Catalog

Here are the catalog links for combi mini.

http://combimini.jp/new/d_catalog/C7/?lk=01_sh

http://combimini.jp/new/d_catalog/C6/?lk=01_sh

http://combimini.jp/new/d_catalog/C9/?lk=01_sh

Combimini

Long awaited update.
Here are some pictures from the September photoshoot for Combimini. The catalog came out this week and the pictures are on the website. I've saved all the ones I could find to post for all to see. If you are viewing this from Facebook, please go to our blog to see the pictures.
http://kohlbeckday-to-day.blogspot.com

Amazon and gift ideas

I am aware that I am too old for people to give me b-day presents (especially now that Melanie gets the cool stuff), but I just wanted to let everyone know that I have an Amazon.com wish list for things I want or things I want to get for Melanie. If you are looking for something to send to either of us, you can get some ideas there. Or just send an Amazon gift card. It kinda sucks to pay for shipping, but my selection is so small here that I thoroughly enjoy the modern conveniences of the internet.
Lori's wish list

I am starting to search for craft projects for Melanie's age. I've found some great Crayola products, but it's so hard to choose just a few. I should just send all my money to Crayola. :)

Trust your instincts

Just an interesting story for everyone.
Melanie, a friend and I went to lunch today. Since she is Japanese I ask her a lot (maybe too many) questions. When we were walking back to the bus stop I asked her about the security that stands on three of the street corners in the area. She told me that on the top floor of a building there is a place where people bet on motorcycle races. It is one of three forms of gambling legalized by the gov't. The men have a tendency to drink and get how people do when they've had too much. When they come out of the building, sometimes they 'cause trouble so the security is there to keep them out of the street or bothering others.
A few months ago I went to this building because there is a Daiso (¥100 store) inside. I felt uncomfortable about the security guard. The building was creepy inside and there were strange people standing outside the elevators. I didn't feel unsafe, just odd.
Now I know why. It's amazing what your feelings can tell you if you listen.

Typhoon and life

Yes, we're still here. I'll try to get better about posting. Life with a toddler is difficult.
A tropical storm passed over us this morning. It was nothing to get worked up over. It's beautiful outside now so we hope to enjoy it after Melanie's nap.
I'd say that nothing is going on, but Melanie changes everyday and it is impossible for me to keep up. Her most recent thing is walking everywhere. She can't be stopped! She is drinking milk now and big kid foods. Although she can't use a spoon yet, she likes to feed herself. Makes my job easier.
We're getting involved in more toddler groups. Went to a new one yesterday and it was great. I hope that we'll be able to go again. I made a new friend so I hope we'll be able to get together more.

Tropical Storm Krovanh

Like usual, the base is making a big deal about this. We're gonna get rain. Big deal!


Tracking Map

Feeling sentimental

Going through videos on photobucket. I found this one and it was so cute it made me cry.

She's Growing

The title reminded me that at her appointment she weighed 19.5 lbs. I love my little girl.
What I was really writing about was to say that I can see her changing. Today she went from sitting to standing without using anything to pull herself up. She has also started letting go of things. It's only a matter of time.
That is all. :)


Oh, yesterday she still wasn't feeling well. Seemed to have an upset stomach. Today has seemed better though. She's slowly starting to eat better.

97.7

Good morning!
Yup, that is her temperature this morning. It was a rough night, but we're bother feeling better this morning. She slept from 8-11, 1-4, and 4-9. I got almost 8 hrs of sleep!
What I ended up doing was giving her teething tablets, a very slight amount of benadryl, rubbed some baby vicks on her chest and set the fan right next to her bed. Of course we were up on the Tylenol/Ibuprofen and milk.
We both have little runny noses this morning, but she is crawling around the floor, playing and making happy baby noises. The swelling in my neck is going down.
I hope we're well enough tomorrow to go to the Noritake factory!

Dealing with a fever

Melanie still has it today. I haven't checked her in a few hours, but the temp has been between 99 and 100. It's an improvement from yesterday.
Early this morning, the pediatricians office called and asked when we'd like to schedule our follow-up. They got her in at 1030 so we made ANOTHER trip down there. Have I mentioned that I hate doing that 'cause its so far? Anyway, they couldn't find anything wrong with her, so the consensus is that she is at the beginning of a cold. I just have to keep an eye out for other symptoms. She is well medicated and well loved.
Anyone know some good tips to help an 11-month-old feel better besides using medication? There is only so much it can do. She is obviously still not feeling well.

Gonna be an interesting day

It started at 5am with an earthquake. Melanie was already stirring at that point, but didn't fully wake up until a little after 6. It was a late night last night, so we're both a little tired and cranky. I took her temp last night at 102.9. Besides that, she was fine. Generally Drs tell you to just give them Tylenol and wait to see if their temp goes down. Since it was 630pm and I didn't want to wait all night, so I just decided to go to Urgent Care in Yokosuka. After examining her and testing for a UTI, they said it was probably just the beginning of a cold. They sent us home with more Tylenol and some Ibuprofen. This morning, her temp is only 99.
I've been better, but a little more sleep would help. My lymph node is still swelling and a little uncomfortable.
It will probably rain all day. Still dealing with that TS.

The swing of things

We are ready to start another week. I am tired and so is Melanie. She went down pretty fast.
I don't know if I'm fighting off a cold, but my lymph node near my ear has been swollen. It's a little uncomfortable, but I'm doing okay.
Melanie seems to be close to walking. She is getting pretty brave about letting go. Today she moved from the bath tub to the toilet. No real walking involved, but quite a stretch. I hope she can hold out a few more weeks.

In case you heard on the news, we did have an earthquake. It wasn't very strong although it lasted forever. Melanie slept through it. Mocha and Kaemon looked at me like "what are you doing?!" I finally got up and went to the doorway, but mostly to be close to the stairs in case I need to get to Melanie quickly. All is good.
Oh, and I cooked myself an almost home cooked meal today. Kudos to me!

My reflections on PPD

It's been a while since I've posted any updates. Although this is a rare occurrence, I'm gonna get serious about something. Anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows that I was diagnosed with Postpartum Depression just after Melanie's 4 week check up. At that time, my in-laws had just left to go back to the states after visiting for a few weeks and Danny had just gone out to sea for a short deployment. The first few weeks of Melanie's life were pretty good for me. Although I'd had a c-section, my recovery was very fast. I was still in pain, but with help of my family I got a decent amount of sleep. Most days, I was even able to put on make-up. Something I didn't even do in the past.
When everyone left, I was very alone. More so then I'd ever have been in my life. I thought, having a baby, that at least I'd never be alone again. Someone would always be there. I thought I knew how to take care of a baby. Once I was alone, I was way over my head. I found myself crying a lot and feeling hopeless about the future. I couldn't sleep because anytime I was alone with my thoughts it felt like I would be stuck in a place where I felt helpless forever. I was overwhelmed, over-emotional, and hopeless. I truly believed that things would never get better. Before Melanie was born, people would offer their help, telling me that if I needed anything I should just ask. I am usually open about my feelings and honest about anything and everything, but asking for help was more than I could handle. Who wants to take on my problems? Nearly everyone around me had their own children, jobs, problems, lives. And here I was. I needed the help desperately, but I didn't have the strength or courage to ask.
Besides crying constantly, I was also lacking sleep, not eating much, and constantly angry. If Melanie didn't do what I wanted when I wanted it, I would scream. Sometimes even at her. It's very difficult for me to admit this. No one ever wants to say that they screamed at their helpless infant. I am very ashamed of this. Now, it is between me and God. I do what I can everyday to make up for the mistakes I've made in the past.
The only escape I ever had was leaving my house (which was a constant reminder that I felt like a complete failure) and going to Amy's. I'm sure at times I seemed desperate and overstayed my welcome, but it was the only thing that kept me sane. Amy understood my feelings more than I understood at the time. The thing that helped the most was when the pediatrician and my personal doctor recommended that I seek treatment. I wasn't sure if I wanted to jump right to medication to solve my problems, but when I had questions, I knew I could ask Amy. Sometimes, the questions were very personal, but she was honest with me. Eventually I decided to take the medication.
Although the initial change was nearly immediate (it takes about two weeks for the medication to reach full strength), I certainly wasn't 100%. I've been on the meds for 10 months now and I finally ALMOST feel where I want to be. Of course, I still have "days". Since the time I started, I've changed from 50mg/day to 100 mg/day. The first goal was just to be emotionally stable and be able to get out of bed in the morning. Now, I am able to notice the small things. Most days I lack the motivation and desire to do the things I need to do, like clean up the mess Melanie made at breakfast or even cook my own meals. I wasn't particularly motivated before I was a mother to do the things I didn't want to do, but it feels different now. I can tell when things aren't quite right.
Somedays, I just want to run away. I still get mad. I still cry. But not as often and I feel like I'm in control. The medication has helped me get over the initial hump, and then I have the strength to handle things on my own. I've learned Melanie and she has learned me. I don't have to get mad about things, I just go with the flow.
To sum things up, I want to make a statement to everyone. I know that because of time, money, distance, etc, many of you were not able to help me. I know you wanted to then and I know you still do now. The best advice I can give is just help people. If you know a new mother, whether it's her 1st or 10th child, she still needs help. Don't ask her if she needs help, just do it. She will never ask. Bring her a meal. Eat it with her. Let her talk about anything and everything. Clean her house. Watch her baby so she can sleep. Do anything that you know she can't muster the strength to do herself. Today in our society, mothers are expected to do everything alone, but if we help just one mother, then maybe it will continue to be paid forward.
Mothering duty calls me. Thanks for reading. I look forward to any comments.

Birthday Dress

I found this and love it. Anyone want to buy Melanie a birthday dress? :)




And, yes. I know it's been a long time since I posted anything. I'm posting now, aren't I?

New Melanie photos available on Photobucket

Back in Japan

Most everyone knew already, but Melanie are back in Japan. We went to Seatac Wednesday night for space available roll call. There were 40 seats available, so we had no trouble even though we were only a category IV. It was early Friday morning when we landed and Melanie slept the drive home, which means that I was exhausted by the time she had her next nap.
We're still adjusting to the time zone and being in our own house again. Oh, and the hot weather and high humidity. I put Melanie down for a nap last night at 530 and she slept until 3am. Not what I had planned, but at least she slept. It's 8am and I think she is due for her second nap of the day.
The animals are doing well. Mocha is my shadow and Kaemon seems to be happy to be inside more. Both of them did well while we were gone. I'm going to talk to the pet sitter this afternoon to see how things went.
Danny pulled into Sydney yesterday. Wish I could be there. I really want to be. For now, I just have to wait for a skype call. There hasn't been any email from him since yesterday and I'm trying as hard as I can to be patient.
Well, that's all for now. Thanks to everyone for the great time in the states. We had lots of fun and wish we could have stayed longer. We'll see you at Christmas!

Melanie at the Beach

She took her first trip to the beach a few weeks ago. Here is a short, edited video of her first time in the sand. There are more pictures of the trip on photobucket.

Changing email address

I am leaving Excite and for now going exclusively to gmail. I may open another account later (I like to have 2 for different purposes). If you want to reach me, email Lori.Kohlbeck@gmail.com.
Things are going well in the states. Melanie loves everyone and they love her. Lots of cute pictures have been uploaded to photobucket in the 8 month album!

Made it!

Sorry in the delay for anyone who didn't know, but Melanie and I made it to McChord AFB around midnight on Monday. The plane was a C-17 with a big truck filled with jet fuel, but I think it was better than flying commercial.
Anyway, we're glad to finally be here and catching up on our sleep.

Kanto Lodge

I'm staying here in Yokota tonight. My car is in long term parking (many thanks to Sierra) and we are ready to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to walk to the terminal. It's a quarter to midnight. Bleh. Tomorrow will be a long day, so I hope I actually get onto the flight. So far, things are working out well. I will post an update tomorrow. I also will be calling Dan and Tracy, so you may need to call them if you need details.
Well, goodnight everyone and I hope we see you soon.

Getting to Seattle

I'm still here in Japan. I was called up to the counter during roll call yesterday, but the guy said there was only one seat, so I obviously didn't take it. There were originally only 5 seats, but 12 ticket passengers didn't show up. I was at the top for category IV, but there was a family of 5 ahead of me, so it didn't take long until the seats were full.
I called the terminal today to ask about the flight to Elmendorf. I'd heard before that it would stay overnight in Anchorage and continue to McChord the next day, but apperently the one tomorrow is terminating in Alaska. As much as I'd love to see Alaska... I was told on the phone that there is a flight that leaves on Tuesday and goes straight to McChord. I will call tomorrow to find out the time of roll call an possibly try to make that one.
Either way, I'll try to update as much as possible.

We've decided... I think

Danny is going to take me to Yokota on Saturday. Melanie and I are going to try to get on the flight for this Saturday the 23rd. If it doesn't work out, we'll try again on the 30th. We'll be category IV so hopefully we'll have better luck than last summer.
I don't have details of the flight, but Danny will call if I make it onto the flight.
If anything changes or things don't work out for this week I'll let you know. Once I get to the states, I'll start planning my Vegas trip.

Rethinking

Things have been changing a bit around here and I'm considering readjusting my plans a bit. Danny suggested that I try to get on the plane next weekend (23rd) so that I can try again on the 30th if I don't get on. I know someone had mentioned that 4 weeks was a long time to be in the states, but I fully trust my petsitter, my students could use a vacation, and Danny is going to be gone a REALLY long time.
The other thing I'm reconsidering is my method of transporting Melanie. I planned on getting this thing called gogo babyz travelmate. It is made so the large carseat she has can be attached and turned into a stroller. Some people have advised against it and some say its great. I tried to order it on Amazon, but it didn't complete. I've been told there is one like it at the army base. There is a gal in Yokosuka who is trying to sell an infant travel system for $20, so I may have to snatch that up instead. The travelmate is $70-$90.
Anyway, still nothing set in stone, but thats what I'm thinking anyway.

Happy Mother's Day

Too cute

This is pretty funny. Just watch.

CNNBC video

edited picture for Mothers' Day

Sorry the image is cut off. If you click it, you can see the full image and all the words I wrote.

"Smile" opening

A friend's daughter found this on youtube. You all have seen this already, but this is better quality and just the opening without the rest of the show. Anyway, I never get tired of watching it, so enjoy!

Playing on the Floor

I just took this video yesterday. It was cute so I decided to share.
Sorry about the problem. It should be fixed now.

Eating cheerios

Melanie has had this down for a few weeks, but I keep forgetting to post it.



Sorry for the strange sound. I don't know what happened between my cell phone and blogger.

Traveling to Seattle

Since people keep asking and I've neglected to post anything here, I want to give you dates and details of our flight to Seattle.
I'm going to send my paperwork in Friday to get on the waitlist. The form for EML (Environmental Morale Leave) isn't affective until the 1st. I am trying to get out on May 30th and return to Japan on June 21st. I still plan on driving to Vegas, but I don't have dates for that yet.
I haven't ordered the carseat stroller attachment yet (shame on me) or talked to my pet sitter, but I hope neither will be a problem.
I don't have any more information than that. Everything will depend on availability on that day. I'm pretty sure I'm getting out before school is over, so it should be easier than last year. Of course, if things really don't work out we'll still be coming back for Christmas.

The days pass by

I know it has been a while since there has been any update from me. Things have been a little crazy around here. Melanie got a free crib from the church last week, but we couldn't set it up until Monday because we were waiting for her new mattress. I'll be calling the Exchange and demanding a refund.
Baby girl has also been super fussy lately. Her cheeks are also pink so I think she is teething. No teeth yet though. Her nose started running like crazy today, but there is likely a good reason for it.
We brought home a new dog on Tuesday night. I've had my hands full with him. He is a year-old, pure bred Shiba Inu. He is a good little dog, but all of us are adjusting to him being around. Mocha has been hiding upstairs, but she got brave and came down a few times today. I'll post pictures later.
Well, Melanie went to bed early and Bishop (the dog) is outside barking so I need to bring him in. More to come soon.

Melanie on television last night

It was so cute!! We had to wait 15 minutes into the show to finally see it and of course it was edited, so it didn't look like it did when we were there filming but I saw Melanie clearly many times.

Bonus for all of you... I found it online!!! If you want to watch it now, go to http://smilejdrama.blogspot.com/ and play the video. You have to skip to 14:05 to see the introduction section. To see all the parts that she is in, you'll have to watch a few times. I know where she is so I have no problem. Anyway, you can always wait until I'm in the states to watch it, but I doubt that will happen.

Update on 365 project

Happy Easter

Please click for full image


http://www.flickr.com/photos/lani-elle/3436886504/

Imperial Palace

I never posted the link here, but a week ago we went to the Imperial Palace and took lots of pictures.
http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q19/rainsongs/Imperial%20Palace/

Melanie's first job

So, I'll try to make this long story as short as possible since I don't have much time to write.
Earlier this week I got an email about a studio that was looking for 50 babies to film for a new television show. They said ages 6 to 18 months so I sent in Melanie's information. The man at the modeling agency called me and said he'd call me with more info if she got the job. Well, I never heard anything.
Thursday night I got a call from him asking if she was still available. I said of course! We left the house at 7am to head to a little town outside Machida where the studio is located. (I believe it is W of Tokyo) Everything got moving at about 9am and Melanie got to do her filming around noon. They split us up into four groups and only one group was up at a time with one of the actors from the show. Melanie just sat there and pulled the actresses hair when she lied down next to her. I watched away from the filming on a screen. OMG, that was one happy momma. I had so much pride for her; she was such a cute little girl! To make it better, there were some other people standing there pointing her out of the group and talking about how cute she was!
The second time she was up for filming she was in the "happy baby" group. I got to stand next to the stage and try to keep her happy. She kinda watched me and smiled, but I think she wondered what in the world was going on.
It's going to be on television in two weeks. I WILL be getting it on dvd.

6 Month appointment

Friday was Melanie's 6 month appointment. She is now weighing 16lbs and is 23.5in. So, she is short and round in the 50th percentile for weight and 5th percentile for height. I've started calling her my chunky monkey.
We've been concerned with some dry and red skin on her back. The pediatrician said she has mild eczema. We have an ointment to clear up the redness and lotion to apply multiple times a day. She also has special soap. Oh, and he also started her on fluoride drops. Apparently, base housing in Yokosuka and Ikego has "base water" that has added fluoride, but in Negishi we get "Japanese water" and they don't add it.
Melanie got a few shots after her appointment. We almost have her caught up on her HIB, so once we get that she won't need anymore until she's a year old. I also elected to get her flu shot since it is still going around Japan.

Since she was 4 months I've been sleeping SO well since she would be asleep nearly 11 hours solid every night. The last week or so she's decided that it is fun to wake up crying multiple times a night. Last night it was 10pm, midnight, and 4am. I was not happy. I have to assume that she is teething. Even before her immunizations, she'd be randomly cranky during the day. She isn't drooling or chewing on things any more than usual! :) No sign of teeth yet, but she has been getting teething tablets and baby Orajel occasionally.

Yesterday we made a trip to the Imperial Palace. Pictures and information to come later.

6 months 1 week 2 days

6 months 1 week 1 day

6 months 1 week

Photobucket

I have been using flickr, but I surpass my limit too quickly. For now, I've created a new 6 month album on photobucket.

6 months 4, 5 & 6 days

Danny on television

Danny was interviewed about two weeks ago and it was on television the other day. Here it is for all of you to enjoy!

6 months 3 days

6 months 2 days

6 months 1 day

365 project

Every day until Melanie is one year old (yes, I know that is 180 days, not 365) I will be taking a picture of her. In the morning when she's in her high chair I'll take it and then post it on the blog later. When she reaches one year, I hope to make a short video showing all the pictures. I can't promise I'll post them everyday, but I'll try.
To start this off, I took a picture today.




Happy 6 month-day to Melanie!!

Not much going on here. That's part of the reason I don't update so often. Melanie is much better. Her temp is back to normal. She still coughs occasionally and has quite a runny nose, but neither are that bad.
Since she got too heavy for her swing, I started putting her in her bassinet, which worked really well until I realized that she had passed the weight limit for that too. It wasn't that big of a deal, but I figured it's better to be safe than sorry. Now she sleep in her pack and play since we are STILL waiting for her crib. I'll be calling them tomorrow morning to get more info. I'd been calling them and was supposed to call back, but just hadn't gotten the chance. Hopefully I'll get some answers soon.
She is working on sitting up. She is a very excitable baby so always wants to straighten her legs, which makes her fall over. She is working on rolling from her back to stomach too. Still have a lot of work to do, but it won't be too much longer I'm sure.
The eating is going great. I'm just about ready to move her up to second foods. Probably just a few more weeks. I've been mixing it with milk, but I'll stop doing that soon.
Not much else going on. Danny is getting better. The doc said his tonsils were swollen so he got some more meds. He hasn't complained too much, so I have to assume he's feeling better.
I am sore because Danny gave me a "mommy day". So I went to the gym. I haven't done that in a year (since I started getting morning sickness) so my body was not prepared! The stairs in our house are a pain.
I've started teaching more. I am up to 4 students now and hopefully more soon. Melanie is usually pretty well behaved, but I hope it will get easier as she gets older.
That's all for now. I am trying to get Melanie to take a nap and she's crying so I have to calm her again. Hopefully it won't be too long before I update again.

Still sick

Melanie was getting better before it hit her again. She started coughing and last night she had a fever of 101. I've been giving her Tylenol and keeping up on her temp. I talked to a nurse in the ER last night and she said to bring her in if she showed signs of dehydration: no tears, less wet diapers and refusing to nurse. So far so good, but if her temp gets too high I'm taking her in regardless. This morning it was only 100. Either way, they won't give her meds so the cold just has to run it's course.
Danny is getting better slowly, but I've had a bit of a sore throat today. I hope I don't come down with it.

Yay!

Snow!!

It's actually been switching between rain and snow all morning. At this rate, it would take a LONG time to start sticking. TGIF!

Update at 1130am: Rain. Poo. It had just started to stick.

house of sicklings

Danny is slowly getting over his nasty cold. He's had it nearly 2 weeks now. Melanie have managed to escape the worst of it. She got a small cough after being with the "big kids" all day. Now I think she has a bacterial infection in her eye. I didn't run to the doctor right away, but I figured it's better for her to see him considering her age. We have an appointment for 9 tomorrow. I'm guessing that she'll probably get antibiotic eye drops. We're taking good care of them for today though.

UPDATE: The doctor says she doesn't have pink eye. Her nose is stuffy way up inside and he says the gunk in her eye is likely the stuff from her nose working it's way out. Ew! She has saline drops for her nose to help clear her up. She'll be getting a little Tylenol too.

Flickr

FYI- I have created a flickr account and am contemplating moving everything from Photobucket over there. It is just about usability for me. I'll keep you updated on changes.

UPDATE: I added about 15 pictures from iPhoto and exceeded my bandwidth limit for the month. Luckily Feb is short so it will be reset in a few days.

Grandma

Happy Birthday

Big Favor

Can someone please buy Melanie some long-sleeve onesies and send them to us? I keep looking in the Exchange, but they never have her size.
She needs 3-6 month size, white, and preferably Carter's brand, but any will do. She only needs one pack (5).
Thank you!

Weather

I've been dying for some snow. This isn't much, but I'll take it.

4 month pictures

I added more to photobucket. Click the picture, it will take you to the album.

Happy Baby

So many people have said this before, but Melanie is such a happy baby. She even smiles in her sleep. It is cute!

Mt Asama erupts

I didn't know about this until a friend of Danny told us. I noticed "dust" on the car today, but didn't realize it was ash.



TOKYO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - A volcano in central Japan erupted on Monday, spewing hot rocks and ash, but there was no major damage in the sparsely populated vicinity, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

NHK public TV showed white smoke coming out of the 2,568 metre (8,425 foot), snow-capped peak, with some grey dust near the top.

Smoke shot up as high as 2 km (1 mile) from the crater of Mount Asama, which erupted at 1:51 a.m. (1651 GMT Sunday), but no lava could be seen from the side of the volcano, said Kazuya Kokubo, an official at the agency.

The agency had raised its warning level on Sunday after signs of increased seismic activity, telling people not to approach the volcano and agency official Osamu Inaba said traffic in the area was being restricted.

Ash drifted as far as Tokyo, about 140 km (90 miles) to the southeast, but visibility in the capital was not affected.

The agency is keeping its warning level at three out of five, which warns people not to approach the volcano.

Residents in cities and villages nearby have also been warned against flying rocks and ash, Inaba said.

No one lives within a 4 km area around the volcano, but people working in the vicinity were told on Sunday to evacuate, Kokubo said.

Mount Asama, one of Japan's more active volcanoes, had its biggest eruption in 21 years on Sept. 1 2004, spewing hot rock and raining ash as far as 200 km away. That eruption, however, did not cause any major damage.

The volcano is known for a huge eruption in 1783 that caused widespread damage and killed around 1,500 people. (Reporting by Yoko Kubota; Editing by Brent Kininmont)

I love funny pictures

Midwives in Navy

Here is an article that was printed in the Stars & Stripes. Hiles was my midwife during my pregnancy and Shaughnessy was my midwife at the end. Oh and Mindy Adorador is a friend of mine. Her husband works on the Mustin too.
Midwives in the military offer extra level of care

New Melanie Pictures

I added a 4-month album to photobucket.