My Family (A year in review)

I almost forgot to do my annual year in review.
I did my first review in 2008 which was a good year to begin them. My awful sham of a marriage was over and I had found my perfect partner and she had moved in with me. Looking back at my 2008 review I see how positive and strong I am compared to the years before it. Each year following ended with another review and I see that all things balance out with peaks and troughs in a natural order of things and looking back I see how small things developed into what they are today.
This year has been very different from all previous years because this year was the first full year of my being within a full family again with my angels taking their true place.
This year was definitely the year of family.
I wanted to be the best Mother that I could possibly be with my role model being my own beloved Mother and wanting to give my babies the opportunities I had and to protect them from what I feel were shortcomings in my own childhood.
Well it's never like that is it! My children are not me and I am not my own Mother and the environments and times have changed. All you can do is make a stable home, make them safe, make them feel loved and a part of the whole family and nurture them.

The year started off with the angels seeing me work in both the 'Yoshie' in-house photo shoots and again when both Hitomi and I were engaged at the world famous Osaka motor show. They also saw me working from home when I had the translation work and they love Hitomi's Photo studios. I feel that it is important for the children to see what their parents do to provide for them. In a way I felt sad that they did not see me when I worked for JJ and perhaps that's just a pride on my part but the mind of a child is a lot different from the mind of an adult and they were, I believe, quite enthralled with what they saw and I'm sure they felt a part of it themselves. Of course it is difficult for full time Mothers to find good jobs. We already have a worthwhile and important job at home.
In an act of protection or desperation, I know not which, when I felt sure that I was being stalked and the stalker was communicating things to me not only regarding my blog but also knowing that he was somewhere out in the city, I deleted my blog. I felt that by closing the gates we would be safe.
I missed my blog terribly, the outlet of my heart and my avenue to express myself was closed off and I decided after too long of an absence (of twenty days) to re-open it but this time to invited members only. The North wind blew in the right direction!
I took the angels once again to Universal theme park. It was cold but since sickness had come over Sumomo when we last went in the December before, I had promised a return and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves this time.
In March we again took the angels with us when Hitomi had a success in the advertising world and secured a contract with a shoe company. We spent quality family time in Kobe and Osaka with shopping and other activities. Being involved in the motorcycle show also exposed the angels to more of my promotions work and for a while, I was a super model in their eyes. Hitomi on the other hand was loved because she can bake the best home-made cookies in the world (a quote from the angels and not necessarily any legal advertising claim!)
In April I wore a wedding dress (I wish!) but sadly it not for any ceremony. It was for a summer magazine spread and from there a rush to be there for Sumomo's first graduation. It was their last day at school in Sensokuike. After the Easter break the angels would start their new term in my old elementary school not far from home.
I took them to stay for a while with their Father's parents while I went out to assist Hitomi with one of her shoots. I started to help out as hair and make-up in a very unofficial role and it just continued until now. That was the day we met Nia, a fantastic model and one who like Hitomi was interested in the view from the technical side of the camera. Needless to say they hit it off and a friendship was in the making. When I picked the angels up later they told me that had not eaten all day. We stopped off for a meal and they ate double portions while they told me Grandpa and Grandmother had not been to the store. It all sounded so very strange to me. They are not physically or mentally disabled and they had nothing to offer their grandchildren? The next day I ordered and paid for a large grocery shopping and had it delivered to them. I decided that I would not leave them there for a whole day again.
Stage front! The angels took their turn to be the center of attraction as their dance school put on a spring recital and Hitomi and I sat in the audience and were thrilled with the professionalism we witnessed. They and the whole show were magnificent and the angels made me so proud.
The next month saw us once again in Kobe and Osaka where a lot of Hitomi's old contacts were gathering and some more business opportunities presented themselves. We took the children to the sea world and during a little teasing game Riko turned around and called Hitomi as Mama rather than 'oba'. It is a significantly beautiful moment that I recall from this year and from that point on family is just that! The angels have two Mamas' and that's got to be a good thing. Later in the year at school I'd learn that she would even compose an essay about her two mothers.
The lights went out on the twenty first of May as we stood in awe as the moon covered the sun. It is  strange cool and quietness that descends across the world when the sun goes out!
May and June found me reading a lot since Mothering, housework and assisting Hitomi didn't leave me a lot of time for the computer and usually the angels were using it one at a time for homework assignments.
Nia came into the studio as we built the wonderland and the danger sets and as we lay in bed Hitomi asked my thoughts on asking Nia to join us in a part time capacity. I simply said if she felt that Nia would be an asset then go ahead. It turned out that she has been a marvel and it was to be a good move. She showed sheer professionalism on both sides of the camera when Hitomi had use of Guggenheim House in Kobe for some shoots. It was a perfect setting not only for us as models but for Hitomi to see how well Nia could be on that side of the camera.
My time as an events and promotions model was winding down and I was lucky to have the opportunity to pose for 'Sheary Bijou'. Going out on a high was lovely. In June Tety, the Angels father allowed me to go and see him in prison. I won't allow the children to see him this way. When I saw him it was a shock for me. He looked old and weary and his beautiful hair was shaved. I would rather the children remember him standing tall with long hair and in a smart suit. He promised to write to them and they in turn would write to him. He did and does and they are absolutely thrilled that he does not forget them and they respond with eagerness and write to him straight away. I had fears that when he is released perhaps he's try to take my angels away but I now think that's extremely unlikely.
Terutaka proved not only to be a wonderful friend but a fantastic teacher too when he started helping Sumomo with her math problems. He spent many hours with her and became a regular dinner guest of ours and by the time School started once again, she was so adept and confident that her teachers praised her and her school friends asked her for help on their math.
Hitomi had a very successful local exhibition and that prompted some very fine and well known photographers to pay a visit to the studios.
TW and I did what was to be my last outing for the motor shows as we represented Goo-world at the truck show.
September came and Hitomi found more work, this time with the ladies magazine supplement of the Japan times and I cannot see how she manages to do all the work that she has and still compete for more and still be a family girl.
I was struck down by a viral infection in my gut and was hospitalized for five days. Hitomi handed over the studio to Nia while she became full time Mother and on the last day, Nia came to bring me home. I really do feel part of an extended family.
We had another exhibition, this time at the teahouse gallery, an exhibition that was put on hold as the teahouse closed due to a huge typhoon putting everyone on alert. Watching its progress on TV it was decided that it would miss us and pass over south west and on to Korea. We went out on a wonderfully warm and sunny Sunday morning with the angels to do a little photography work and whilst out there we saw the sky grow dark very suddenly. We packed very quickly and halfway home the typhoon hit us. It was a grey sky with a light drizzle on the windscreen and then suddenly, a clap of thunder and the rain hit us so hard that it stole the grey quite quickly and replaced it with darkness.

The Exhibition opened again and it was quite a success. As it closed Hitomi was offered a chance to appear on cable TV on a ladies show where her work would be a feature. I decided not to renew my contract with the promotions and events and I believe it's time for me to settle into my role as Mother.
December saw Hitomi and I celebrate our seventh year together and it has never been a smooth journey but it has been interesting, it has been learning and it has been fulfilling. I am truly fortunate to have her in my life.
The year has ended with Hitomi being quite successful and Nia has been a major factor in assistance and managing the studios upon Hitomi's behalf.
The world did not end (again) and we all march into 2013 - I hope it will be a good year for all of us.

Happy New Year everyone.