...and yet, i don't feel like i'm doing much at all.

sasha's sudden hospital stay put me in a quiet mood, as far as the blog is concerned. but i've also not posted because i'm having trouble uploading pictures from my camera to the computer (not enough memory on the computer). my period is also a factor (sorry in advance for any TMI). ever since it came back after giving birth to tommy, it has pretty much been a nightmare. at first it was killer cramps, but for the past year or so, while it's not very painful, it has been very heavy. also, within the past few months, overwhelming sadness crashes over me, maybe a week before it starts. this has made me not very interested in blogging. i have seen a doctor, and i am taking medicine, but we'll see where this takes me.

the next event after sasha in hospital was a fondue party with many of the AFWJ kyushu ladies. i had a fabulous time, and so much delicious cheese and chocolate. i also had a few more drinks with rachel afterward, and again am in awe of her iphone, which she used to help me figure out the bus i wanted to catch and when i needed to leave the bar in order to get there on time! in the end, though, i think i got on the train with her (better time schedule), which, of course, we checked on the iphone!

yummy food!

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the next event after that was a party at rachel's house, for the hina-matsuri that her city holds from february to april. hina-matsuri is the girl's day doll festival, the actual day is march 3rd (3/3). before the actual day, many people put the dolls out on display, and especially beautiful (or old) ones are opened to the public. the days we went to rachel's were rather rainy and blah, so we didn't see many dolls, but the moms (there were five of us, including kuri and GW) had a *great* time, and the kids had a blast (although poor amy wasn't feeling well at all.) the kids and i stayed the night, and pretty much just hung out at rachel's house for the whole day. at the end of the day, we went to onsen, then gusto for dinner before saying goodbye and heading home. that was a lot of fun!

i can't really remember anything else eventful happening in february, though at the end of the month i was getting ready for the AFWJ national convention in shikoku! i left on a friday morning (as a member of the board, i had to participate in the board meeting. always a very interesting experience!) and had a fabulous time! it was my first convention and it was so much fun. i met so many people i had only known through the internet, and more people whom i had never met before at all! i only wish i could have gone sooner. :)

in january (i think), i interviewed with a placement company about an ALT job. the parameters of the job(s) didn't fit my needs, and with a dearth of jobs for me out there, i decided to (try) start teaching from home. i have a neighbor (her kid goes to school with sasha and tommy) who has been hinting all year that she wants her kids to learn english, so i knew i had at least one customer, but i've really been avoiding teaching in my house. well, it's no longer avoidable and i am taking the plunge! last week i had trial lessons with eight students, and hopefully most of them will sign up for classes with me (the biggest draw for them is that i am so close to their house! but for some of them--yoshi's coworker, for example--are hoping for their kids to become fluent in english. i will do my best!) i am still with a company i signed up with last year (really fun 'project' type english lessons, things like english camp) and of course, the one hour a week with a juku. not exactly what i was expecting when i went back to work after the kids were old enough, but hopefully it will be enough for what we need.

the kids will be on spring break soon. i can hardly believe how quickly this year has gone by. it will be sasha's last year of kindergarten. getting so big!

hopefully there will be more pictures coming soon!