House tour

Here's a tour of our house!  Excuse the mess, we're still making it all pretty.  I can't figure out how to embed the video here, so here's a link to the youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AErSukD7Qqc

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Hey everyone!

Sorry for the long delay, we've been putting off writing in the blog for a while now - everytime I go to sit down and write something, it seems like I should wait a day or two for something else to happen before I do it.  For example, not writing anything until we get our household goods at the house, so we have a desk and chair to write at!

The goods arrived earlier this week, and already our house is looking more and more like a home.  Though material possessions don't make it a home, it certainly helps to be surrounded by familiar pictures, furniture, kitchenware (apparently most of our stuff is kitchen appliances, dishware, silverware, etc), and linens.  We're so blessed to be able to not only have a roof over our heads, but the material possessions to fill it and make it comfortable.  Kylee has done a wonderful job decorating the house and making it look beautiful.


We took today (Saturday) to hang up all our pictures, decorate our Christmas tree, and make the house look like a home in preparation for Christmas!  The stockings aren't quite hung, and we don't have a chimney for Saint Nick, but the nativity scene is set up and the love of Christ is surrounding us and warming us in the cold Japanese weather.

We'll be posting a video tour of the house soon, once we get a few more things put up and Kylee deems the house worthy of public viewing.  Until then, Merry Christmas and happy birthday Jesus!

Settling in (sort of)

Hey everyone, it's been a while since we've been able to update the blog - Japan has been keeping us quite busy.

Stephen has been putting in some long hours at the squadron (a normal day is 0700 - 1730 or so, with Mondays and Fridays starting at 0600 for command PT), so Kylee has been tasked with taking care of everything out in town.

Although we've only got one car, it seems to be all that we need.  Stephen runs into work every morning (its only a 10 min jog to the squadron), and Kylee has the car to run errands in.  It's been needed, as Kylee has had to go from place to place, filling out paperwork and getting signatures.  It appears that everything you need to get done for settling into normal life in Japan/Navy takes a long time - you'll go to one location, get a signature, find out that you have a couple more forms to fill out, take those back to the original office, and then bring them back to another location to get another signature!  Doesn't that sound efficient?

Despite all the busy work, we're doing well, and still finding time to have fun and explore. We discovered a little alleyway near the Yamato train station called Ginza (which we think means entertainment/restaurants?) that has tons of restaurants and eateries - Japan definitely tempts you to eat out a lot! 

On Saturday, we took the train into Tokyo and explored the Shibuya/Shinjuku area.  We started at the Meiji Shrine, walked around the beautiful grounds and buildings, and spent some time at a very peaceful pond filled with koi.  It started to rain, so we ran for cover at the nearest noodle shop for lunch.  We walked along the National Stadium, where there was some sort of race going on - they appeared to be running around the concourse of the stadium.  Beyond the Stadium, there was a classic car show going on, with some amazing cars - Ferraris, MGs, even a 1937 Rolls Royce and a DeLorean!
 Moving on from the car show, we walked around the Imperial Gardens at Akasuka (hoping to sneak in, to no avail) and then took the Tokyo Metro into the heart of Tokyo.  We walked around an underground mall/restaurant area, and then up to the street level, where we felt like we were walking through New York City.  Nearby was the Imperial Palace grounds (with another relay race going on), with the beautiful setting sun behind it.




We took the train home, cold and tired, but happy with a day well spent.  Kylee was motivated to get into the Christmas spirit (after all, it was Dec 1), and we made Christmas Wreath cookies together.

Yamazaki House

We're out of the Navy Lodge!

It's been about two weeks since we've written. Between moving out of the Lodge (on base) and into our house (off base) and waiting for internet to be hooked up, we just haven't spent much time writing. Surprisingly we live in a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom house. That is quite large living quarters for Japan. Many families live in small apartments where they sleep on futons that tuck into the closet. Luckily, the navy treats us well and we were given enough allowance to find this house.



Our closest train station is Yamato, which is the main reason we chose the house. Yamato-shi (city) is the place where people like to go out without having to travel to Yokohama or Tokyo. It also has two different train lines that run through it which makes for less travel time and easy access to other cities.

We are still using "stick furniture", which is a bed, dining table, and couch issued by housing for people who have not received their own shipment of household goods. The moving company told us we should receive our San Diego household goods no later than January 7th.  That sounds like a long time but between all the holiday events going on, time should pass quickly.

We are very thankful to have this house and our first night we prayed that God would fill the house with His joyful presence so that it would be a home that glorifies Him.

Until next time!

Auntie Dee and Uncle Steve!

After 37 hours of labor, our sister Courtney, finally gave birth to her son Nixon Alexander Petruzzelli! We are so happy to finally have a boy in the family and he is the most beautiful newborn you will have ever seen ;)

Courtney and Grant,
Nixon is so lucky to have you as parents. You both have so much love to give that this child will never be able to doubt his importance. We pray that God send angels to lift Nixon up and protect him from the enemy and that God give you the grace to endure the tired nights and insecurities that may come with being new parents.

Nixon,
We all love you so much and we don't even really know you yet! There are still conversations to have, memories to share, and time to grow. But God already knows you. He made you perfectly and with such exactness that we cannot comprehend. We can't wait to hold you and smell you and play with you. Until then, we send our hearts.

Congratulations Courtney and Grant!
Have fun! :)

Omo o sanbi!

Subete no anata no kokoro o motte omonaru anata no kami o aishite,
Subete no anata no tamashī o motsu, Subete no anata no kokoro o motsu,
Soshite, subete no anata no tsuyo-sa o motsu.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
With all your soul, with all your mind,
And with all your strength.

 We sang this song during worship at Life Chapel, in Fujisawa, Japan.  It was really amazing to be praising God in another country, in another language, and realizing that it doesn't matter what the words sound like - the important thing is glorifying Him.

We attended church with Sarah Scripture, the wife of another pilot here at 51, and immediately felt welcome.  The pastor, Paul, was standing outside greeting everyone who arrived and we chatted with him for a few minutes.  He spent some substantial time in the States for business, and speaks very good English.  The service was conducted in half English, half Japanese - the pastor would say a few sentences in Japanese, and the translator would speak in English.  The worship songs would go back and forth, first singing a song in Japanese, and then another one in English. They would even put the Romanji characters up on the screen so we could sound out the Japanese words and sing along.  It was really cool to recognize the tune of a song, and be singing it in a different language! 

We're so thankful that God is faithful to lead us to people who follow Him, and encourage us.  We think of Psalm 139:9-10 (a verse my mother pointed out to us before we left):

"If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast."

Offical Train Travelers

Kylee and I are officially Japanese train veterans. We traversed the transportation system from Sagamino to Fussa and back.  No big deal.

We started at Sagamino station, the closest station to the main gate of NAF Atsugi, and traveled up to meet Uncle Ron near Yokota Airbase.  We transferred to 4 different trains along the way.  After a few close calls, and jumping on trains right before they would leave station (in fact, we got on one train, hopped off again to check if it was the right one, then got back on, then left again to get on the train across the tracks!), we only missed one connection.

The trip back down to Sagamino went much smoother, and passed without significant event.
 
Thank the Lord that a friend in the squadron told us about Hyperdia.com - it's a website that tells you how to get from one station to another, including all the stops and transfers along the way, how much the trip will cost, and how long it will take!  There's no way we would have made it without the assistance.

Oh, I also flew my first flight in the Bravo today.  But the train was much more exciting.

Hanging out in Hakone

I am really looking forward to weekends in Japan, if the first one was any indication.  Kylee and I took advantage of the tours offered by MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) and traveled to Hakone on Saturday.

The bus picked us up on base (right outside of the Navy Lodge) at 0700 and drove us to the Hakone Shrine.  Also called "Hakone Gongen," it reminded me of the many shrines we visited in Korea.  There were several "special" chestnut trees that the tour guide pointed out to us - apparently a general would pray before a battle, and if he won, the tree was sacred.  Or at least, that's what I understood the guide to be talking about. . .

We then walked to a fountain of water with dipping cups and ceremonially washed our hands before going up to view the shrine itself.  To 'use' the shrine, you would pull a rope that shook several bells (to call the gods attention), throw some coins into a box, clap twice, then bow and make a wish.  If you had an especially important wish, you could buy a wooden plank, write your wish on it, and hang it on a series of racks. We walked around the grounds after viewing the shrine and saw a really cool koi pond with giant koi inside.

The bus then took us to the Owakudani valley, where we took a cable car to the top of a mountain.  The local specialty of Owakudani is hard boiled eggs that are boiled in the sulfur hot springs.  The sulfur turns the egg shells black, although they still taste just fine!  Legend says that you add 7 years to your life if you eat one.

After Owakudani, we took a scenic boat ride across Lake Ashi to Hakonemachi, where we grabbed lunch at a local noodle place.  There was also the Hakone Sekisyo Checkpoint, which was established in 1619 by the Tokugawa Shogunate as a means to control the flow of travelers from Edo to Kyoto.  It was also to control arms movement into/from the Edo area, and prevent women from escaping Edo.  Kylee and I both wondered what was going on in Edo that would cause women to want to escape, but the tour neglected to mention that. 

The last stop on the tour was the Onshi-Hakone-Koen Park, which was a beautiful area of walking trails, lake views, and a Victorian style mansion.  Kylee and I enjoyed walking along the trails and looking at the trees and lake, and soaking in the peacefulness.

Overall, it was an awesome Saturday and a great intro to the history and culture of a part of Japan.  We look forward to discovering new and exciting areas of Japan in the future!

"Oh, You're Kylee Porter!"

I, Kylee, was really looking forward to Wednesday mornings Bible study. One, because I've missed fellowship over these last few weeks, and two, because I just wanted something to do!

Walking shyly into the chapel I was met with about 6 other women. After introducing myself, one of the ladies says, "Oh, you're Kylee Porter! I was going to meet up with you later today! I'll explain later." However weird it may have seemed it felt good to be somewhat recognized. Once we concluded our study "The Power of a Praying Wife" the women invited me to have lunch with them at Skywriters, the new Panera-like cafe on base. My new friend introduced me to a few other HSL-51 wives and they were all saying the same thing, "Oh, you're Kylee Porter!" Apparently, they heard Stephen and I were coming to Japan but didn't know we were already here. Everyone has given us such a warm welcome already.

Ichiban Collectible's is a store on base run by Officer spouses and is also the location to fill out an Officer Spouse Association form. While I was filling out the form, the attendant says, "Oh you're Kylee Porter! I'm a 51 wife as well." haha You get what I'm saying...

The reason I am telling you all this is to express how involved the squadron is. Both pilots and spouses alike are very aware of who is new in town and makes sure they feel loved by giving us welcome packets, homemade cookies, fresh baked bread, invitations to dinner, etc. So, though most of the time I am alone right now I know God is bringing people into our lives that will become dear friends in time.

A Day of Hope

One of the great joys of being a Christian is getting to see God working in my life.

After spending a morning in prayer, I decided to attend a pilates class at the gym here on base in an effort to maybe meet some possible friends. I assumed it would be much like the classes I've taken in the past, and it was, but there was one notable difference; I was definitely in the minority. Of the 20 people in the class, I was one of two caucasians. The other 18 students were asian females all speaking Japanese. So when I didn't see where everyone got their yoga mat I had the opportunity to use the little Japanese I do know. I turned to the girl next to me, pointed to her mat and asked, "Doko desuka?" That means "Where is that?" See, NAF Atsugi is both an American and Japanese base therefore, everything I come across (signs, food, workers, etc) is a sort of mixture of cultures. It really is unlike anything I've experienced before.

For lunch, Stephen's coworkers invited me to eat with them at a Japanese cafe on base. Even though the conversation mostly centered around work it felt so good to be around people who could become friends. It's interesting how much more willing I am be vulnerable if it gives me the chance to make a friends. Haha. A cultural note regarding the cafe would be how they discard their food. There was a bucket with a colander on top that I saw customers pouring their leftovers into. This way it separates all the soup from the noodles. I'm guessing that is to avoid heavy, leaking trash bags?

At Fleet and Family Services (FFSC) a wonderful girl named Brenda sat down with me and let me ask her all sorts of questions I had burning in my brain. She showed me different websites to look for jobs, programs to help funding for education, and even invited me to church with her and her husband after I noticed a Bible verse on her desk and pointed it out. How rare it is to find someone who is so willing to help!

On my way out of FFSC I was stopped by a woman who noticed I was holding a pamphlet regarding religious programs on base. She introduced herself to me and took the time to go through the pamphlet and invite me to a woman's Bible study on Wednesday. She was so nice and made me feel so welcome.

We ended the day by having dinner with a very nice couple that are in our same squadron (HSL 51). They talked to us about their experience finding a house in the city, opportunities to travel, and more.

As I went to bed I just couldn't stop praising God and giving thanks for showing me that there is nowhere in the world we can go that He won't be present. He has given us both much hope in just one day and we praise Him for that.

Finding Our Bearings

Well, today was our first official day here in Atsugi, Japan. A fellow helicopter pilot was kind enough to take  us for a drive; he showed us around the base as well as the surrounding neighborhoods. We even tested out the train system by taking the Sotetsu line from Sagamino to Ebina. In Ebina, we walked around the outdoor mall and just took in the sights. There were tons of little kids out playing around in the water fountains and mini train tracks.

Lunch was interesting. After stepping into a small restaurant we found that you order by using a vending machine-like system. On this machine there are many small buttons, each one labeled by a specific menu item. You feed the machine 1000 Yen or so then press the button that corresponds with your food choice. The machine then prints out a ticket stub that you place at your seat for the waiter/store owner to take. We chose to have the miso ramen noodles. Quite salty and delicious.

Driving is intimidating here in Japan. Many small, winding roads with no street names make it very difficult to learn getting around. The locals literally use landmarks when giving directions. However, it seems having a car may be necessary.

For an evening treat, Stephen and I went to see the movie Hotel Transylvania at the theatre here on base. Only $3/ticket! Our dinner options on base were Taco Bell, McDonald's, Subway, Popeye's, Dunkin Donuts, or Pizza. What choices! So for the first time in many years I actually had Taco Bell.

Something Stephen and I are having trouble with so far is the sinks here. Normally when using a bathroom sink in the states you would pull the handle up to turn the water on and push it down to turn the water off. It's the opposite in Japan. It's been about six times now that when we attempt to turn the water off we actually end up spraying water all over the sink from increasing the pressure. At least we are still laughing about it!

Tonight we plan to get a good night's sleep to prepare for Stephen's first day at work and my day house-hunting.

Arrival in Japan

We made it!  Kylee and I are checking into the Navy Lodge here at NAF Atsugi.  It's almost 2100 now, but it feels like 0500 (California Time).

The flight went fairly easily actually - thanks to in flight movies and TV shows, as well as books and music, the 12 hour flight passed relatively quickly.  We each had our own TV screen, and could select whatever movie or TV show we wanted to watch.

There was an exciting part of the flight where we passed through some turbulent air, and the plane seemed to go on a roller coaster ride!  It felt a bit like we were back at Disneyland - Kylee certainly seemed to think we were on Space Mountain again.  The trip smoothed out after that though, and the rest was smooth flying.

Lt Lathrop picked us up from Narita airport, drove us through Tokyo and to NAF Atsugi, and dropped us off at the Navy Lodge.  The skyline was pretty impressive, and the views of Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Tower were previews of the many sights to see in the next couple years.  Thanks to Lt Queen and his wife for putting some snacks and drinks in our room for us, and making us feel welcome!

We're headed to bed now, but we thank God for getting us here safely, and providing a smooth trip to Japan.  Now, we trust in Him to help us get settled and moving on with daily life!

Leaving the USA!

Our bags are packed, we're ready to go.  We're standing here outside your door, we'd love to wake you up to say goodbye.  We're leaving on a jet plane. . .

Well, the day is finally here.  Kylee and I are departing the good ol' U.S. of A and flying to Narita Airport, Tokyo, Japan.  We had a wonderful last evening with Dave and Becky, Grant and Courtney, Pete and Michelle and Jack, and Sam and Joyce.  Dinner was classic American pizza, with salad as a side dish, and family goodbyes for dessert.

Our new home for the next three years will be at NAF Atsugi, Japan.  It is in the city of Ayase, about an hour outside of Tokyo.

We are nervous, but mostly excited, to be heading to another country for the next three years.  Although there will be a lot of new things to learn, and many new experiences to have, we rest in the knowledge that God has sent us to Japan as a part of His plan for us, and He is faithful to those who trust in Him.  We would appreciate your prayers that we continue to put our faith in the Lord's provisions, and that He will guide us to good friends and community in Japan.

Sayonara!

P.S.  This entry represents the first of many to come - this is our first blog, so be prepared for some growing pains as we learn the ins and outs of whatever it means to be a 'blogger'.