Thanksgiving isn’t exactly a Japanese holiday. No turkeys to be found in grocery store isles, or stuffing, or canned pumpkin, or practically anything in a traditional thanksgiving dinner— except potatoes I suppose. Yams? Totally different here. You have to travel to specially import stores to pick up these things and pay a fortune. If it wasn’t for good ward friends that invite us to their Thanksgiving dinners- we probably wouldn’t have them here. But, we had TWO really good dinners on different weekends this year and seriously so much to be grateful for!
This is our THIRD Thanksgiving we celebrated in Japan! I was in charge of bringing just a pie. . . A pie, simple right? Unless you live in Japan. Cooking is my biggest challenge here. I won’t go into much detail about the woes of trying to locate a normal size pie dish (everything is so mini here!), or figure out how to make/buy a stinkin pie crust here. . . or traveling 2 hours and buying a little bag of chocolate chips for four times the amount it should be. . . or whipping cream BY HAND for hours.... but we made Ted's Famous Chocolate Haupia Pie (Hawaii Classic). YAY.
In situations like that, I just miss America and how much easier and convenient things can be there. It would of been ten times easier, less time consuming and WAY cheaper. It’s pretty easy to focus on what you don’t have and lack, but I think the point of Thanksgiving is the opposite and being grateful for what you have.
So, I know this entry is sounding very vent-ish and ungrateful-- but I think also when it’s hard and challenging is when a different level of gratitude comes? When things aren’t handed to you on a silver platter (or lined up in a row when you enter a grocery store), when your family isn’t surrounding you and you are far away. It’s not until you experience sickness that you are truly grateful for good health right?
We had a seriously awesome Thanksgiving and had two great traditional meals with some of the most amazing inspiring people. We have the best little life in Tokyo and I seriously am so grateful for the experiences here. I have the funniest, hardworking husband and cutest kid that brings so much joy to my day. We both have jobs right now, awesome families, pretty bodies, and so many blessings!
Here are some random food pictures:
Whipping the cream. . . FOREVER LONG.
Dinner at Griffins
Random picture of the Williams Family and Riley & Luke 
Riley took this one of the boys at the Gilbert's Thanksgiving
Gilberts Thanksgiving- She homemade the stuffing, with homemade sourdough and other stuff!
