New start in Sapporo!

Keisuke and I are now in our new home in Sapporo. Wooo! What a whirlwind it has been this last month! Today (Saturday) we have been married for one week! I can't believe it has already been this long. We have been so busy with doing all the legal paper work and leaving Indiana, and trying to get settled here, it has gone by in a blur it seems. 

 We wanted to thank you all so much for helping make our wedding day such a wonderful day. We were so blessed to have all of you celebrating with us and thank everyone for your tremendous help!  We were truly overwhelmed (in a good way) by everyone's help and generosity. 

 It was so fun to have Keisuke's family in town also. It seemed surreal to have his family in the States with my family! Even though there was a language barrier, I still think it was a wonderful time of getting to know each other and we thank God for that special time! We were talking to Keisuke's mom last night. She seemed to have really enjoyed their time in the states, and the wedding, she said it was so much better and fun then she had thought it would be. She had been really nervous before coming, but it turned out to be great she said. :) 

 It has been so sweet to be married and have that fellowship with Keisuke. In the mornings it is so nice to be able to pray together for the day's events, and then see how God works through the day in our behalf. I want to recount a couple of the things so that you may share with us in praising God for His faithfulness. 

 This week we have had to do so much legal paperwork! On Monday we got our marriage certificate which was an easy process. Then drive to Crawfordsville and change my name for social security. 
 Every night the social security office shuts down their computers, and all the new data updates itself and sends it to the needed offices, (ie, the license branch) We were told to wait till Tuesday (the next day) to change my name on my driver's license as it would take overnight to send the information. 
 On Tuesday we went to the license branch, and were almost through the process, but when she came to the point of verifying the SS, it locked up her computer because the information was not updated from the SS office. This did not really make sense since we had gone the morning before, and it should have updated, but there is nothing the license branch can do about it. (I guess for security purposes) Well I was a little distressed as they told me I would have to come in the next day again, or wait for my new card to come (which takes 14 days!) We were leaving the next day, so that was impossible! Yet you are supposed to update your name change within 30 days. Needless to say, I was a bit distressed. But the people at the license branch were very nice and helpful. They could see I had all the correct paperwork in hand, just the computer would not let them move forward. The manager told the clerk to try it one more time from the start, just in case.... I turned back to Keisuke and said start praying please!!! I was praying too. She started the process all over again, and then.... It went through!! and the information was all there!! The lady was so surprised, she said there was no reason that it should work this time because we had done everything the same! (except this time we had remembered to pray for God's help!) 
 We told her that the reason it worked was because God was working it out after we prayed! 
It is amazing how you can see God work in things even like this when we remember to stop and ask for His help! Praise God!!! 

  As we came back to Japan, and we had to go through immigration. Keisuke prayed with me before sending me through (he has to go through a separate line). The immigration officer told me that normally you shouldn't come in on a tourist visa (3 month) to change to the spouse visa once you are in Japan... (which is what the embassy had told us to do) I tried not to panic and just told him the truth of what our intentions were (Keisuke told me to do that!) and that we had checked with the embassy, and this is what they told us to do... He was very kind but just trying to do his job. But I could see him fighting himself in his thoughts! And finally he was like, "ok, I will let you in on a tourist visa, but tell your husband to try and get your spouse visa paperwork done as soon as possible. And if they give you trouble, tell them the embassy told you to do it this way!"  Keisuke was waiting for me on the other side, and I just said SHWOO! and told him all about it. We were so thankful for God's protection and help in this too. 

 We arrived in Sapporo Thursday evening and waited at the airport for 1 hour until our friends came in on a flight from their honeymoon trip in southern Japan (Yoshio and Midori who came to our wedding) 
We all rode together with their family to dinner(sea urchin and salmon roe (eggs) (these are the two dishes that I don't really enjoy! haha but Keisuke's favorites! I just had a pork meal) , and then Yoshio and Midori dropped us off at our house, and went on to their home. All that worked out nicely and we were thankful for the ride! :) 

 Keisuke's Dad gave him the day off on Friday, so we were able to go and do the paperwork for our marriage (making it official in Japan) and also the paperwork for my visa. I have never seen so much needed paper work and certificates and such... 
 After going to the county office for our marriage things, Keisuke had to get proof for his living in Sapporo, family line, taxes, income, and then we were to take that to the immigration office. Once there we were told we hadn't gotten 2 of the needed things, so we walked back there (a couple blocks) and also grabbed some lunch while we filled out the paperwork for the visa... We had to have pictures to give them that show we are a couple, (actual snap shots!) Plus fill out a 6 page form on how we met, our families,, our communication abilities with eachother, (some questions asked if you needed a translator to communicate??? we were thinking you should not be getting married if you need a translator!) haha. 
 we also had to have proof of marriage of course, and Keisuke's ability to support me... 
 We filled out all the forms, and then literally ran back to the immigration place (it closes at 4!!) We got there at about 3:35 and waited for a few minutes in line, and then we were able to get all that turned in! SHWOO!! 
haha (again) We are requesting a 3 year visa (at the end of which I can apply for a permanent visa). We are praying that I will get this! (the other option is a 1 year which would be nice to not have just the 1 year when you have to keep renewing it...) 


 God has been so good to get us through these ANNOYING yet necessary legal processes. We were talking about the trouble and annoyance of all this paperwork, and how everyone seems to have different information.. They tell you one thing, and then at the next window they tell you something different! Then they tell you you don't have all the things you need, and to go back and get it... It can be pretty unsettling and worrisome! But our citizenship in Heaven is SEALED for SURE in Christ, and we just have to believe. There aren't tons of things you have to do first, or exceptions and different changing rules with each person. God's Word is so clear! Keisuke and I decided that God allows this annoying paperwork so that we can be thankful for our assurance of salvation and belonging to God's kingdom through Christ. So much more reliable!! that is for sure! haha. 

 Keisuke started work again today. Last night we went to Costco and became members there. Our home is in a really good location except it is a little inconvenient for grocery shopping. We have a good size fridge/freezer, so Keisuke said we could get a Costco membership, and we would go together maybe once every other week or so and stock up on things that are hard to get near the apartment.. 


 Today I will work on unpacking all our things into the house. It is so exciting to start up a home together. 
We are excited for what God has in store, and pray that He will use our home for His glory.

 I have teared up a few times missing family, but we are praying for you all, and love you very much! 
I am glad Elissa made us this blog so I will try to be a little more consistent in sending updates and will try to send pictures when I have some to send! 


 Please stay in touch with us with emails, skype, etc..! 
Much love to all!!!!