Jose leaves...

This morning Jose is getting ready to leave, and we are going to drive him to the train station. He is taking a shower and the kids and I are moping around. I am very sad today, thinking about how much I am going to miss him. I just feel like I do not want to move through this space and time of 4 months, without him. I want to go to bed and sleep through it until he comes home. I am on the verge of crying all morning but just don't let myself.
The little girl doggie is starting to perk up which is a good thing, and Cricket is putting up with her a bit better even though he must always be petted first, and more, than she is petted. If she is on my lap he must be on my lap. I think now that bringing Natsumi-chan into our lives at this moment was a very good thing for us all - she will keep the kids and I busy taking care of her and feeling sorry for ourselves less.
On the up side, my neighbor Yuri is having her mother-in-law over for the next months, and we are planning to set up our sewing machines in her kitchen and make quilts. I have been inspired by Amy Butler's book "Midwest Modern" and the website www.amybutler.com She has a free pattern for a simple quilt that I am going to try to make from her fabrics that I've ordered on line.
As for the boys, Frankie has pottery and a guitar lesson on Monday and Nate and I have a date to bring his guitar to a shop off of Blue Street in Yokosuka and get some new strings and some adjustments done on it, then get him in for some lessons. Later this week, they will both work on some swimming lessons, and help me volunteer at the thrift shop. So ok...