Settling In

How is it the 21st of May already? It's been over 4 weeks now since we left Japan, and so much has happened between then and now:

I will start by telling you that Chaps (a.k.a. Fr Phil/PJ/Dad/Papa) started his new job at Camp Lejuene two full weeks ago now, and decided to drive home (over 100 miles each way) only twice a week. We drove to Charleston, SC, Thursday before last, to pick up our jeep that's been in storage for the past 4 years, and now we have both cars. Heleaves very early Monday mornings, comes home on Wednesday, leaves again Thursday morning, and then drives home on Friday morning for the weekend - it's working out well! With all that driving, however, one of the last things he wants to do is drive (again) on Sunday to the closest CEC church to us, which is in Willmington (just as far as Camp Lejeune, but more south) So... we had an idea!

We set up for church this weekend in John and Rondi's backyard. Dad repaired made some adjustments to the backyard gate he made last week, to make it easier to get the things we needed from one yard to the next.

It worked out wonderfully ... the main thing missing, of course, was the rest of the family - Johnny, Brad, Jesse, Elina & Misha!

We started at 11:00 with using some of the songs from Jesse & Elina's CD. (So they were definitely with us in spirit) We had most of what we needed to do a simple "field service" like chaplains do out in the field - very "grass roots" literally! (hee hee ... get it?)

Stephanie and her two boys, Rondi and Karis, and two other young women with their children came to our "church in the yard" yesterday.

(Brad ... in case you're wondering, I have baby Michael in my arms at this point.)


Dad even made up bulletins for everyone, seen here held in place by a rock from the yard.









Yesterday was Ascension Sunday, and we literally experienced the great blessing of living out Holy Scripture when Jesus said to His disciples on the mountainside, " ...let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." One of our neighbors said to us later in the day that her teenage daughters asked her, "When we go back to church, can we go to their backyard church?

"Through His gift of love we are ALL reconciled to Him. "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

"Pelikan Cliff's"

Phil and Sherman proudly standing next to the newly named "Pelikan Cliff's" trawler ...

It took probably 8 or so hours of hand-work to remove the old name, before we could see this pretty gold lettering on both sides of the boat!

Yay! Good job Captain Pelikan (not you Johnny ... ha!) We have two captain Pelikan's at the moment - Army Capt. John Pelikan, and boat Captain Phil Pelikan (a.k.a. Chappie)!

Very fun!

In John's Words

We have just returned from the largest NATO operation in the War on Terror to date with much success. Alpha Company was selected to lead the way on this operation as the main effort for the Battalion, and this is a testament to your paratrooper's competencies and willingness to win. We were tasked to clear a very dangerous area in the Helmond Province, and we did an exemplary job. Our paratroopers cleared over 12 square KM of mudhut compounds and poppy fields finding numerous weapons caches and destroying numerous enemy Taliban fighters attempting to kill us. We did what British Forces could not accomplish in a year. Unfortunately we did receive one casualty, but he will make a full recovery and is currently located at Walter Reed in DC. You should be proud of your husbands and sons; they are proving to be the best and are making a difference here in Afghanistan that will be long-lasting. Thank you for your support, and I apologize for not being able to keep in better contact during this mission. It was somewhat ambiguous for us due to the sensitive nature of the information. We are going to have a SATPHONE with us on the next mission so your troopers will be able to make some morale calls. Again thank you for your support ...

Sincerely,

John Pelikan
A CO Commander

Working On The Boat

Working on the boat to give her a new name!

We are changing the name from "Great Escape" to "Pelikan Cliff's" in honor of my Uncle Cliff, this boats previous owner.

The new name will appear in gold lettering on these side panels as well.

"Pelikan Cliff's" will always be our boat and his!

Here's the view of the new name from the boat dock directly across from ours!

My First Day Out On The Boat

Phil driving the boat

Sherman looking regal!
Sherman and I as we approach the Navy ship graveyard.

Traveling

Logen Autry tests Sherman's dog crate before heading out to the airport.

The airline staff were very kind to Sherman, and as you can see he survived the trip just fine!

This morning, Thursday, we woke up at 7:30 feeling refreshed and over the jet-lag, ready to enjoy the day!

See You Again

Dear Freinds,

Today is a beautiful spring day in Zushi, Japan, which makes it all the more difficult to leave for America next week. But a big part of my heart stays here in Japan with you! Your kindness and friendship will often be remembered. Even though words and memories grow faint, the feeling of love and tenderness I have for you and this country will never ever fade. We won't be seeing much of each other any longer; nevertheless, I will always feel a special closeness to you. You are my treasure, dear friends, worth far more than gold or precious jewels!

Not farewell, but See You Again ...

(((hugs)))

Tami

He Is Risen!

It's Easter Sunday! Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday; now He offers us all the gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sins.

Said the angel, “He is risen!”Tell it out with joyful voice:
He has burst His three days’ prison;
Let the whole wide earth rejoice:

Death is conquered, we are free, Christ has won the victory.
Come, ye sad and fearful hearted, With glad smile and radiant brow!
Death’s long shadows have departed;
All our woes are over now,
Due to passion that He bore—Sin and pain can vex no more.

Come, with high and holy hymning, Chant our Lord’s triumphant day;
Not one darksome cloud is dimming
Yonder glorious morning ray, Breaking over the purple east:
Brighter far our Easter feast.

He is risen, He is risen!He has opened Heaven’s gate:We are free from sin’s dark prison, Risen to a holier state; And a brighter Easter beamOn our longing eyes shall stream.

To listen to this song: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/i/hisrisen.htm

Johnny in Afghanistan!

Captain John Pelikan of the 82nd Airborne gathers intelligence on the Taliban from the villagers of Kshahah Lakhchack in a remote mountain region of the Kandahar province, Afghanistan on Monday, March 26, 2007.

Favorites

Some favorite places and some favorite people!

A few miles up the coast at one of my favorite beaches ...




















The Suzuki's and Pelikan's at our favorite cafe - La Paix

Pack-Out Days

Sherman kept his eye on the movers these past three days, as they packed up our house-hold belongings.

No doubt .... wondering ... where are my toys, and my cozy bed.

The movers were awesome!

Boxes and boxes and boxes ... over 350 items on the inventory! Wow!

According to psychologists, relocation is among the most stressful events that can happen to a person, or a family. Changing jobs goes along with relocation, and is also high on the stressindex. For many people the decision to relocate involves a complex set of variables of a financial, personal and emotional nature. For those of us in the US Military, it's a way of life.

Never-the-less, these factors contribute to the stress in varying degrees, depending upon the individuals involved. Sherman, for example, isn't very hungry today and he is drueling for no apparant reason. Poor guy! He doesn't understand what's going on. But, we mark the days when this part of the moving saga is over, and we're on the other side of it all.

This is where we're headed ... our new home! You can see John and Rondi's house in the background on the left.

Won't it be fun for Karis to walk across the yard to Mimi & Papa's house? What a dream!

Happy Birthday, Jesse!

Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday Dear Jesse ...
Happy Birthday To You

Happy Birthday, Jesse!

Today, March 2nd (in America), is Jesse's birthday. He was born on a Saturday... 33 years ago today, and it was one of the happiest days of our lives.

"Happy Birthday to You" is a song which is sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person's birth. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, "Happy Birthday to You" is the most popular song in the English language! Isn't that amazing? The song has been translated into many languages, though it is often sung with the English lyrics even in countries where English is not a primary language, like here in Japan!
The melody of "Happy Birthday to You" was written by American sisters Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill in 1893 when they were school teachers in Louisville, Kentucky. The verse was originally intended as a classroom greeting entitled "Good Morning to All". The version as we know it was copyrighted in 1935 by the Summy Company as an arrangement by Preston Ware Orem, and is scheduled to expire in 2030. This was the first known written version to include the lyrics. The company holding the copyright was purchased by Warner Chappell in 1990 for $15 million dollars, with the value of "Happy Birthday" estimated at $5 million ... Wow!

Japanese Girl's Day

March 3rd is Japanese Girl's Day called Hina-matsuri (Doll Festival.) It's a celebration for Japanese girls. (Japanese Boy's Day is May 5th.)

People display a set of hina ningyo (dolls) and props in the house, wishing girls' healthy growth and happiness. Parents or grand parents of a newborn girl buy a set of gorgeous hina dolls unless they have special dolls, which are inherited from generation to generation.
Hina dolls are dressed in Japanese ancient costumes and are displayed on the shelves of a stand covered with a red carpet from the end of February to March 3rd. It is believed that any hina doll display should be taken down soon after the festival day; otherwise girls might have to wait to get married.
Hina-matsuri is also called momo-no-sekku, which means a festival of peach blossoms.