Here are the details. Colin was offered (and accepted) a job flying for a Japanese airline. His training is scheduled to start mid March in Tokyo and is projected to last five months. In that time, the kids and I will visit but probably not stay full time as apparently the training is very intensive and we want him to pass. Studying or sleeping are not so easy when you have two little ones running
amok in a small one bedroom apartment.
When he completes training, we have set our sights on Hawaii. Colin will have Oahu layovers (he will be gone 17 to 19 days stretches) and since this a commuting contract, he will be flying back to the states for his off days. Flying to Hawaii/Japan is a much shorter prospect than commuting from Michigan. It should save him nearly 20 hours a month that would otherwise be spent in the air.
We realize challenges lie ahead, but we are extremely grateful for this great job opportunity in such difficult job market. We are still working out the logistics but it looks like we will certainly be making a journey from here to there.
p.s. the Hawaii photos were ones we took in Maui several years ago. They might look a little funny because we don't have the images on our computer so I had to take photos of them on the wall at an angle to prevent glare. My cropping job was less than perfect.
It isn't easy getting the kids outside these days since they are rarely eager to don all their winter gear and brave the elements, but once they are out there.......boy do they have fun! Colin builds elaborate forts and sledding runs for himself, I mean, them. After all, if you are going to be surrounded by this much of the white stuff, the least you can do is have some fun. 
