i know, i know, i owe a post. or two. or perhaps more. but, i didn't write them. such is the life of a blog.

i wanted to write a bit about hiro's birthday, but the thing is, we haven't celebrated it yet. tommy's either. i have planned a birthday party for the two of them (didn't really want to do that but here we are, three years after tommy joined us, having a joint party). it's halloween themed (couldn't really help it since it actually *is* halloween, but i never wanted to do that, either. the thing is, it's not really done in japan--though the idea is catching on, i doubt trick-or-treating will ever actually happen--so here we are, a halloween birthday party. *sigh*) i just realized yesterday that all our invited guests are girls. seems like none of my friends and neighbors have boys!! (ok, this isn't strictly true, because kuri has a dumpling of a boy, our neighbor across the street from the neighbor behind us has three boys--but there was no way i was inviting them!!--and i did invite another friend who has two boys, but they couldn't come) good thing we love these girls so much!! anyway, no birthday post, but here's a baby photo of hiro:



and tommy for good measure:




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i went to the hospital today. it's been four weeks since i last went, and the doctors asked me to come 1 month after that so...i know it's still october, but i had the day off from japanese class and work, so i went in. the kidney doctor was less than impressed and said to come back in a couple of weeks since it was still october *rolls eyes* yeah, they just want more money from me (i don't know how it works, but the hospitals/clinics here charge you a fee when you go in. they can only charge this fee once a month so i was trying to avoid paying it again, but i guess that just doesn't fly with the kidney doctor. harumph.)

anyway, i went over to internal medicine and the doctor there didn't really have anything for me, either. they did ask me if i had any pain (and to be fair, the kidney doctor also asked me if there was anything i wanted to talk about) but not really, i've been really fabulous, actually, with only a couple of twinges since i got out of the hospital at the beginning of september. BUT, i haven't been to the geka (geika?), the surgeon, so they sent me over to that part of the hospital. the doctor i spoke to was really nice (though he used some japanese i didn't understand *sigh*) and seemed sympathetic about working with my schedule. also, i think i'm looking at a week's stay, a day or two before surgery (maybe??) and then a few days after. i may have misunderstood, though, because i have to go back next week over two days for some kind of test (and it looks like a stomach camera thing. not looking forward to that!!) so that may be the two days he was talking about. hopefully we'll be able to schedule the surgery that will not impact our lives too much. fingers crossed!


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last night i was reading 'the velveteen rabbit' to the kids when i suddenly realized it was going to make me cry. and yep, sure enough, when the bunny was taken away behind the garden shed, the waterworks started. of course, the kids were asking me why i was crying and all i could say is that it was sad. it's such a touching story and yes, i'm a sappy sack, what can i say? it's really long, though, a rather old story with lots of composition, and tommy was less than impressed. hiro has asked me to read it again tonight, hopefully i got the crying out of my system yesterday!!


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today hiro got his birthday book from school. this is something they give the kids on (or near) their birthday. it's a silly little story but there are also sections where the kid puts in their favorite food and animal, what they want to be when they grow up and the most important thing to them. once again (for the third year running), hiro wants to be mommy when he grows up. his most important thing is....mommy. oh my goodness, what a sweet boy!! of course, this morning when he was shouting that he didn't love me anymore, i guess that was a different mommy!

the other night i was on my bed with the computer, just working on a couple of things. it reminded me of a feeling i had several years ago (just before getting pregnant with hiro). i had been snuggled up in the futons, reading a book when i suddenly had a feeling of wanting a child (my child) snuggled up beside me with her own book. it was rather odd, though i thought i one day wanted children, it was the first time i really longed for a child. anyway, there i was with the computer when hiro came in my room. he hopped up on the bed and lay down beside me. then he popped up, grabbed up a blanket and gently put it across my shoulders. it was very sweet, and quite a surprise, since i was having a memory of a dream i had....anyway, hiro is a kind boy and i feel very blessed to have him in my life!


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this weekend promises to be very busy, so i will wrap this up. i still need to clean the dining room and bake cupcakes! plus, there will be a halloween party at the school where i just started teaching. my kids will be coming along with me and i never know how they're going to behave! then hopefully we'll have a party on sunday with lots of friends, food and fun. wish me luck!