The Next Chapter in Our Lives

When it's been almost a year since the last blog post there's a lot to catch up on, but then again there's been a lot going on this past year that's been more distracting. So, in an attempt to bring everyone up to speed on the Rigbys, here's a review of the past 12 months....and you'll want to hang in there til you get to the bottom for the most exciting news of all.

Summer 2011

Mike & Taylor's Wedding

Dinners at the Country Club

Fall 2011

Beach day in San Diego

Vacation in New York City and Washington DC

Julie's birthday dinner at the Country Club and Thanksgiving with the Rigbys

 Winter 2011

Cirque de la Symphonie at Abravenal Hall

Brennan's grandpa's retirement party

Skiing at Grand Targhee with the Rigbys before Christmas

Spring 2012

Alisha graduated from BYU

Brennan got accepted to the University of Utah School of Medicine. We're so excited to be staying in Salt Lake for at least 4 more years.

Expecting our first child. Yep, this is where the blog gets so much more exciting. We shared our news with family around Thanksgiving time and I was due on May 26th. The past 9 months went by really fast and I'm so grateful I felt well the whole time and was able to work up until the week of my due date. I'm now enjoying my time at home with our baby girl and loving every moment.

Setting up the nursery. I went with a gray, white, and pink color scheme and love it.

Now.... introducing our daughter Heather Kim Rigby. For those interested in how she entered this world here's a quick summary. I spent 6 days after my due date walking and waiting. 9 months of pregnancy went by so much faster than that week, but my mom was in town and she and Brennan kept me entertained. Then at 2am on the 1st my water broke so we were off to the hospital. We got to an L&D room a little after 3 and she was born a short hour and seven minutes later. It was definitely faster than I ever anticipated. I was interested in delivering without anesthesia, but didn't weigh out the possibility of an epidural so I took a few hypnobirthing classes to prepare. I'm really glad I did, because when it came time there was no anesthesiologist available so the relaxation and breathing techniques got me through the experience which was amazing and memorable. In the end, we're so grateful she's here and that she's healthy and perfect - all 7 pounds 2 ounces and 20.5 inches of her.

Photos in the hospital

Our first week at home. My parents came to visit and my mom cooked the entire week so that we would have almost a month stock-pile of freezer meals. Thanks mom!

We're now getting into a routine and loving being parents. Check back occasionally for more updates. Now that there's someone else to blog about besides myself I think I might be better at all these posts.

Japanese Obon Festival

This past weekend we immersed ourselves in Japanese culture while dancing in the annual Obon Festival. My grandmother and mom flew into town just for the event and all my sisters didn't dare miss out. It was such a great experience learning the folk dances and sharing that piece of history with my grandma. My grandma loves Japanese dancing and some of the dances were even from our "home" island of Kyushu. What a great way to remember our ancestors, celebrate their lives and traditions, and pass on family heritage. Besides, after going to Japan and buying yucatas (summer kimonos), we couldn't resist the chance to dress up and learn the art of tying an Obi. Here are some pictures and highlights of the night.

Sasebo: May 19 - 21

The whole purpose for our trip to Japan was to see where my grandmother grew up and to learn about her history. Our travels finally took us to her hometown of Sasebo where we were warmly greeted by close friends who treated us to a wonderful time in Sasebo. As a harbor city Sasebo is now home to a US military base and we could easily see the American influences in the city. It didn't take away from the historic aspects of the city although everything from the city hall to the train station was burnt to the ground during the US raid on Sasebo during WWII. During our walking tour of the city, my grandmother recountered her experiences that day and got to learn a lot more about her childhood while she gave us a tour of where her home once stood and where she went to school.

A good portion of our time was also spent shopping. My grandmother raved about the shopping Sasebo and she was right - she got all sorts of cute clothes and we all ended up spending far too much money on souveniers, but it is a once in a lifetime trip after all so we've justified the expenditures. Hopefully our husband's will understand :).

Here are some of the highlights of Sasebo:
1. Tour of where Grandma Michiko grew up
2. Karioke - Japanese take their karioke very serious and we found countless bars around the city so we spent the evening out with my grandmothers friends singing the night away.
3. Harbor cruise & city overlook - Sasebo is know for its 200+ islands. I have no idea how any ship can navigate the harbor we were getting so confused but it's a beautiful city.
4. Dinner with friends - we had Japanese style Chinese food and a traditional Japanese meal the other day. It was so much fun spending the days and evenings with my grandmothers friends and seeing her have such a great time. Her best friend from her childhood was amoung the group and they have known each other since elementary school.
5. Shopping - we have shopped our entire way through Japan and our large suitcases and extended duffle bags are proof of that.
6. Sasebo Burgers & Tonkatsu: both are amazing and so delicious here.
7. Church: we visited the local military branch and I always love knowing that you can go to Church anywhere in the world and count on it to fill just like home.
8. Visiting a local junior high with Shinobu (my grandmother's best friend's son). We got to see what Japanese school was like and meet a few of the students.

Here are some of the pictures from our three days here:
My grandmother's first elementary school from before WWII.

Hachinoya: the same pastry shop where my grandma and her friends would get treats during high school.

Proof I made it to Sasebo.

The property where my great grandmother lived with my grandmother following WWII. The building was rebuilt twice I belive and served as a boarding house that my great grandmother ran before it was sold and repurposed as a parking lot. I wish the house were still there and we could see it, but we'll just have to imagine the old Japanese architecture.

My grandmother's friends. Her best friend from high school, Fukiko, is shown on the right side. She along with Miyoko (pictured on the far left) drove us all around Sasebo and we couldn't be more grateful for treating us so kindly. It was wonderful getting to know them.

The overlook over Sasebo harbor.

Karioke bar.

Grandma Michiko dancing and singing the night away.

Sasebo Harbor Cruise.

Hiroshima & Miyajima: May 18

We left Kyoto Wednesday morning for Hiroshima. Alisha was in charge of planning our itinerary for the day and we started by taking a ferry to Miyajima. The island is known for its shrine whose Torii gate sits out in the water and during high tide it appears as though it is floating. We got there when it was low tide though which meant we could walk out to the gate and get a closer look. Alisha, Katrina and I also spent a couple hours exploring the island by bicycle. It was so relaxing riding around the small village, stopping at the shops, eating fried Oysters (delicious) and wandering along the sea shore.




After Miyajima we went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The museum and its surrounding park are located within a few hundred meters from where the atomic bomb struck the city. All of the buildings and individuals within the property were immediately vaporized. Walking through the museum we learned about the effects of the bomb, the lifestyle of those living in the city, saw old clothing and photographs, and gained a greated understanding and appreciation for the world we live in now - particularly as my grandmother recountered her personal experiences during the war.

The building shown in the picture below is called the Hiroshima Dome and when the bomb hit, the dome and the remaining metal/structural portions of the building survived while everything else was destroyed. The peace memorial stands as a reminder to the world about the destructions of nuclear weapons and the grounds also includes an eternal flame that will always stay lit until there are no more nuclear weapons in the world.

Kyoto & Nara: May 17

Today was day two with our own personal drivers and tour guides around Kyoto. We've decided that this is the one and only way to travel where you get private tours, are dropped off and picked up right at the entrance and they patiently wait while you shop as long as you want. We were quite spoiled in Kyoto.

For day two we left early in the morning for Nara which is about 100 years older than Kyoto. We started our morning at the Joruriji Temple.


We then made our way to the Todaiji Temple where we first walked through a park with wild deer wandering around. I think it was a natural preserve and we spent a couple minutes feeding them. You had to be careful though. Once you ran out of food they started following you around and would try to nibble on your shirt.


Now about Todaiji Temple - this structure is the largest all wooden building in the world and also houses the largest bronze gilded statue of buddha. It was quite impressive. While walking around the grounds we saw the cutest school children on field trips. Each class has a different color hat - what a great idea for keeping track of the children and they looked so adorable.



Our taxi drivers then recommended a delicious place for lunch. We took pictures outside so that we'd know where to find it when we return because the food was so good. Here's what my plate looked like.


After lunch our next stop was Kiyomizu Temple which also included a shrine known as the love shrine. Here it is believed that if you can walk from one stone to another housed on the property of the shrine you will be blessed with love. We also learned about Shinto prayers and our taxi drivers aka private tour guides walked us through the rituals. It was a great learning experience.


We met some college students while we were there as well who were spending the day dressed up out on the town. Hopefully we'll find an excuse this year to wear the Yucatas (summer kimonos) we're bringing home with us.


There was also an old cemetery by the temple that crept up the entire hillside. It was amazing how large the cemetery was and how many stones lined the hillside. This is common across Japan and we've seen numerous cemeteries in local towns, but none as large as this one.

Kyoto: May 16

We started our morning taking a 14 minute Shinkasen train from Osaka to Kyoto. After checking into the hotel we were greeted by drivers who my grandma's friend's friend set-up for us. It was such a wonderful gift and so convenient having our own personal drivers all day. We wouldn't have been able to fit everything in otherwise.

Our first stop was the Golden Pavilion or Kinkakuji Temple. It is a 3 story building where the top 2 stories are gilded in gold leaf. It sits on a reflection pond and was absolutely beautiful.



We then went to the Nishiki Food Market and shopping center to pick up more gifts to take back home. We came across a crepe street car and couldn't resist. The crepes are so yummy and filled with fresh fruit, custard and whipped cream. Not necessarily healthy but something sweet does help balance all of the salty food we've been having.

Our next stop was the Sanjusangendo Temple. This is another Buddhist Temple that has 1001 gold leafed statues inside. Photos aren't allowed inside so here are some outside. The building was constructed in 1266 and remains in tact today. It was pretty amazing.




We then went to the Fushimi Inari Tashi Shrine. This is a shinto shrine where Tori gates span all the way up a hillside and it takes 2 hours to walk through all of them. We only went part way and it was so pretty. Just imagine an entire walkway lined with these gates.



Our drivers then took us around the Gion District of Kyoto and explained the history of the city. The Gion District is where the Gaikos (also known as Geishas) and Maikos live, practice and work in the local tea houses. We later went to dinner on the Pontocho Street, known for it's high-end tea houses, and we spoted a few Gaikos entertaining some businessmen. Here is a photo of the lantern lit street where we ate dinner.


Our drivers made reservations for us since the tea houses restrict access to who can eat there and it was a really nice traditional japanese meal. Included in the meanl was tempura fish - whole fish fried in batter. I ate one whole one and then could only handle eating the bottom halves for the rest. Something about eating a fish head with eyes just didn't sit well with me, but it was surprisingly tasty if you could get over the mind block of what you were eating.