Thoughts between 5 and 6 am

The weather has been gorgeous the entire time that I've been back in Washington.  This morning, I was up before 5 because my sleep cycle still hasn't gotten over jet-lag (and at this rate, won't before I leave tomorrow).  On the bright side, this meant that I was already wide awake to go out and watch the sunrise.  Nothing underlines the green of the trees and fields, or blue of the sky, or freshness of the air more than having spent the past few months in the city.  I love Tokyo, and I feel so much more at ease with city-life than I ever thought I would, but there's no denying that the countryside is still my favorite place to be.  Thing is, if I was out in the country full-time, I probably wouldn't appreciate its beauty nearly as much.  I think the arrangement I've living out right now makes sense.

It's been a blessing to be with my family, even for this short time.  As my brother, sister and I walked to the car after the funeral service on Thursday, we all agreed that it wouldn't have been right if one of us had not been there.  After all, we grew up together under our Grandma's care, and in some ways, it was as though we'd said goodbye to a second mother.  So while we were there for our Grandma, and there for our parents, uncles and aunts, we were also there for each other.

We enjoyed the chance to just spend time together--to joke around, to sing, to simply sit in the same room together; an opportunity that is becoming increasingly rare as life takes us in different directions.  As it is, I believe the three of us will only be together for 10 days or so this summer.  Sibling time is a fading luxury.

So--overall, I am glad I decided to come back.  It's very strange to think that even a week ago, I didn't know I'd be doing this.  It'll be maybe a little stressful trying to hit the ground running when I get back to Tokyo.  There's not much school to adjust back to--a regular week and then finals.  A week of meetings beyond that and I'll be back in Washington again.  Still, it'll be a packed couple of weeks, getting grades in and finishing/practicing/giving the grad speech for the Seniors.

God has brought me this far, and I trust that with His grace and strength, I'll finish the year well.