Day Twenty-six - Sad day at the Nielson home

Wow, what a day! The morning started with a lightning and thunder storm, but eventually the weather broke and it turned into a beautiful day. Last night Kanta had a REALLY difficult time falling asleep - I think he was both excited to go home, and he was also trying to enjoy the homestay up until the very last minute. When I realized that he just couldn't fall asleep, I offered to stay up and watch a movie with him. So we did, and Gabby joined us as we watched "Peewee's Big Adventure". I won't say how late we stayed up :)

This morning we woke up and had breakfast together. Kanta is such a good and polite young man! He always thanks us for everything, enjoys his food, and always cleans up the table - I only wish Kendall was the same!

Kanta did a great job at making certain his bags were all packed, and we left the house around 10:00 this morning. Our goal was to go to Rainbow Gardens to look for some final gifts, and then eat lunch at the Greenery Restaurant. We had a lot of fun in the gift shop - there were quite a few interesting things for us to play around with. I wish that I would have taken some pictures when we were trying on funny sunglasses!

We then left to go meet with the homestay group - it was time to drop Kanta off with the rest of his friends to go home to Japan. It was hard for us because Kanta has become so much a part of our family! We wish it could have lasted much longer, but we are grateful for the time that we had, and we sure hope that we will be able to see him again someday - and the rest of his family. Thanks for coming to our family!!!

Kanta saying goodbye to Bean - I'm pretty sure that Bean is his favorite dog!

Just arrived at Rainbow Gardens at the mouth of Ogden Canyon - what a beautiful day!

Here we are waiting to sit down in the restaurant

Eating our last lunch together at The Greenery Restaurant at Rainbow Gardens

Kanta found some fun things at the gift shop...

...and showing off his new fingers!

Standing with the wooden Indian at Rainbow Gardens - Gabby is trying to be a wooden Indian too!

In the parking lot before we went in to the final meeting. We didn't know how much time we would have inside, so we spent a little time together outside.

Time to show that he still has his passport!

Checking the lists and signing in.

Sitting in the back of the meeting room...this is where the families and the students gathered one last time.

Kendall and Kanta saying goodbye

Julie and Kanta saying goodbye

Gabby and Kanta saying goodbye

Lining up behind the rest of the families...we were the last ones :)

We were trying to find where Kanta was supposed to go, but it was kind of confusing so we were able to spend more time together!

Playing our favorite game again...Ninja Destruction!

Waving goodbye one more time...

...but we still were able to play one last game of Ninja Destruction! Kanta, we will miss you - thank you for coming to our family!!!

Day Twenty-five - the time went too fast!

Our last full day with Kanta - we are sad but happy. We have had so much fun with him for this month and can't believe that it is already done! We hope that we will be able to see him again someday, and our house will always be open for him anytime.

Today I had to work, but Julie took the kids shopping for school clothes. Mainly for school clothes for Aubrey, because she has to have nice clothes at her school. I think it was mostly boring for Kendall and Kanta, but they made the best of it by being goofy and having fun.

After shopping, Julie took them to the small zoo in town. It was a nice day, but a little hot. They spent a lot of time looking at all the animals, birds, and snakes, and lizards. Then they came home and played outside for quite a while...when they came in the house, I tried to play Ninja Destruction with Kanta, but he was too tired :)

Tonight there was a pizza party and movie at Jens' house (one of Kanta's friends from scout camp). Jens' dad makes the pizza and all the young people from town go over and eat, and to watch the movie. Tonight the movie was "Tangled"...and after they came home, Kanta had to hurry and finish packing. Right now he is having a hard time falling asleep - I think because he is so excited to go home to see his family. He has a big smile on his face!

Julie took the kids shopping for clothes today, and because Aubrey was there they spent a lot of time in the girl's section. So Kanta decided to have fun... :)

...I really don't think those shoes fit him very well...

...but I think he has a bright future as a comedian!

The kids were feeding the fish...and the ducks...and the swan

Playing with the ducks at the zoo

Friends forever!

Posing for pictures at the zoo. I think these three are the real animals.

Pizza party and outdoor movie night in Newton!

All the kids at the outdoor movie - if you look closely you can see Kendall, Kanta, and Gabby in the middle of picture

Day Twenty-four - Oh no! It's almost time for Kanta to fly home :(

It was a nice quiet day for the kids today...they were able to sleep as late as they wanted this morning! I was at work so I don't know everything that happened, but I do know that they went fishing after lunch today with Benjamin and Patrick, two boys who have also become Kanta's friends. They weren't very successful though - Benjamin caught two fish, but that was all.

This afternoon Kanta started packing his suitcase to get ready to fly home to Japan. We are sad for him leave, but happy that he will soon see his family! Thankfully we still have two days, so we will have to enjoy them.

Kanta helped Julie in the garden this afternoon as well. They picked beans (green beans) and zucchini, and checked the other vegetables. He has been a great and happy helper!

On the way home from work I bought some parachute cord, which is small nylon cord. I bought it so that we could make survival bracelets. It was much easier to make them than I expected - Julie, Kanta, and Kendall each made two, and Gabby made three. I only made one, probably because I'm old and slow. After making the bracelets we sent the kids to bed - on time for a change!

Kanta started packing his suitcases today - oh no! The time has gone too quickly!

Here we are making the survival bracelets from parachute cord.

Kanta working on his survival bracelet and watching Japanese baseball songs on the computer. I asked him if they sing songs at Japanese baseball games like we do here in America, and he said yes - and found some on youtube.com to show us! I asked because last night we sang the traditional song "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch at the baseball game.

Day Twenty-three - a big day for our family!

Today was a VERY big day for our family - we sent Joshua off for two years to Chile, where he will serve as a missionary. This picture is Joshua and Aubrey as they are saying "farewell"...not "goodbye"! We will miss him very much but are so happy that he is doing this, and we know it will be a great experience for him. He will learn so much, and will be a better man when he comes home because of the people he will meet and serve. Farewell Joshua - see you in two years!

Playing basketball at grandpa and grandma's house - Kendall and Kanta stayed here while we dropped Joshua off this afternoon.

Kanta had a great idea to cover himself with all these different gifts - it looked so funny that I had to take a picture!

Looking for gifts in the gift shop

This is Kendall and Kanta outside of the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City. We saw a movie there that was a little boring.

Kanta and I playing hacky-sack - and me showing off my very white legs!

We ate dinner at my favorite hamburger restaurant in the world, Hires Big-H! Kanta was showing us some interesting scientific experiments with his water.

Kanta and Kendall with Bumble, the Salt Lake Bees' team mascot

During the game...people started leaving because they thought we were going to win. Wow, were they wrong! And this is Kanta doing his newest favorite trick with his eyes :)

After the game, outside the park. The Bees gave up a 7-5 lead in the ninth and lost 9-7, but we had fun anyway.

Day Twenty-two - A well-deserved day of rest for the boys!

Today was a nice quiet day for the kids...and I'm sure that they appreciated it after the day at the amusement park. Both Julie and I had to work today, so Kanta, Kendall, and Gabby were able to stay at home and relax. And play games! Gabby taught Kanta how to play a board game called "Battleship" - they were still playing it when I arrived home from work, and it looked like it was a really good way for Kanta to work on his English! I could tell that they were having a lot of fun.

This evening was the "Court of Honor" for the Boy Scouts, and Kanta received a special award - it was the picture from the last day of scout camp, and all the boys signed around the picture for him. I know they are going to miss him!

After the Court of Honor, Kanta and Kendall and all their friends played outside for the rest of the evening while Julie and I took Joshua in to town to get ready for his departure tomorrow. We are sure going to miss Joshua (he'll be gone for two years), but very excited for his opportunity to go to Chile as a missionary. We are taking Joshua tomorrow, and after we drop him off, Julie is going to come home. Kanta, Kendall, and I are going to go to a baseball game in Salt Lake City. That should be a great time - the weather has been perfect for baseball!

Day Twentyone - Lagoon!!!

Well, we just got home a little while ago from Lagoon (the amusement park)...and we're tired but had a very fun time! It took Kanta a little while to get used to the idea of some of the crazier rides, but once he did he really enjoyed it. We were also able to eat dinner with Julie's parents (Kendall's grandparents) because they live very close to the park.

It's late, so instead of typing more I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!