Dear Santa

I love when kids are just learning how to spell and write. Sami gave me her Christmas list last night for Santa and I couldn't help but smile.

Can you figure out what she is asking for?

barbys
baby clos for my Jopones doll
mecopset
puleqla dolls
herstof
more books
dresup kloos
hello kite kemora

This is my translation of her list. Good thing Mrs. Santa was a communications major.

Barbies
Baby clothes for my Japanese doll
Makeup set
Some Japanese cartoon (have no idea how to spell it myself!)
More books
Dress up clothes
Hello Kitty Camera

So her spelling isn't all that great, but hey. She is only 6! I think I will miss the day when I no longer have to decipher what she is writing.

An Awesome Surprise

Yesterday I came home from a long day helping out at the school and working on some CHIC things to find a delivery slip in my mailbox. Usually the slips say who the package is from, but this time all it said was "USA".

I bribed Sami to walk with me by telling her I would let her pick out a treat from the grocery store near the post office. The post office is a little over a mile away from our house –– downhill there and uphill home.

I handed the worker my slip and she and came back laughing and carrying a huge box. The side of the box said it weighed 14 pounds and 12 ounces. I about fell over, especially knowing how much it costs to ship 15 pounds to Japan. So uphill I carried this just shy of 15 pound box home.


My super special, full-of-surprises friend Val sent me a taste of "home" package. I think she somehow knew I was a bit homesick. I was totally blown away and speechless.

Sami & I began to open the box. It was like Christmas in Japan.

Sitting at the top was a card and a bunch of pictures. Some of the pictures was of us from Christmas and of the kids from Christmas, and she even sent a few of Illinois and NC.

Noah sent Sami a "love" note and a photo of himself and Maia sent Sami a box of fruit snacks. She was so excited.

Next was a bag with relaxing candles, bath wash and some pretty matches, that as you can see in the note, Noah picked out for me.

Next was this Ohio State tumbler that included a note saying every time I use this Val hoped it reminded me of "home".


Then came the "goodies". Tons of "USA" type stuff from candy to dip and drink mixes to gravy to biscuits to Spanish rice to Chex Mix to almost every item Hostess makes.

I have to admit I was crying over a box full of Hostess King Dongs and Cupcakes. Not that I missed them, as to be honest I am not sure I have eaten them since college, but because I was just missing "home".


At the very bottom was a Mexican cooking magazine, as Mexican food is just not found here, an Illinois newspaper and a Real Simple magazine.

Here is all our stash spread out. The only thing missing is appetite suppresants to keep me from eating all this food.

Little things like this show me that proximity doesn't make a friendship, the heart does.

So thank you Val. Thank you for bringing a smile to not just me, but my whole family.

Something to Smile about

I think I woke up this morning with an election hangover. So let me share something that happened on election day that did make me smile –– the release of David Cook's first music video.

Enjoy!