May 10

So, as everyone knows, today was mother’s day. Happy mother’s day mom and grandma!!! I’m sorry I couldn’t catch you today, mom, I’ll try again soon.

Okaasan was out all day and when she came home, I heard her talking about what to make for dinner. I saw my chance and went downstairs to treat her and otousan to dinner. We did the Japanese automatic refusal game and then left after getting ready. We went to Ueda to an unagi restuarant, and much like America, it was truly packed. We were 12th on the waiting list, but it was well-worth it. We had a traditional Japanese meal of grilled and marinated unagi over ginger-flavor rice with miso. Okaasan showed me how to eat (since Japanese dishes usually have about one right way and a million wrong ways to eat them). We took a family picture (the waitress seemed very appologetic that she wasn’t a professional) and looked at the interesting shadowbox containing mini replicas of the food served at the restaurant. It was a bit pricey and okaasan said otousan would pay for his dinner, but I assured her it was alright.

On the way home, okaasan and otousan said they hadn’t been to that restaurant in a long time, so it was a nice expeirence. (: When we got home, I saw a lizard on the doorway. Otousan and okaasan weren’t surprised and okaasan explained that it had lived there for years (from when it was smaller) and was an omamori (protector of the house).

After everyone had settled in, I brought the orchid I had bought for okaasan to her and explained that it was my mother’s favorite flower. She really liked it (yokatta!) and even gave me a hug. I was thoroughly surprised, but okaasan was really happy and so was I. :D I admit, I did a dance when I got back to my room before studying again...