Baby Update....It's a GIRL!!!

 

Hiking Mt. Inoyama with a baby bump

We decided since the weather was getting a little nicer, it would be a good time to take a hike. We drove over to Oshima Island, and the plan was to hike Mt. Inoyama, which has an observation tower at the top. We parked at the bottom, and started hiking!

First stop....about 15 minutes into hiking....the bridge in the back connects Iwakuni to Oshima Island.

Oh yea, check out the baby bump

Random rock we found...it has been cut in half and looked like a butterfly - who knows if it is supposed to be like that or not!

So this hike basically consists of a road that winds up the mountain and ends at the observatory...so I was told. As we were hiking, there were several cars that passed us going up the mountain...I figured they were going to the few homes that were scattered along the mountain...WRONG!

Come to find out...there is a parking lot at the top next to the observation deck...grrrr!

After an hour of hiking straight up, we made it to the top of the mountain, and the observation deck. It was a clear day for the most part. Crazy that it was about 20 degrees colder on top of the observation deck, than on the mountain....we stayed long enough to take pictures and left.

This is a view of Iwakuni City from Oshima Island

Coming back down the mountain...I think

Another view from the top

View from the second deck of the observation tower...not as windy or cold

Looking down from the top deck of the observation tower

Looking out towards Yanai, little hazier towards the south

This is our "Take the picture, I'm freezing" look

It took another 30 minutes to hike down the mountain, but overall it was a good hike.

I did tell Jon several times, that the next time we hike, he gets to carry the baby....I think it is a good deal!

 

Baby update & Overnight Okinawa Trip

On Thursday Feb 7, 2013 I had my 15 week appointment with my Dr. I was hoping to get some new baby pictures, but it was not that type of appointment...this one was kind of boring...I guess that is good since Jon is out of town in Okinawa firing off round after round on the range.
I showed up for my appointment, and did the everyday check-in with vitals and weight. Good news, I have only gained 3.8 pounds in 15 weeks! I get taken by a corpsman to the Dr.s office, and she says we are going to check the baby's heart beat. Ok, cool. Now I know I am not an OB/L&D Nurse, but I do know that I am not far along enough to be checking for a heartbeat at my belly-button. Since I do have a little bit of knowledge, I did not panic when the corpsmen could not find the heartbeat, well let me rephrase, when the only heartbeat she could find was mine (mine was 84...baby should be 130's-170's). Anywho, after about 15 minutes, the corpsmen decided to get the Dr, who said "Let's find it with ultrasound, last time this baby was hiding"! Guess what, still hiding on my left side...but this time, it looked like he/she was doing the backstroke (possible swimmer....I think so). Anywho, we have a strong heartbeat in the 160's (does that mean girl or boy)?
I then was sent to have another round of labs done, for quad screening...basically looking for neural tube defects (spina bifida...hence the folic acid supplement) and down syndrome. Results take about 3 weeks....not concerned.
Lastly, I received my orders for medevac to go to Yokosuka next month for the big bio-physical profile ultrasound, as well as to find out what we are having (I think we are split 50/50 in our house, and my parents are leaning towards girl....we will soon find out).

Friday, was another busy day for me. I worked most of the day, and had plans to fly to Okinawa to literally meet Jon for dinner, and do a little shopping. The plan was to fly out on the weekly Patriot Express and turn right around the next day, and fly back. My friend Rachel decided to come as well, because who can pass up shopping and dinner at Chili's (did I mention we are the only base in Japan to not have a Chili's).
Rachel and I showed up at the terminal ready to fly, and found out that the Patriot Express was delayed 2 hours (that means 2 less hours of shopping). Luckily, a Colonel, Lt. Colonel and a Gunnery Sergeant came to our rescue (not really), they just happened to be flying back to Okinawa, and had room on their plane for us, and were willing to take us....oh yea, these flights are FREE!!

 

How lucky were we, they forgot to mention it was a C35, more commonly referred to as a Lear jet. Not a bad way to travel, and even better, they landed on the same base Jon is currently stationed on...how about that for luck. We managed to take off and land earlier than we would have had the Patriot Express been on time...which actually bought us some time. We shopped til we literally dropped, and at that time headed for Chili's. It was a much needed quick getaway to see the hubby and just get away.

Next up....Jon comes home to the 'kuni, and we start planning for a trip to Yokosuka, and start getting ready for a baby.

 

Stay tuned!



Big News

Yep, that's right....we are having a baby! Don't get confused, it is only one, Jon was a little picture happy so he posted two pictures....we have had several people comment that they thought there was two! As of today, we are 14 weeks 5 days (this is taking forever) and we have a due date of July 31, 2013. Of course Granny loves that date as her birthday is July 30....
We will keep everyone updated, and more pictures to come.
Next appointment is Thursday Feb 7th.....from there we will know when we go to Yokosuka (Navy base in Tokyo) for a big ultrasound...and hopefully to find out what we are having...so exciting!
Stay tuned!

USMC Birthday Ball 2012

 

It's that time of year again, the 237th Marine Corps Birthday Ball.

 

Taken by a friend with a good camera...oh wait, she is also a professional photographer...that helps!

 

Before the ceremony began

Presenting the cake....first slice goes to the youngest marine present. I want to say he was born in 1994 (I feel old)

 

Ceremony is over...let the party begin!

Yes, Tracy had several cocktails during the ceremony, and after, oh and did I mention we had pre-ball festivities.....oh my!

Yes, we took another stupid picture....it's tradition!

 

 

 

Thanksgiving in Seoul, Korea

What to do for Thanksgiving 2012.....travel to Seoul, Korea. The trip was offered through our travel agency here on base, and the price was too good to pass up! We flew from Fukuoka, Japan to Seoul, Korea. The flight itself takes about an hour and twenty minutes, and is a super easy flight. Our trip included a 4 night stay at the Dragon Hill Lodge which is located on Yongsan Army Garrison Base in Seoul. The hotel has to be one of the better hotels I have ever stayed in.

 

 

As part of our tour, we took an all day trip to the DMZ or the Demilitarized Zone which is a 4km "line" that separates North and South Korea. We learned that there are people that live and work on the land in the DMZ, and they literally do not belong to North or South Korea, they just exist.

 

We were able at one part of our tour to literally be across the street from North Korea. While we were there, 2 North Korean soldiers came out to see what we were doing, and to let their presence be known. We were also told that to our immediate right was a building that about 25 North Koreans were in, and at any given point, they would have their weapons drawn and pointing towards us....kind of not cool if you ask me.

 

In this picture, the white building is in North Korea. The soldiers with their backs to us are ROK (Republic of Korea) soldiers. These are men who belong to the South Korean military, and help the U.S. military in dealing with North Korea. We learned a lot about the ROK soldiers. They wear aviator sunglasses at all times, so that their eyes can not be seen. They stand in a martial-arts stance at all times, ready to fight. We were told not to touch the ROK soldiers, and not to walk in front of them as they take that as a threat.

Us standing in the blue building in the left of the previous picture. It is in this building that we can actually cross safely into North Korea. We had 3 ROK soldiers with us that stood on guard the entire time we were in the building. It is hard to see, but there is a table in front of us, that has 4 chairs on the North side and 4 chairs on the South side....this allows for meetings to take place, and no one having to switch sides.

 

Picture of us with North Korea in the background. To the left is the Bridge of No Return....

After walking around Seoul for the day, we decided to head out and check out the night life. As we were walking back to the base, Jon noticed the Seoul Tower lit up...it's a bad picture, but that is the Seoul Tower.

Our last day in Seoul. Of course the last day has the best weather! Every single day was freezing and or raining/sleeting in Seoul, except today. We decided to set our coffee down, and take a picture in front of the fountain at the hotel. Next up, we have to pack to go home!

 

 

 

 



Fall 2012

We are coming up on the halfway point of our journey through Japan. November 10, 2012 will mark 18 months that we have been in Japan....that is fitting as that is the Marine Corps Birthday.
We have both been really busy with work, and both of us have returned to school full time. Jon is 2 classes away from his Bachelor's degree in Meteorological Studies, and Tracy just started her Master's in Nursing.
We do have plans for the Thanksgiving Holiday this year. We will be flying over to Seoul, Korea for the week to do some sight-seeing, and just to get away. Should be fun. We will definitely post pictures of our trip!