The Flight to Japan - Thursday, July 2-3, 2020

Thursday, July 2, 2020

We woke up at 3:30 with heads and hearts spinning.

Everyone dressed!!!! This was it!!!

Ben and Dani loaded all 24 suitcases onto luggage racks.

We had a final family prayer.

We picked up 12 breakfast bags!

We wheeled the luggage out to the waiting shuttle vans.

We said goodbye to Ben and Dani and waved at them as we drove away. Heart wrenching!

We arrived at the airport.

Sam and Sariah stayed with us and helped us load all of the luggage inside.

We spent 30 minutes checking passports and checking in 16 bags of luggage.

We all sat and ate our hotel breakfast

We walked up to the security checkpoint.

We hugged Sam and Sariah and I cried my eyes out.

We walked away and through the security. The airport was not very full…

We took off our shoes and put our items on the belt and walked through the metal detector.

WE came out on the other side and Sam and Sariah were gone. L

We picked up our items, put on our shoes, regrouped and walked to our gate.

We cried and then we started doing activities in our travel bags and finishing last minute items.

Most of my siblings started texting me well-wishes and love. I cried and cried.

We walked down the jet way and got onto the plane.

Everyone had masks on. Nico sat by Naomi. The kiddles were SO EXCITED!

Eli, Naomi and Baden sat by the window.

The plane took off. We took a final long view at the Salt Lake Valley. I told myself that looking back is fine, but looking forward is better.

Mark and I fell into a deep sleep that lasted the entire flight! (4 hours of sleep for the past month!)

The kiddles didn’t sleep! They were enthralled with the games, movies, flight and snacks.

We landed in Seattle amidst green pine trees and lakes.

We regrouped and bought everyone a hamburger.

We rode a subway train to our gate.

We sat down and were surrounded by Japanese people! My people!!!!! It made my heart happy.

We ate hamburgers and waited just an hour. Everything was so empty that it was easy to move around the airport.

We boarded!!! We said goodbye to the U.S.A.

The plane was mostly empty, and the seated us in Comfort Plus! We took up four window seats, two aisle seats, and Mark and I sat in the center aisle where we could easily see all of the kiddles.

The plane took off! We felt so excited and happy and thrilled to have so much space for the long ride.

They brought us a nice dinner, but Nico fell promptly asleep and slept for several hours.

The kiddles did activities and watched movies. After a while, I gave up on the movies and just let them enjoy! They didn’t bother us!

I ate the chocolate-covered cinnamon bears from Sariah! It made me so happy!

I watched “Tolkien” and “Mr. Rogers.”

I stretched out on a row of chairs and slept…

I played Hangman with Eli and matching game with Nico.

I played more games with Autumn until she fell asleep on my lap.

After 10 hours we looked out of our window and saw Japan!

Friday, July 3, 2020

We landed in Tokyo! Our hearts were beating.

We waited on the plane while they cleared us to enter the country. Then we walked out with our bags and backpacks onto Japanese soil!!! The signs and airport workers made me smile.

We waited in a waiting area while they checked our paperwork. Everyone stared at the big family with luggage and American children.

We walked down another hall and were tested for COVID-19. Being tested was our worst fear, but we had ignored it for the past week. Mark went first, and the lady was fairly gentle and kind. Then I went. It didn’t hurt, just tickled! The kiddles were brave but Avi and NIco cried!!! We had to hold them and help them, but it went ok. Then we were done! And in Japan!!!

We stood in more lines while they all looked at paperwork. I felt completely at peace. I knew Mark had everything in order. I just loved looking out the windows and enjoying the signs and views. Miraculously, during the 2 ½ hours of waiting, no one had to go to the bathroom. It felt good to walk through the maze of lines after sitting for so long.

WE came to immigration and Mark showed us where he had been prompted to turn around in Tokyo. He kept saying how grateful he was to be here with his family this time around.

We showed our passports and had to go through more paperwork. We don’t have Military ID yet.

We came through on the other side and just hugged each other!!!!! WE did it!!!!!

Then we saw our luggage all neatly piled on four carts in the Customs area. The officers were smiling at us behind their masks.

We pushed our four carts through Customs (no worries about our paperwork there) and came out to see the Tokyo airport!!!!!!! So amazing!!!!!! I cried!!!!!

There was a military officer there to meet us. He watched our luggage while we all went to the bathroom.

The many buttons made the kiddles scared, and especially the nature sounds that start up near your ear to help you relax while you go. But it was so funny and fun! We looked at the signs and other things around. So much fun!!!!!!! I couldn’t help it. This is my mission country!

Then we pushed our items through the doors to the waiting vans outside. The airport was so empty! Four military personnel were there to get us, but they couldn’t touch our luggage since we were on Restriction of Movement. We loaded everything into one van and then climbed into the other van.

Then we drove 3 hours through Tokyo! It was amazing! The school girls in uniform, the left-side drivers, the mothers on bikes, the little shops and apartments and restaurants. I just soaked it all in!!!! The kiddles were amazed at what they saw.

After the first hour we all fell asleep.

We finally arrived at Camp Zama. More waiting and paperwork and showing of orders.

Then we came to our hotel/apartment where we quarantine for 2 weeks. Waiting outside was a very nice gentleman wearing a Far East Council shirt! Hooray!!! He was so handsome and kind and he greeted us. Hooray for the Scouting family! WE unloaded our suitcases ourselves and arrived in a huge, spacious apartment! It has 3 bedrooms, 8 beds, and two bathrooms. What a miracle!!! The kiddles ran through the apartment and we all looked and looked. There was already some food in our fridge and pantry. What a miracle.

We also had pizza! Warm from the local store waiting for us. 

We ate pizza, put on jammies, and dropped into bed!!!!!! How good it felt.

I slept for 12 hour straight: 8pm to 8am Japan time. 

Saturday, July 4, 2020

We woke up and opened the shades to see Japan! 

We ate breakfast in our pajamas.

We made a meal and family schedule.

We unpacked bags and boxes and created a girls room, a boys room, and a parents room.

We spent the day counting our blessings, playing games, and just talking and talking.

We ate mac and cheese on the beautiful 4^th of July plates I brought from home.

Being here is a total miracle. Our passports came two weeks ago. Our birth certificates came 5 days ago. Our orders came a week ago. We also had a wedding a week ago. Mark has been with us for 3 months.

We rented our home.

My life is all about the Lord’s timing. It is truly miraculous. I also have great faith in my husband who knows how to move mountains, even when circumstances say otherwise. What a miracle.

“Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen.”