Today I spend my last day on America soil for 10 days. It’s exciting. It’s kinda scary. I know I won’t be gone long, but I will come back having experienced things that many people never get the chance to experience. I’m feeling extremely invigorated by the thought, and I know I’m going to learn a lot about another culture, far removed from our own. I wish more people were able to do the same…

I long to learn about different worlds, and I want to reach outside of my comfort zones… to become a better (more open minded) person. I yern to learn more about the world, and to speak different languages. Travel is something that’s extremely important to me. Why are we here, if not to experience the world around us?

Tennessee. America. That’s not all that there is… and I feel so lucky to have such a supportive family. To have a significant other who’s dreams match my own! I’m so excited to embark on this journey with him (even though he didn’t study his Japanese, like he said he would). ;p  I’m also excited to step into a new world for 8 days, and experience something I never have before.

I’ll keep a journal going here. It’s mostly for our kids to see pictures of us. For Meme and Grandma to read them our story while we are away. If you don’t have kids, you don’t know that leaving them for 10 days feels like an enternity! Hopefully our stories will make Isabella excited and happy, hopefully Kyrie will enjoy the pictures… and hopefully I won’t cry tonight when we leave our babies.

But this journal is also for all of our friends and family who want to live vicariously through us! I know that so many of you have asked to see photos, but I’ll do you one better and tell you all about it. Right here! I hope you enjoy our story! I love you all. ❤ See you in Tokyo! さいよなら。