Our shipment FINALLY arrived about 2 weeks ago. It seems life has stopped since then and all we have been doing is focusing on getting the house unpacked. I used to think of unpacking as one single big event that was done over the course of the weekend. Now it's more of an evolutionary process. It definitely is something that we have to do as we live now, or else we are never going to leave this house! Here we are, 2 weeks later and we still have some boxes that need to be unpacked. We have had a few neat experiences here and there. There are days that turned out to be incredible that I didn't even anticipate. Like, visiting teaching. I don't have an assigned companion yet as our branch is being split and so many families are moving in and out, but a sister in the ward invited me along to go visit another sister in our ward.
It was a simple day, but after it was all over I was kind of blown away by it and was like , "This is my life now". Living here and having these experiences reminds me of when I was visiting family in Chile, how I just absorbed everything there was to do and see and how I had a constant sense of gratitude. In a way, I'm grateful it was hard to move out here, because it makes me so much more thankful to be here and it gives me reminders to have faith.
Sean and I went on our first date in months during these 2 weeks. I scheduled a baby sitter that I trusted, and we went through a bit of an ordeal shopping for snorkeling gear. Sean was given the day off on a Monday so we also wanted to take advantage of the fact that it would be easier to get a sitter during that time and that the water wouldn't be so busy. Well, that Monday came and it was raining which usually isn't that big of a deal here, usually it stops. Since I've been to Okinawa, it has been really really hot. Well on this day it was the first day that was sort of cold, as we drove to our date it started raining harder. I was getting really discouraged, something my Uncle Gerald said not to do out here as the weather always is changing (he lived out here for a while with his family). But I definitely was getting discouraged and telling Sean that we should just go home and do this another day. When we got to Maeda point, I got out of the car and wanted to go back home even more. Sean suggested we say a prayer so we did, the rain didn't stop but it helped my attitude a little bit and I was willing to try it out with the rain. I need to add that Sean was optimistic the whole time throughout all of this, how did I get so lucky? The place where we went snorkeling had stairs leading down the the ocean, even though it was a rainy Monday, there were several people snorkeling and scuba diving which usually would annoy me, I'm all about being alone with nature, but today it brought me some comfort. It looked like they were having a good time which meant we might also, plus none of them were being eaten by sharks so it seemed safe. Sean helped me get my fins on and told me to be careful of the sea urchins. Getting the gear on was actually kind of hard, every time I was close a wave would almost push me over, the water wasn't deep enough to float without hitting coral but not shallow enough to keep my balance. Once everything was on I put my head under water and could see alright. Sean held his hands out which showed me we were farther away from the reef than I thought. I didn't expect to be so scared but for some reason I was. Sean started swimming in front of me and I was really nervous, I felt like I was going to hit the reef and I started thinking of all the horrible things that could be hiding in it . I was in a state of panic for a moment and was not enjoying myself but just really scarred. My right eye was fogging up and it was really overwhelming how much coral there was. When we got to a deep enough spot we came up and I cleaned my eye piece. Sean kept swimming so I followed, for a moment he turned around and signaled for me to come, he continued to stay in that spot, when I reached him there was a massive underwater cliff and just vast blue ocean in front of us. In that moment I felt so small. I wasn't scared anymore, I was just amazed that I could be there and that I could see it. We came up and Sean told me of the first time he stumbled upon it and thought it was so cool. It reminded me of the drop off in Finding Nemo, (which we totally watched later that evening.). We continued to swim along the reef and saw several colorful fish. Sean took me into a cave that was full of scuba divers, I was glad because they had flashlights on the ocean floor. Even though I got over most of my fear of being in the water that was definitely a vulnerable feeling. The water was dark and it was colder than the water out of the cave. When we were all done, Sean took me to a more secluded spot and showed me one of his braver swims. It was another cave, when he was there last time he saw a lion fish (they are dangerous if antagonized). It was basically a hole in the ground full of water that led to a bigger cave. It was rather narrow and there was no easing in, just a full on jump. I used to be brave and adventurous and sometimes a little bit reckless, but being a mommy has changed that for me. I have a little one to return home to. So I didn't go in this cave, and I made Sean get out of the water. The view from this particular spot was spectacular though and it was fun hiking down into its location. Even though it was raining most of the time, this was one of my favorite things we have done here so far.
In other news, my little one is growing up way to fast. It was so strange to put her in her crib once we received it. I always associated her crib with "tiny baby". She isn't so tiny anymore and can stand up in it now, something she was unable to do before our big move. I think out of all of our items, having her nursery back has been my favorite. She can have her own space to play and for the most part I don't have to worry about her hurting herself while she is in here. I'm grateful to be here and to finally have our "home" again.
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Getting Brave!
Getting some teeth to that sweet smile!
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