Year of the Horse

First of all, Happy 2014! It was sad to say farewell to the best year of my life. Apart from 2010, when I was married and moved to Japan, this year truly brought me more joy than I could have manifested in my wildest dreams. Thank you Motherhood.

For the holidays we headed back to Washington to spend Maya's first Christmas with family and friends. The short trip was worth the 9 hour flight and more. We struggled with an awful stomach virus, extreme jetlag and a non-existent nap schedule. However, we wouldn't change it for the world and it was our best Christmas thus far. We made it back to Tokyo just in time to ring in the New Year in our city. In lieu of bottle service and squeezing into a Hervé Léger, we headed to the Buddist Shrine in Meiji Jingu to make a wish for the "year of the horse" as the Japanese do each year.


Before we left, we shot a few Christmas family photos with my favorite Tokyo photographer, Mr. Anatole Papafillippou. Here are a few, Maya was 10 1/2 months then.

NEW YEARS AT MEIJI JINGU SHRINE

Traditional New Years in Japan is much different than the way Americans celebrate New Years Eve. For reference check out an older blog post where I touch base on the subject HERE. 

This year David and I rang in 2014 the Japanese way and spent the day at the shrine with our little family of three.

Looking forward to 2014 and everything it will bring. It will be our fourth year in Japan. Time is going by at rapid speed.