Dear Friends,

Thank you for reading this blog. I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving with friends and family.  My parents came up from LA to have turkey with the three kids and their partners. My brother bought a 24 pound turkey, and we all cooked at his home while his partner lay on the couch, on bedrest with his first baby. She has been in and out of the hospital for preterm labor, and was inpatient for her baby shower last Saturday. She’s due anyday now, and it’s exciting to know the Stenzel family will grow by one before 2010.  Ryuta, Ana and I, as usual, competed over who could eat more. I think it was a tie. Ana suffered for it; I just feel a tire around my belly. Like every holiday, the Stenzel family took a hike and then, with Dad grumbling, we went shopping. I still have a torn tendon, and hiked halfway up Windy Hill (about 3 miles) with crutches. Needless to say, my shoulders and back are killing me.

My mind is gradually shifting from past memories of Japan into present days. I’m working on my Japan scrapbook and still emailing new Japanese friends and trying to be helpful to the needs in the Japanese CF and transplant communities, but I feel idle and stagnant.  I guess that’s what you call relaxed. I am being super domestic: cleaning my home, garage, buying new shelves and drilling unnecessary holes in our walls to figure out how to affix the shelves. I’m catching up on many “to-do’s”. After one month, with plenty to do, I feel restless, and wonder what’s next.

I did have a job interview last week, and I am eager to find the right job that fits with my purpose.  No comment about that experience. In the beginning of the interview, the interviewer said, “Well, this form has all these questions to ask about your current workplace, but since you haven’t worked in some time, it doesn’t make sense to ask them, so I won’t.” I felt really low. I thought many women my age return to work after a personal break for childrearing. I felt dismissed and insecure, and made it obvious as I blabbed about my qualifications.  Well, at least I tried.  I must face the job world fearlessly.  I will seriously start looking for something else after the holidays are over.

Today was the perfect day. Mom and Dad left last nght, and Andrew went to New York, so I was on my own. Solitude is good for the soul! I piped at St. Andrew’s Church in Pacifica in the morning, ran an errand in the City, and then returned to enjoy the bright blue sky and sunshine along the coast. I bought dim sum take-out at Ranch 99 and brought the food, a good book, and my pipes to the beach. I talked to dear friends while staring at the 10-20 foot waves crashing one on top of another just 200 feet in front of me. It was an unusually warm fall day. Many people were out enjoying the crisp air. After lunch and phone calls, I walked along the water playing my pipes. I really enjoy playing outdoors- the pipes have a majestic, royal quality somehow. The air was misty with salt, which must be healing. Then I head to the gym and went swimming for an hour… it has been too long because it’s so darn cold!  It feels great to take a deep breath, and glide through the water effortlessly. I am so lucky. Now I’m just taking it easy tonight, blogging and chilling out.  

I’m busy this week preparing for an upcoming event we are having to celebrate the end-of-the-year with the Power of Two Project. We will have a fundraiser December 5 in Hillsborough and share some of our videos and remarks  from Japan. I’m so grateful beyond words for the generosity of so many friends near and far who’ve supported this film project. We are so excited to watch it grow and become a vehicle for influencing change both in the US and Japan. With all my heart and lungs, thank you if you’ve donated!!! If you are interested in supporting this event, please see our website, www.thepoweroftwomovie.com. Thank you!

I can’t believe the holidays are upon us now. The first decade of the 21st century is almost over. It seems like 2009 just started. I can’t believe Ana, as well as my friends Becca and Nahara have lived 9 years with new lungs. They’ve enjoyed all this time to work, fall in love, finish school, raise a child, and just enjoy life. What a blessing it is to all grow older together.

Okay, off to watch Three Rivers, a transplante related drama on CBS. 

Please take care and have a healthy and happy December… Love and hugs, Isa

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