Hello friends and family,

What a year we had in 2012!  It was quite eventful!  We experienced a large earthquake in Japan, and because of that made some dear friends who came down to Mito as evacuees.  Our priorities changed as a result of the natural disaster, and so Allen made several trips to Fukushima to do volunteer work.  I (Laura) went one time last June, but then just couldn't keep up the momentum and ended up getting pneumonia at the end of the summer.  I was in the hospital for 2 weeks at the end of July and beginning of August. 
Allen and I both had good experience with the doctors in Japan.  They extracted Allen's tailbone tumor and saw him for several follow-up visits, and they treated me with kindness and patience for a whole 2 weeks, giving me antibiotics by IV twice a day until the hole in my right lung disappeared. 
We really appreciated the health care we recieved in Japan. 
God really blessed us with many great experiences during our three years in Japan.  We have many fond memories: 
1)  working at our elementary schools
2)  becoming part of the Mito Church of Christ family (and will always have that family in our hearts)
3)  making many great friends (who we will always cherish)
4)  learning and practicing Japanese culture
5)  traveling throughout Japan and Asia
6)  eating and learning to cook yummy, healthy Japanese food!
7) and more!

So, we ended our time in Japan last month and left for the U.S. on April 8th, Easter Sunday.  We enjoyed our end of the year, goodbye parties with our coworkers and friends.  And then we spent the last week traveling to Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Osaka.  We really enjoyed Hiroshima.  It's a beautiful city and we met up with a preacher and his wife, who Allen had met in Sendai at a Christian event.  We met up with them and they took us to Maijima Island, where we saw a famous temple and lots of cute dear!  We also ate the famous Hiroshima okanomiyaki (Japanese style pancake), and we visited their church on Sunday morning.  It was really a nice time.  They are such nice people. 

We stayed with some friends throughout the last week and ended the week with a dinner at our neighbor's house, which was so fun and delicious.  Kawasumi-san and her daughter are great cooks!  And then on Easter Sunday, our friend Yoko gave her testimony about how she became a Christian.  She did such a good job.  It was so encouraging to hear her story. 

Now, we have been back in the States for 3 weeks and have visited our families in Denver and Texas.  We are blessed to be able to stay with our friends, the Tindles, in Oklahoma as we try to settle in.  We are so exicted to start our new job as house parents at a Christian children's home in Tipton, OK. 

God is good!  We are also 4 months pregnant!  The baby is due in October!  We are looking forward to the new challenges this year has in store. 

God be with us and also with you!  God bless!

Love,
Allen and Laura