International Flights are so expensive....
 

Because of family emergency.... I am flying to Japan after 9 years...(long time) to visit my mom in the hospital. I am leaving next weekend. I just bought the tickets and it was $1500 OUCH!!! After Christmas Shopping, I was hoping to recover when I get my tax back...(I hope we get more tax back this year...) It has been a lot of expense lately... I guess I should be grateful that I at least have a job even it is tiny salary with non-profit. $1500 just for the flight and $1500 to bring Cash..(Japan can be expensive...or cheap.. but need to bring cash!!) This trip wasn't the expected so it will be hard. Then I am flying to Patti to have her watch Haruka... so flights to Chicago .. I haven't bought yet!

It is exciting and also scary to visit Japan after so long. It will be great to spend time with my parents. As some of you know that my mom has been in the hospital since Christmas Day... I am also going to meet my mom's miniture schnauzer for the first time :) I am going to be very sad not having Haruka but I hope that this miniture schnauzer, Kelly (my mom named her thinking about Grace Kelly....-well she is a Japanese... so Kelly was very trendy name for her....Well.. if you are Kelly... I think your name is lovely.. It is like I named Haruka, Haruka... Haruka is a common name.. so my mom wasn't sure why I named her Haruka....) Anyway... it is going to be the emotional trip for me.

I need to figure out but I guess I might go in debt for the first time... but I do hope that I can clear things out fairly quickly.... I know this is a tough trip.. but I hope I get some quality time with my family...

I know how stressed you are but money issues can be fixed later, you will be so glad you made the trip home. I know how hard it is to leave Haruka, but she will get a lot of tender loving care and hopefully she will enjoy some canine companionship. If she gets stressed Jessi will keep her in her room with her and Kenny of course loves Haruka and has fixed any small areas he thought she might get into. Before you know it Haruka will be in your arms again and you will have the peace of mind knowing you went to see your parents when they needed you.

I am somewhat glad that I am ending up going to Japan and leaving Haruka wiht yoU!! Because I didn't want to disappoint Ken after he started arranging the house just for HAruka :) YOu guys are very very sweet family!

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