It’s one thing to visit Japan, but the reality of living in Japan is entirely different.
Paths that look good from far away can end up being dead ends. So what do you do when you find yourself stuck?
March!
[Singing] We're following the leader, the leader, the leader...
March! March!
Now! Obey me!
My goodness!
Overly serious!
Determining what paths are dead ends and what paths open up to a beautiful future is key if one will really thrive in the reality of Japan.
I want to watch the video!
Alright, let's mosey on.
Well look, this is a pretty little place in here. Yep.
Now they'll follow you, Becca.
[Singing] We're following the leader, the leader, the leader...
Whether for foreigners living in Japan or for Japanese, it’s not the easiest path that leads to the best results.
Don't feed them the ball— whoa! They're big!
Look at, oh!
Ah! Eh!
It’s the paths less traveled that often have the most to offer.
And the same reality that is terrible to one person can become something beautiful to another.
It all depends on your perspective.
[Singing] We are the water ballerinas!
Guys, the police! The police!
Save Anna-Water-Ballerina!
Joshua has already gotten in the water!
The reality of living in Japan is that it is a huge, unique challenge that will change you as a person.
Whether you become better or worse for it, though, is ultimately up to you.
The kids are out having fun, and we are having fun just sitting in the shade.
That's right.
Here comes Sarah sneaking around. And Anna.
Oh, it's chilly, but not bad, huh?
But if you stay young at heart and keep a spirit of adventure, life’s greatest challenges become the biggest opportunities.
and your reality can change to a beautiful rainbow of promise right before your eyes.
[Life in Japan Theme Song]
Neither Ruth nor I grew up in Japan, so much of our past 9 years here have been huge learning experience for us and the kids.
And some lessons are more fun than others.
Oh! I got a Katsu-curry rice burger here, yeah!
And cheeseburgers — "Wai Wai Cheeseburgers"
Sometimes the reality of life hits like a storm.
What's going on out here?
We're protecting ourselves.
But out here it's like you're going to get blown away.
Ow! Ooo la la!
But in those moments, families are to be a place of shelter from the storm, not the storm itself.
No, inside.
Whoa, let's go.
Don't blow away!
A home where family is protected and love is central is the product of the parent’s effort,
and no other role in society is more needed today than of that of parents creating healthy family environments.
No, go like this.
Like this.
Yeah, like that. Kind of like that.
Do it again.
Yeah.
Homes must have vision and purpose if they are going to survive,
otherwise they will take a backseat to whatever storm is raging in the world today.
For us, that means our family grows roots here in Japan.
Do you see anybody? Sarah.
Sarah. Front and center.
That's good because I'll know where she's at for the actual thing.
Undoukai—sports day practice underway.
And all our kids are red. They're all [team] red.
Joshua, Sarah and Izzy.
So we can cheer for the same team.
Yeah!
One year we had kids on opposite teams and that was a little tough
because obviously one person's going to win and one person's going to lose.
So this year at least if they all lose, they all lose together
And if they all win, they all win together.
It's such a small school so it's going to be so different.
The flowers... These had a rough go at the wind.
We had like typhoon wind and — poor plants!
But I'm hoping that they survive.
Something we’ve found helps deal with the realities of life is finding time to connect each day.
Sometimes it takes the form of a walk through the neighborhood.
OK, let's go. Let's go.
I got my new— New scooters, huh?
Oh yeah.
If you ask kids “How was your day today?” They’ll probably answer “fine.”
But if you find a way to connect, either over a meal, a walk or some other activity, you would be surprised all that they tell you.
Making space for that each day is one of our goals.
There has to be trust in the home if it’s going to be a place of shelter and not of storm.
Did something break off your scooter?
Sure did.
No!
It's just off the top, just this part right here.
Off the top?!
It just came out. It didn't break-break.
Oh my! Oh, it's just that.
You just really work that scooter, huh man?
I want to go farther so we can go on our scooter.
Oh, this is a fun little exploration today, huh?
The backbone of society is not business, and it’s not education.
It’s not entertainment or the economy.
It’s not government or even religion.
It's the family.
Where there are healthy families, there are healthy societies.
Hurry train, I see it.
You see a train over there?
Right there. And over there.
And over there!
Get out of the crossing! Both ways!
Right here.
It's going to come down.
Go down! Oh, not yet, oh.
Here it comes. Now it's coming down.
I just went through that puddle.
Through the puddle! Without getting wet.
What do you think Becca? Did you hear what the Not-so-littles want you to do?
They want you to take their footage—they'll film it—and then you can edit it and upload it to YouTube.
Oh sure. Yea?
You could probably do it from your iPad.
I would love to. If we have time, can we try it?
It could be the Reutter kids' channel.
It will be so interesting. Everyone is going to keep wanting to watch it.
Then they fall in love with it. And then they're like "Oh! You're so cute!"
Look Anna! The sun is setting!
We didn't miss it!
Oh- ow!
Whoa, this is epic out here!
Nice little sunset here at the end of the day,
And the kids getting ready for their sports day.
Becca and Anna's coming up here soon
And next week Joshua and Sarah's, they're boom boom, right back to back.
What's your tradition Anna?
To play with the sunset!
Playing in the sunset, oh! Here it is!
Whoa
Sounding good, Anna!
As the sunsets!
Oh! It's getting intense!
Scary night!
You should play that with a thunderstorm.
I know! That would be cool with a thunderstorm.
Like it did early today, huh?
Living with love at the center, you can look forward to the future with hope, not fear,
and right now we’re looking forward to the kids’ sports day.
No, that's not Sarah, that must be Izzy.
That's Izzy.
And Joshua. I see Izzy and Joshua.
Sarah's... You saw Izzy and Joshua? Let's see.
See Izzy? Can you see her, with your blind eye?
With your "naked" eye, not my "blind" eye!
I decided to grab our home camcorder for maximum zoom.
Check it out, we are ready for zooming!
Oh yeah!
See her in the khaki? Or in the coral?
Oh yeah.
Joshua's the orange, right next to the house.
See him? Oh yea!
Jumping up and down!
Cheering their team on!
Red! Red!
Whoa, that was cruising!
But you can't see the finish line!
Oh house!
Why house? Why?
They sure are having fun practicing though, aren't they?
White must have won that one because they are excited and red is not very excited.
Here we are. Cheering them on in practice!
You can hear the drums, huh, from the chuogakou (middle school)?
The junior high school is practicing too.
We should walk over there.
Embarrass my children. Let's do it.
Yes!
That weekend, some rainy weather threw off all the weekend plans as the girls’ sports day was moved not once, but two times!
The girls were supposed to have their undoukai or sports day today,
But as of yesterday they cancelled it because they said the forecast looks like rain.
And pushed it off until tomorrow.
It doesn't necessarily look like rain right now, but maybe it will.
So girls, the sun is literally shining on your school right now.
And you? No undoukai [sports day] today! Taikusai [Sports Festival]
Rain! It really did rain!
Oo, and it's chilly out here.
The rain has come.
June is rainy season in Japan,
But I tell you what, here in May it looks like it may have already kicked off.
It's Mother's Day today which means Momma-chan gets breakfast in bed!
But she doesn't like breakfast, she does like coffee.
So her breakfast in bed is coffee.
Happy Mother's Day!
Around the Reutter household, when Mother’s Day comes, it’s a big deal.
And the not-so-little little Reutter kids were working on their mother’s day masterpieces.
Is this your Mother's Day card here?
Joshua, you working on yours?
Yep.
Mother's get one day for themselves, so celebrate your mother,
Mothers really should get a whole month—
A Mother's Month is what they should get for what they go through for us.
Did you finish? OK, hold still, let me see.
Oh! That's wonderful!
Sarah, are you done with yours?
These are my new Pokemons. Oh, your new Pokemons, huh?
Are we ready? OK!
Happy Mother's Day!
Aw!
Yeah, is that me and you? Yep.
Aw!
Lovely! Thank you, Dude.
Happy Mother's Day. Aw.
Your the best mommy in the whole entire world.
Love you, Mommy from — is that your Hanko [seal]? Yep.
You hankoed it?! That's awesome!
Oh, there's something in there! L O V
The E like needs to go... Oh E
That was great. Thank you!
You like stripes, right? I do like stripes.
Joshua's hair today... Dude, your hair is awesome, Dude.
It looks like the temple roofs.
Even with the rain, the twins still had to go to school, so they gave their gifts to momma chan later that day.
But that didn’t stop our mother’s day plans from happening.
It's a special Mother's Day service at Paz Church today, check this out.
We’re all about family at Paz Church, and whenever there’s an important day, we like to celebrate it too.
After all, healthy families are at the heart of God’s plan for each and every one of us.
Honoring the mothers on Mother's Day here!
Look at Momma chan's Mother's Day flowers! Nice, Huh Becca?
So Momma chan, how was your Mother's Day? It was wonderful.
Now it's back to the kitchen.
I didn't do much housework at all yesterday...
I got lots of coffee given to me by my kids and my husband
By my kids? I didn't get any for you. I gave lots of coffee to Mommy.
Someone filled up coffee for me!
Probably me, I don't know. I don't think Anna can make coffee.
I think you wanted a sip so then you decided you would refill the cup.
Boy, look at just how clean everything looks here.
Why is it so clean? I love it: clean and open.
Next week on Life in Japan,
the sun finally comes out and all the Reutter kids do their best at their sports day.
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