Week ending October 25, 2015

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Hello from Japan!

This week was busy with school fall carnival, stake conference and work.

Monday night we had dinner a great Mexican place right outside of base called "Mike's".  We had seen it before but it was never open when we walked past.  Restaurants in our little town are not open except for a couple of hours a day and we can never figure out when because  the signs are all in Kanji (characters).  We were able to finally try it out because we went bowling with a fellow teacher and her husband who had lived here awhile. 

Thursday night was school carnival.  The gym was converted in to an obstacle course thanks to Greg and fellow sailors who came to volunteer.  It was a fun yet long night.  This coupled with staff development the next day made for a welcomed weekend.

Friday night we went out to dinner with Richard and the missionaries at Shabu-yo.  It is basically a hot pot buffet.  You choose your broth and cook your meat along with vegies.  We also tried Japanese curry and both liked it. 

After dinner as we were heading to the bowling alley on base, we saw a football game at the field and stopped to watch Zama High School play against Iwakuni High School.  Felt like home.

This is a picture of us with the Randalls.  The children, Clara and Jackson, are students at the school as well as being in our ward.  Brother Scott Randall is the dentist on base.  They arrived about a month after us.  His wife, McCall (yes, that’s here first name, love it!) and toddler-Oliver are home and not in the picture.  They are from San Diego. 

Saturday morning we took our newly fixed bikes and explored Yamato, the town right outside the East gate.  (Our base borders Ayase City and Yamato).  On the ride home, we stopped at the bakery right outside the East gate, Bun Bun, and had sweets for breakfast.  The bakery was just about standing room only.

Saturday evening was spent at the adult session of stake conference at our church building.  Speakers used webcams from various buildings in Tokyo and which was streamed live in to our building.  This is our stake counselor President Nathan Frost.  He was Jesse’s 11-year-old scout leader in the Eastridge ward.  He and his wife Elizabeth have been our friends for many years.  As a matter of fact, he came to take us to church our first Sunday here from Yokoda AFB where he lives, about 90 minutes away.  Great man. 

Nathan served his mission in Japan and now is an attorney for the Armed Forces.  He has been in Japan the last 8 years. 

Sunday Hoai My was sustained as the Relief Society first counselor for the Tokyo South English Stake.  We are excited to visit the 5 wards and 2 branches (ours included) as part of her calling. 

Next weekend can’t come soon enough as it is our 29^th anniversary.  We will ride the train to Tokyo and spend the weekend at the New Sanno military hotel.  We plan to go to the Tokyo temple and explore more of the city. 

Until next week,

Our love always,

Greg and Hoai My

PS.  While writing email, we enjoyed another light earthquake.  It lasted about 20 seconds.  Not bad.  Still bizarre though. 

How We Ended Up in Japan

This is Greg and I at Enoshima Beach 14 days after we landed at Narita Airport, Tokyo, Japan.  This is the story of how we got here to journal our experiences.

At the conclusion of the 2014-2015 school year, Greg was due to retire from Clark County School District with 30 years.  At the ripe old age of 50, he wanted to continue teaching elsewhere.  I, as his personal secretary, began to create his portfolio and resume.  Once they were completed, I began to process of applying for teaching jobs all over Las Vegas for Greg in the private sector.  With that completed, I decided to update my information as well.  Meanwhile, one of my very best friends, Leigh Johnson had moved to Germany with her husband and kids because her pilot husband,JJ had been transferred there per U.S Air Force.  Leigh kept encouraging me to put in our applications to teach with the Department of Defense Education Activities, particularly, to teach in Germany so that she and I could be together.  (What can I say, I love that woman!)  With two weeks left of school, I found the DoDEA website and submitted Greg's application.  On the last day of work for the 2014-2015 school year, on a whim, I put in an application for me as well.  After I clicked the submit button the website, I took my computer apart and turned in my school keys and went home for the summer.

Three weeks later, I was offered a job teaching PE at Lanham Elementary School located in Atsugi Naval Air Facility, Ayase, Japan.

Before applying and accepting this job, I had the distinct impression for the last month of school that a change was coming.  I could have never predicted that the change would mean leaving the USA for Japan.  (As a matter of fact, the impression was so strong that I had packed up ALL my things and left them in boxes in my classroom.)Other things in our lives also fell in to place before the job was offered and accepted that has helped to me KNOW that this was a blessing and wonderful opportunity for Greg and I.  

Though Leigh wishes the middle school in Germany that I interviewed with would have hired me before Japan, we are making plans to still meet up.  After all, Leigh has never been to Japan and I've never been to Germany.

St. George Marathon

Written to document our first marathon together around the 28th anniversary of our eternal marriage and running life together.  St. George hosts a great race and we hope to do it again.  Greg had no problems during the training or run.  I had to deal with minor foot issues, some shin splints, and knee pain (which I have since discovered was due to IT band injuries).  He could have finished an hour before me but lingered with me at mile 20 because he knew I was hurting.

Running

Found in my school newsletter for May

The NWCTA Running Club participated in the Patriot Run 5K sponsored by VFW Post 12093, Horses Healing Heroes Program, and the 78^th Attack Squadron Creech AFB.  The event took place Saturday, May 24^th at Floyd Lamb Park.

Angel Atteberry placed 2^nd in her age division, 

Mrs. Winder also placed 2^nd in her age division and 

Ingrid Gubler was 3rd in her age division.

The 2 pictures below I stole from the Internet, hence the watermark.

We are 27!

Things about us that I want to remember, not in any order of importance.

1.  We go to Chinatown to eat monthly.

2.  Greg likes buffets, I hate them.

3.  We are 11 yr old scout leaders.  We have always loved working together in church callings.

4.  We taught summer school next door to each other for the first time this year.

5.  We only taught at the same school twice for one year each.  

6.  Greg likes middle school kids and I like high school kids.

7.  Our favorite thing to do is stay home, eat popcorn, drink Slurpees and watch comedies on TV.

8.  I pretend to watch football.  Greg pretends to watch Cupcake Wars.

9. Our four boys mean everything to us.  We love them unconditionally.

10.  We have ran together since getting married and usually try to do a half marathon around our anniversary.

11.  We only argue when we allow other people to interfere with our lives.

12.  We were each other "secret" high school crushes.

Take that scale and shove it!

I am was a slave to my scale until 3 weeks ago.  It's pretty sad to think that as wise as I am to health and fitness, I weighed myself regularly.  How did I finally break through the chain that held be prisoner for so long and was a source of much frustration?

It began when I realized that the eating binge that began at Thanksgiving, gained speed at Christmas, picked up more steam at Valentines day and was out of control by Easter had consequences, mainly pants that were really snug.  (For those who are rolling their eyes because you think I am soooooo skinny and have no room to talk... skinny people yoyo with their weight too)

Anyhow, I began running more regularly and the miles were adding up.  I felt so successful until I got on that scale.  I tried to be patient with it.  I knew it took time.  However, despite the hours and miles of running for six weeks, my stupid scale showed NO reduction in weight whatsoever, none!  ARGH!

I vented to Greg who had to remind me of something I had always known.  Judge my weight by how I felt in my clothes.  Of course they were no longer snug. 

So at the age of 47, I set myself free and asked Greg (I couldn't do it myself, we had become so close through the years) if he could throw that stupid scale away....and he did!

If you are thinking about ending this abusive relationship you have with your scale and I haven't convinced you, read this.

10 reasons to put your scale in the trash.

The urge to go raving mad and scream.

My feet after surgery a year ago.

My feet now.  You can't barely see the scars.
My running journey since surgery hasn't been easy.  For months, my feet were so swollen they didn't fit into my shoes.  When I did start running again, I couldn't go very far without pain.  This pain wasn't the plantar fascia pain I had put up with for the last 5 years but a whole new set of pain in my feet (scar tissue), hip and back.  My gait had changed and my body wasn't adjusting.  I was down to running a mile a day.  One day in Zumba, a friend asked if I had done any Graston physical therapy since surgery.  I had never heard of this and began to do research.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graston_Technique
I found a PT and began treatment.  After 6 weeks and somewhat improvement, two friends (Kim G and Pat P) suggested I try acupuncture.  Yea, acupuncture.  Since there was one on my insurance, I gave it a try.  I was desperate to get back the running I had lost due to injury.
Upon arriving at her office, Dr. Ran (http://www.yelp.com/biz/dr-jinli-ran-las-vegas) is everything I thought an acupuncturist would look like.  Naturally, she is Asian and tiny.  The faint scent in her office reminds me of the holistic doctors my grandma took me to as a child in Vietnam.  She took me back to her office and went over my case.  I talked to her about my feet, my insomnia, my allergies.  (Heck, if I was going to be poked with needles I might as well see if it could cure me of all my ills.) After the consultation, the poking was about to begin.
Laying on the table, I had this urge to bolt.  This urge was further perpetuated by looking at the acupuncture chart and seeing needles in the cabinet.  I was sweating and my heart was racing.  If ever I should try to run, it was then.  However, when she entered bringing with her that sense of calmness and serenity, I stayed.  Dr. Ran is very good at distracting you while she does her work.  She placed needles between my eyes, in my head, near my nose, both wrists, arms, well, ok, everywhere!  They ones that hurt the most naturally were the needles in my feet.  Strangely, once the needles were placed, the pain stopped.  It actually felt nice and relaxing.
I can't begin to tell you how acupuncture works.  I won't tell you that I like it.  (I hate needles)  What I will tell you is that it really helped me.  I don't know if together with PT it helped or it helped alone or if I would have gotten better on my own.  I'm not a scientist.  I only know that I am back to running 4-8 miles daily without excruciating pain.  I will also add that when Michael hurt his shoulder (X-Ray showed no tears), I took him to Dr. Ran and he felt better after about 4 visits.  He also has severe allergies of which he hasn't taken any medication for since the last visit.  (Acupuncture didn't help my allergies at all.)
I haven't seen Dr. Ran in a month.  At our last visit she told me not to come unless I was hurting again.  What doctor tells you not to come?  She does, and it made me like her all the more.