Snooty

To be honest, getting engaged completely threw me for a loop, so the next morning we spent some time eating breakfast with Josh's family and going to the grocery store and getting my ring resized. While we waited we went to the local museum, to see Snooty. He's the oldest manatee in captivity, and actually that's because he was born in captivity. He is super cute and super fat. I love snooty and Josh gave me his little snooty plushie and Ben got us a giant one!

ENGAGED!

I flew down to Florida right after Christmas, to go visit Josh and his family.He picked me up at the airport, with my grandma's sister Judy. We had a lovely lunch - during which I completely forgot I had to collect my suitcase! So after that, we got into Josh's car. To be honest, I had never been in the car with Josh and was a little nervous! I kept hanging my head out the window, looking at stuff. It was so amazing!We played the music nice and loud - for the rest of my life I will associate Some Nights, by Fun with riding over the giant Sky Bridge there. It was simply beautiful! I got to meet his family, who were all so lovely, and there was a bit scheme in place which I was completely unaware of! His Mom and sister tricked me into thinking that his Dad had won tickets to a light show in Sarasota. They were chopping up vegetables in the kitchen, and said we could go to the illuminations and then come home to dinner. So off we went (I should have known something was up, as Josh was dressed up!) And off we went, to the beautifully illuminated gardens. I wasn't very good at taking photos, and then suddenly, Josh whirls me away under this veranda, and gives me my Christmas present, a pretty Pandora bracelet. It was beautiful and has charms which have special meanings to the two of us. I loved how he gave it to me, and I was so surprised with me. He says that he forgot another charm, and fished it out of his pockets, and gave it to me. On it was written "Marry Me?" I looked down, and there he was, down on bended knee, with an amazing ring in an amazing box which lit up as it opened. I said yes before he even asked! He even used my full name! To be honest, it was all a big blur, I was so happy! I started crying and I have never been so overwhelmed in my life! This tourist came over, who had overheard us and wanted to take our picture to commemorate the event...turns out it was Josh's friend, who he had asked to come and take photos of it. He even took a beautiful video of Josh proposing. It is like something out of a movie. It is simply magical, and shows my awe and shock and then me crying! His friend Ben took some photos of us, and then we went to a dinner, and surprise surprise, his whole family was there! It was amazing, and David had even sent us champagne from Japan! It was an amazing night and utterly magical, and everything I dreamed of!

Christmas Day

Christmas Day came around really, really quickly. The problem with living in a foreign country with a non Christian population is that sometimes it doesn't feel really Christmassy. But I love coming back to America because it is instantly Christmassy - to the lights and the malls and all sorts of stuff! So after we went to the Christmas party on Christmas Eve, we got home super super late. It must have been about midnight before we even got home - and then we had to wrap all the presents for our family members!I always get up super early on Christmas. The excitement is so great! This year, Daddy and I went to his mom's grave to take a grave blanket, and then I came home and had a shower, even before we opened presents! Instead of stockings, we got cute British themed Cath Kidston washbags filled with cute little things. One of my favourite presents was a pink champagne flavoured lip gloss! Christmas is so exciting, especially the first time I get into the big white living room. The Christmas tree that grandma puts together is amazing every year! The wrapping paper which Mummy picked out this year was really pretty, and extra sparkly, so it got us covered in glitter! My favourite gift that I gave this year was an instant camera which Shelby wanted. Not just any instant Fujifilm, but the Hello Kitty special edition. I was so lucky to find it on Japanese Amazon right before heading home. They got it to my house in record time - less than 10 hours - which never would have happened in America. Needless to say, she was super excited that I had managed to find it - and I was so happy to see her open it! Another present which I found in Japan was a Sanrio Yusahana doll - Shelby had one as a kid and lost it, and was heartbroken. It wasn't expensive, and sometimes those gifts have the best meaning!

Christmas Eve and Cake

On Christmas Eve, we all go over to my Aunt and Uncles, and have a big party in the Pole Barn. It is great, because every brings an bunch of food and it's a great night. Our Aunt Kelly also made this amazing cake for Shelby, featuring a giant Jamie Oliver cookbook - who Shelby loves, entirely made out of fondant!

Christmas baking

We always make Christmas cookies, and not having an oven means when I come to America, I try and make up for it all in one sitting. We made sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies, and peanut butter cookies. Then, I discovered a great idea on Pintrest, and we made white chocolate, Heath and chocolate chip and cranberry fudgey stuff! It was so yummy! I ended up eating the cookies all by myself, because Shelby is gluten and dairy free, which meant more for me! It was great to have an oven, and during the whole holidays, Shelby and I made so much food!

A party for Grandma

I arrived back on the 21st, and I was so excited to be back that I cried the second I saw my Mummy. She thought something was wrong, but it was simply that I was so happy to be home. The next day, we did some shopping, and then had a surprise birthday party for Grandma. It was a complete surprise for her, and it was so nice to see her face when she saw all of her friends. We also had this amazing cake made for her, with her dog on it! It was adorable!

Snow in Tokusa

My last weekend in Japan was spent at home, trying to pack and sort myself for my trip home to America for Christmas. To be honest, it didnt feel terribly Christmassy, so I was so happy that when I went out to Tokusa, to my school way out in the mountains, there was tons and tons of snow. I was so happy! I took this photo while waiting for the bus, and then I stopped at Calvins house in Mitsumi and we made a giant snowman! It was a great way to end my time in Japan for the winter!