Matthew 28:20b

Without words and without sound,
they lay your body in the ground.

Without tears,
for I'd spent them all,
I watched them let my castle fall.

Arms wrapped around,
eyes search the faces,
but who can reassure my heart and fill
the empty spaces?

Do not be afraid,
oh do not be alarmed.
Do not be convinced of this world
and what they say is charmed.

Remember all I told you,
remember there is a turning of the pages.
And lo, I am with you, Joanna,
to the end of all the ages.

There is a rumor
whispered... i
hear it with my ears.
You allow the hope
to enter and my
heart it finally pierces.

I saw you with my eyes
and felt you with my gaze.
Now I know that in this year,
not to fear the lonely days.

Your Spirit guides me in
peace so stilled
and as I wait for Your return,
let their hearts be filled.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Schupbachs! It was fun but a little sad to see my whole family on Skype today. :D

Thank God (seriously!) for technology.

Merry Christmas from Mom and Dad!!Jeremy, Eddie, and Alaina!!
Waveland, Jordan and Rochelle (not pictured)

Jonah and Becca (not pictured) with Lenora who is learning ballet! (and Aunt Kay)Only Aunts can understand the importance of sharing scary faces with your nieces (imagine me doing the same thing back to Lenora... complete with growling!)

And finally, Merry Christmas from Mary and I in Japan.

**the scoop

The past two weeks have flown by... time with Mikey has been wonderful. There is no easy way to sum up two weeks but I'll try....

Mikey and I did lots of fun things. We saw the "illumination show" at Roppongi Hills.We celebrated Kie's birthday with dinner and a cake. We ate the best sushi at the most famous place, Sushida!We were so excited to get in after an hour and a half wait. And it was WORTH IT!We enjoyed lots of coffee drinks.We did some double dates... Ayumi, Keigo, Mikey and I at Tokyo Midtown.
But the best part about the two weeks was being together (although Mikey might say the sushi was the best... it was delicious!) Just kidding, Mikey.

It was wonderful being with my amazing Mikey.

silly faces in downtown

the chefs loved us at the sushi place
yokohama pier

sushiro (four times in two weeks ~woo hoo!!)
Mikey's not so happy with his texas hold 'em hand.

Christmas came a little early this year...

I am so thankful for such a wonderful visit from Mikey. God is so good.

making excuses

Sorry I haven't written in awhile... I've been busy.....I promise an update as soon as someone leaves.

I have to brag...

Another Milestone! from Jordan Schupbach on Vimeo.

I am having so much fun catchin up on my busy brother's lives. With a baby in each of their families life is anything but normal. I really enjoyed seeing the pictures of Waveland and the above video. To see more of my families and their busy baby lives, go here...

The oldest

On the corner of

I'm a fairy godmother

For My Dad

My Dad has been trying to get me into classical music since birth... maybe even as a fetus. I just couldn't quite get into it, besides the occasional study times that I would indulge myself. Well, now I stand corrected. I have been glued to youtube since catching the FIVE BROWNS on t.v. They recently did a tour in Japan and I am thankful they did...
Dad, here is your early Christmas gift.

It's getting *cold* in Tokyo...

Kie and I coming back from hanging out. She let me borrow her mitten. Cuuuuute! I just got back from two days in Chichibu, Asako's hometown. We went to celebrate the town's matsuri (festival). It's the THIRD largest in Japan.
Her Dad prepared our headbands...
Her Mom sewed the patches onto our happi (our coats).
Here is Asa's neighborhood shrine. It's on big wooden wheels and during this matsuri, people from their neighborhood get to pull this shrine through town. I was HONORED to be able to pull it alongside Asa and her family.
Asa's uncle and I. He is going to be the leader next year, which is an honor.

Asa and her uncle.
Asa and I went to this festival last year but this year we got to participate. It was such an honor. It's a fun little tradition that Asako and I share...

Her brother is getting ready....

All of us in our headbands and happi. We are so tired after pulling the shrine down the street and through the "parade route".

Asa and I
It was such an amazing cultural experience. I was so excited to have this opportunity.

Thank you Asako and Matsuda family!!!

**my calendar must be wrong...

How has it become December 1st?

How has this happened?

What happened to November and half of October?

I don't know... but I know that time is moving so fast.

Here is an update:

Mary is leaving the first half of February. Possibly around February 6th or so?

I will be staying until mid-June... I am helping to recruit, train, and welcome the summer team so I will be staying for awhile. Then home to Illinois I go. (after that, I have no idea, keep praying for me!!) :D

Mary and I enjoyed a visit with her sister Jean (hello Jean). Jean was here for one week and made the most amazing cheesecake.

Jean also took this picture... proof that I am a teeny bit crazy. :D Mary and I will be spending Christmas in Kariuzawa with our Mid-term friends. We're going to DRIVE!! I am so excited to drive somewhere, just Mary and I. It "feels" so American. Road tripping with your buddy. Hooray!! Kariuzawa is also rumored to have snow around the end of December... so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

I know it's December cause the Roods are gone. The Roods left for two months to enjoy a short break in America. They get to spend Christmas with their family, go to Disney World, go to California, and many other fun things. I hope they have a blast. They deserve it. Although I did cry when they boarded the bus for the airport. :( I also know it is December because I have officially started a countdown until Mikey comes... Mikey is coming December 9th and will spend two weeks here in Tokyo. Mikey is one of my favorite people. He makes me laugh and asks the best questions. He is so sweet and kind. Mikey is obsessed with good food (preferrably Asian food) and I am sure is shocked when I eat popcorn and call it "dinner". He is an amazing snowboarder, loves being outdoors, takes beautiful pictures and has a great sense of humor.

It is, however, Mikey's other fine qualities that bless me the most. He loves the Lord first, has a generous heart, he serves his friends humbly, loves his family and is open to sharing his life with me. He sends me fun packages (M&Ms and Andes mints) and writes me letters to keep me company while we are far apart. And in 8 days he will no longer be far away from me but in the same time zone... WOW!

(isn't my boyfriend amazing?)

Does Japan have turkeys?

No, actually Japan does not have turkeys...

but we, here in Tokyo, are fortunate enough to get turkeys imported from America...

So the Tokyo staff had Thanksgiving dinner together.All the ladies prepared some sort of dish to share. We got some imported goods from Mary's sister Jean who came to visit us (again) for a week. Thanks Jean!!

Here is Mary, Jin and Jennifer in the kitchen!! Yaya, Abbie, and I were at the table... waiting for the turkey to be cut. I refrained from eating the turkey leg... although the thought did cross my mind. :D
Mark and Kyle were a little excited to eat Thanksgiving meal. (wasn't Jin's table goregous??? I loved it!! She's such a hostess!)
Mark and Kyle's plate with all the traditional fixings. :D

They aren't so excited now... ha ha ha!!
The beautiful women of the Tokyo team.

I love this picture because after I took it, Kayla asked to see it and then she laughed so hard. I don't know why but she was SO cute when she laughed.

When Jean's cheesecake came out, Kayla was at the table... and wouldn't leave. She couldn't take her eyes off the yummy dessert... I wonder who she got that from??
Ohhh, now I see.

The Rood girls.

It looks good, doesn't it, Kayla?

Are we going to cut this soon?

Ohhh nice.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM JAPAN!!

(and yes, Kayla got her piece of cheesecake)

Koyou desu yo!

This Saturday the 17th, some BEST club members and I headed out to the mountains. We were there to do some hiking and to see the changing leaves... even businessmen and women aspiring students need to get into nature...

Sae, Mikkun, Mamo, Ty, Yasushi, and Mitsuru... they look really intimidating. :D
Mite! Tobu saru... well, not really flying monkeys but just ordinary monkeys. I thought this sign was so cute.
Yasushi
Sae
Mamo and Mitsuru in the backround.

Ahhh nature... how I adore thee.
Being in nature reminds me of Romans 1:20 where it says that all of creation is a testimony to God's existence.

Goregous!

Ty, Mikkun and Jo

I wanted to take a puffy vest picture with Ty but he kept making faces. I have about three pictures preceeding this one, exactly like this.
The group... oh wait, where is Mamo?
On a bridge... I forgot the name. Mikkun? What was it again? Sangubashi?

We rode the cable car down the mountain...
It was pretty sweet.
Thanks Takaosan for your beauty.

Thank you God for all things to testify to Your creativity, Your existence, and Your love for Your people.