Japan Part 1 of ?

I'd love to recap our trip-of-a-lifetime to Japan for you all! Lots of you have asked about our trip, and it's so hard to capture all our adventures in just a short conversation!

First of all, I say "trip-of-a-lifetime" because it was such a unique trip, unrepeatable in many ways! We definitely hope we get a chance to go back, but a future trip would be so different than the ten days we spent there this time--mainly because we got to experience Japan for the first time along with Jonathan's two sisters (also experiencing it for the first time) and his parents, who's experience living in Japan years ago is the reason we went. Much of the time was spent meeting people who meant so much to them, seeing the places that made up their life there back when Jonathan was just a baby, then a toddler, then a little boy. It was sentimental, sweet, and extremely special to see, especially with our baby-turned-toddler. I feel such a strong connection to that stage of my in-laws' life, maybe because Jonathan and I are in the same stage of life they were when they called Japan home. It was palpable enough to bring tears to my eyes on several occasions.

So, to begin this chronicle of our Japan trip, I'll show you a few of those sentimental moments and special people.

 We visited one of the parks Jonathan remembers playing at as a kid.

Eddie loved it. Of course, it was an incredible park! Not only did we wade in this giant pool (which felt so refreshing--it was SO hot!) we walked up those pyramids in the background to the fountains on top.

 The "roll-ey" slide!

It's been redone since Jonathan was little, and Eddie wasn't too sure anyway. Unfortunately, Gramps took Eddie down the slide first and had a little crash at the bottom (let me tell you, it builds up some speed!). I actually caught it on video, accidentally, and while we all felt terrible for Gramps' rear which caused him quite a bit of grief the rest of the trip, it's pretty hysterical to watch!

The girls and Jonathan and I climbed this play structure 

which was another highlight of Jonathan's childhood!

 It was pretty high for me, so I can't imagine watching my little guy climb to the top! 

The park had a river of shallow water to wade in

(and rocks to build dams if you're an engineer).

These two (and all of us!) wished we could stay and play all day!

We saw the university where Dad Sauder taught,

the pool where Jonathan had swimming lessons,
(we didn't actually make a special trip just to stand outside the pool Jonathan swam in, but we peeked in since we were hitting up McDonald's next door for some much needed iced coffee!)

the apartment where Mom Sauder lived when she first moved to Japan,

the door to the apartment Jonathan grew up in,

the view of rice fields and Mt. Fuji from their apartment building,

the little street where Jonathan took his first steps.

We met these dear people, 

who are especially dear to Dad and Mom Sauder.

Eddie clicked with Toru right away, once he took Eddie to see his fish. And the lovely Junko made us delicious tea from herbs grown in her garden.

We met this wonderful woman with a contagious smile.

She welcomed us into her home and fed us the most delicious watermelon I've ever tasted while her husband showed us his handmade home-fired clay instruments, played them for us, and let us try.

This sweet lady generously took us girls shopping at a fancy department store.

Saleswomen swarmed us as we picked out these beautiful traditional yucatas and learned how to put them on and tie the sashes. It was one of the most unique experiences I'd ever had, and also unforgettably humorous. We drew a crowd as the salespeople snapped photos for us, and stood back pronouncing, "kawaii" or "cuuuute". 

 Mostly it was just special to see our special people,

with some of their special people!

Isn't it true that relationships and experiences play such a dramatic role in shaping who we are? In that way, it was an incredible gift to see, or at least glimpse, what played a big part in shaping the Sauder family as a whole, and particularly Dad and Mom and Jonathan. There's no telling who they'd be today if not for the years spent in Japan with those people, living that life. I know because I was forever marked by the culture I spent just a few years living in and the people that influenced me during those few short years. It was dramatic and moving to get to peek into such a major part of the Sauder family story. An experience I treasure along with the many special memories made!