A gift from Mayu

The mail carrier left us a note the other day that a package couldn't be delivered since we had to be home to sign for it. I knew the minute I saw the clerk bring the package out at the post office that it was from Mayu!

She wrote us a sweet card...

... and sent lots of gifts, even the leaf candy L loves!

Graduation gifts

Mayu graduates from high school today! We sent her a box of gifts and notes early last week hoping it would get to her in time. The last update I got from the postal service said the package is in Japan today!

She told us she's going to Tokyo Disney after graduation so we thought this keychain/purse dangle would be a cute reminder of the trip for her.

I found these pencils at the Paper Source sale and wish they had more available. I think they're perfect for graduation gifts. Love the inspirational message on each one -- Live with passion, Follow your dream, Live in the present, Enjoy the simple things, Feel inspired every day, Focus on the positive, Believe in yourself, Embrace your wanderlust, Build a powerful mind, and Expand your comfort zone.

Sunday surprise

Cindy left early this morning. L went to work and Andy and I went to church.

That afternoon, Andy and I went to our friend's annual holiday open house featuring a smorgasbord of Swedish foods. She sets such a pretty table but we're not adventurous enough to try the foods (lots of fish) so we made a bee-line to the back porch where she served ham, scalloped potatoes and Swedish meatballs.

We were surprised when we came home to see that we had delivery of a large parcel and that L had already opened it. The parcel was from Mayu and her family. L is holding a pretty fan Mayu sent us.

So many presents - towels, snacks and candies.

The cards (one from Mayu and one from her mom) were very sweet (and musical!) Her mother would like us to visit! I'd love that.

Mayu's not here

Got an email from Jostens to buy Mayu's yearbook. It was a sad reminder that she's not here.

Slow reimbursement

Mayu was ill in April and paid over $300 for her prescriptions. She left at the end of June and today we got the reimbursement check from her insurance company. Now to figure out whether she can cash that in Japan or we have to do it for her. Time to talk to our banker, I guess.

Surprise from Japan

Mayu surprised us with a package today!

She sent us lots of different candies and snacks.

She even wrote a note on each one translating it for us. Thanks!

And how sweet is this? A special gift for me and Andy.

They're beautiful wine goblets covered with cherry blossoms, trimmed in gold and made in Japan. We just might be toasting with these next month for our wedding anniversary. They're so pretty. Look at the packing peanuts - they're hearts.

Mayu's tacos

Mayu is back at home in Japan and sent an email last week asking for my taco recipe. I had to admit that I just brown ground beef and add a packet of taco seasoning. I said I could send her some, but then she sent me a photo that she found some there. And she made tacos for her family!

Mayu leaves

We left at 6 a.m. to get Mayu to O'Hare on time. She flies to Dallas, then onto Tokyo. Such a sad good-bye.

B came along; E had to get ready for work.

When I got around to changing the sheets on her bed I found the entire room covered with Post-it Notes.

They were everywhere.

I wonder how long it took her to write all these. She wrote about nearly everything we had done together as a family.

She even left some on the bathroom mirror.

Some of my favorites.

Mayu's last day

Mayu spent the morning doing laundry and packing, taking a little time out to have a cup of coffee and give August a big, long hug. He's been warming up to her in this last month, hopping up on her chair to be petted. She met friends at a local restaurant for breakfast; B went early. She was surprised to see a whole gathering of friends rather than the one she made plans with. B stopped home to grab some game controllers this afternoon, then went to a friend's house where Mayu's farewell was continuing.

We had tacos for dinner as Mayu requested for her last homecooked American meal.

Andy had his first day of volunteering at the women's tournament at Kemper Lakes today. He was gone before I even got out of bed. Had to wait till he came home for a picture of him in his snazzy uniform.

Dinner and gifts for Mayu

We decided to take Mayu out one last time before she leaves Wednesday. We went to Palmer Place in LaGrange and got to sit in the balcony which I don't think we've done before. We're usually in this beer garden.

The food is OK and the service can be questionable (though it was good tonight) so the biggest draw is being able to sit outside and eat dinner. We figured for Mayu to truly experience summer in Chicago she had to dine al fresco at least once. And it was a beautiful night almost 80 degrees and an almost full moon to be sitting outside. We asked Mayu what touristy things she liked the most and she said the architectural tour and shopping on Michigan Avenue.

I asked the waitress to take a group picture before we left.

When we left to go to the restaurant, I stayed in the house a while longer to set out our parting gifts for Mayu. I was thinking of taking them to the restaurant but didn't want everyone crying in public. I also thought of taking them to the airport to give her Wednesday but thought it would be better to give her time to pack them.

I found this on etsy and thought it was too cute not to get for her. We put a card from L on that gift. I told her not to read the card because I knew it would make us all cry.

We were both tearing up by this point so she looked through the other gifts but didn't take the ribbon off the album to look through it. I think she'll do that when she's alone and I'm glad she spared us the tears. After opening her gifts she and B went to a friend's house to hang out. The next two days are going to be rough and sad.

I got this album late last year and have been taking pictures of her American adventures since. I hope she wasn't bothered by all the photos but I wanted to give her a nice souvenir of her time with us. We did a smaller one with 60 pictures for Takako and she said it is her "treasure." This one holds 200 photos and I came close to filling it. I think there were seven pictures left to fill. It was a lot of fun to make for her. A few of the pages:

I really like how this inside front cover turned out. Our card to her is in the top left corner.

And this is the inside back cover with L's picture. The flower stickers and washi tape are a theme throughout the album.

Andy looks it over before I wrapped it up.

The church gave Mayu this plate for her participation in all the youth activities. The story is that while cleaning out one of the rooms at the church, they came across a box full of plates. Not sure why they were made or when they were given out but the church has been giving them to people as they leave or retire. It's kind of guady and kind of big. Wondering if she'll find room in her bag for this or leave it with us. And on the back it warns, decorative use only, which is a little scary.

And I wanted to send a note to her parents so I put it on some Lindt chocolates ...

... and didn't want to forget her brother so we made him a gift bag of various American candies.

Date night

B and I did a little shopping this morning (he even got two new shirts!) and afterward decided to grab lunch at Buona Beef. Thanks to his rewards points and a birthday gift, we got the meal for $3.28. Sweet!

With B asleep on the sofa (he had a sleepover with college friends in Naperville last night - no sleep, really) and the girls at Whirleyball with the youth group, Andy and I went downtown for a Mexican dinner at Su Casa.

It was Pride Weekend so the people watching was really fun. Mayu had been at the Pride Parade earlier in the day with friends.

Love being in Chicago on a summer night.