Jerry & I had planned to take a day trip, a L-O-N-G day trip, to Mt. Fuji today, however plans changed.  We did still make a trip, but the destination changed to Costco.  We have not made a Costco run since July 12th so it was time.  Besides 2 of our biggest outreach events are just around the corner.   I'm happy to say that, we now have a good supply of treats for next weeks Halloween Outreach event and 2 turkeys for the Thanksgiving outreach tucked safely away  We also have a nicely stocked pantry and bulging freezers, oh, and empty wallets

Upon arriving home, I set to work repackaging/processing meat... we now have 3 dozen meatloaf muffins, 4 - 1lb ziplocs of browned ground beef, 5 - 1lb packages of ground beef, 3 - meal size packages of pork chops, plus a whole Costco size package of ground beef in the freezer ready to be turned into sloppy joes the next time they appear on the menu (the left overs will then be frozen in meal size bags for later meals).

The weather was lovely for the drive.  Made me want to go hiking, but with recent rains the trails would likely have been a quagmire.   Much better to get a needed supply run out of the way.   Besides, Jerry & I had a chance to talk about a trip we hope to take for our 30th anniversary, next summer... we, I actually suggested it (YES, I am questioning my sanity), want to climb Mt Fuji!

This morning I hit a new low when I stepped on the scale  I have not been this low in more than 20 years!  In the past 3 and a half years I have dropped just over 28kg / 62lbs

This morning at Joshy's checkup we discovered that his platelets hit a 3 year high  None of his levels are in the normal range, but they seem to be stabilizing.

Joshua's kidney function numbers are still not looking the best.  His potassium levels have been going up since we cut the potassium lowering drug down to 1x/day instead of 2 in August.  Today they were high enough to warrant going back to 2x/day :/  Thankfully they are still below the need for 24/7 monitoring.  Taking the med 2x/day and avoiding a hospital stay is a small price to pay.

Next week Josh has his monthly cancer center checkup...LORD willing counts will still be looking good and we will be able to ween the immune suppression med down another step.   Lowering the immune suppression med should take some of the strain off his kidneys.

I am more than ready to get to GOAL - weight wise, blood count wise, & med wise.

Every fall Japanese schools have a "marathon", Joshua's school is no exception.  Today was the B/C course marathon.   For the past 3 years Joshua has not been able to participate.  (Three years ago this week we started down the Aplastic Anemia road!  Three years ago, we were at the beginning of what would turn into a 6 month hospitalization.)   Today Joshua was able to go to school and run grump through his marathon.

Warming up...

Team Cheer...

And they are off...

It never fails to amaze me how creative the teacher are... Oh the things one can do with a power toy and a switch!

LORD willing, if Joshua continues to improve, he will be able to switch from C course, home bound, to B course next year.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run the race marked out for us,"  Hebrews 12:1

Two weekends in a row, typhoons have been reeking havoc in Japan.  Our area has not been badly effected, but it has been something we have kept our eyes on, because one never knows.  The most recent typhoon, #19 or Vongfong, went through our area during the night.

Yesterday morning before the weather got bad, I decided to get my walk in along the sea in order to get some pictures.  It was so calm and peaceful, not quite what I had expected.

This morning, I wanted some after shots.  Because of other responsibilities, time was short so I wasn't able to cover the same distance, 4.3km, but I did manage to get in a 1.7km.   What a difference a day makes!

Same beach...

Things like this remind me of just how mighty & powerful the LORD is.

Saturday night was the Tanne Lights Festival.  Tanne, a small mountain village near us, has an annual festival where they line the roads & set up displays in rice paddies, flooded for effect, with candles & recyclables.  It is always beautiful.

This afternoon, during AWANA, the pastor's wife & youngest 2 children, Joshua, & I headed off to Echigo Hillside Park to enjoy the flowers.  We could have used a whole lot more time, but alas we didn't have more to use.  It was still a lovely time out.  I do believe we need to get a year pass next year and make this a habit!

With Typhoon Vongfong is heading our way, I am extra thankful for the lovely weather these past few days so that we could enjoy being out.  BTW ~  typhoon Vongfong seems to be losing strength, but it is still battering the southern part of Japan.  It should  begin to hit our area tomorrow with the blunt of the storm due to arrive in the night and on into Tuesday.   Please pray for Japan.  This is 2 weeks in a row we have had big typhoons.

When the school planned the trip they tried hard to make for plenty of time so that we need not be rushed.  Breakfast was set for 8am.  After Joshy's night time antics, his teacher & I were moving a little slowly, but we still had enough time to get everything done and arrive in the dining room on time for a traditional Japanese breakfast.

The night before, after the other mom & I scouted out a few things, we decided that we would try to take the kids for a morning walk.  Waking to the sound of rain crossed that idea off the list of things to do.  Instead we had play time in our room.  Then while some of the teachers stayed with the students, Joshy's teacher, the other moms & I went out in search of Omajyu, a Japaneses sweet to take home as gifts.  The area was famous for omajyu and we found several shops.   Thankfully, unlike the teachers who went out before breakfast, we enjoyed the walk without rain & with warmer temperatures

On the agenda for day 2 was a visit to Furusoto Mura (Home Town Village).  Furusato Mura has displays, shops and such that depict life in Niigata Prefecture.  The plan was to have lunch & shop for souvenirs before heading home.  *Meal times were quite long because unlike Joshua who usually doesn't eat much and then wants to "go", the other students require more time to eat/receive tube feeds.

As we were heading back to the bus, we realized that there was a lovely garden... almost as one we all turned toward the garden.  The bus driver could wait

The flowers were amazing!  After lots of pictures and a meander around we were ready to board the bus and head home.  We were greeted by the other teachers & school staff and a few sprinkles.

Thoughts from the trip.

1. It was really nice and I am glad we had the opportunity to go.  Yes, it was expensive, but can now say it was money well spent.  (It would have been nice to have been a little less money well spent, but...)
2. The trip was good for the teachers to see the students in a longer time setting.  It gave the teachers a better understanding of the students life needs.  Also it was good for other teachers to see a variety of students & their needs.   *The 3 students who went have 1-1 teachers,who all went on the trip.  We were joined by 1 additional teacher & the vice-principal who picked up the extra duties so that the moms would not be overly burdened.
3. The trip was good for the parents to be able to see into the lives of other parents with different ability children.
4. It gave me the opportunity to get to know the other moms & teachers a little better.

Thursday & Friday, Joshua & I set of on an adventure... his school trip!    In Japan, the tradition is for students to go on a school trip before graduating, i.e. 6th grade, 3rd year of junior high, & 3rd year of high school.  There is no exception at Joshua's special needs school, just a whole lot more planning & consideration to make sure that all the students can participate.  There is also a huge chaperon difference.  In our case, there were 3 students (1 - 6th grader, Joshua, & 2 - 3rd year junior highers), 3 mothers, & 5 teachers.

Looking back on the trip & now see just how much planning went into it... and I am amazed!

Because of various health issues, it was not an option to use pubic transportation for this trip.  So we road in style - a chartered, wheelchair lift equipped, bus...

The other B course students, as well as, several moms, saw us off...

Even though we were only going to Niigata city, a 2 hour trip, we took break times along the way for re-positioning, giving drinks, etc...

Once in Niigata, our 1st stop was The Hotel Okura for a Chinese lunch.  We have a private dinning room.  We also had a room available to care for the student's personal needs.  The meal was also prepared with each of the students needs in mind.  One of the boys can have nothing by mouth, one has to have everything pureed, & Joshy needs his food cut into small pieces.

We ask for ice for Joshy's formula and received this...

The meal was delicious and, even Joshy enjoyed it tremendously.

 Our next stop was a water shuttle ride up the Shinano River.  Along the way we passed the Hotel Okura & the cancer center (we waved hello to Joshy's doctor )

We stopped briefly at the Prefecture Building, similar to a state capital building, before going on to a Japanese Ryokan in a hot spring resort town just outside the city.

After settling into our rooms, we took a short walk and tried out the foot spa.  Then after leaving the children back at the hotel one other mom & I explored a little more.

Then it was dinner time.  We had a private dining room and again special meals were prepared for the students.

Next was an onsen bath.  We had a private bath area just for our group and the teacher had brought along their swimsuits, special mats, etc, so that the students could enjoy a hot spring bath without the moms needing to do much at all.  (If you have a special needs child you know just how hard it is to give a bath!)  *sorry, no pictures  Then after the children we settled for the night, the teachers stayed with their charges while the moms were free to go to the big onsen to enjoy a leisurely bath.

Since I have a mobile child, the sleeping arrangements did take a little big of creative thinking.

I won't mention the code brown during dinner or the soaking wet bed at 1am or the child who felt that since we were up anyway (at 1am) we might as well play and attempted to convince us of that fact until 3am or the 5am "can I get up and play now?" call... nope I won't mention these

 All in all it was a great day!

I am so thankful that I was able to walk Joshy to the dentist yesterday.  Not only did I get some steps in, but we enjoyed some fresh air as we made our way though the park.

I am thankful that Kei was allowed to walk between her school & the hospital dental office, the buildings are connected.  After Joshy's appointment we walked home together.  Well, maybe it was a little more like I attempted to keep up as they raced down hills and looked for acorns!

I am thankful that I made myself head off for a walk along the river this morning.  It was lovely!

I am overjoyed with my new camera, and thankful for it, too!  I am amazed at the clarity.  Still much to figure out, but the practice is a whole lot of fun!

I am awed by the gift we received from 1st Baptist Church.  We got "my" laptop before we actually had the money in hand because of the change of model sale prices.  Then Monday after we had a few bugs worked out of the system so that we could have funds transferred we ordered Jerry's new iPad & keyboard.

We are truly blessed!

I have always wondered how people make collages, add words to pictures, & do other cool stuff to their pictures, but I have never figured it out... until this evening, that is

I googled photo something or other and ended up at PicMonkey Photo Editing.  It was easy enough for me to figure out some basics.  I do believe this could be a whole lot of fun!!  I can also see a prayer card actually getting made!!!

Beware... I now have a wonderful, speedy computer, a new camera, & a photo editing program I sort of understand...

a monster may have been created!!

We ended up spending the whole day at church.   We decided to give throw caution to the wind and didn't simply take Joshy home directly after worship, rather we stayed for the fellowship lunch, then I stayed and hung out with the minister's wife during AWANA.  We was so nice to chat with her!!

I also played with my camera.  Experimenting with the "ART" mode.

Alter flowers...

Hubby...

Bekah got a short of me when the camera was still set on "fisheye".

I can see this is going to be a whole lot of fun!!!