Misa and Shiori

We had the opportunity to host Japanese exchange students again. This time it was two 19-year-old girls, Misa and Shiori. Misa is from Osaka and Shiori is from Nara. They were so sweet and cute! We had so much fun with them! We played Rock Band with them, and they were awesome! They'd never played before and they were much better than I am and I've been playing regularly for about a year. They came to soccer games for Jacob and Micah. The boys loved having the girls there to cheer them on.
They cooked Japanese food for us.
They made fried chicken and potatoes, chicken stew, and terriyaki chicken, with Japanese yogurt for dessert one night, and noodles with pork and cabbage another night.
It was very delicious! The boys liked the food, even Xan! Dustin and I loved the food! So yummy!

Misa and Shiori were so darling with our boys! Xan was in love with Misa, and always wanted her to hold him.
And they were awesome at playing with Jacob and Micah!
These girls are studying to become Kindergarten teachers, so as part of their training they help in an American Kindergarten class for a week. Shiori and Misa were able to go to Mrs. Wood's and Mrs. Elder's classes. The girls had such a great time and loved all the kids. They are going to be great mothers and teachers!

We invited the Crapo family over for dinner because Nathan served a mission in Japan, and still remembers some Japanese. If we keep having exchange students, we'll make sure he doesn't forget it. We always have so much fun with the Crapos.

Jacob and Micah got to sleep in the guest room in a queen-sized bed, while Shiori and Misa slept in the boys' bunk beds. The boys thought this was great fun and decided that they needed to have jumping parties ever night. The girls were so great to play with them even when it was late and they were very tired.
I'm sorry for the next people who have to sleep in that bed, but look at that air. And I think this was one of the boys favorite activities with the girls. I'm sure this is what they will always remember. Just look at the smile on Jacob's face!
The group the girls came with hosted a goodbye party the day before they left. They had fun activities for the kids: Japanese games, origami, a fish pond, water balloons, and we even learned to write some words in Japanese!
Here is Micah and me writing his name. We also got Jacob's and Xan's names, and the words laugh, family, and mother. I can't wait to frame them and hang them in our home. All the students put on a great program for the host families with singing and dancing. Shiori sang a duet with another student. They sang Amazing Grace and Eidelweiss. Wow, they were wonderful! Shiori also gave a speech and she made us all cry with her kind words for us.
I can't believe how quickly those two weeks went by. It seemed like the girls had only been with us a short time when it was already time for them to leave. We really bonded with them and they truly became part of our family. It was so hard to say goodbye.
We were all so sad to have them leave. Even Xan was sad and was grumpy all day after we took them to the airport. We hope that Shiori and Misa will visit us again soon!

Goodbye Shiori and Misa! We miss you!
Thank you for coming into our family!