Japan trip, Part 3

Our last full day in Japan.  I spent a lot of the day collecting our stuff from all over the house to make sure it made it into our suitcase.  L and E spent most of the day playing with all the things I was trying to put in the suitcase, making it a real case study in futility.  I gave up after awhile and just took the girls to the playground.  However, it was ice cold outside and super windy, so playing at the playground was another lesson in futility!  The girls enjoyed the bit of time we did get there, and L was super excited that some other girls were there (6-7 years old) but they weren't interested in playing with L (poor kid).

L on the slide in the cold windy playground

E swinging with her Obaasan

That night, I woke up at about 3:30am from Mom telling me to move my feet.  What?  What the hell for?!??  Then I felt the earthquake and heard everything in the house rattling around.  I moved my feet away from the bookcase and just lay there thinking wow, my first big earthquake!  It went away soon enough, but the rattling reminded me of a train going by right outside.  In the morning, the news said it was a 6.1 earthquake that struck just off the coast of Chiba/Tokyo.  Wow!  There was even a tsunami warning along the coast, but it was only a 10cm tsunami when it actually hit.  Nothing like the one from March 2011 that struck the coast. 

Friday morning was spent getting together last minute stuff, talking to my grandmother, playing for the girls, and then heading out.  My grandmother made me cry - she very frankly said "I know I'm not going to see you again, but please stay well and take care of your girls.  You've made me so happy just letting me meet my great-grandchildren."  Wow.  Tears!  We went off to the bus station, rode the 2.5 hours to the airport, hung out there for a few hours, ate dinner, caught our flight to LA, watched the girls sleep most of the way (thankfully!), went through customs in LA and caught our flight to Tucson, and CAME HOME TO DADDY!!!!  L saw him at the airport and went running for him screaming "Daddy Daddy Daddy!"  So sweet.  He was so happy to see all of us (even my mom), and took us home.  HOME.  THANK GOODNESS.  Got the girls taken care of, ate dinner, bathed them, put them to bed, took care of a few things on my end, and went to bed myself. 

L playing at the airport

E eating dinner at the airport

Going home!!!!

It was a great trip but even today I'm still recovering.  Can't sleep well yet, and that sucks.  It's good to be home!