The Queen waiting to hear from the Princess...

And the Queen does not wait well...

This is Yuka, one of my exchange students...one of the 3 I hosted from Japan. She was and is my daughter, along with Fumika, Shinobu, and all the friends and family I have met in the 15 years I have been working with exchange students. Family, so far away and beyond my reach.

Before anyone says 'but she was only an exchange student'...these kids come and stay for the most gut wrenching time of their life...senior year, in another world with a brand new family in another language. I couldn't do it, the courage and determination of these kids amazes me.

I have laughed myself silly, worried myself sick, grounded, uplifted, cried with and fought with every one of my girls...and they are my girls.

And now during this time of crisis I have only heard back from one, and my heart sinks with every CNN report.

Japan is a country that accepted the concept of earthquakes and prepared for them to the best of anybody's ability. And if any country in the world can deal with this, its Japan.

So with faith that the news will be good, the Queen will stand strong and wait...and Yuka, you are still grounded!