I have a few moments and thought I’d share about the time with the karate sensei today.

I took Skyler the opposite direction we usually take when “going to karate” because Skyler had been invited to the second home of his karate sensei. Sensei met us at the train station and then we walked to his building. For about an hour he instructed Skyler in what I felt like were all the things that he wanted to explain to Skyler in class but never got the chance to do so. He explained the reasons behind some of the moves and worked with him on doing the moves more precisely. Two thing that I will always remember from Sensei are the admonition to focus and the phrase “down your body.”

After about an hour of this private instruction, he told Skyler that the remainder of the time was for a “small farewell” party. As I suspected, I think he really wanted to share with Skyler this one last moment. He spoke to Skyler about just keep on practicing and trying. He told Skyler to do his best and that the attitude of doing one’s best covers all areas of life not just karate. He told Skyler to keep working to try to attain his goal of becoming a black belt. BUT he also said tht once he is a black belt, he must not use karate to ever solve his problem. He said karate is for building strong, healthy bodies and for training the mind and spirit. He reminded Skyler to always remain calm for calmness is better at solving problems than actually using karate moves. Besides, he said that as a black belt it is very dangerous thing and people can be killed by karate. It was fun listening to him speak to Skyler, and he was so encouraging and loving.

We will miss this karate sensei. We didn’t know the treasure we stumbled in to when we enrolled Skyler in karate some three years ago.

Life has been buzzing along at warp speed.  Last week was big for us.  May is always a big month for us.  It is the month we recognize the number of years ago that we arrived here on Japanese soil and set up residence.  It is the month in which we remember all the many years ago that our son, Skyler, entered the world.  It is also this month when we recognize even longer ago still when Corey and I took the vows that forever knitted us together as one.  This past week, in addition, to the anniversary and birthday celebration had other various things to attend to.  We started the week viewing the solar eclipse.  Corey and I eeked out a lunch date down one afternoon.  Then there was the last Japanese class.  I made 3 sweet potato pies because we had a considerable amount of left of roasted sweet potato from a weekend meal and took it to Japanese class to share around.  After attending that class every Wednesday for almost a full 4 years and it seems almost surreal to think that I am never going back.  Then there was the day that Corey brought home the car that we have been the paperwork process with that for several weeks.  From start (looking for a car) to finish (Corey bringing it home) it seems surreal that the car sitting in the driveway is ours.  Then there was the ninja party for my brand new 11 year old.  Fun!  Great fun, but oh so exhausting.  Thankfully there was plenty of coffee in the chocolate cake to keep the cake moist and to give me a little extra energy to make it through the fun day.  This was followed by church which we had two four legged friends join us, much to my daughter’s ABSOLUTE DELIGHT.  Finally we rounded up the stretch of 7 days with an impromptu game afternoon which didn’t turn out quite as expected, but still fun.

I thought that after the big week last week that things would even out a little, but there are always curve balls that seem to be thrown right at me.  Take for example today.  I ashamedly admit that as a mid-Westerner I failed to pay attention to the weather signs.  I know better.  It was so beautiful out this morning.  Just gorgeous.  I got my “Monday” laundry load done (I don’t do laundry over the weekend to give the boarders a fair chance to do their laundry) and got it all hung out to dry.  The breeze today was wonderful for drying clothes.  BUT I should have known that breeze was blowing something in.  Corey, the younger kids and I stepped out briefly to grab groceries.  While out, that “something blowing in”  blew in.  It poured something furious.  Skyler helped to try to “save the laundry”, but in the end my laundry ended up wetter…much, much wetter…than when I put them out on the line.  I remembered that when I put out the laundry this morning I thought it was strange that the neighbor’s laundry was not out.  She always beats me in getting her laundry out, but today she didn’t put any out and that was strange.  Should have gotten my clue then!

Tomorrow Skyler has a two hour private karate session with his karate sensei.  He wants to test Skyler again because the time he tested a few weeks ago was a “make up” because he had missed the real test day due to stormy weather.  When Skyler tested, sensei didn’t have his check list with him.  Mostly I think that he just wants to be able to say goodbye to Skyler because I think he has gotten to like Skyler a lot and will miss him when we move.  Frankly, I will miss sensei too.  He would have made a MUCH better sensei for the latest karate kid movie than the guy who did it, you know, Jackie somebody.  BUT I digress.

This is the last full week of class for the CAJ kids.  Next week will be an odd schedule for them with finals and senior comp things to attend to and whatnots.  I will have my kids finish up before they get a month long break the middle of next week as well.

We will be moving mid-June.  Followed a week later by two groups of visitors.  One group will stay for 3 weeks.  Thus the reason my kids will get a month off school.  August is also going to be busy.  

Anyhow, that is the run down of the busyness that consumes my family as of late.  I wish I could get all the Maya-isms down.  She really has been coming in to her own personality and, as always, it is an amazing thing to watch.  I am so blessed with three beautiful and unique children.

Not sure when I will write again.  If I don’t write before the move, then I suspect it will take some time after the move before internet service is up and running again to write.  Once things settle a bit, I hope to be more regular in my writing again.  Until then…