Mika's visit to a Japanese portrait studio.....

We went to the Rio Portrait studio and Mika got to pick out a kimono to wear and have her photo taken. David won this portrait package and we found out it was worth $200.00!
The pictures turned out great and it was such a special experience. The staff did such a great job!

Mika chose this pretty blue kimono and she looked so beautiful.

She got to wear makeup! She loved the lipstick and said it felt like a princess.

Her hair looked really pretty and she loved the flowers.

She was very patient and did such a great job.




We had to remove our shoes and wear slippers they had waiting for us. Poor Max....his big feet never fit.

Outside the portrait studio in Okinawa City.

Enjoying a lollipop as a reward for doing such a great job!

Halloween storytime and gymnastics....

We had a fun weekend! We took Mika to enjoy a special "Halloween storytime" at the Camp Foster library and she wore her Snow White dress that Max gave her for her birthday. The librarian read three stories and then we made a pumpkin mask. It was lots of fun.

Mika loves going to gymnastics class every Friday morning and she's very good at it. She loves to tumble and use all the equipment. Her favorite is the uneven bars.

Max goes to his first Homecoming dance....October 9, 2010

Max went to his first Homecoming dance on October 9th! His school chartered a bus and all the students rode the bus up to Camp Hansen to The Palms where they had the dance. He really likes Kadena High School and has excellent grades this year so far. Six A's and One B!! He didn't have a date for the dance, but went with a bunch of friends. He had a great time. He also ordered his class ring this week. Yikes, lots of milestones lately!
After Max left for the Homecoming dance, we took Mika out for dinner to "Kentucky Colonel." (Kentucky Fried Chicken) The menu is VERY different in Japan, but the food is very good. We especially like the corn soup.
We stopped at the supermarket on the way home and bought some steamed buns to take home. Mika loves them and they're very yummy.

A visit with Hsin Hui: September 23, 2010

Hsin Hui came to Okinawa for a vacation and we were able to spend a few hours together. (she was a foster sister to Mika in Taiwan) We went to Ryukyu Mura and then enjoyed a delicious sushi meal together at Ichiban Tei.
We were happy that Mika remembered her because she hadn't seen her in 17 months. Mika definitely remembered her though and was happy to see her again. It was a very good day. We feel very thankful to have such a good relationship with the Foster family that Mika lived with in Taiwan.

Okinawa Shisa on a rooftop.

Feeding the Koi fish at Ryukyu Mura.

Mika LOVES sushi!!!

This sushi is a specialty of Okinawa and has "sea grapes." It's a plant that grows in the ocean. It tastes like little salty pebbles that pop when you eat them.

enjoying Okinawa sushi...