 1999), they lived practically next door to the Saka's. They have always enjoyed a close relationship with them and called them "Oka-san" and "Oto-san" (mother and father in Japanese). Mommy says I am lucky to have three grandmothers since most people only have two!
This is my buddy, Freedom Chan, and his mom and dad, Mark and Charity Chan. I can't wait until I get just a little bigger so I can play with Freedom!
Here I am with Judith. She is a missionary at Taga church where Mommy and Daddy go. She has also been teaching a few of Mommy's classes while Mommy has been on maternity leave. Thanks, Judith!
The baby on the left in the carseat is my little friend, Sophia, who was born one day before me! Her mom, Roxanna, is in the purple shirt holding me. Roxanna and Mommy had the same midwife, so Kudo-san (on the left holding Sophia) had a busy few days taking care of all of us! On the right are Rie, a midwife-in- training, and her little girl, Hikaru, and Heather Rosser from Mito church, one of Roxanna's labor partners.
Here I am with my Japanese grandmother, "Oba-san" (Mrs. Saka). The Saka's were Daddy's home-stay family when he came to Japan on the Pacific Rim study abroad program in 1997. When Daddy and Mommy came to live in Japan for the first time (in 1999), they lived practically next door to the Saka's. They have always enjoyed a close relationship with them and called them "Oka-san" and "Oto-san" (mother and father in Japanese). Mommy says I am lucky to have three grandmothers since most people only have two!
This is my buddy, Freedom Chan, and his mom and dad, Mark and Charity Chan. I can't wait until I get just a little bigger so I can play with Freedom!
Here I am with Judith. She is a missionary at Taga church where Mommy and Daddy go. She has also been teaching a few of Mommy's classes while Mommy has been on maternity leave. Thanks, Judith!
The baby on the left in the carseat is my little friend, Sophia, who was born one day before me! Her mom, Roxanna, is in the purple shirt holding me. Roxanna and Mommy had the same midwife, so Kudo-san (on the left holding Sophia) had a busy few days taking care of all of us! On the right are Rie, a midwife-in- training, and her little girl, Hikaru, and Heather Rosser from Mito church, one of Roxanna's labor partners.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
My First Bath
I had my first bath on March 1st, the day after I was born. I loved the warm water and I hardly cried at all. The nurses just couldn't get over my blond hair, blue eyes, and long fingers and toes. I felt like a celebrity!
Mommy and I stayed at the hospital for 4 nights. (Usually, Japanese babies and their moms stay at the hospital for a whole week, but Dr. Suzuki agreed to let us go home a few days early.) I enjoyed a relaxing bath every morning and being able to "room-in" with Mommy. But I didn't like sleeping in my bassinet. I was much happier sleeping snuggled right next to her.
The hospital took very good care of us during our stay there. Mommy said the food was actually quite good. She especially enjoyed being served breakfast in bed and afternoon tea.
Good things come to those who wait (and wait, and wait, and wait)
And he was so worth the wait. Worth waiting almost seven years of marriage for. Worth all of the discomforts of pregnancy. Worth a grueling 64 hours of labor. Yes, that's right. 64 hours. Nearly 3 full days. Labor began early Sunday morning when my water broke, and Alex was finally born on Tuesday evening. Up until a month ago, if you had asked me, "What's the hardest thing you've ever done?" I would have answered, "Climbing 18,000 foot Mt. Kenya." Well, let me tell you, climbing that mountain was NOTHING, compared to the experience of bringing our child into the world!
For those who may be wondering why I wasn't taken into the operating room and "put under the knife" by the end of the first day, Japanese doctors have more of a "watch and wait" philosophy when it comes to childbirth than their American counterparts. I am grateful for this, as a C-section was the last thing I wanted, although I will admit that by the end, I was practically begging for one just so it would be over. (I think I also begged for death at one point!)
I had what the books call a "prodromal labor," characterized by a very long and drawn out early or latent phase. In my case, because my water broke at the very beginning of labor, the baby's head, which was already engaged, started putting pressure on my cervix, causing it to swell and slowing the dialation process. An American doctor would have labeled me "failure to progress" and had me on the operating table after 24 hours. But in Japan, as long as both mother and baby are genki (healthy, strong, energetic) and seem to be tolerating the stress of labor well, nature is allowed to take its course.
My one and only disappointment in my birth experience was that I was not able to deliver at the midwife's house like we had planned on. Because of the lengthy labor and possible risk of infection, we decided on Monday (one day into the ordeal) that the hospital was the safest place for both me and the baby. Kudo-san, the midwife, stayed by my side and acted as my advocate and translator with Dr. Suzuki, the nurses, and the rest of the staff. I could not have done it without her! I was allowed to actively participate in all of the decisions regarding my care -- from taking drugs to stimulate contractions (an oral form of Pitocin) to finally agreeing to an episiotomy and the use of the vacuum extractor.
Finally, on Tuesday evening just before 7:00, Alexander John Campbell made his entrance into the world. Rusty's first words were, "It's a boy, it's a boy!" My first words were, "It's over, it's over!" While Kudo-san attended to the baby and helped Rusty cut the cord, Dr. Suzuki turned photographer and started taking pictures with his polaroid camera (standard equipment in a Japanese delivery room?)! They placed the baby on my stomach and he lay there for a few minutes before he opened his eyes and looked right at me, and then right at his father, as though he knew exactly who we were. Then he was whisked away to be weighed and measured and cleaned up a little bit.
About 45 minutes later, they brought him to me in the room and I got my first really good look at him. Fine blond hair. Scrawny legs and arms. My long fingers. His dad's big feet. Every part so tiny, yet perfectly formed. He was beautiful. I could scarcely wrap my exhausted brain around the fact that he was ours.
Have I forgotten all the pain of those excruciating 64 hours? I wouldn't say that, but holding that little 7 pound bundle in my arms was definitely worth every single minute!
For those who may be wondering why I wasn't taken into the operating room and "put under the knife" by the end of the first day, Japanese doctors have more of a "watch and wait" philosophy when it comes to childbirth than their American counterparts. I am grateful for this, as a C-section was the last thing I wanted, although I will admit that by the end, I was practically begging for one just so it would be over. (I think I also begged for death at one point!)
I had what the books call a "prodromal labor," characterized by a very long and drawn out early or latent phase. In my case, because my water broke at the very beginning of labor, the baby's head, which was already engaged, started putting pressure on my cervix, causing it to swell and slowing the dialation process. An American doctor would have labeled me "failure to progress" and had me on the operating table after 24 hours. But in Japan, as long as both mother and baby are genki (healthy, strong, energetic) and seem to be tolerating the stress of labor well, nature is allowed to take its course.
My one and only disappointment in my birth experience was that I was not able to deliver at the midwife's house like we had planned on. Because of the lengthy labor and possible risk of infection, we decided on Monday (one day into the ordeal) that the hospital was the safest place for both me and the baby. Kudo-san, the midwife, stayed by my side and acted as my advocate and translator with Dr. Suzuki, the nurses, and the rest of the staff. I could not have done it without her! I was allowed to actively participate in all of the decisions regarding my care -- from taking drugs to stimulate contractions (an oral form of Pitocin) to finally agreeing to an episiotomy and the use of the vacuum extractor.
Finally, on Tuesday evening just before 7:00, Alexander John Campbell made his entrance into the world. Rusty's first words were, "It's a boy, it's a boy!" My first words were, "It's over, it's over!" While Kudo-san attended to the baby and helped Rusty cut the cord, Dr. Suzuki turned photographer and started taking pictures with his polaroid camera (standard equipment in a Japanese delivery room?)! They placed the baby on my stomach and he lay there for a few minutes before he opened his eyes and looked right at me, and then right at his father, as though he knew exactly who we were. Then he was whisked away to be weighed and measured and cleaned up a little bit.
About 45 minutes later, they brought him to me in the room and I got my first really good look at him. Fine blond hair. Scrawny legs and arms. My long fingers. His dad's big feet. Every part so tiny, yet perfectly formed. He was beautiful. I could scarcely wrap my exhausted brain around the fact that he was ours.
Have I forgotten all the pain of those excruciating 64 hours? I wouldn't say that, but holding that little 7 pound bundle in my arms was definitely worth every single minute!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Made in Mississippi, Born in Japan
DSCF2148.JPG copy
Originally uploaded by rustyandlaura.
We joyfully announce
the birth of our son:
Alexander "Alex" John Campbell
born February 28th, 2006
at 6:55 p.m.
in Mito, Japan
3220 grams (7 lbs., 1 oz.)
50 cm. (20 inches) long
Monday, March 20, 2006
We're working on it!!!
For all of you that may be anxious to see pictures of little Alex, they're coming. We're having technical difficulties with our computers. The nicer of our two computers is a Mac and for some reason we're not able to post picuters to our blog using the Mac because the OS has just been outdated. The other computer is old and very slow. It's really only good for posting picutes on the blog because we can't with the Mac. The only real benifit, other than posting pictures with it is that we can use our wireless connection with it. And of course, we can't with the Mac unless we strip it, change the suspension and give it a complete overhaul. The other problem with the old computer is that the plug on the power cord is currently unusable. Meaning that there is 'No Power!' and without power there are no pictures to post on the blog.
We are currently discussing the solution to our problem. Do we purchase a $75 power cord for an old run down computer that makes noises that resemble something between an Apache helicopter and a 1991 Chevy Citation when the hard drive spins down or do we spend $120 upgrading the operating system on the Mac that is perfectly fine but since Mac has a monopoly on all its products they can do what ever they want to do all in the name of consumer driven spending. Either way, we still have to pay around $30 in shipping.
Our other option is to purchase a new computer that has all the bells and whistles that any new parents would want to share their little bundle of joy with the web world. Of course, by the time that we received it here in Japan it would be completely outdated and worth less than a micro-cent of what we paid for it.
We thank all of you for your many prayers and concerns over the last several weeks. We've received several pachages from people back in the states that have really lifted our spirites (A ton of chocolate will do that. Thanks mom!) and brightened our days. We are so blessed to have our precious little boy with us. He has been a real joy. We are looking forward to sharing pictures with you at the earliest possible moment that we can post them to the blog. Untill such time, I'll give you a short description of Alexander. He is soooooooooooooooooo cute!!!!!!!
We love you all (Even those that don't check the blog that often.) Thank you again for your support, encouragement, prayers, and gifts. May God bless you today as you have blessed us.
Rusty
We are currently discussing the solution to our problem. Do we purchase a $75 power cord for an old run down computer that makes noises that resemble something between an Apache helicopter and a 1991 Chevy Citation when the hard drive spins down or do we spend $120 upgrading the operating system on the Mac that is perfectly fine but since Mac has a monopoly on all its products they can do what ever they want to do all in the name of consumer driven spending. Either way, we still have to pay around $30 in shipping.
Our other option is to purchase a new computer that has all the bells and whistles that any new parents would want to share their little bundle of joy with the web world. Of course, by the time that we received it here in Japan it would be completely outdated and worth less than a micro-cent of what we paid for it.
We thank all of you for your many prayers and concerns over the last several weeks. We've received several pachages from people back in the states that have really lifted our spirites (A ton of chocolate will do that. Thanks mom!) and brightened our days. We are so blessed to have our precious little boy with us. He has been a real joy. We are looking forward to sharing pictures with you at the earliest possible moment that we can post them to the blog. Untill such time, I'll give you a short description of Alexander. He is soooooooooooooooooo cute!!!!!!!
We love you all (Even those that don't check the blog that often.) Thank you again for your support, encouragement, prayers, and gifts. May God bless you today as you have blessed us.
Rusty
Thursday, February 23, 2006
10 Months Pregnant!
Here's a little known fact that you may or may not care about. The Japanese count ten months of pregnancy as opposed to the Western nine. 40 weeks gestation divided by 4 weeks to a month equals. . . Come on, you math whizzes -- exactly 10 months of pregnancy! I like this system, because all I have to do when someone asks me how many months pregnant I am is to take the week I'm at and divide by four. So, yes, I suppose now I have to admit that learning all those multiplication tables in elementary school is finally serving a useful purpose!
Anyway, as of two weeks ago, I officially entered my tenth month of pregnancy. At last week's doctor's appointment, the doctor confirmed that the baby's head was descending. And as of this week, Baby Campbell is considered full-term. The home stretch.
It is hard to describe my feelings at this point in the pregnancy. Excited, yet terrified. Ready to meet this little one face to face, yet completely unprepared for the responsibility of caring for a newborn. Wanting the pregnancy to end, yet apprehensive and a little fearful of the labor and birth process. It all seems so surreal. . . yet somehow normal. Babies are born every day, all around the world, yet each birth is its own miraculous event.
Our God is an awesome God!
Anyway, as of two weeks ago, I officially entered my tenth month of pregnancy. At last week's doctor's appointment, the doctor confirmed that the baby's head was descending. And as of this week, Baby Campbell is considered full-term. The home stretch.
It is hard to describe my feelings at this point in the pregnancy. Excited, yet terrified. Ready to meet this little one face to face, yet completely unprepared for the responsibility of caring for a newborn. Wanting the pregnancy to end, yet apprehensive and a little fearful of the labor and birth process. It all seems so surreal. . . yet somehow normal. Babies are born every day, all around the world, yet each birth is its own miraculous event.
Our God is an awesome God!
Monday, February 20, 2006
Chocoholic!
Rusty bought himself this HUGE chocolate bar for Valentine's Day. I don't know, maybe he thought I would forget to give him a present or something? Anyway, this is what he wrote on the outside of the wrapping paper:To: Rusty
From: Rusty
Dear Rusty,I love you so much that I wanted to do something sweet and nice for you, so I bought you this CAMPBELL-size chocolate bar. Enjoy! Love, Rusty
" In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife, loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it..." (Ephesians 5:28-29a)
"Each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself." (Ephesians 5:33)P.S. Rusty, I am so in love with you. May it last for eternity!
P.S.S. Your wife is totally cool!
P.S.S.S. Good luck with the whole baby thing. May he be a CAMPBELL-size stud like his father.
I swear, I am not making this up!
Ah, L'Amour
So, this year, for Valentine's Day, I wanted to do something special for Rusty. I wanted to let him know how much I love him and how much I appreciate all he does for me and our soon-to-be family. If you know us, even a little, you know that Rusty is probably even more of a hopeless romantic than I am (if that is possible)! He is so good at making me feel like a princess on those special days like Valentine's Day, my birthday, and our anniversary. And this time, I wanted to try to out-do him!I started the day off with a home-made Valentine's Day card. After he went to work, I spent most of the day working on a special treat for dessert that night -- a cranberry cheesecake. When he got home from work, I was dressed and ready to take him out to dinner -- to a classy Italian restaurant near our house that we have both been wanting to try for awhile now. After dinner, it was back home for coffee and cranberry cheesecake -- absolutely divine, if I do say so myself! Rusty agreed. In fact, he said it was definitely good enough to request again, say on his birthday this year... I consider that the ultimate compliment.
Who do you love? Did you find a creative way to tell them so this Valentine's Day?
Monday, February 13, 2006
No Wonder They Think We're Crazy!
I'm sure if a Japanese person had walked into the house in the middle of this game, they would have gone away shaking their heads and with their suspicions that all gaijin (foreigners) suffer from insanity confirmed. We are playing the "Mike McLain Version" of a card game called "The Great Dalmuti." The addition of the goofy-looking hats, as well as a few other random rules, makes for a pretty hilarious game. And it seems like it gets more hilarious the longer you play and the later you stay up. Why is that, I wonder?
Christmas in February
On Friday, February 10th, Santa (aka Rusty's family, Mary, Ronda, Robbie and Johnny) made a special delivery to our door -- two packages, stuffed full of Christmas presents and other goodies. Who said Christmas only happens once a year?
Is it time to open presents yet?
Socks, socks, and more socks. Funny, I get these for Christmas every year, and they are never on my wish list.
Scrapbooking supplies for the family historian.
Candy canes and Toby Keith -- a winning combination.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Now That's Service!
One of the really great things about Japan is the high level of customer service you can expect pretty much anywhere you go. Whether you're eating at the local McDonald's or a five-star restaurant, walk in and you'll receive the same friendly greetings, the same polite bows, and the same "we're-so-happy-to-serve-you-today" smiles. All of this WITHOUT the annoyance of tipping! No wondering at the end of the meal how big a tip to leave, no feeling the pressure to leave at least 10% even for poor service...
Now, before all of you who have ever waited tables jump down my throat about this, I understand why we tip, at least in America -- the restaurants only pay their wait staff a measly $2 an hour and expect them to make the rest of their money by kissing up to the customers. And anyone who knows Rusty knows that he is a VERY generous tipper. But in Japan, waiters and waitresses earn a decent hourly salary and are expected, as a matter of course, to deliver excellent customer service. At all times. To every customer. In fact, if you try to leave a tip in Japan, they will chase you down and return your money. Now that's service!
So, a couple of weeks ago, Rusty and I went out with friends for lunch after church on Sunday. We went to one of our favorite restaurants, a local Italian place called Woody's. Since we were a large group, they seated us upstairs in their private room. Several waiters and waitresses helped to carry all the food up when it was ready. One young man, as he passed behind and leaned over Rusty to set down another person's plate, managed to spill a good deal of curry sauce all down the inside of Rusty's coat. Luckily, Rusty was not wearing the coat at the time; it was draped over the back of his chair. It was an honest mistake and could have happened to anyone. Nobody acted angry or upset.
Well, the wait staff felt terrible about what had happened. They immediately went to work with napkins and a wet cloth on Rusty's coat and the back of the chair, mopping up most of the mess. When they finished and left, after much bowing and apologizing, we thought that was the end of it. But a few minutes later, the manager came upstairs. There was more bowing and apologizing. He told us that Rusty's meal would be on the house today. He looked at Rusty's coat. He decided it wasn't clean enough, so he asked us if the restaurant could pay to have it dry-cleaned. We explained that the coat was machine-washable, so we would just take care of it at home. Honestly, it was probably in need of a washing anyway! He asked us if he could at least take the coat down to the kitchen and give it a more thorough spot-clean. We said sure, if it would make him feel better.
As we were finishing our meal, a waitress came upstairs with a piece of cheesecake for Rusty. We had not ordered cheesecake, so we first thought there had been a mistake. But no, there was no mistake. This was a "service," she explained (with more bowing and apologizing). Rusty ate his "service" cheesecake with great relish -- he even shared a bite with me. Then we gathered our things and went downstairs to pay. The entire wait staff came out to bow and apologize one more time for all the inconvenience. The manager stood behind the young waiter who had spilled the curry, pushing his head down lower into a deeper, more apologetic bow. He returned Rusty's coat, along with an entire box of laundry detergent (see picture above). I think if we had stayed any longer, they might have offered to send somebody home with us to start the washer and hang the coat out to dry!
If this same thing had happened in America, we most likely would have gotten a simple apology from the waiter. If we had pitched a fit, we might have gotten a free meal, or a coupon to use on our next visit. But we didn't even get mean and nasty, and the ENTIRE STAFF rallied to apologize and make sure we were happy and satisfied customers who would come to their restaurant again. Now that's service!
Now, before all of you who have ever waited tables jump down my throat about this, I understand why we tip, at least in America -- the restaurants only pay their wait staff a measly $2 an hour and expect them to make the rest of their money by kissing up to the customers. And anyone who knows Rusty knows that he is a VERY generous tipper. But in Japan, waiters and waitresses earn a decent hourly salary and are expected, as a matter of course, to deliver excellent customer service. At all times. To every customer. In fact, if you try to leave a tip in Japan, they will chase you down and return your money. Now that's service!
So, a couple of weeks ago, Rusty and I went out with friends for lunch after church on Sunday. We went to one of our favorite restaurants, a local Italian place called Woody's. Since we were a large group, they seated us upstairs in their private room. Several waiters and waitresses helped to carry all the food up when it was ready. One young man, as he passed behind and leaned over Rusty to set down another person's plate, managed to spill a good deal of curry sauce all down the inside of Rusty's coat. Luckily, Rusty was not wearing the coat at the time; it was draped over the back of his chair. It was an honest mistake and could have happened to anyone. Nobody acted angry or upset.
Well, the wait staff felt terrible about what had happened. They immediately went to work with napkins and a wet cloth on Rusty's coat and the back of the chair, mopping up most of the mess. When they finished and left, after much bowing and apologizing, we thought that was the end of it. But a few minutes later, the manager came upstairs. There was more bowing and apologizing. He told us that Rusty's meal would be on the house today. He looked at Rusty's coat. He decided it wasn't clean enough, so he asked us if the restaurant could pay to have it dry-cleaned. We explained that the coat was machine-washable, so we would just take care of it at home. Honestly, it was probably in need of a washing anyway! He asked us if he could at least take the coat down to the kitchen and give it a more thorough spot-clean. We said sure, if it would make him feel better.
As we were finishing our meal, a waitress came upstairs with a piece of cheesecake for Rusty. We had not ordered cheesecake, so we first thought there had been a mistake. But no, there was no mistake. This was a "service," she explained (with more bowing and apologizing). Rusty ate his "service" cheesecake with great relish -- he even shared a bite with me. Then we gathered our things and went downstairs to pay. The entire wait staff came out to bow and apologize one more time for all the inconvenience. The manager stood behind the young waiter who had spilled the curry, pushing his head down lower into a deeper, more apologetic bow. He returned Rusty's coat, along with an entire box of laundry detergent (see picture above). I think if we had stayed any longer, they might have offered to send somebody home with us to start the washer and hang the coat out to dry!If this same thing had happened in America, we most likely would have gotten a simple apology from the waiter. If we had pitched a fit, we might have gotten a free meal, or a coupon to use on our next visit. But we didn't even get mean and nasty, and the ENTIRE STAFF rallied to apologize and make sure we were happy and satisfied customers who would come to their restaurant again. Now that's service!
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
And Speaking of Baby Gear...
In regards to my earlier post, "Overwhelmed by Decisions," I just read a hilarious article on the internet that I thought was right on the money. If you are a parent or about to become one, I'm sure you can relate to some of what this father has to say. Just click here to begin reading. And enjoy...
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
My Worst Best Friends
These strange-looking contraptions are what we heat our house with in the winter. There is no central heating or air conditioning in Japanese homes. Nor is there insulation. So, not only is it cold outside, but inside as well. As a result, the Japanese have many options to heat their homes in the winter months. A general rule of thumb is that the more convienent and healthier heating methods are the most expensive and the nastiest most inconvenient ways are the cheapest. Let me introduce you to our heaters, my worst best friends.The three heaters on the right are electric, but each generates heat differently. The itty-bitty one is a ceramic heater and it does a wonderful job of heating up the space about the size of a shoe box. (Of course that depends on if the shoe box was for a pair of Laura's dainty size 7's or for a pair of my size 13 bunian barges.) We use it in the toilet room. Yes, the toilet has its own little room which about the size of a coat closet. We rarely ever use this heater, however, because the toilet seat actually has a heater built into it. This is a very common feature amongst toilets of the Mongaloid descent.
The middle-sized heater has three older heat lamps and the use of one, two, or three lamps will determine how much heat it puts out. However, the knob that adjusts the heat and turns it on and off is missing. Probably, this is why it was given to us for free. So, I have to locate a pair of pliers to adjust the heat but I do have it plugged into a seperate cord that has its own on and off switch. We use this heater in the laundry/bathroom, but since we can't adjust the heat, it's set on the highest setting. This means that nearly every other day, we flip the breaker in the bathroom because it sucks up the wattage. In order to keep warm when you are drying yourself off after you get out of the shower, then, you have two options: 1) do the "IT"S FREEZING IN HERE" two-step or 2) dry off in the dark.
The third electric heater is called a "Heater Fan" because it's shaped like and rotates like a fan but is actually a heater. (This is the one that keeps my posterior warm in the butt-cold hours of the night -- no bun, I mean pun, intended.) It uses a new type of heating lamp that is shaped like a cow's face. The only constructive criticism that I would offer to the very pleasant people in the constructive criticism department at the maker's home office (which is not at all located or connected to the head office, nor the warehouse that packages the product, nor the plant where the parts are assembled) IS THAT the timer is only 3 hours long and I don't have to go to the bathroom that many times in the night, so it doesn't always keep my Campbell (actually, Starnes)-sized bottom warm in the butt-cold hours of the night. (WOW!!! There's alot of wind in that sentence.) This is the only heater that we purchased ourselves and that we can actually say that we own. We are very proud fans of this heater, which I have to turn back on everytime I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Of course, the chivalrous man would allow his pregnant wife to use it on her side of the bed. This would make good sense, since she has to get up every 5 minutes to go potty because her bladder can't hold much more than a thimble, and she could maintain that the Heater Fan was always on. That of course would defeat its purpose of keeping my Campbell (actually, Starnes)-sized body pillows warm. Of course, I have no idea what running this heater all night is going to do for our electric bill. We do have another electric heater, which is also an air conditioner, but running this heater all night will assuredly double our electric bill.
The two heaters in the middle belong to the landlord, which he, in all of his responsible (there's a story there) generosity is so generously allowing us to use. They both use natural gas, but unfortunately, there are only three natural gas outlets throughout the entire house. These are great little heaters that really crank out the heat and we are very thankful for them. We use the small one in the bedroom (on my pregnant wife's side of the bed) while we are changing clothes or either preparing for joyful slumber or despondent awakening. We don't run it all night because while it is fairly safe, it still distributes some wonderful fumes into the room. So, every time we turn it on or off we have to open a window to allow all the cold air to eagerly rush back into the room while aromatic fumes linger for much longer than five minutes and my pregnant wife returns to a cold bedroom after her 1st trip to the heated toilet seat of Mongaloid descent.
The big heater is what we use in the LDK (living, dining, kitchen room). It totally cranks out the best heat of all our heaters, but for some reason it makes the LDK always smell like maple syrup, which is what Grade Double 13A Amber Super Sweet Sap Maple Syrup actually is, natural gas. Of course, everyone who's ever heated their home with Maple Syrup natural blue- flamed gas would know that natural gas, which is also what we cook with, is not as expensive as electricy when it comes to heating your 6-S-LDK home. Knowing this, you can imagine the tremendous relief we felt when last month's gas bill arrived the other day and it was only about $200.
And finally, the two heaters on the left are the cheapest to opperate. They burn the one thing that I absolutetly hate in Japan, kerosene. What can be said about kerosene, other than its fumes kill brain cells, which in turn makes you forget about so many things that I can't remember them all. It is the worst-smelling fuel in the world, except for perhaps the kind of natural gas which is a common feature of those of us that are of Starnes descent, that my wife doesn't appreciate whether she's pregnant or not. The blue heater is the only one of the two that I like because it's broken and doesn't work at all. It is currently serving a useful purpose as a decoration in the closet. The white one works great except for all the lights that don't stop blinking on the front of it, warning you of many dangers. This would be quite useful, if I could read the various and sundry Chinese characters on the front that say various and sundry things such as: Warning - Losing Brain Cells; In case of earthquake or Campbell-sized bunyan barges doing the Macarana, will shut off; Timed for pregnant women that fall asleep on the heated toilet seat in the shoe-boxed sized toilet closet; Time to immerse your hands in kerosone (which doesn't smell anything like maple syrup) as you once again fill up the kerosene canister which is the size of a pregnant woman's bladder; Warning - Evacuate the room, fill canister, or shut off - either way you're going to lose brain cells moron. AAHH!!! KEROSENE!!! We use this heater in the parts of the house we rarely use, such as the office, library, or the mother-in-law wing. When you heat with kerosene you have to leave a window open, which seems to be an oxymoron kind of thing to do. You can either do the IT'S FREEZING dance to stay warm, kill millions of brain cells (I can't remember how many I'm supposed to have but I know that I'd like to keep the ones I still have for as long as I can, I think), or leave a window cracked and heat the Northeasterly as it traverses to other regions of the Land of the Rising Freezing Cold Weather.
But of all the heaters in the house, my favorite one is this one. She doesn't cost much, except a few kisses and some flowers now and then. She doesn't kill brain cells, unless there are unproven side effects of drinking too much chai and eating too many brownies. Since she usually goes to bed before me she keeps the bed warm. She's easier to understand than the Japanese writing system. While she's not always easy to turn on, she definitely cranks out the heat. But the greatest thing about this heater is that she doesn't belong to anybody but me. I am her biggest fan and am so very proud that she is my BEST best friend.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Showered with Love
On Saturday, the ladies of the Taga Church of Christ threw a baby shower for me. Actually, it was a joint shower for myself and Roxanna, a friend of mine who is due next month. Although the snow kept some people from attending, a good time was had by all who did come. We played some fun games and had some yummy food. Charity read a few Scriptures and shared some thoughts on birth, children, and the "new birth" that we experience when we come to know Christ. Mrs. Saito and Tomoko prayed over the mothers-to-be. And Baby Campbell got a lot of wonderful gifts, including a spiffy car seat, some adorable clothes, and a beautiful handmade baby blanket from Charity, his buddy-to-be Freedom's mama.
A group photo
A beautiful spread
Kumiko and Shizuka are high school students who have been involved with English Bible classes at Taga church for some time now.
Mrs. Saito and Mrs. Okubo are holding pieces of yarn they cut to "guesstimate" how big around Roxanna and I are. Whoever was closest won a prize. Mrs. Okubo won for me!
Tomoko McLain and Tomoko Ishikawa (I like to call them "Tomoko squared") are tying a bib onto a balloon. Each of them gets to use only one hand. Try it -- it's harder than it looks!
Charity leads the devotional while Judith looks on.
Roxanna and I, opening presents
Daddy will like this outfit!
What a cute sweater!
Too small for me, but this hat will be perfect for Baby Campbell. It was knitted by Kara.
With squares of denim, courderoy, and plaid flannel, this is the perfect blanket for a little boy! Thanks, Charity!
Let It Snow!
We woke up on Saturday morning to SNOW -- big white flakes that came down all day and covered everything in a blanket of white. I just love how snow makes everything so pretty. It doesn't matter how dirty or ugly something is -- when it's covered with snow, it suddenly becomes clean and beautiful. Kind of like what the blood of Christ does to us and our sins. In his Communion talk on Sunday morning, Rusty focused on this parallel. It is a beautiful thought.
Our house and cars
Overlooking Hitachi Port near our house
The neighborhood shrine, just down the hill from our house
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Overwhelmed by Decisions
I have a sneaking suspicion that becoming a mother was somehow easier about 100 years ago, than it is today. Let me explain.
100 years ago, a woman got pregnant and had a baby. Usually at home. Attended by a midwife or a woman friend. Without drugs or other interventions. It really was that simple -- because there were no other alternatives. Today, we women of the 21st century have what has been termed "choices in childbirth." And, as we all know, choices create sides, which create debates, which create Guilt, which is apparently every modern mother's middle name (or so says Rosemary, a dear friend of my mother's).
So here are some of the "choices in childbirth" that mothers today are faced with. Hospital, birthing center, or (gasp) home-birth? Doctor, midwife, or both? Who else is present at the birth (husband, other family members, friends, etc.)? Lamaze, Bradley, or other childbirth method? Medicated or natural? Who catches the baby? Who cuts the cord? And the list goes on. . .
After the baby is born, there are even more decisions to make. I guess I should call these "choices after childbirth." Rooming-in or baby in the nursery? Feeding on demand or sticking to a feeding schedule? Breast, bottle, or a little of both? Disposable diapers or cloth? If baby is a boy, to circumcise or not to circumcise? Crib-sleep or co-sleep? "Attachment parenting" or "baby-wise" rigidity?
And this is not even to mention the monumental decision regarding baby's name. One website I was on this morning had over 11,000 names in its database. But, if you find out the sex of the baby beforehand (yet another decision to make), you can pretty much cut that number in half. Great -- only 5,500 names to choose from -- that helps a lot!
And don't even get me started on all the decisions about baby's room and baby's gear. Honestly, how much stuff does one little person require? I was asked to make a wish list for a baby shower that's being given for me this weekend. It was almost 2 pages long by the time I was finished! And even after you determine that you need something such as a stroller or a car seat, you have about a billion different makes and models to choose between, each with its own pros and cons. How does anyone manage to survive becoming a parent in our modern world and stay sane at the same time? Or is "sane parent" something of an oxymoron? In about 7 weeks, I guess I will find out for myself!
In the meantime, I am seriously considering taking the advice of a friend (thanks, Lj), and burning every single book I own on birth and parenting that was written by someone with a lot of initials after their name.
100 years ago, a woman got pregnant and had a baby. Usually at home. Attended by a midwife or a woman friend. Without drugs or other interventions. It really was that simple -- because there were no other alternatives. Today, we women of the 21st century have what has been termed "choices in childbirth." And, as we all know, choices create sides, which create debates, which create Guilt, which is apparently every modern mother's middle name (or so says Rosemary, a dear friend of my mother's).
So here are some of the "choices in childbirth" that mothers today are faced with. Hospital, birthing center, or (gasp) home-birth? Doctor, midwife, or both? Who else is present at the birth (husband, other family members, friends, etc.)? Lamaze, Bradley, or other childbirth method? Medicated or natural? Who catches the baby? Who cuts the cord? And the list goes on. . .
After the baby is born, there are even more decisions to make. I guess I should call these "choices after childbirth." Rooming-in or baby in the nursery? Feeding on demand or sticking to a feeding schedule? Breast, bottle, or a little of both? Disposable diapers or cloth? If baby is a boy, to circumcise or not to circumcise? Crib-sleep or co-sleep? "Attachment parenting" or "baby-wise" rigidity?
And this is not even to mention the monumental decision regarding baby's name. One website I was on this morning had over 11,000 names in its database. But, if you find out the sex of the baby beforehand (yet another decision to make), you can pretty much cut that number in half. Great -- only 5,500 names to choose from -- that helps a lot!
And don't even get me started on all the decisions about baby's room and baby's gear. Honestly, how much stuff does one little person require? I was asked to make a wish list for a baby shower that's being given for me this weekend. It was almost 2 pages long by the time I was finished! And even after you determine that you need something such as a stroller or a car seat, you have about a billion different makes and models to choose between, each with its own pros and cons. How does anyone manage to survive becoming a parent in our modern world and stay sane at the same time? Or is "sane parent" something of an oxymoron? In about 7 weeks, I guess I will find out for myself!
In the meantime, I am seriously considering taking the advice of a friend (thanks, Lj), and burning every single book I own on birth and parenting that was written by someone with a lot of initials after their name.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Current Noteworthy Events
1. Happy New Year! -- I can't believe it's already 2006! We rang in the New Year in a quiet way -- at home in our warm house with homemade eggnog and brownie sundaes. Who knows? Maybe this will become a family tradition.
2. Scrapbooking Marathon -- We spent four days of our second week of vacation working on our scrapbooks. Rusty finished his Pacific Rim 1997 scrapbook (except for the hard part -- journaling), and I continued plugging away on Japan (The First Tour). I am almost ready to begin "scrapping" the pictures of Rusty's family's visit to Japan in December, 2001. Okay, okay, so I'm a little behind!
3. Beach Walk -- We went for a walk along Kujihama Beach near our house one sunny and very cold morning. Can you believe we live within a 5-minute walk of all this beauty? It really is a lovely beach. I look forward to spending more time there this summer.
4. I Got Wheels! -- More like an international driver's license, that is. So, now I am driving. In Japan. On the left side of the road. At least the car I am driving is not a stick shift like the Camry I had in Mississippi. It was a little nerve-wracking being behind the wheel the first few times, but I have to admit it is great to be mobile again and not have to rely on Rusty and the public transportation system (reliable as they both may be) to get me where I need to go.
5. Precious Cargo -- The McLains returned from America on January 6th, bearing gifts from my family. A new digital camera, which my dad admitted was a gift given with an ulterior motive -- Nyanya and Babu want to see lots of pictures of their grandson! The children's book "Good Night Moon" for Baby Campbell, from his Uncle Josh, Aunt Julie, and Cousin Michaela (this book also happens to have been one of my favorites when I was a child). And, best of all, from my ever-thoughtful mom, two tins packed full of a variety of her homemade Christmas cookies. Savoring every bite of old favorites like Lemon Bars, Pecan Dainties, and Jamborees (just to name a few -- my amazing mother will sometimes bake up to 15 different kinds of cookies for Christmas) was the closest I think I felt to being "home for Christmas." Thanks, Mom -- you're the best!
6. Pizza and "Horsie" -- The McLains invited us over to their gorgeous new American-style house last Sunday evening. We made homemade pizza (yummy!) and discussed and prayed over possible options for our Sunday evening English Bible Classes (see #10, below). Rusty entertained the two youngest McLain girls, Erika and Kiara with a horse-back ride while we were waiting for the pizza to bake. (The next week, he went to visit the chiropractor!)
7. Ohisashiburi! (Long Time, No See!) -- This young lady, Yukako, was a student of mine when we taught English at the junior high schools in Mito. In the summer of 2004, while we were living in Mississippi, she came to visit us for three weeks. She is now living in Nagoya, but came home to Mito to visit her family and attend her "Coming-of-Age" ceremony (a city-wide ceremony held every January for all the young people who turned 20 years old at some point during that year). We met her for lunch last week and enjoyed catching up and hearing all about her life.
8. Youth Retreat -- We hosted a mini-retreat for the Christian youth in area churches at our house on Saturday night. The kids started the afternoon with 2 hours of karaoke. Then, they came to our house for a spaghetti supper, devotional, and games and other activities. Pictured is Crimsen (missionary from Sendai) teaching everyone how to do the Electric Slide (a country line-dance). Most of the kids stayed the night (some got more sleep than others), and the next morning, after a pancake breakfast, we all went to church in Taga together.
9. O-mochi Potluck -- Mochi is rice that has been pounded and then molded into balls. It is a traditional New Year's food in Japan. Taga church always has a special "O-mochi Potluck" in January. We all help make the mochi, and then we enjoy eating it during our potluck lunch. It was my first time to see how mochi is made, but I did not ask for a turn with the mallet as it is quite large and heavy and I was fairly certain the Japanese would disapprove of an 8-months pregnant woman swinging it around. How did I know this? I can't even move a chair or carry a bag of groceries to the car without some well-meaning Japanese person telling me to odaijini "take care of my health."
10. Home Bible Study Groups -- The decision was made to move our Sunday night English Bible classes out of the church building and into private homes, thus turning the program into more of a "home group" program with an evangelistic focus. We are excited about where this may lead. For now, we will have just one group and will rotate the meeting place each month. (Rusty and I are scheduled to host for the month of February.)
11. Changing Jobs -- I have begun my last week of work for World English Center. Next week, I will begin my new "job" as a stay-at-home wife and mom. Although I may start teaching a few classes again after the baby is born, I will be working on a very limited and part-time basis. I always thought I would be excited when I could finally stop working and just be a mommy, but now that the time is almost upon me, I find I am facing it with a certain amount of trepidation. For the first time since Rusty and I have been married, I will not be contributing financially to our family! I never expected to feel insecure about that, but I do. Luckily, Rusty is more than supportive of my new role as a homemaker, and I have resolved to be such a good little housewife that he will never want me to go back to work full-time!
12. The Countdown Begins -- We are now down to single digits in counting the weeks until Baby Campbell's arrival. I am 32 weeks as of the pictures below, with 8 more to go, and starting to feel like I've swallowed a watermelon! Along with the newest member of our family, we are also looking forward to the arrival of my parents on March 1st for a 2-week visit. As my mom said, "That baby better be on time or early!"
2. Scrapbooking Marathon -- We spent four days of our second week of vacation working on our scrapbooks. Rusty finished his Pacific Rim 1997 scrapbook (except for the hard part -- journaling), and I continued plugging away on Japan (The First Tour). I am almost ready to begin "scrapping" the pictures of Rusty's family's visit to Japan in December, 2001. Okay, okay, so I'm a little behind!
3. Beach Walk -- We went for a walk along Kujihama Beach near our house one sunny and very cold morning. Can you believe we live within a 5-minute walk of all this beauty? It really is a lovely beach. I look forward to spending more time there this summer.4. I Got Wheels! -- More like an international driver's license, that is. So, now I am driving. In Japan. On the left side of the road. At least the car I am driving is not a stick shift like the Camry I had in Mississippi. It was a little nerve-wracking being behind the wheel the first few times, but I have to admit it is great to be mobile again and not have to rely on Rusty and the public transportation system (reliable as they both may be) to get me where I need to go.
5. Precious Cargo -- The McLains returned from America on January 6th, bearing gifts from my family. A new digital camera, which my dad admitted was a gift given with an ulterior motive -- Nyanya and Babu want to see lots of pictures of their grandson! The children's book "Good Night Moon" for Baby Campbell, from his Uncle Josh, Aunt Julie, and Cousin Michaela (this book also happens to have been one of my favorites when I was a child). And, best of all, from my ever-thoughtful mom, two tins packed full of a variety of her homemade Christmas cookies. Savoring every bite of old favorites like Lemon Bars, Pecan Dainties, and Jamborees (just to name a few -- my amazing mother will sometimes bake up to 15 different kinds of cookies for Christmas) was the closest I think I felt to being "home for Christmas." Thanks, Mom -- you're the best!
6. Pizza and "Horsie" -- The McLains invited us over to their gorgeous new American-style house last Sunday evening. We made homemade pizza (yummy!) and discussed and prayed over possible options for our Sunday evening English Bible Classes (see #10, below). Rusty entertained the two youngest McLain girls, Erika and Kiara with a horse-back ride while we were waiting for the pizza to bake. (The next week, he went to visit the chiropractor!)
7. Ohisashiburi! (Long Time, No See!) -- This young lady, Yukako, was a student of mine when we taught English at the junior high schools in Mito. In the summer of 2004, while we were living in Mississippi, she came to visit us for three weeks. She is now living in Nagoya, but came home to Mito to visit her family and attend her "Coming-of-Age" ceremony (a city-wide ceremony held every January for all the young people who turned 20 years old at some point during that year). We met her for lunch last week and enjoyed catching up and hearing all about her life.
8. Youth Retreat -- We hosted a mini-retreat for the Christian youth in area churches at our house on Saturday night. The kids started the afternoon with 2 hours of karaoke. Then, they came to our house for a spaghetti supper, devotional, and games and other activities. Pictured is Crimsen (missionary from Sendai) teaching everyone how to do the Electric Slide (a country line-dance). Most of the kids stayed the night (some got more sleep than others), and the next morning, after a pancake breakfast, we all went to church in Taga together.9. O-mochi Potluck -- Mochi is rice that has been pounded and then molded into balls. It is a traditional New Year's food in Japan. Taga church always has a special "O-mochi Potluck" in January. We all help make the mochi, and then we enjoy eating it during our potluck lunch. It was my first time to see how mochi is made, but I did not ask for a turn with the mallet as it is quite large and heavy and I was fairly certain the Japanese would disapprove of an 8-months pregnant woman swinging it around. How did I know this? I can't even move a chair or carry a bag of groceries to the car without some well-meaning Japanese person telling me to odaijini "take care of my health."
10. Home Bible Study Groups -- The decision was made to move our Sunday night English Bible classes out of the church building and into private homes, thus turning the program into more of a "home group" program with an evangelistic focus. We are excited about where this may lead. For now, we will have just one group and will rotate the meeting place each month. (Rusty and I are scheduled to host for the month of February.)
11. Changing Jobs -- I have begun my last week of work for World English Center. Next week, I will begin my new "job" as a stay-at-home wife and mom. Although I may start teaching a few classes again after the baby is born, I will be working on a very limited and part-time basis. I always thought I would be excited when I could finally stop working and just be a mommy, but now that the time is almost upon me, I find I am facing it with a certain amount of trepidation. For the first time since Rusty and I have been married, I will not be contributing financially to our family! I never expected to feel insecure about that, but I do. Luckily, Rusty is more than supportive of my new role as a homemaker, and I have resolved to be such a good little housewife that he will never want me to go back to work full-time!
12. The Countdown Begins -- We are now down to single digits in counting the weeks until Baby Campbell's arrival. I am 32 weeks as of the pictures below, with 8 more to go, and starting to feel like I've swallowed a watermelon! Along with the newest member of our family, we are also looking forward to the arrival of my parents on March 1st for a 2-week visit. As my mom said, "That baby better be on time or early!"
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