So, Ana and I rearended a car on the busiest street in all of Okinawa, in one of the busiest neighborhoods in all of Okinawa. I say “Ana and I” even though I was the one driving because had she not been crying and carrying on, I would not have felt the need to have one arm in the backseat, one finger on the steering wheel, etc, etc. (Yes, I’ve learned my lesson, thank you very much.) So, she’s sharing some blame. Fortunately for all involved, there was no damage to either vehicle, and the one word the other driver used to communicate with me — the Japanese phrase for “it’s okay!” — was one that I knew. (Thanks to my father, who retained that one phrase from his two years of military service in Japan and felt the need to say it over and over and over to us again and again after learning that we would be living in Okinawa. Who knew it would be so helpful!)

And note to self — the sonar warning system in the mommy van is helpful only when backing up the car, not when the front of the car is slamming into things.

Praise God no matter what. If things hadn’t turned out so well, praise God. Praise Him, though, that they did. We didn’t even have to call the police.

Ana is currently taking a nap. In her room! Without me! So, I caved in this morning and rubbed her back for her morning nap. But I was more resolved later, and I think this is great for her. She turned six months old last week. I can’t believe how time has flown by!

And I can’t believe that after three months of throwing up and barely eating, we can still see evidence of Miss Emma Ruth! (Of course, that little bump is about all the extra meat I’m carrying around these days. But I’m craving chili and chocolate, so that’s all about to change!) We took inventory today with Wes’ most recent paycheck, and we have all the money set aside that we’ll need to cover medical costs for the rest of the pregnancy and the delivery. We’ve been told that the Okinawan government refunds most of the expenses (an effort, I believe, to encourage couples to have babies), but just in case that’s too good to be true, we’re covered. Woo-hoo!

Ana is now up and alert, back downstairs and in my lap. Better go before her good mood expires!

By the way, I totally recommend this book that I’m reading to any nearly weds or newlyweds out there! Probably one of the most down-to-earth marriage books that I’ve ever read, and I read a lot while Wes and I were engaged and newly married. Wish this had been one that I’d had back then!