family history

Washizu directly translates to eagles nest. It is an older Samurai family name. When Samurai Era ended, they were responsible for watching over the town and running a small family owned business. When my father was growing up his father would create a business and sell it and move on to the next business, some included a butcher meat market and bowling alley.
 
My mom was a smart little lady, she studied hard, perfecting her English with her tutor after school preparing herself to take the big test to get into Medical school. In Japan, people go to the school and take the exam to see if they are good enough for the entry. The day of her exam, she had a high fever. Her grandmother wrapped smelly leek around her neck to help her cold, but she failed to get into the Medical school. My dad had failed too.
 
They met at the Veterinary University in Tokyo, and right away my dad was all in for my mom. She was one of the few female students at that time.
After graduating they moved back to Shizuoka where my dad was from and started their veterinary clinic. My mom slowly realized the hardship of communication with the owner of the animals. School never taught them how to communicate with people about their dying dog or cat that they cannot save. My mom decided to leave town to United States of America to re-educate herself with more doctoring.
My dad, several months later, sold the practice and moved to Davis, California with my older sister and started a whole new era of Washizu family legacy. There they were in the middle of Hippie Peace & Love and made new life-long friends and finished Ph.D. Living the life of a dream. Tsukimi, my mom, really loved the freedom, equality of gender, and the feeling of farmers market. I was born in 1981, Sacramento, California.

My initial memory of being, is in sunny, warm California.

​Peace and love. 
It was hard when we moved to Japan when I was 4. I remember my parents taking me to Qi Gong and practicing meditation. I would cry, lots of tears for no apparent reasons, just lots of tears. Always a class president, taking charge and helping other kids. They sent me to Ithaca, New York when I was in 6th and 7th grade for the entire summer vacation to get exposed to English. I stayed with John and Kathy who my parents met in Davis. They are so great and it is special to have family friends that go way back.
When my sister left home to New York City, after graduating high school in Japan, I was inspired to go out there and start my life, or so I thought…
 
My parents sent me away to Texas when I was 14 years old. Signed the guardian angel paper and everything. Since I was born in America, I could go to school in US. I guess this is what I have been training myself to do, right?! After a decade, we realized that it might have been slightly extreme, but hey, I turned out okay.
It is all good. I moved back to Japan, after 11 years of straight studying my butt off in the U.S., finishing high school with bunch of cowboys, attending the Art Institute of Dallas, and moving to Colorado where I went to Southwest Acupuncture College for 4 years in Boulder. That is where I met Jason and fell in love. I wanted his baby.
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When I was visiting my family in Tokyo right after I graduated from SWAC, I didn’t know I was pregnant, and traveled around and helped my mom take care of her dad. Before my grandfather passed, he was so happy to hear that I was pregnant. He told me not to ever forget your first impression of the person when you fell in love.

keep that sparkle in your heart treasure box
I treasure the time I got to spent with my mom for the 7 years I was back in Tokyo, helping her with family business, cooking her dinner every day, hang out with her a lot. She would not let me quit Japanese acupuncture school. I was pregnant with Michael and took 2 years off from school and was having a hard time returning. Japanese school was hard. I am so happy that she had her foot down for that now. Thank you, Mama.

special thanks to my mom 

She has taught me so much. I am a product of her. She did her best all through out my life and her life. I am excited to work with her in my heart and guiding my spirit. I am so thankful for all my knowledge and skills that has accumulated over the years and could not have done this without my mama.