A whole month in the US already!

It's hard to believe we've been here a whole month. It's been great. Hana has been making so many friends, and getting so good at it. The other day we went to (yet ANOTHER) church and she saw a small group of children playing outside. She came to me and said, "Mommy, can I play with the kids outside?" I said, "Sure you can!" and off she went. I followed along behind her just to see if she did okay. It was amazing to watch. She slowly inched her way across the yard towards the group of kids. She took a few steps closer and closer into their little circle, until one little girl spoke to her. Then she just joined right in with them! She looked back and me a time or two and smiled and waved. It was so sweet to watch. She was fearless about getting into that group of total strangers. She is really cut out for all this travel that we do!

Today, she was looking at a globe with her cousins. They asked her where she lives and she pointed right to Japan, and right at the island of Kyushu! I was amazed!!!

She is really loving being in America. I am amazed at how much her English has improved. She is speaking in some LONG sentences now. Playing in English with all the kids has been so good for her. When playing, she used to always switch into Japanese, now she plays along in English and even plays by herself in English.

The other thing I have noticed is that she is learning to tease people. Certainly, she has picked this up since we got to the states. She will call someone a silly name, and just loves to watch them be a little embarrased by it. It is hillarious! I didn't know that a 3 year old could pick on someone.

Here are some picks to enjoy of all we've done over the last month...

A HUGE cactus!


The "big hole in the ground" (as Hana called it)



This is what she thinks of American food! LOL, it's been hard to get her to eat. The first night we were at my Mom's house I made veggie soup and she ate THREE bowls full. The two days after that she ate a LOT of cucumbers and fruit!


In Denver we went to the Children's Museum. She LOVED the children's grocery store with kid sized carts, a play cash register and a huge play kitchen. She could have played there for hours!


She also liked the "forest" where she wore a possum suite and crawled through tunnels and caves in a "tree"!