What did you see?

These children can pump...you should have seen them gathering and then treking to our hotel tonight. This was a moment I was so grateful we'd all been running for the past three months.

The children just crack me up at what they think is funny...they thought the little red naked man hanging on a fish was hilarious.


Dear family and friends,

I wish you could see me fumbling across the top of my dashboard in Japanese. I have to click on all of them until it looks familiar.

We are now in Yokota, Japan! YEA GOD...I can hardly believe it. We did have a great week in Kadena and after ten cancelled flights we were so excited to be moving forward.

Yesterday when the flights were cancelled I could not have been more pleased with our children. Please don't get me wrong. I never want to paint our family for anything but who we are, six people who love and need Jesus. We struggle to be kind, and to respond like Christ does on a daily basis. Yesterday though, I could see such maturity in our children. They could not have handled the disappointment any better! Okay, well, one could have for a minute, but in general they were so gracious and grateful. Accepting of God's good plan...

We had a GREAT day too...we did a little more shopping, ate at Chili's AGAIN, rented two movies, read Les Miserables (we are on page 752...WAHOO). It was just a wonderful day. We agreed that no school would be done and that Melanee Kate could decide if we would exercise. We all knew what she would say. A day being together with no interruptions on a little island in the Pacific.

Today was filled with maybe's and waiting...the bottom line being that God got us to Yokota. We found out that we could also fly into Atsugi and then take the train for two hours to Yokota. We ended up being on the freedom bird that flies straight into Yokota, but I love our children's sweet spirit of adventure and willingness to do whatever Mother seems excited about.

I cannot begin to describe what I saw tonight...with the tip on His pinky He created Mt Fuji. Jefferson was crying out for me to look out the window and there she was, RIGHT out my window. She was majestic and bold, dimly lit by the shadows of the sunset. The whole trip has been worth it for just that moment. I will never forget it. How great is our God...

Tomorrow we are going to get our ducks in a row and then the plan is to head into Tokyo on Monday morning. Thinking and praying through all of our options. The military hotel is booked but I think I've found an option that will be reasonable and quite the cultural experience. I won't know if it's a go until tomorrow. I also have to find a place to keep our bags here in Yokota as I'm NOT dragging all of these bags including our school into Tokyo.

Tonight we rented a movie and ordered pizza in. It was very relaxing after a long day of traveling. Our sweet friends Karl and Stella Kent are moving here in March, we are SO EXCITED for them.

Love to all...
In Christ Alone,
Dinah for The Troops

What took you by surprise?

Please notice after you see the silly boy and darling girl, that they don't just have Chili's in Kadena, but a Chili's too!

Wyatt working hard on Math...

Heading out for our outing to find and discover the 100 yen store (like a dollar store).

Of all the wonderful yummies this grocery/bakery had to offer, the boy choose a spaghetti sandwich, cold. He LOVED it! Caroline has decided we ought to try to make them, although ours will be hot.

Look close, the red chili is tied down for typhoon season...we thought that was pretty funny and smart.

My favorite picture thus far...is God good or what!

Toodlesan enjoying leftover french fries with chopsticks for our Les Miserables break.

Toodlesan intensely soaking up and mulling over Les Miserables...we agreed to let him sleep since we were reading about the revolution.

Dear family and friends,

Well I have to say that Kadena took us by surprise! We just no idea how much we would love this Air Force Base. I have children who would just be happy to stay. We haven't gotten out to Yakota yet, so as of this minute they are getting their wish.

Nine to ten flights have been cancelled to Yakota this week and not that we haven't had down moments, but mainly we are just enjoying ourselves. I did not think about an International Driver's Licence, mainly because I didn't need one in New Zealand. I'd checked it out before I went last spring and it just dropped off of my scope for this trip. Caroline's announced that she thinks God just wanted us to have a week of rest, to be still, I think she's right.

We've done some school, piddled around base, and enjoyed the little things. Our children continue after over fifteen years to teach me how to enjoy the little things. The hand dryers are very cool, and the toilets are different. Wyatt is still looking for the singing pottie Caroline and experienced last January in Tokyo. We've done a little shopping on and off base and had a tremendous amount of exercise.

Today my sweet friend took us to a mall like store and we were able to go to the grocery store for lunch. So many choices of new and fun things. Jefferson and I had a long piece of sushi that was not cut up in the little pieces. He's my sushi boy! The bakery was amazing and everyone found a treat they enjoyed.

The little things are in abundance and I'm really enjoying a week of no interruptions, television, tennis, music lessons, and the busyness of life.

We're about to spend the next hour plus reading Les Miserable...we're on page six hundred and fourteen...

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

What was the highlight of Okinawa?

Jefferson soaking in John's sermon...we don't normally let our children sleep during church but jet lag is certainly the exception.

Some of the yummiest soup I've ever had!

Not only was the food wonderful, but so was the entertainment.

The Thomas Troops and the Reimer family. Only missing Jillian who is in Oklahoma. The Reimers have hands down been the highlight of Okinawa.

This is where we ate. It's fun just driving up and down the streets as it looks so different than America.

Dear family and friends,

Shortly after I wrote the last blog entry we bumped into an interesting situation. After we departed from the plane and got all of our bags ready to roll, I looked up and everyone had left. There we were alone, not even with overhead lights, in the baggage terminal not really sure what we were supposed to do next. I started making a few phone calls and during that time a marine showed up to look at and stamp our passports.

He showed us where the main terminal was for which we were grateful. This is the point that can certainly bring a little pressure and where I really have to trust God. I quickly verified where we were staying as Ed had made the arrangements. I also found there was no shuttle and attempted to call a taxi and share what we needed. We have four duffel bags that together weight 199 lbs. We also are carrying a violin, a camera bag, two purses, a sleeping bag, two backpacks, two carry on bags, and a shoulder bag. I was adamant about traveling light when we went to New Zealand but I wasn't so successful this time.

I'm very aware that we could end up in one place waiting to get out and that means we're pulling 70 lbs of school books as I don't really have school days to waste. I'd planned a few weeks for this trip as far as school goes, but there is certainly work to be done if needed.

We are also travelling through several climates. Guam was summer, Okinawa is rainy and windy but not really winter, Tokyo is cold, and Alaska can be Montana like. This means slippers (Hawaiian word for sandals/flip flops), boots, tennis shoes, ect. I tried to pack as light as possible and even rearranged the last day to only take four suitcases rather than five. We look like a very organized traveling circus. Everyone knows what they are to carry and the children do a fine job. It's quite a site though...maybe I'll get a picture for you.

So all this to say that there was no way we were going to fit in one taxi. I didn't know if they could send a van or send two taxi's. As I was trying to communicate all of this as precisely as possible, I was told, "five minutes," and the conversation ended.

I had the troops rally and we started moving our brigade to the door. Now it's also raining outside so walking wasn't an option. The children are quite funny talking about their mother tramping across Air Bases with our little moving show. I haven't yet, but they know it's always a possibility.

I was feeling better at this point, I always feel better once I have a plan. Then I saw her...Sherry Reimer walking towards us with a beautiful smile on her face. What a sight for sore eyes. John and Sherry are friends of ours from Colorado. We knew they had moved here several years ago. We also knew they had retired from the Marine Corps in order for John to pastor a church here to military families. The night before I had facebooked their oldest daughter in Oklahoma hopeful to get a phone number. Jillian had passed on my message and Sherry had not only found out our flight, but brought the church van!

God always provides in one way or another for which I am so grateful. Sherry proceeded to welcome us with hugs and laughter and sweet joy from the Lord. First things first, procure the mother some caffeine. Next she helped us settle in and then extended a gracious invitation to our children to come and join the church at their harvest festival. They were so excited and ready to go.

So here I was in Japan waiting for my sweet husband to arrive so we could have an evening to ourselves. A date night in Japan, now how's that for provision. My sweet man ordered a taxi and took me to Chili's! Not to worry we had a wonderful Japanese meal today. Chili's is my old time favorite though and I love to eat there wherever we go that it is available.

This time last week Okinawa was no where on my scope. It's been a precious time of dear fellowship and encouragement, filled with people we love...worshipping with Koza Baptist Church was priceless!

There are three planes that head tomorrow night to Yakota, Japan. They all have 10 seats, so we'll just see. God's plan is better, and Okinawa is sure proof!

Love in Christ,

Dinah for The Troops

Who's this trip about?

Wyatt's photo in Guam...I've got quite the crew of little photographers.

There were only two cars available to rent. The car with the trunk REEKED of smoke so we opted for the hatchback. Caroline's lap was just as full. The children were great sports!

This picture doesn't begin to do this sight justice. I've never seen anything like it. I even got to see a large freighter that looked like a tiny monopoly piece.

Dear family and friends,

We are back in the friendly skies and this time we are getting to see out the back of a KC-10. These children are having a fantastic time collecting military aircraft that they’ve flown in. It’s like bringing an air show to life. The window in the boom was larger than the KC-135 but the sky is obviously endless everyday. I don’t know that my eyes have personally seen a better example of the vastness of God. We are flying at 40,000 feet and I could clearly see the ocean below only laced with a few clouds close to the surface. Wyatt would rather not have airline seats to contain him as he prefers sitting strapped up to the wall, but we were ALL EXTREMELY grateful to make this flight.

When we hit the ground running my first course of action is to check the flight schedule for when we can leave as you really have to stay on top of this Space A adventure. The second order of business is securing a warm clean room and transportation. We flew in Thursday afternoon (Guam’s Thursday/Hawaii’s Wednesday…the children enjoy jokes like, “Mommy, you haven’t fed us since yesterday.”) to find no flights out Thursday or Friday. One mission was leaving today and two tomorrow, but then nothing until Wednesday. When I realized how sparse it could be getting out, oh howdy did I start praying. Not just that we would get out, but how I would handle it if we didn’t. Great exercise in trusting in the Sovereignty of God I might add.

Guam was beautiful, a lot like Hawaii although there was much more open space than our island. I was tickled pink that my favorite Pacific island tree was out our window. The water was beautiful, the sky was immense. We laughed this morning driving back onto base that if you didn’t have the palm trees it looked just like Montana. I love to hear my children laugh.

Yesterday we had a phenomenal meal, tootled around the island, and could hardly wait to try Banana Coconut Fritters for dessert last night. They were yummy by the way. Jefferson was dead set on Banana and Coconut Cream Pie, just like Gilligan.

My sweet friend Tricia Boles had given me suggestions for our stay, for which I was grateful. If we’d had another day we would have spent it at the National Park. Did you know that in Guam a Japanese soldier was hiding in a cave he dug out, and a farmer discovered him in 1972? Can you imagine?

So here’s the question that I’ve been wrestling with all fall. Before I tell you the question I just want to announce that I “know” the answer. I even believe the answer. Yet I’ve been struggling like the man in Mark, “I believe Lord, help me believe.” Does God really have everything fully in control, is He sovereign? Well, of course He is. Then why is it often so hard to walk the process. Flying Space A is definitely an opportunity to walk the process. God could have wanted us to stay in Guam until Wednesday. His bigger picture is trustworthy. He is so patient with me. He’s already told me this trip is about Him.

Last night we were told that there were only 6 seats available for today’s flight. Okay, lets do the math….there are five us, plus one, makes not great odds to get on an airplane to Kadena AB today. I even had someone tell me last night they wouldn’t bother coming out. Jesus and I had some sweet moments last night. Not just taking my request to God, but asking him to align my heart to His plans.

We’ve had a lot of unknowns since we found out we were leaving Hawaii. I don’t necessarily like unknowns. I want to know my cards, even if they are hard. This year has been a huge spiritual exercise for me. Trusting God with the unknowns, and claiming what I do know. I know there is nothing ahead that is not already known to God. No surprises for my master. It doesn’t matter that I don’t know where I’ll be this time next year, or next week for that matter. He has it all under control. He knew there would be six seats today and that He’d already written our names all over five of them.

Thank you Lord for being fully in control. Thank you for the opportunity to be living out, in front of our children, what we say we believe. Thank you for being trust worthy. Thank you for these amazing children. Thank you for a husband who longs to hold me in Japan tonight. Thank you for five seats. Thank you for letting me see your sky in a new way, I have no concept of your vastness, yet as of today I have a new brighter picture. Thank you for a young lady, who happens to be our daughter, gently reminding me Monday what I’m teaching her. God you are never late, and never early…thank you for being right on time!

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

How is military travel different?

We were all so grateful for an invitation back to the boom. The boom operator was very welcoming to all the questions that were fired her way.

My girls were as mesmerized as my boys.

Keeping busy and occupied. We also had book time when reading was expected. Once I get those boys reading they are good to go!

One of the side windows frames the wing and the sky. I only took 503 pictures to get two I really liked. We have a new camera and it's going to take some practice.

Dear family and friends,

HOWDY…I’ve never written while in the air. Of course today has already been filled with things I’ve never done before. I’ve never been up in a KC 135. I’ve never travelled to Guam. I’ve never had a picnic with my boys on the floor of an airplane.

Military travel is quite a different ride in so many facets. We started trying to get out Saturday although there were two planes we passed up that we could have attempted to get out on. For me, military travel is filled with prayer, learning to trust my amazing travel agent, hurry up and wait, realigning expectations, and holding on for a wild ride.

The last few days have certainly had ups and downs. We’ve planned and cancelled several trips. One due to my sweet husbands wisdom, one due to lack of peace, and one cancelled two hours before we were heading to the terminal. DEFINITELY an exercise in trusting God to be the one in control and not the Air Force.

Last night I repacked for the third time. I was trying to be cheerful and was greatly encouraged when a 14 year old boy, our 14 year old boy to be exact, chimed in, “Wow mom, this is your third time to pack for this trip and we haven’t gone anywhere yet…THANK YOU!” A thank you sure can go a long way. God knew I needed a little encouragement just at that moment. You don’t need as many winter clothes when you go to Guam. Less winter, a little summer…bathing suits, night clothes (two sets now for winter/summer), short sleeve shirts, and running shoes all at the top of one bag so we don’t have to dig through the other.

Oh and you should see, or should I say, pick up my green aloha LL Bean rolling duffel. We have to have school with us as we don’t know how long we’ll be where and if we get stuck we’re going to do school. Books are heavy. I would call this a field trip more than a vacation. Although we’ll make sure a little vacation is tucked in there.

I digress, military travel is where I was at I believe. Box lunches filled with goodies that this mother doesn’t buy are also a treat. You just can’t beat it for $4.25. We laugh every time that some man is slapping those sandwiches together as you’ve never seen so much meat on one sandwich. I ended up with roast beef and BBQ chips which are my favorite as far as sandwiches go. I had to pull off the cheese, throw away a piece of the bread, and whittle down the meat before I could start though.

Travelling out of season is a benefit as the children are the children on this mission. ALWAYS a learning opportunity you know. The boys were ecstatic to be up in the cockpit for take off and the girls are looking forward to their invitation for landing. They’ve also spent fifteen minutes on their tummies learning all about refueling and lowering that boom. What a GREAT way to see God’s creation of sky. His vastness of space amazes me just looking out a side window, but seeing the sky behind you stretched across as far as the eye could see was breathtaking.

I love that you can’t visit too much with anyone. Is that a strange thing to be on my list? We all wear hearing protection so you can’t talk too much. It can be pretty noisy up here. It’s the difference of sitting at a park with a few people around or at a Texas A&M football game with the 12th man going wild. The children settle themselves down to reading, knitting, stories, and music while I have a quiet moment to myself. Almost a day off to do whatever I’ve planned. I have a bag of reading, I’m writing, I’ve listened to a sermon, and spent sweet moments with Jesus. You can sing to Jesus right out loud and no one even hears you.

I’m sitting by the window so I can see. There are only four side windows on the entire plane. The dark is coveted too as there are many sleeping soldiers nestled down in sleeping bags. We brought one of our own this time and didn’t even know until we got on that it has an inside liner that pops out really creating two. It was borrowed from a neighbor. God providing in abundance, as always.

A crew member just came up to the window (door with a window) and starting pulling at the insulation. Before I knew what he was doing (I have to choose to not think about being sucked out of one of these doors so I was a little wide eyed) he pulled out two soda cans that he’d tucked up their earlier. When he saw me staring in wonder he put the can up to my arm-ice cold.
There’s much more heat up in this KC 135 than the C 17 we flew on to New Zealand. I came prepared. It’s funny to be heading to Guam with everyone carrying a winter coat. I truly feel very confused by the weather differentiations that are coming our way.

I hope to keep you posted as to wherever we may go. God reminded me clearly this morning that this trip is about Him…where He wants us to go, what He wants us to do, how He wants to work in our hearts and lives, and whoever we get to love along the way. I feel like I’m flying first class with my travel agent right at my side. What a way to travel…who really needs much heat this high up anyway!

Love to you all…
In Him,
Dinah for The Troops

Where are we now?

Dear family and friends,

The crates are packed, the house is cleared, the van is full, and we are so grateful for the hard work that has been accomplished! God is always so faithful, I need to be better at expecting Him to be who I know He is.

We are in a TLF (Temporary Lodging Facility) for the weekend but hopeful to be off on a grand adventure tomorrow. Space A is right around the corner. The military often opens seats on airplanes that are on mission. We are looking at a flight to Korea with hopes of landing in Japan by Sunday to meet Ed in Tokyo for a few days R&R. We started school in July so we'd have three weeks of flexibility this fall for some hands on learning! So grateful the Air Force lends us this opportunity when we are overseas!

I feel free to be rid of all of our belongings at the moment, but I know I'll be glad to see them in the future. Great reminder that it's just stuff as you see it all carted away, again. The things of this earth are fleeting, can be gone tomorrow. I want to invest in the eternal...

We are so grateful for family and friends and are ecstatic about seeing people we love in the upcoming months. We leave the island Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Ed will promote a fine officer to Lt. Col. in the morning and we'll be on a plane late afternoon. Ed's known Major Hoffman since Ed was a Capt. and Hoffman was a Lt. I can't think of a better thing to do the morning we leave.

Love to all...
In our loving Father's hands,
Dinah for The Troops