A few of my favorite things...

So today while sifting and sorting through junk, clothes, linens, the kitchen and many other nooks and crannies of this very small military house that we call a home I could not help but to think of all of the things I am excited to have again once we arrive back to the states:

- On-time deliveries without a "gomenasai".
- Lettuce that stays fresh longer than 3 days.
- The ability to snap a pic with my cell phone and send to someone with ease.
- A chance to know what the hell is going on by reading a billboard.
- Driving faster than 60 MPH without the fear of getting a 200.00 ticket.
- Reasonably priced produce and fruits.
- Not feeling like I must talk louder and slower in order to have someone understand me.
- Being able to be at a bar later than 2AM if we decide that is where we want to be.
- Not being able to explain what I need over the phone to a local.
- Natural disasters that remind you that you are living on a tiny little island in the middle of the Pacific.
- The mold that grows on EVERYTHING in my house.
...and so much more

BUT there is so much we will miss as well!
- Okinawa Soba
- Amazingly beautiful beaches
- Perfect summer weather
- Flip-flops 365 days a year
- The 6:00 PM Japanese loudspeaker announcement reminding all the boys and girls to go home and be good for their parents
- The distant sounds of the Okinawa Taiko Drummers practicing
- The odd, random things you see only in Okinawa
- 100 yen sushi-go-rounds
- The dragon when I don't feel like cooking
- Space A Travel with CAT 2 priority
- My son hunting for Okinawan large beetles and geckos
- The safety net of a Japanese community that allows my children to not witness the reality of "the real world".

...and again, so much more.

Time to back to sorting and sifting!