#yuko ikeda

[itmeansiris]

Voice of Lane (Day 1)

Yumi-san* had to see the doctor the next morning. She wasn’t sick or anything, just a routine checkup was what she said before she left.

Yuko’s otōsan*, spent the day with us. Ikeda-san* made us breakfast and told us how him and Yumi-san fell in love. Then he helped us build a cardboard house. Yuko and I played inside while Ikeda-san practiced Kyūdō*. While growing up in Mt.Komorebi as he was a yumihiki*. He even competed in high school. The Willow Creek version was more watered down but it still made him smile.

*Kyūdō (way of the bow)

*A person who practices Kyūdō is called a yumihiki directly translates to (bow-puller) or a kyūdōka (kyūdō practitioner).

[itmeansiris]

Voice of Lane (Day 3)

Yuko got 2 kittens! Lola and Sirus. The night I had my nightmare and couldn’t sleep, Yumi-san said I could sit on the porch with her and listen to the wind chimes. That’s when she asked me to help her pick 2 kittens to adopt. I picked Lulu because I like the brown spot on her face. She’s so cute. Yumi-san picked Sirus because the website said he was friendly. He was not at least not with me, but he likes Yuko. While she played with her new kittens, I practiced my latest Komorebigo lesson as I waited for my dad to come pick me up. Ikeda-san promised we could do lessons once a week from now on.

[itmeansiris]

🎨: Yumi and Ren were taking the week of spring break off, which was extremely rare for them. They took their work as biochemists very seriously, but they also loved their daughter.

Yuko asked if Lane could have a 3-day sleepover during the break. Ren, Jack, Yumi, and I spoke about it and agreed. I felt more comfortable knowing Lane and Yuko shared a disability, and Yumi and Ren had learned ASL. If Lane misplaced her hearing aids (we always pack her a backup), they would still be able to communicate with her.

I dropped her off at the Ikeda residence late in the afternoon. I chatted with Ren and Yumi while Lane got settled. Ren showed me videos he took from the recital before I said goodbye to Lane.

It was her first non-relative sleepover, and I had to admit I was still a little worried, even though we lived less than 20 minutes away. But she was growing up. She would be a teen in high school before I knew it, and I had to let her grow up.

[itmeansiris]

Voice of Lane (Day 1)

Yumi-san came home and spent the rest of the day with Yuko and me while Ikeda-san studied the stars. Yuko and I played Connect Four, then we had Komorebigo lessons. We had vegan Jajangmyeon for dinner and watched Transformers. Jazz was my favorite Autoboot. He loved music, but metal llama-face Megatron ripped him in two towards the end. So far, it’s been my favorite movie watched in the Ikeda house. Yuko and I cleaned up the dinner mess and then went to bed. I had a hard time sleeping that night. When I got up to get a glass of water from the kitchen, I ran into Yumi-san. When I told her I couldn’t sleep, she said the sound of wind chimes always helped when she couldn’t find rest. She sat with me until I was ready for bed again.

*Komorebigo is the sims verison of Japanese from the (Language Barriers mod by Frankk)

[itmeansiris]

Voice of Lane (Day 3)

On my last day at Yuko’s house, Yumi-san made us breakfast— uhh, I can’t remember what it was called, but it was super yummy. We watched a movie about twins who trick their parents, but I was more excited about going to the library and the Botanical Gardens. Yuko said it’s their “thing”. Once a week when they are all home together, they have breakfast, browse and borrow a new book each, at the Willow Creek Library, and then they visit the gardens and have bubble tea. It made me feel special to be included in Yuko’s family’s “thing”. I wonder what my family’s thing is?

Oh, I almost forgot there was a special surprise for Yuko when we got back to her house. I got to help pick it out, and I was super good at keeping it a secret!

[itmeansiris]

🎨: Our afternoon routine got a twist when Lane asked if she could invite her classmate and friend, Yuko, over. We were getting to know Yuko well. She’d been over multiple times, including for Lane’s birthday party. Her parents, Ren and Yumi, were nice, but they were both full-time scientists, which left Yuko alone a lot, according to Lane.

So instead of homework, walk, cook, nap. I made the girls a snack while they did their homework. Even though Liz attended a different school from Lane and Yuko, she was still becoming fast friends with them. Jack stopped at the crafts store on the way home to pick up supplies and taught the girls how to fold origami shapes while I walked Sprig.

* Yuko (dB HL 55) Yuko toes the line between Moderate and Moderately severely deaf in one ear.

[itmeansiris]

Voice of Lane (Day-2)

The next day, it rained, but I don’t mind rain. Yuko and I watched the Henry Puffer movie. We agreed it wasn't as good as the book. Then I called home because I missed everyone, even though I was having fun with Yuko and her family. Yumi-san and Ikeda-san were teaching me Komorebigo. I’ve tried lots of new foods, and Yuko started teaching me how to make origami butterflies. But I still missed Spring and Axel. I wondered what Liz and Paisley were up to, and I couldn't wait for hugs with Mom and for my dad to tuck me in for bed.

[itmeansiris]

🪖: Over the weekend, Cassandre Goth came to pick up Liz for scouts. They were selling Scout cookies in Magnolia Blossom Park. There was no violin practice that weekend, so Ren and Yumi asked if we would keep an eye on Yuko during the day. She's Lane's best friend, so of course we said yes. Luckily, they were old enough to look after themselves, which meant Neddy and I got to sleep in for a change.

*Paisley is visiting Quinn for the weekend. (Spend the weekend with mod by littlemssam)