The amount of preparation that goes into planning an international trip is just insane.

What is that? It's the results from our test.

Do I have covid? Nope, it says Anna Cakes can travel.

And the rest of us too.

How many more hours? Oh, a long time, like 9 hours maybe?

[Life in Japan theme song.]

We're in America now.

It's been over 3 years since the whole family was back in America.

And we are super excited to see family and friends again.

Travel restrictions this year has made things much more complicated than normal, but that still can't take away the joy of being with loved ones again.

We've been looking forward to this trip all year, and it is finally here.

Oh my goodness. 7-Eleven American style. What will it be like?

Oh, it's really different. It is really different, huh?

We've got sandwiches, no onigiris.

You're holding on Becca.

How are the French fries and the nuggets here, compared to Japan? Do the nuggets taste like the ones in Japan?

Yeah? A little bit different? How about the cheeseburger?

So good. Is it? Is it like the one in Japan?

Better. Better.

Can you see our suitcase going up? Can you see it? Yep.

Oh, there it goes.

At this point in the trip, how's it feel?

It feels, like it's never gonna end. Even though I only have 2 more hours and 10 minutes.

It's the second time today we are taking off at sunset.

It's been a very, very long Thursday. I'll tell you what!

Oh my goodness! Ok, you can go, you can go!

Was that a long trip or what? That was forever long.

Ok, big hugs for Grandpa. Big hugs for Grandpa.

Oh my goodness!

No way! Is that your balloon way up there dude?

Oh my goodness!

All you guys have your balloons too?

Wow, I understand that Japanese song.

Oh my goodness!

From across the ocean, Anna Cakes on the piano.

Pour a little bit in a bowl and you guys can taste it.

Well, its not time for bed yet. We need some cereal first!

Those have different things you can do.

Well, its almost 2:00 in the morning

Lets go see where everyone is.

I'm on a mission to find food.

Oh, hi guys. What's going on?

Movie time. We couldn't sleep. I guess not!

Oh my goodness!

This is the reality of jet lag.

2:00 in the morning and everybody but Anna up.

So, I might as well work now. I'm studying for my drone test coming up to become a commercial drone pilot.

So the test is coming up next week and I want to be ready so I'm taking a practice test.

And then work some more.

So, welcome back to America where you drive on the other side of the car.

Soon as I get on this side of the car, there's a switch in my brain that flips and I'm ready for driving in the states.

So legally I can drive here in combination with my Japanese driver's license and an international driver's license.

So today I'm going to renew my Illinois driver's license.

Yes, I got it.

Did you guys say hi to Aunt Hannah?

Give her a big hug.

Hi Sarah

Ok Aunt Hannah, show your skills. Oh my goodness!

Underhand, OK? OK!

Oh! Close!

What?? A bug? A but went on my face.

Here we go.

Whoa, through the legs. Alright.

Alright.

YEAH!!! I did it! Whoa!

Ok, oh, it's your turn!

Put it through those legs. Oh yeah. Alright.

Here comes the moment of truth.

Ohhh! Close!

Whoa! It almost hit me!

That was a pretty cool action shot.

Oh boy! I miss mowing lawns if you can believe it.

One of my first jobs growing was mowing lawns, just like my dad's lawn here

and a bunch of the neighbors and they'd pay me when they go on vacation, I'd mow their lawn for them

It was a great way for a kid to earn some extra bucks.

Anna, what are you all ready for?

The trampoline park! Trampoline park? There's a bug on you.

Dude, what are you going to do? Are you going to practice some cool moves at the trampoline park?

Yeah! Mario moves. Mario moves? Mario parkour.

Whoa! Good job dude!

Oh man.

Anna, go Anna go!

Can you bounce on those? Can you bounce across those?

Oh yeah, no problem.

Oh my goodness!

Way to go.

Go Anna cakes!

One of the traditions of being back at home is having a big steak and potato dinner. Here it comes!

Look at that plate of steak!

You know, pretty much medium rare and another side that is more well done.

We're gonna want to turn them in about 10 minutes.

You guys are drawing here? What's this name that you've written out Joshua?

Ok, lets see.

Looks like its

[jibberish]

It's, that might be pretty close to medium rare. Is that too pink?

I'm going to take some of these off.

Take them in.

Joshua, what did you get? Show me.

Whoa! A dragon. What's his name?

DragonFly. I like DragonFly. DragonFly? Cool.

And, the steaks are all ready. Look at those!

My mom has her famous baked veggies. Yes, roasted veggies.

With a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper on it. You just bake it like that.

This is the appropriate response. Rubbing those eyes.

And go night, night? Is that it? Oh my goodness, that looks comfy, comfy!

What's his name again?

Um... DragonFly. DragonFly. DragonFly?

Is he watching you play some Super Mario Odyssey? Yeah.

Oh yeah, huh? Cool.

Hey DragonFly. Hi.

What's your favorite color? Everything.

What's your favorite game? All the Mario games.

All the Mario games.

What's your favorite ice cream? Everything.

Everything? Wow! You sound like you have the same likes as Joshua.

So tomorrow we're starting our big journey across the States.

We're going to do down to Tenessee, we'll have a family reunion for a week

Then we'll go down to Florida where we'll get together with Ruth's side of the family

And finally up to Virginia where we're going to celebrate Papa Joe's 100th birthday with him.

It's going to be an epic road trip, starting tomorrow.

[Dora on TV]

Swiper no swiping! Don't you say it with them?

Yeah. Yeah?

Don't you want your little dragon?

Ow!

Whoa! You did it! Ah!!

Yeah, but then you're going to take one out and I think the whole thing's going to pop.

Is that what the game is? You have to try to take one out without it popping?

Red. Ok, you have to take a red one out.

Oh, no!

Sarah's all munch, munch, munch, munch. What cereal are you having this morning?

Fruit Loops. Fruit Loops? Yum!

Are they yummy?

Well, last night was our best night yet.

Even though the kids got to bed late, they slept for a long time and I was able to sleep most of the night, so

Things are looking up here.

Ok!

So this morning we're going and we're visiting a church, we're going to say hi there

And ah, then we're going to go to another campus.

And then after that we're hopping in the car for a 10 hour journey.

And, how about that?

Geese in the road!

Ok, we're at our first stop of the day.

New Life in Morton here we go!

We're at New Life today.

What a good day.

Church 2 of 2 today.

On jetlag but making it work.

The little guy is jet lagging but here we go.

It's our next service, the second service of the day.

Here it goes.

Are you guys ready for the big trip, huh?

Everybody's all in here.

The dinosaurs. Oh, eating? Yummy!

Oh cool, look at that cup. It's with the straw.

What??

Wow! Alright guys. Well, you be good for grandma and grandpa, ok?

Alright. Hannah has the next shift of driving.

Ruth and I are free to snooze, or do whatever... count the corn.

Hannah's transportation pro here.

I'm liking being chauffeured. Very nice.

I played with Joshua the whole time. You played with Joshua the whole time, that's cool.

You've gotta stretch. Stretch!

Alright Anna, time to check out the corn.

This is way taller than the corn we walk by. Whoa! Look how tall it is!

I can't even hardly show how tall it is from here.

Here. Stand right here, girls.

Now, and cough. Hahaha.

Let me stretch too. Ok. Stretch. Oh! Good stretch.

Ok. Gonna load into Grandpa and Grandma's car.

We've got Louisville, coming up.

Welcome to Kentucky.

This is quite the bridge.

Louisville, you've got it going on.

Ok, so we stay on I-64 East.

Look at this! Sarah! Alright.

Way to go. Can you get the whole thing?

And Becca is doing it. And Becca! Way to go Becca. It looks like you guys should switch.

No, because Sarah, this is too short.

It's too short?

And that's soap, and this is water. Oh wow. It's just water? Ok.

Tennessee.

Was there a sign? Did I miss it? Yes, there was a sign.

I missed it!

We are finally in Tennessee.

Hannah's taking another shift.

Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg.

Exiting, getting closer.

Did we find it? Is there no one here?

Oh!

Well, these houses all look the same. We probably took about 20 minutes trying to find our house.

And, uh, I think Dad finally found it, we're gonna go, oh!

Here it is, here it is. Its this big one on the right.

Oh, thank goodness.

My goodness.

We finally made it.

He lost his other shoe. You lost a shoe?

Where'd your shoe go?

After a super long, we're finally ready to check in and go to bed.

Next time...

Well, welcome to our cabin for a couple days.

It's massive.