• Missionary friends and getting ready to go back to the US.  Made a trip to their house on Wed. morning, with the minister at the local church, to bring 2 vehicle worth of things back.  Most of the things went to the parsonage.  This is the minister's 1st pastorate.  Trying to get a family of 7 settled, takes some doing.  The furniture they are getting is a huge blessing to them.  I was glad to help.  We also brought back a few clothes for Joshy, a bed for Kei, & some other misc. items.  Hopefully, this also helped the missionary friends who have to have everything sorted, packed or disposed of in a few short weeks.
• It was finalized this week, that Kei will start attending school Mon~Fri mornings from December.
• Next week, Joshy's teacher will meet us at the cancer center to have a meeting with Joshy's doctor to discuss schooling options for next school year.  The teacher & I have discussed several pros & cons and have come up with a plan.  Now we must discuss it all with the doctor to get his OK.  Once the doctor has OK-ed everything then the school will discuss it & hopefully approve it.
• We have been having terrible internet/phone issues.  If a phone call comes in while someone is on the internet, either the phone cuts out or the internet slows to a crawl or both.  Finally called our provider and had a new modem sent.  New modem arrived, but then out WiFi wouldn't work.  Got a new WiFi box which required everything, from phones to bathroom scale, to be reset with new passwords.  Thankful for our computer guru who has gotten most everything set up.

• Monday's checkup for Josh resulted in the doctor wanting to consult with kidney specialists.  I met with the doctor today to find out what the doctors had come up with.   The numbers our regular doctor feels are too high are not too too high according to the kidney specialist.  The number do need to be closely monitored, but at this point Joshy does not need any additional testing or medications.
• The weather has been cold and rainy and is leaving everyone feeling a bit wiped out.  Sniffles are also present - including Joshy.
• Thanksgiving is coming fast with Christmas right on its heels.  We will be making crafts in children's classes during Thanksgiving week so that we can decorate ECS.  Lots of things to pull together.  I am also working on gathering supplies for a craft project for the Sunday School Christmas Party.

Blink... the week is gone!

Joshy had his regular check up at the local hospital today.  He has had increasing kidney trouble for the past several months.  Three new medications have been added in hopes of calming the situation down.  Potassium has been stabilized, it is still high but not critically high.  UA levels are somewhat better as well, but today's labs showed that one of the kidney markers (BUN) is now at its highest level yet.   Joshy's regular doctor wants a urine sample brought in for testing tomorrow after which he will be consulting with kidney specialists to see what they advise.  Thankfully, or local hospital is known as a good kidney hospital.  I will have a consolation appointment on Friday.

Joshy's labs also showed that his platelets dropped in half.  They are still above the need a transfusion level.  Josh has a checkup next week at the cancer center.  Praying that today's drop is just an oddity and levels will be back up next week.

Feeling a little overwhelmed right now.

Every fall Yahiko, a mountain town just over an hour from us, has a chrysanthemum festival at the big shrine.   That was our destination today.  We made a slight detour and took the Skyline drive - BEAUTIFUL!

Then we went down off the mountain.  We checked out as much of the festival as was semi-accessible.  The steps up to the final approach to the temple were just too much, so we stayed on the lower part.  Another big area was under construction, so we had to skip that as well.

With 2 of the areas out, we decided to wandered around the town.

Good times!

We have now entered the last year of having a preteen in the house!

Monday Joshy turned 12!

He is our most Japanese kiddo... rice - YES / bread - No Way.  Pure & simple, he loves Japanese food!  So we had a Japanese birthday meal.

This year Joshy was actually more interested in getting gifts out of the bags than in the bags themselves!

Birthday boy got 3 new toys, the ball & car are from Aunt Robin, pj's & boots.

We also pushed the limits on his limitations and went to a Christian concert.

AND we even let Joshy out of his chair... it was his birthday

Then home for J's favorite dessert - floats.  He would have likely preferred root beer floats, but he had no trouble polishing off a melon float!

Happy Birthday sweet boy!!

My new camera really enjoys hiking

After our planned a family outing got rained out we ended up spending a quiet day at home.  I did need to pick up a few things for Joshy's upcoming birthday & decided to get some steps in while I was at it.  It was refreshing!   I hiked some new trails at a park near the universities where Jerry teaches.

I lovely leaves also drew me across the road to a big cemetery.  It was much bigger than I thought.  I also discovered that they are ahead of the winter prep game there.  See how the bushes & trees are tied up?  That is to protect them from the heavy snow.

 I saw another unusual site - a Christian grave.  The cross & carving stood out among all the Buddhist graves.  A good reminder that each Christian is called to let their light shine.  To stand out.  To be different from the world around us.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:16

Every fall in the park area around the tea ceremony museum, lights are put up so that the beauty of the changing leaves can be enjoyed at night.  Tonight Jerry & I took a walk to check out the colors.  Do you all want to come along?

The trees are not at peek color yet, but still beautiful.  I hope we can go back another time or two to watch the beauty unfold.

What a wild weekend!  Halloween party on Saturday.  Pot-luck lunch after church followed by AWANA on Sunday.  I don't usually stay for AWANA, but since Joshy was in short stay (respite care), I ended up hanging out at the church most of the afternoon.   The event was interesting... sweet potato sculpting!  They steamed a bunch of sweet potatoes, potatoes the kids had grown, added sugar & milk, and went to town building a their own creations.

The sweet potatoes were actually quite good, reminded me of sweet potato pie filling.

Today, Monday, wasn't much calmer.  There were the normal Monday activities; school, laundry, etc... plus and afternoon filled with blood a draw, dental appointment, AND a checkup for Joshy.  Throw in a haircut & shave... I might have been in the running for the mean mom award, but I also added a bath and Joshy L-O-V-E-S the bath.  Discovery... Joshy is now tall enough that he can sit in the full tub without his face being in the water!!  His balance seems better, or maybe it is just he is bigger so has a better chance against the water, because he did quite well sitting alone in the tub while I sat beside it.

Now I find myself out of days "off", tomorrow is back to a normal work week...

All the work and preparation paid off.  Nearly 40 of us gathered together at the camp gym for games, a cake walk, costume parade, snack, a story, & a pinata.

The cake walk was new for everyone.  I made 2 small cakes as prizes and everyone for a treat bag as a consolation prize.

Snack & story time...

Pinata

BTW ~ If you have not read The Pumpkin Patch Parable I recommend you check it out.

Our Halloween outreach is tomorrow.  We have a record number signed up, 35 not including our family & helpers.  Prep has been taking a good deal of time.  We will have 7 different games going carnival fashion, then a cake walk, costume parade, snacks, story (Pumpkin Patch Parable), & a pinata.

Here is the carnival game stamp card...

Here are a couple of the treats we have made...

Prayers would be appreciated... prayers for fun, safety, & that hearts will hear the truth of the Gospel message.

After a morning of laundry & math, I needed a sanity break so I grabbed an umbrella & my trusty camera and headed out the door.  A hour & 4km later, I made my way home.  It wasn't my fastest walk, but it was refreshing.

Now on to other things...