We made it!!

Well we made it to Okinawa and now our new adventure begins!!

Not our house, just one of the many look alikes!

Day 1: The airplane
We left our hotel in Seattle at about 10:30pm Wednesday night.  We found out at the airport that our weight limit for our luggage was 70lbs and not 50lbs, we should have stuffed them with lots more stuff (well we didn't take our maximum number of luggage - hauling around 3 kids, 6 suitcases and 3 car seats was plenty!!).  We went to the gate and the kids settled in - They all eventually went to sleep.  Unfortunately Grahm was very tired and I was unprepared, he had at least on accident while sleeping.  None of the open gift shops offered shorts.  We felt so bad and he was a good sport about it, they eventually dried.
Our flight was slightly delayed, we boarded at about 4am Thursday.  The kids went back to sleep for awhile and then entertained themselves with their backpacks and the one kids movie the airplane played (yes - only one).  We had two stops before we reached Kadena Airforce Base on Okinawa.  One of those stops we had to deplane and then were able to wait in a small waiting room!!  We climbed off the airplane 17 hours later in Okinawa.  The airport at Kadena was very small, things went smoothly and we met our sponsors the Stinchfields (Matt and Chelsea Rowans family). 
Definitely hot and muggy - but I like it. 
Now the story gets even better - they brought 2 cars to get us to the hotel in.  They borrowed one car, so we would have two large vehicles to transport people and luggage.  Well, we found out after we were all loaded that something was amiss with the borrowed vehicle and of course it was the girls driving this car.  We called the boys back to jump us and they headed off to check Jason in and we headed to the hotel.  We made it to a busy intersection (at the stop line) and it died completely.  We had fun trying to get help - one nice guy tried to help us, but he didn't know how to open his hood (everything is in Japanese in your cars).  Then another group came to help and we pushed the car onto the sidewalk (the whole time I was thinking - please don't leave me and the kids (some of them hers) alone and go find help).  We were able to get it jumped, we once again summoned the boys who this time were going to follow us to the hotel.  We didn't make it.  We had to abandon the car and the luggage.  Bad alternator.  The Stinchfields were great and it made our adventure that much more memorable - Jayce made an instant friend with their son Hayden.  We are so grateful for all the help and friendship they have given us!!
Other initial thoughts - everything looks the same (on the bases).  Every building is the same. 

I will be doing some back blogging of our last days in Milwaukee and our vacation with family in Idaho and Utah.