Spring 2015

We have decided that while we are stateside studying Japanese language at NC State, we will not be updating on our blog. We will keep sending out our newsletter updates. If you read the blog for updates and do not receive our email updates please let us know by emailing us at dcook@fim.org. We would love to add you to our mailing list. We will also keep posting updates and pictures to our Facebook profiles. 

We still want to keep everyone up to date with our language study, ministry opportunities stateside and our family, but will do so through the newsletter emails and Facebook. Please understand this is for the privacy of our family while we are in America. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support as we pursue God's will for our lives.

Samuel is Two!!

On Saturday, February 7th, Samuel turned two!! We can't believe how much he has changed and grown in the past two years. I can't believe how much our lives have changed since having him. We were so happy to celebrate him and so thankful for the blessing he is in our lives. We can't imagine what life would be like without him. His smile is contagious and we love him dearly. We tried to do things that we knew he liked or would enjoy. I prepared snacks and food that I know he likes and made cupcakes for him. At his two year old check up, he was 34 lbs and 37 1/2 inches tall. We praise the Lord for a healthy boy. Below are some pictures of his second birthday!!

Banana for breakfast!!

Farm Show fun with Daddy and Papaw.

naptime

After he woke up, we put all of the balloons in his bed, he loved it.

We got him a swing because he likes the one at the park!!

fun card

Opening his John Deere tractor he picked out at the farm show the day before!!

Singing and cupcake time!!

Just the three of us.

Our family of four :)

Happy 2nd Birthday Samuel!!

A 'Quick' Delivery

We are once again overwhelmed by God's grace to bless us with another healthy child. On Saturday morning, December 27th at 6:01am, Amelia Kay was born. We had been cared for in Greensboro by a doctor's office that worked with women desiring to attempt a regular birth after a c-section. Since Samuel was an emergency c-section in Japan, and I had no post-operatoin reports, they have been wonderful to work with us. Throughout the pregnancy the doctors monitored various things and said that we should be good to go to attempt a regular birth again. David and I tried to prepare better this time also. We left for Japan at 15 weeks pregnant with Samuel and were unable to take a birthing/child care class. The hospital offered these so we spent six weeks preparing for an all natural birth. 

On Saturday morning, December 27th at about 1am I had my first contraction with her. Then another and another every 10 minutes. I had similar ones with Samuel in the evenings for three days leading up to his birth and my water broke with him before the real contractions started, so I honestly didn't think this was the real thing. They wouldn't stop so I tried resting in between contractions, walking, various positions and a bath. I woke David up around 3:30am and he looked at my chart and said these are 3-4 minutes apart, we need to go to the hospital now!! David's mom came over to be with Samuel and we left for the Greensboro women's hospital which is about a 40 minute drive. We got checked in a little after 5am, I was at 9cm and they rushed me to a delivery room. After only 30-40 minutes of pushing, she was born at 6:01am. She actually came out waving with her hand on the side of her head.

We are truly thankful for the Lords hand of protection on us as we labored through and were successful at having an all natural birth after a c-section. Amelia was 7 lbs13 oz and 21 inches long. She was slightly smaller than Samuel which I'm very thankful for. This birth experience was so different than Samuel's. It was amazing to be able to see her, hear her, and hold her instantly. I didn't see Samuel until he was 3 days old, and then it was only for a couple of hours each afternoon during visiting hours in the NICU, until he came home at a week old. We are enjoying the experience of having Amelia from day one!! 

My recovery has been a drastic change, like day and night. I feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. This birth experience has been a dream come true for me, and something I've wondered about since the birth of Samuel. The Lord took care of us. We both were released on Monday, December 29 after lunch and were thrilled to be reunited wih Samuel. He doesn't seem to know what to make of her. The other night I sat on the couch next to him and tried to show her to him. He looked at her and scooted to the other end of the couch. But he's so sweet when she starts to cry in the swing. He will sit down in front of her and sort of 'talk' to her. He even 'kissed' her good night once.

We are truly thankful as 2014 comes to end. God has blessed and provided for our family.We are looking forward to 2015 as we continue to raise support for Japan and prepare for language school. We don't know what 2015 holds for us but we know who does and He will take care of us.

Please enjoy some pictures:

A few hours after delivery

Snuggles with Dad

Going Home

A few days old

At home!!

Psalms 127:3 - "Children are heritage from The Lord, offspring a reward from Him"

Amelia Kay

 A post coming soon about her birth.

        Happy New Year!!!

Back in America!!

I know it's a little late, but we've been traveling and time has just flown bye. We returned to the US on the evening of Monday, July 28th. We reported to our mission agency (Fellowship International Mission) the following week and have been visiting family as well as supporters. It has been wonderful to see and visit people in person. We are back in NC getting settled, and getting back into our home church, First Christian Church of Ramsuer. We are in the process of reconnecting with our prayer and financial supporters as well as looking for new churches and individuals to partner with us as we want to return to Japan. 

We will still send out email and newsletter updates with our progress and time spent here in America. We will also be updating our blog with life updates and pictures of our time in America. 

Hayride at the Cook Farm

Two Cooks: Plus Two

Two Cooks: Plus Two: That's right one more little 'cook' is on the way. We couldn't be happier to have had Samuel and now to be blessed with another child, we are overflowing with joy and excitement. We found out on Good Friday, April 18. We've been keeping this secret for quite some time. We had thought about telling family on Mother's Day because we told them on Father's Day last time, but for no particular reason, except that we wanted to surprise family, we decided to tell them when we returned to America. We knew we would be almost half way through the pregnancy, but I didn't really begin to show until 20-25 weeks last time anyway so I knew I could hide any baby bump until then!!

We are expecting a little girl around December 28, 2014. Last time Samuel was a few days late, so we could even be looking at January 2015. Either way Christmas and New Year's just got a little more exciting for us :)

Grocery Shopping in Japan

I've always wondered what grocery shopping would be like in other parts of the world. In Japan, there are small groceries or 'stands' all over the place. Usually, you pick up what you need on your way home from work or right before supper time. In the states we went to the grocery once a week maybe once every two weeks. However, here we have to go at least every other day. Packaging is smaller and so is storage space.

The first picture is of the grocery, about 50 meters from our apartment building. This is usually where we go to get everyday items. We shopped at Costco once a month or so for cheaper bulk items. There is a little white truck in the left of this picture. About every 6 weeks this 'yakitori' truck sells various meat on a stick. It's super yummy!! 

I think every grocery and convenient store I've been in has a 'bento' section. This is where you can buy a pre-made lunch. Very healthy and very delicious.   

Part of the fish section.

Milk is on sale for 137 yen ($1.30) for a 1000 ML carton. 

Eggs are sold in plastic containers for 198 yen ($1.95) for 10 eggs. They are not sold in packs of 12 and the refrigerators  are made for the pack of 10.

Part of the vegetable section.

This did not look very appetizing to me.

These food trays are really good!!

This was our last post in Japan. Even though we are back in NC now on our first furlough, we will still update our blog. We will still send out newsletter updates and emails and try to keep everyone informed with what we are doing while we are back home for this next year. 

Picture Post

Our life has been very busy since the Pre-School went to five days a week in April. However, we have tried to make the most of the time that we have together as a family. These pictures are from the past few months. 

They don't have baby swings here, so we swing with Samuel and he laughs the whole time, he loves it!!

A 'child's plate' at a local restaurant. Samuel could never eat that much food right now so we got to enjoy some of it :)

Playing at a park.

Sleeping guy.

Samuel's robe given to us from the clinic he was born in. 

Blueberries, veggie medley, and apples. I made all of Samuel's food until he finally got some more teeth and he's beginning to chew more things.

Checking out the Pre-School bus. He's the same size as some of my 2 1/2 year olds :)

Wisteria Tunnel, Kawachi Fuji Gardens in Kitakyushu, Japan.

Mother's Day 2014

I wanted to go to a park and let Samuel walk around. I think he enjoyed it. 

So thankful and honored to take care of this little person. 

Walking around near our apartment.

Water play on the balcony!!

Lunch at Hard Rock Cafe!! A rare treat :)

Some college students we had over, most of them studied English and we enjoyed a great lunch together.

Father's Day 2014-When out in an area called 'Mojiko' we saw a 'Fish Spa' and decided to try it out. These little fish ate all of the dried skin off of our feet. It felt very ticklish, and was quite fun!!

Our friends watched Samuel, so we enjoyed the 'Fish Spa' for about 20 minutes alone. 

Fun with Daddy!! 

On the boat ride back to Shimonoseki from Mojiko. 

Spending the last few moments of Father's Day watching the World Cup!!

Well, that's all for now. We currently have about 5 more weeks of classes then a week to pack before returning to the U.S. Please pray for us as we finish up teaching and prepare to return for our first furlough. Thank you.