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 It's been a hot minute.

Life's a whirlwind, not just for us.  We know that.  We aren't  immune though, that's for sure.

As previously mentioned, we were in a hotel for a LONG time.  We stayed in a hotel for 10 days prior to flying here, and then we got the experience of 14 days in quarantine in a hotel.  Following that we had to stay in that hotel until we found a place to live.  Which...took awhile.

Lots of hoops to jump through, guys.  Isn't that just how it is when you are dealing with the U.S. government?  "But wait!  I thought you were living off base in Japan?"  Ah yes...but because our contract is through the U.S. Gov, we have to take 12 extra steps to do everything.  As we have gone along, I am understanding more and more why these checks and balances are set up, buuuutttttttttt still....everything takes for.eh.ver.

Example?  This story was big news all over Japan.  And it was a family that was supposed to be coming tour tiny little corner of Iwakuni.

https://www.stripes.com/news/coronavirus-travel-incident-in-japan-gets-us-family-barred-from-military-bases-for-10-years-1.643086

Cliff notes: Family doesn't do the Restriction of Movement (ROM, or 2 weeks quarantine), lies about it, ends up HAVING COVID-19, and what there you have it.  Relationships are strained.  Trust is lost.  They kind of screwed up things for lots of people.  More on that later, though.

I digress.

Back to our house search.

We find a house that we think we want, we look at many more, we decide on the first house, it's not available for nearly ONE MORE MONTH....WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.  So, including our ROM, we were in a hotel for nearly 3 months.  BUT LOOK!

We have a house.  Just today the lovely housing agent came and weed whacked all the grass, which was green, and now...now we have a dirt field.  But THAT'S OK because we have a house.  And ya know what?  It's glorious to be renting.  Andrew and I discuss this regularly, but not owning a house makes me not care if there are weird things in it.  I don't care that the cabinets are from 1965, I don't care that there are incredibly gaudy chandeliers in 2 of the rooms.

 I do not care that there are probably 10 different kinds of wall paper throughout the house, including on some of the ceilings and doors.  I. Don't. Care.  I don't feel the need to make a list of all the things I want to change, update, fix.  I can just live in the house and be grateful for it.  

The kids have already noted that it "feels like home", which is such a relief because it DOES.  Not necessarily our FOREVER home (but....who knows if that even exists for us...really...), not our ONLY home, but...ya know...that feeeling of HOME.  And I'd agree.  I wander up our teeny tiny little road to pick Holland up from the bus stop and it feels normal.  

Look at this cute little path that leads to a gate that leads to our house!  Adorable!

I hop on my bike and ride to the grocery store, and pick up groceries for a few days, and it feels comfortable (minus the part where I can't say much to anyone!).

There are, however, several things that WILL take getting used to.  Like many countries that are not the United States of America, Japan's trash system is incredible.  And also extensive.  We have 9 different trash categories, and some subcategories.  For real.  For the most part, I LOVE THIS.  I love knowing that my recycling is ACTUALLY being RECYCLED!  Luckily we have a very thorough handbook of how to handle all the trash, along with a calendar of when which trash is picked up when.

Additionally, since being in our house, Keane was **FINALLY** able to start local school.  It's been a long process, and this is his first (and possibly only?) week.  We made some friends who blitz tutored Keane in Japanese every day for nearly two weeks so that he would have a little bit of confidence going in. He has been allowed to do a 1 week trial, and then we will evaluate whether or not to keep him in school.  

And Holland is still cruising along in Yochien (kindergarten).

Cache is 3. So everything is a thing, always.

Indie is 8.5 months, is eating everything in sight, and is trying to walk already.  Too soon, TOO SOON!

So there you have it.  We have made it through the next portion of the move, and we are finally starting to settle in.  There are still so many unknowns, and plenty of things that are uncomfortable, scary and foreign.  So we go on and enjoy the experience.