*From My Journal 10-7-06*

On Sat. 10-7 after Nathan & Arlene picked me up at the airport we went to the office on base and got a one day pass for me, even though I was going to be staying longer than one day, since it was the weekend the office was closed where you could get a longer pass.

After I got the pass we went to Burger King (on base). I talked so much I had to take my breakfast back to their house with me. I learned I can't do two things at once.....I can't eat and talk at the same time. ;)

I took a wonderful hot shower (You have no idea how good that felt after not being clean for hours after my whole ordeal). Then it was off to their church's International Banquet. We picked up one of Nathan's work buddies on the way and took him with us. At the church I met Seiko (Arlene's Mom) for the first time. She was so nice and made me feel right at home. :) Arlene made Fried Rice for the dinner, and after everything at the church was over we drove to the Bazaar they have on base twice a month. The first of the month is the big one (The one I was there for) and then the 2nd one is mostly furniture. Arlene's dad, "Butch" is a coin dealer, and he had a table at the bazzar, so I was able to meet him while we were there. It was great! He was telling corny jokes, and poking fun at Nathan and Arlene. I liked him right away! :D :)

While we were there, Nathan said hello to a guy that walked by with his wife and baby daughter. My eyes got really big b/c I could have sworn I knew this person. I asked Nathan really quick who he had just said hello to, and he told me, "Nathan", and I asked "Nathan who?" and he said, "Nathan Sparling." Nathan is looking at me really weird at this point, but I slapped him on the arm and said, "I WENT TO COLLEGE WITH HIM!!!" No way! I couldn't believe it. I was half way around the world, and I ran into someone I went to school with in little ol' Chesterton, Indiana! I went after him and said hi! And asked if he remembered me from school. He did! It was so weird. And while we were there talking, I thought, how amazing that after all this time I ran into him; I had totally forgotten we were in Japan, which made it even that more amazing! Nate and Nicole have a beautiful 1-year old daughter, Candace, who was sleeping when I met her, but she looked so adorable all the same! :)

After a little shopping, which I had left my money at the house, so I was just eyeing up what I wanted to come back and purchase the next day, we said bye to Butch and headed out. We dropped off Nathan's work buddy, and then dropped Nathan off at the library so he could get ready for his speech (for "speech class"), then Arlene and I went to a craft shop. While we were there I started feeling strange. Little-by-little, I was becoming more-and-more disorientated. We went back to the house and I told Arlene my eyes felt like bowling balls, but I didn't want to take a long nap b/c I wanted to sleep good that night, so I asked her to wake me up at a certain time. Man, I have never felt so weird in my life! She came in to talk to me a little over an hour later, and I promise you, it was like an out-of-body experience. Part of me was with the conversation, part of me was fast asleep, part of me was thinking I was dreaming. Ey-yi-yi! I was completely out of it. I think she mentioned food, and I realized I was hungry so I made myself jump out of bed to get myself moving. Nathan came in from his study group, and I got my 2nd wind. After dinner I think we watched the movie message Mom and Dad sent with me (but I can't remember for sure). After some talking, I quickly lost my 2nd wind and I turned in early. I don't even know if I made it past 8.