James and I have been in Tokyo for nearly one week now, and we both love this city. It is old and new all at the same time. It is familiar yet foreign. Bustling yet quiet. There are so many fascinating juxtapositions in this city, and we have just barely begun to explore them.

We have been welcomed into this new city by the people of Tokyo Union Church in such warm and loving hands. Everyone we have met thus far has been so excited to share this new place with us, and our time working at the church thus far has been very good. There are so many things to say and share that James and I will have to do it bit by bit, focusing on one thing at a time.

Today’s special feature: Kimonos. James and I had the opportunity of a life-time to be dressed in Kimonos yesterday by the Women’s Society at Tokyo Union Church (TUC). This society has been a part of the church for years and years, and is composed of a broad variety of women – some from the US, some from Europe, some from other parts of Asia, and many women from Japan. One of the things this group does is to share various elements of Japanese culture, and yesterday’s session  was all about the art of dressing in Kimonos. There were several Japanese women who volunteered to dress us in their beloved robes, many of them family heirlooms. And James and I were chosen to be dressed as the bride and groom, which was quite an ordeal. We learned about the various types of Kimonos, varying degrees of formality, kimonos for different seasons of the year, kimono styles from different eras of Japanese history, and more. Dressing in Kimonos is very complicated, and takes a very skilled women to put the robe on just right. There are no buttons or Velcro or zippers – it is all put together by ropes and cords and string. And the obi (the beautiful garment tied around the waist) is like putting a finishing touch of origami on the robe. Apparently if a woman wants to get dressed in a kimono for her wedding, and her mother is not very skilled at dressing in Kimonos, it costs over $100.00 at a beauty salon to be dressed properly in one. So James and I feel quite fortunate that these Japanese women were willing to share their time and skills with us. 

Preptastic Birthday Party

A few weeks ago we had a birthday party for our dear friend, Sara, and it also happened to coincide with the end or her time as a student in Princeton. So we figured that we should give her one final taste of pure preppiness, with a little Kentucky Derby Flair. We had the house bedazzled in those preppy shades of pink and green, and James was working hard to crank out mint juleps galore. Fortunately for everyone invited, putting together some kind of preppy outfit was not a difficult task—especially for our Southern friends. Have to admit – although I’m from the Pac-Northwest, and although I do love my Northface fleeces and my Chico’s, I have always had a strong penchant for the looks of J.Crew, RL, and Vineyard Vines.

All that to be said, it was a great evening to celebrate another year with Sara. She is a  fabulous friend and I don’t know what we’ll do when she no longer lives within a 3-mile radius. Lots of weekend trips, I suspect. 

Raising Arizona: The Baby Shower

Last week we hosted a baby shower for some friends here at the Seminary, Chris and Sarah. But this baby shower was not your usual games and flowers kind of deal. Chris wanted to have a "Raising Arizona" themed shower, which is a movie by the Cohen brothers (most famous for the Big Lebowski). So James and I watched the movie with them before the party, and the basic premise is trailer park couple who steal a baby and raise it. Pretty funny.

Chris and Sarah are dressed as the main characters, H.I. and Edwina. Lookin' good!

Yep, here is our friend Marc dressed as a robber.

And here he is with the gumdrop bunt cake he made.

Sara McP and Alison are lookin' good...and Sara showed up with a little bun in the oven!

The Tempest

This spring semester I took a class called "Practical Theology and Drama." The seminary puts on a play every spring, and you can participate in it for credits. So when I heard that we were performing Shakespeare's The Tempest, and that I could get credit for it, I thought it would be a lot of fun. When else am I going to be in a Shakespeare play? I had no idea that I would end up playing the role of Iris (Goddess of Rainbows) and a nymph. This play is full of all sorts of mystical creatures on a magical island, and I had a blast being a part of it. I had a few lines as a goddess, and even a short solo...those of you who know my singing abilities will be laughing right now.

So, for your pure entertainment and at the risk of absolute embarrassment, I've decided to put a few photos of this fantastic experience up on the blog. I don't have any photos of the actual play yet, so these are all behind stage photos. Feel free to chuckle...I'll still be friends with you.
Here I am with my fellow sea nymphs.


This is a picture of the 3 goddesses: Ceres, Juno, and Iris

An Occasion to Toast

Our friend Marc proposed to his lovely girlfriend (now fiance) a few weeks ago on a sunny Saturday at a local orchard. To no surprise Balem said yes, and we had the chance to host a little engagement party that evening. There was plenty of congrats and champagne to go around, and we are very excited for them. Congrats, friends!

Valentine's Day = Spa Day...

This year my wonderful sweet Valentine got together with 3 other guys in CRW and they all set up a spa day for us girls...it was great! A spa day is a rare treat, and even better when you get to go with a bunch of girlfriends. You did well, guys!

Here's the whole group: Becca, Alison, me, Sara, and Kristine.











This is my hot wax treatment...pretty strange yet awesome.














Sara and Kristine












Al and Sara

Won't you be my neighbor?

James and I are "deacons" for our building this year...which does not mean much more than we get a budget to throw a few parties throughout the year for our building to foster community. Not a bad deal, really. So in February we finally got a party set up for the folks in our building. During the spring, summer, and early fall months we have a weekly BBQ together, which is a great way to stay in touch with your neighbors. But during the winter months we all turn into hibernating bears, so this gathering was a fun chance to catch up.

Here are two of our youngest neighbors, Ryland and Josiah.

Lucas, James, and Bradley

Allie and Shannon

Tara (who has the 1 year old son) and Anthony (Allie's husband)

Lucy (whose husband and 2 kids couldn't make it), with Ryland and Josiah