July 6 and 7, 2017

This was the mountain ski resort where we were Yesterday.

 We stayed Thursday night at the Super Hotel which was discounted when we bought the airline ticket.  Above is my Japanese breakfast served at the hotel.

 The airline employees met us as we walked to the plane with a sign inviting us back to Aomori.

This is the approach to Osaka, Itami airport, less than 90 minutes after we left Aomori.  Monday should have gone like this, but it was a good week nonetheless. 

July 5, 2017

Today after the morning service we went to a yakiniku restaurant called Stamina.  There's one near us in Kita Kobe.  Yummy

We had lunch at a yakiniku restaurant--yummy 

Timmy and Kiersten 

The guys rode these things down two paths from the top of a ski slope.  

 Mrs. Townsley brought a craft that a lady from their church prepared so we ladies could put it together while the guys had fun riding down the ski slope.  It was made of felt and the pieces were pre-cut so it was easy to glue together.  It could be either a headband or a band around a book to keep it closed.

Karen's mom made the headband 

Fourth of July in Aomori Ti2017

BIMI missionaries in Japan had our annual field conference this year in Aomori the week of July 4th. There were the Durdens, Canters, Johnsons, Dan and Terri Gardner, Dan Junior and family, Ethel Wilson, the Wards, plus Field Director David Harris.  Pastor Townsley and his wife from Connecticut  came.  He was the main speaker. They are the parents of Sarah Johnson and got to see their grandkids as a bonus.  Each missionary gave a short report of their work and in the morning while Pastor Townsley taught in the evening service.

Timmy, Joshua, Karen and Ethan 

Patriotic Jello

Apple Pie, of course 

Little Ethan loved the fireworks

Monday, July 3, 2017

This morning we boarded a prop plane at Itami airport to Aomori for the annual Field Conference.  It was drizzling a bit here  As we got closer to Aomori, it got cloudy and rainy..  The flight should have taken 90 minutes.  However that time came and went.  Turns out it was so foggy in Aomori that our plane was diverted back to Sendai.  It was clear there; we landed, deplaned and walked across the tarmak to a waiting bus.  When we got to the terminal and got off the bus, the stewardesses checked out name against the passenger list and handed us an envelope with cash in it.  We went over to the train to catch the shinkansen to Aomori station.    We were supposed to arrive at 1:30, but we finally got there about 6:00 pm.  
We were not the only ones that were diverted.  The Durden family came from Nagoyo and had to go back there then flew to Tokyo and stayed the night.  They finally got to Aomori on Tuesday about noon.

The propeller outside seat 8 on the right side.

Tanabata hangings in the Sendai Airport 

Ladies' room at Sendai

ride on the Shinkansen