Gebble-geh!

I can hardly believe I only have one more week in Tokyo (two and a half more in Japan in total). I miss certain parts of home, and I will be glad to be back in school when I get back to the US, but being here hasn't really been that hard. The first couple of weeks were hard, but now that I know people and they know me, it's a lot easier. They take care of me, keep me accountable, encourage me...
My host family has been awesome. They're so patient and understanding and kind and flexible. I often don't know my schedule until the day before or the day of it, yet they're perfectly fine with all my crazy coming and going. I hope I've been a good guest. I have been doing my best.
I miss my family, dog, friends, boyfriend... but it's all bearable. I will be relieved, though, when I get to see Daiju tomorrow at church! It's been like a month and a half since we've last met!!!
I'm excited about all that's happening here, but also about going home. It will be great to see my family in person and talk and joke with them. I'm also anxious to meet Fausta, a 6-year-old girl who is staying with my family. I met her online (web camera), but not in person.
If I lived here, it wouldn't be too hard for me to be busy every day. Many people want to see me--be it because we're already friends, they want to be friends, they want to learn English from me, or whatever. I pray that God uses every part of me for His glory.
To reach the Japanese people for Christ, one must understand their logic. The Japanese culture is very distinct and complicated--it's such a mixture of so many others while still retaining certain aspects fo its own. The language illustrates this. I've been having trouble finding a verb chart, mainly because such a concept is slightly alien to the language. 'Maybe' seems to be an important concept. I tried to have a friend (Tomo) explain to me what a certain verb-form meant. He said something like, 'well, it's most likely now, maybe earlier too, and probably later also.' ??? In English, we have forms like 'I have been eating' which indicates past and (usually) present action also. The present action may be slightly uncertain, but at least the past progressive is known for sure. In Japanese, it seems a lot goes unsaid and a lot is unknown.
But I am just beginning learning this language, so please (if you have experience in this area) advise me. I really don't know much for certain about the language... I just try to apply everything I kind of know as often as possible. Maybe the uncertainty is something I've acquired...........maybe.............I don't know.............. ;)

Oh, and 'gebble-geh' is something Erika-chan (Shindo- & Yuko-san's daughter) says randomly form time to time.

Today's post has been really random and unorganized...Sorry about that.

Okay, now I'll paste an e-mail I sent to a few of you:
I made pottery with friends...
Watched Shindo-san fall into Tamagawa (Tama River)...
Became a mummy at church camp...
Went to Hamura's Omatsuri (summer festival for my homestay city)...
And visited Sailor Moon's garden (for those of you who can't read the sign, it says 'Sailor Moon')...

arg...........why aren't the pictures posting????