Check out what we have been feeling since March 11 at 2:46pm

Check out this link.

It shows a time-lapse visualization on the 655+ earthquakes we have experienced. Everyone here is experiencing vertigo issues....we have to look around to see if other things are moving because we can't tell if we are moving or not. OH, PLEASE STOP THE EARTH FROM MOVING UNDER OUR FEET!! Misawa is almost due east of Aomori on the east coast.

Fire Marshal Elijah

I was reminded that Elijah is still learning some valuable life lessons...so am I for that matter:

Eddie and I were sitting back watching TV when Elijah calmly comes in the front door from playing outside and says, (very calmly if I may say so myself) "Mom, there is something not good going on outside."

"Oh really, what is it Elijah?" I admit I was 1/2 way paying attention -- they were about to catch the fugitive on U.S. Marshals and I was into it.

Again calmly taking off his shoes and coat, "Well this boy was playing with a lighter and we told him to stop , but he kept playing with it (FULL attention is now given to Elijah). Well he was playing and playing and we just kept riding bikes and then he started a fire and the fire got bigger and bigger. I mean it is really big, Mom........like from here all the way to the other side of our kitchen!"

"Is the fire still going on right now, Elijah?"

"Yes, it is!"

These 2 shots are NOT duplicates of the same spots -- the entire damaged spot would not fit into one frame.
After 90 minutes of the fire department, police interviews, first sergeant briefings......Eddie and Elijah returned. Elijah did NOT start the fire, but he was aware that the boy was playing with the lighter and chose to continue to ride his bike around it.

Here are the lessons we discussed afterwards:

1. Elijah has been on a kick of lying about things. I have told him that when he lies it causes people not to believe him when he is actually telling the truth on big things. This was a BIG thing!

2. Choose your friends wisely! You will be grouped with the people you choose to hang out with - even if you may not be guilty.

3. If you KNOW something is not right or unsafe - don't passively comment about it - DO something about it. It wasn't enough to say that the action was unsafe - he needed to say it with authority or get an adult.

Magnitude 9.0

Here is the Reader's Digest version:

At 2:46 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011 - a 9.0 magnitude earthquake had us shaking, rattling and rolling! There had been SEVERAL smaller earthquakes in the days prior. Check out the map of where we live and the current earthquake total (it was over 500 at time of posting) Please understand that we are used to having several earthquakes here in Japan. There are 100's each year. Friday's was INCREDIBLY strong. This is how far away we live from the epicenter. We live on Misawa Air Base.

Elijah and I were at school (thankfully students were dismissed 11 min before the earthquake). Elijah was shaken - he actually held my hand, We were evacuated from the school building and we went home - where Eddie had been. Thankfully we had no major damage.

The electricity went out during the earthquake to 5 million people in Japan. We had no idea that there were tsunamis happening and the enormous loss of life. We were reunited and thankful to be alive. We drove to check on our friends that live off base, The Rice's. There have been after shocks about every 35-45 min since Friday.

We came home about 6:00 pm, took cold showers, read a book to Elijah and tried to go to sleep. It took about an hour to fall asleep. About 8:00 we had another 7. something quake. This time I was freaked out! Eddie grabbed Elijah and we went to the living room. Eddie put our shoes and coats by the front door and I made soft pallets for us on the living room floor. Elijah didn't want to sleep alone now. He held my hand all night long - every 40 min we were shaken awake and he would squeeze my hand tighter. We talked through the night about what he was scared of we reassured him we were safe.

PRAISE GOD FOR DAYLIGHT! I think that was the longest night of my entire life. We had friends come over on Saturday - our house was warmer than there's because we live higher than they do. Having them around was great as well - it allowed us to fellowship.

We still hadn't watched the news - Saturday the water went out too. We left to go to a family support place to use the Internet to let everyone know we were safe. When I talked to my Dad he started telling me about some of the things that were going on. Again, I am thankful - we are all safe and I am glad we hadn't watched the news actually!

Power was restored late Sunday night and Internet was restored Tuesday night.

In all this I KNOW that I have been blessed with:

1. family and friends that pray! I mean P.R.A.Y.E.D without ceasing - not only for us but for our host nation!

2. God ordained our steps that week:

- Eddie switched shifts just for that week - HE was home during the earthquake - so we didn't have to wait to see if each other was okay

- we had meat, bread, water in the house before an HOUR before the earthquake. Eddie went to the commissary to buy bread at 1:00 - the quake was at 2:43!

3. Elijah is such a strong, young man! He was ready to sleep in his own bed on Saturday night :)

4. The Japanese people are incredible! They are polite, rule-abiding, peaceful people. There is no looting, no fights, no vandalism AT ALL! NOT like Hurricane Katrina......something to think about

More info to come.......I'll keep you all updated!