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."