When Richard and I lived in Japan, we had the privilege of being adopted as grandparents to a darling baby boy born just 6 weeks after our own grandson, Andrew, back in Canada. Loving Ayumu and holding him in our arms filled an empty spot for us and as we watched him grow, we could imagine the stages that Drew was going through. Since returning to Canada, it has been the reverse. As we watch Drew grow, we see the stages that Amu-chan is going through.

Ayumu’s parents, Seiko and Atsuo, are also very dear to us and we have kept in touch via internet and telephone. At the end of May we received the exciting news that we would have another grandchild in January! The baby wasn’t due until the 14th but we woke this morning to find a message telling us that while we were dancing the old year out and the new year in, on the opposite side of the globe Seiko was giving birth to her second son! The baby doesn’t have a name yet and we’re still anxiously waiting to see pictures but we are proud and excited to be the chosen grandparents of a New Year’s baby! It certainly won’t be difficult to remember his birthday!

Richard & Amu-chan on our last day in Japan