Okay, we've had some major requests for an update! We are really looking forward to my parents coming NEXT MONTH! I know it will go by too fast. It's going to be awsome to see them. Also, Jud and Carrie will be coming in June!!

Well a couple of weeks ago I signed the form saying that I will not be recontracting:( It's a little bitter sweet and we're beginning to realize that Hiroshima has become our home and I think we'll be really sad to leave. It's funny how when we first came, everything seemed so different and now it is just really normal to not understand anything (if that makes any sense!).

It was snowing today after a good couple of weeks of beautiful and sometimes even warmish weather. We've heard that February is miserably cold here, but one month won't kill us. I definately prefer cold than hot here...our apartment stays very comfortable and if it does feel cold, we just turn on one of our four space heaters strategically placed about our apartment and we're fine.

We just got back from dinner with our friends Alex, Heather, and Jessie. Next weekend we're going to have a birthday party and all we're all supposed to dress as Japanese as possible. I actually just bought a pair of high black boots that EVERY woman has here, as well as a pair of dress slack-shorts...which you wear with the boots. I've noticed that when I first came I thought everyone dressed so strange and now I'm like "oooh that's cute!" Luckily, Phil has not succumbed to wearing furry coats or plucking his eyebrows.

School is going really well for me. I LOVE the ichi nensei (first graders) junior high students. One girl writes me letters and they all are just so excited to practice English with me. Right now the high school students are writing back to second graders from the US. Reading the letters was pretty fun because they understood everything, thought the kids were so cute (kawai!!!), and they could point out their spelling mistakes:) I've never seen them more motivated to work as when they were writing back.

Phil started tutoring a brother and sister on Wednesday...I think that will be really fun for him. He was really sick last week and went to the doctor, got some medicine and is feeling much better. He wasn't able to run for a bit because of being sick, but of course he's back to normal now. He is trying desperately, along with the other Seattle JETs to watch the Superbowl, an we think we have a plan to ask our neighbors to record it, since it will be Monday morning here...then we'll have a superbowl party.

Well I hope that gives everyone an idea of how we're doing. We miss you all!!