Bittersweet

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the things I’m going to miss about Japan, and funnily enough, many of them have to do with toilets and bathing! Here is a list, not in any particular order, of such things:

• onsen – it really is thanks to this traditional form of bathing in Japan that I have learned to truly enjoy the art of bath taking. Before coming to this country, I had never bathed with a tub full of strangers. But after the initial embarrassment of walking around in the buff in front of other naked women, I embraced the tradition wholeheartedly. There is nothing more wonderful than being submerged in the healing waters of the Japanese hot spring.
• heated toilet seats – now these are the bomb, especially in the winter.
• clean public toilets – of course, there are unclean ones, too, but you notice when they’re unclean.
• hand dryers that work – it’s true, the blowers here actually remove the water from your hands. 

OK, enough about toilets. I will also miss the quaint little streets I walk through each day to and from Asagaya station, and the fact that I feel safe doing so at any time of day or night. Here is one of my views along the way.

I will also miss izakayas, although I miss them now anyway, since they are not the most baby-friendly of places. What else? Hanami, Cottonfield, Yuzawaya, drinking a cold beer on the street on a hot day (the operative word being "on the street"), department store basements filled with amazing displays of food that you can taste, awesome public transportation (but not the crowds), kaitenzushi, Shizen yoga, our apartment (but not our crazy neighbors), and all the wonderful memories, to name a few things. Of course, I will miss all the awesome friends I have made here (you know who you are!), but I have every confidence that this is just the beginning for us.

So, in a felicitous turn of events, Paul (AKA Husband) was hired by a company in L.A. and in five short weeks, we will be completely uprooting ourselves from life in Japan and embarking on a whole new journey. The last time I moved countries I was 23 and fresh out of college. It's now 15 years later and I am married with a 5-month-old baby. I have a feeling I'm in for a big shock. But I'm looking forward to the change and it will be wonderful to have my family so close by.

At long last, I have an FO to share. It's based on the Artsy Clutch from Bend the Rules Sewing, but I have adjusted the size into a diaper pouch.

 

Fits three diapers and a pack of wipes. Fun!

Lastly, here is Sienna as of this morning. Couldn't you just eat her up?