I can't believe it's been 6 weeks since I last wrote.  So much has happened that I won't do any of it justice.

Saying goodbye to our friends and family was difficult.  We actually got to Skype with my family today and got all teary when I saw how excited K was to see them.  It made me think of all that they are going to miss by being away from each other....


But, back to the beginning of our journey here:
K and I left San Diego at 10a wednesday morning.  I cried when the dumb TSA agent told me my carry-on luggage was too big and had to be checked.  Then cried again when some random lady came up and asked if she could pray for me.  Sometimes God lets me feel His presence, sometimes I need Him to speak directly to me.  Her random kindness reminded me who exactly is in control and I pulled myself together.  Normally, bossy TSA lady wouldn't have reduced me to tears, but I had to repack my backpack  (in the middle of the terminal) so I could include what I needed from my carry-on.  Plus, I was just a little bit emotional leaving SD.  I love that city.
K cried most of the way from San Diego to San Francisco.   Then she fell asleep during the landing.  We got off the plane (did I mention I was carrying K in the baby bjorn, lugging a carseat, backpack, and camera bag? it was a bit of a pain) and hurried to our connecting flight.  Our flight to Tokyo was pretty uneventful.  I had read a few blogs about how to keep your child entertained on international flights and I am so ever-loving-grateful for them because they suggested things I never would have thought of like small, wrapped gifts to give K when she was bored.  so smart.  love them.  I had a happy baby on the way to Tokyo.  **sidenote: United Airlines is terrible.  ab so lute ly terrible.  ***
Then in Tokyo we transferred to All Nippon Airways.  Got a little lost, but our awesome flgiht attendant directed me to customs.  Got to our gate just in time to board our plane and we began the last leg of our trip.  K and I were so worn out and I am so grateful that she slept most of this flight.

I get all emotional telling this next part of our story.  Everyone we've been in contact with out here has been over-the-top helpful and kind.  We've had complete strangers offer rides, groceries, and every kind of help we might possibly need.  It's been wonderful.  There's this 'we take care of each other' mentality out here that I absolutely love and cannot wait to return.  So, back to our journey...  I'm waiting at the baggage claim with K in the bjorn and a very full cart with a backpack, carseat, and camera bag in it.  I see my four bags twirling around the carousel and am wondering how in the world I am going to keep an eye on my stuff and somehow go get the remainder of all the crap belongings I have.
I look to my right and there's a gal in an Air Force uniform standing there, so I ask her if she'd mind just watching my things for me.  She says, no problem and I go and get my 2 pieces of luggage, my carry-on that wasn't carried-on and K's pack-n-play.  I'm cursing myself at all the crap stuff I had to bring and lugging all this stuff back to my other pile of stuff when the Air Force gal goes and gets another cart for me AND rearranges my stuff.  I thank her and am about to try to maneuver these carts out when she calls her friend over to cart my stuff and all 3 of us walk out to the departure lobby.  I ask her where she's coming from and she nonchalantly says she's coming home from AFGHANISTAN! Seriously?! Not only is this woman just back from deployment, but she's pushing MY cart over to my waiting welcoming party when her son comes running into her arms.  I should've been the one helping her.  I was blown away that she took her time to help me when she's been separated from her family while on deployment.  She must have been dying to get on the other side of that glass.  I will be forever grateful for her kindness... She was completely selfless and I really admire her.  I wish I knew who she was so I could say thank you or do something nice for her or her family-- she disappeared before I got her name.

Anyway, I hope to write soon about our first full day out in Okinawa.  We had a ton of fun! We've learned so much already and can't wait to see and do more!