A LOOK BACK

On the road to the future, there's nothing wrong with taking a glance in the rear-view mirror and appreciating the journey that has brought you here. Before I get into our future plans and current updates along the way, I wanted to dedicate a post to our time here at Yokota Air Base.
In many ways, Yokota has been a blessing to us. We have had the opportunity to see parts of the world we might not have otherwise seen, started a family here, built a foundation for future plans, and gained an appreciation for "home".
Let's touch on that last one. Perspective is everything. Living abroad has forced us to make sacrifices and adapt in ways we hadn't imagined. Are there things about Japan that I will miss? Absolutely. But, there are certainly things about it that I will be ecstatic to leave behind. Playing by the rules of another culture can be downright tough. Along the way, we both really grew to appreciate the little things about America that were things we once took for granted. From knowing what is being said on the intercom in an airport to being able to know what the H-E-double hockey stick I'm ordering for lunch will sure be nice! I would be lying if I said I didn't miss being home. I miss it all- the food, the wide-open spaces, the affordability of literally everything! I could go on and on.
It's not just Japan's culture we adjusted to; it's military life. While this life provides certain comforts and assurances, it also comes with a slew of undesirables. We've adopted a saying in our household, "Put it on the list!" The 'list' is a collection of good reasons to get out of the military life and try our hand at being 'normal people'. The 'list' isn't a literal written list of all things hated, but more of a shrug and "Put it on the list" phrase often muttered in disappointment regarding this or  that. Want to cook breakfast on Saturday morning, but ran out of bacon? Unless it's 9:00 you're out of luck! Sorry Charlie, the store doesn't open until 9:00 here, and good luck finding American style bacon off base. Okay, minor thing, right? Let's just go out to breakfast. Nope, not so fast- think again. Today is whatever BS holiday, therefore the one breakfast joint open for business on Saturdays is closed. Go ahead and take your chances with a bakery burrito or experience the sore excuse for a 'Denny's' Japan has. Bet you can't order a breakfast at an American Denny's that has a single sausage, egg and side salad served with miso soup. What's the point right? This breakfast example is one of many little things that are in the pile of irritating things you have to settle for here. Think of glitter getting spilled in a porous rug- most sensible people would put the vacuum away after a couple of reasonable attempts to get it out and realize it's not worth the hassle, might as well get a new rug. And for goodness sake, enough with the glitter!
Alright, before this negative train goes any further south, let's get back on track and re-visit all the good that has come out of our time here- (cheesy puns intended). One of the very first things that we did when we got here is look at the time we had and made a plan to capitalize on "being stuck" abroad for four years. This included a timeline and plan of action to get our finances where we wanted them to be. Almost four years later, I'm proud to say we have been disciplined enough to follow it, and have reached our goals. Of course the opportunities for work were very different here for me, so I not only found a lucrative and fun way to make money, I also learned a new trade. Matt dabbled in entrepreneurship with importing/exporting and flipping cars. I think it's safe to say we both surprised ourselves by reaching new heights personally and professionally here at Yokota. 
We also made one of the biggest life decisions while we were here. We started a family! Stability and timing seemed to line up perfectly for us. We were so blessed to be under the right circumstances. 
Anyway, I'm sure you are catching my drift by now. Leaving Yokota will surely be bitter-sweet for us. We really had a chance to discover ourselves and build a foundation here. With the right circumstances, some resiliency, resourcefulness, and a little bit of luck, we are leaving here better people. In the end, I suppose that's all that matters. Speaking of "the end" I have to share some interesting insight with you. My best friend and I put our heads together for about a half an hour and made a list. You see, if there's one thing to be said about Yokota is, that it changes people for better or worse.  We tried to list all the people we could think of (couples), and were able to come up with 147 between the two of us. Of those couples, 118 had one or more babies, an additional 6 had babies but ended up divorced, 6 more didn't have babies but got divorced and only 17 couples did neither. A couple of realistic theories about these numbers might have to do with the fact that most of the people we know are of the age to start a family. The majority of couples we know also got married (like Matt and myself) only after receiving orders to come here. Regardless, it's undeniable that these numbers are really incredible. Big decisions are made here and lives are changed. It truly is a place to find yourself and figure out what you want in life as a person, as a couple, and as a family.

BACK TO BLOGGING

Ladies and gents, I'm back to blogging! I'm hoping that amidst the chaos of this year's crazy, busy, and beautiful events, I can take solace in blogging through our journey. Interestingly enough, it's been exactly one year since I concluded my blog featuring Naomi's young life and once again, I have the itch to keep a log of our perspective throughout our next big journey; the move 'back home'. 

As you have probably noticed, I titled the blog "Living for today while building our tomorrow". One of the reoccurring themes for us since we started our vague countdown to returning to America has been to look forward to the exciting things to come while appreciating today's blessings. It's really important to us to be mindful of all of the wonderful things we have here. With so much uncertainty on the horizon, we really have tried to be thankful and happy for how many comforts, conveniences, and opportunities we enjoy in our daily lives. 

Let's touch on that last statement. Specifically, "uncertainty on the horizon". While we have some big, exciting plans that will no-doubt change our trajectory, they come at a price. I'm certainly guilty of taking comfort in having control over my life through planning. Everything from knowing where you will work and live- how much you will make, the list goes on and on. WE KNOW NONE OF THIS! We are taking a huge leap of faith, planning and preparing as best we can and making the jump. Can you imagine? We are giving up a sure thing and a comfortable life in the hopes/dreams/plans that we will make a better life for ourselves. Ironically, this was a huge reason on what we like to call 'the list' of reasons to get out. With Matt in the military, we knew we would have little to no control over where we lived, when we moved, how much we made, and so on.  Seeing lots of our military friends go through various scenarios from getting PCS orders to move six days after closing on the home they just bought, to being stuck in a miserable job in a place they never cared to live in has started to get old. We are at a point now where we want to put down roots and make a life for ourselves with limitless control; both things that are not necessarily possible in the military.

Don't get me wrong, it hasn't been all bad. In fact, not at all! We have enjoyed the comforts of a steady income, consistent benefits, a stable home with modern comforts, and the chance of a lifetime to see parts of the world we might not otherwise have seen. Believe it, we sure did do it all, and we are not done. BUT, that being said we also sacrificed these elements of control over our future and find that we are no longer willing to do so. 

Anyway, now that I've provided you with some insight as to why we are making the "jump" to get out, let me address this "we" thing. I'm sure there is the burning question of "isn't HE the one getting out of the military?" Sure. Of course that's the cut and dried version of it but, that's not how life works folks. In order for a family unit to function and prosper, it takes a team to make decisions, support one-another, and follow through. When I said "I do", I too became a part of the military life. I left my family, modified my career, and started a life thousands of miles away because I made a commitment to someone I love. When he told me he was unhappy with the circumstances of his career and all the potential he felt he wasn't able to fulfill by staying in, I supported that decision and we began making plans for a life 'on the outside' together. So, be warned I won't be getting rid of this 'we' business anytime soon. 

Next up, I will be taking you all on a look back at our time here. Part of looking forward is looking back and being appreciative of the journey. Just today on my way home I caught myself replaying the first drive out to our little home. We were so excited. I will never forget driving through a bright, fun,  new (to us) neighborhood on our way to see what these keys we held would reveal behind the door to the place we would call home for the next four years. Today it's lonely and quiet. They have stopped filling units around as people have moved out in preparation for renovations. What was once a busy and bustling neighborhood remains the remote families like us living out their time until the next adventure. We have grown to appreciate and embrace the change. While there may be some dark elements to being one of the last families standing, there is something to be said for knowing your time is quickly approaching too. And hey, these quiet/peaceful evenings have grown on us!