Happy Birthday Yuko!

Today I am dedicating my blog to my dear friend Yuko whose birthday is today. (It is probably over for her because she is possibly in Germany for work. I am not exactly sure where she is. She travels a lot for work. I know that she was recently in Singapore but for 15 months or so she her work is based out of Germany.) She was my roommate when I was a student at Tennessee Temple University and one of my dearest friends. We would always stay up late talking then look at the clock and realize, "Oh no! I have homework to do!!" We always had so much fun together and she introduced me to so much more of the world. Yuko's dad had been a student at TTU years ago and went back home to be a missionary/ pastor to his people there. She's been on my heart today so I thought I'd look up some old pictures of us. One horribly scanned film pic from TTU when my mom was visiting, some pics from when she visited us when we lived in Rochester back in May of '09, and the last one was taken today. The girls are wearing the shirts from "Aunt Yuko" that she had given them when she visited. They wore them today in honor of Aunt Yuko's birthday.

As I think of Yuko and my other friends from Japan that I made while at school I can't help but think of the devastation that has taken place in their country. I look at the pictures on the news and just sob to think of all the people who went into a Christ-less eternity. All of the people without Hope right now because they don't know the One, the only One who can bring Hope and I pray for the missionaries and other followers of Christ there reaching out to those hurting people, bringing Hope. Lord, do a work that only You can do and glorify Yourself and call people to Yourself through this devastation!

Here are a few pictures that I found as I think of my precious friend Yuko today. I love you Yuko and pray that God will continue to bless you as you shine for Him! I am so thankful that God allowed us to be roommates!

Naomi, Yuko, me and my mom during chapel at TTU

My kids instantly fell in love with Aunt Yuko. It was the first time she had met any of the girls.

Group Shot - the kids are all wearing their "Aunt Yuko" shirts

hanging out in a tree in Highland Park

The girls today wearing their Aunt Yuko shirts in honor of her birthday. (They are going to cry when they no longer fit! They already have plans to make them into pillows.)

Happy Birthday Yuko! We love you!