Deborah GrowFeb 26, 20215 minGrowing Up BaptistBeing good Southern Baptists, we went to church up to three times a week, twice on Sundays and once on Wednesdays just for extra heavenly...
Deborah GrowJan 1, 20213 minThe Year of the GypsyWhen I was a young actress living in New York City, my first apartment was an unrenovated one-bedroom apartment in a fourth-floor walk-up...
Deborah GrowMar 8, 20203 minHow a One-Eyed Hairy Monk Can Help to Keep Your Eyes on the PrizeHere in Japan, there is a unique way to set a New Year’s goal and to maintain focus until it is achieved. It is the not-so-friendly Daruma
Deborah GrowJan 29, 20202 min Celebrating the New Year Japanese Style“Go to a party on New Year’s Eve? I have to finish my house cleaning!” Now, I too spend New Year’s Eve cleaning my house.
Deborah GrowDec 20, 20195 minHalf Japanese: Part 1 The Big Move Being half is hard whichever side of the ocean you end up on. September 30, 2001, we landed on the Japanese side of the Pacific at Narita.
Deborah GrowNov 18, 20198 minThe Realities of Being Half (ハーフ) : Part One - Being Half American in AmericaWhen I married a non-American, I actually did not carefully think of the repercussions, like if my future children would fit in society.
Deborah GrowNov 10, 20194 minTraining of Champions! The Spartan Training of the Murao SiblingsThere are probably many answers to this question and all of them might be valid if the result is a champion. I can only comment on how my c
Deborah GrowOct 27, 20195 minQuestion #4: Why did Sanshiro begin Judo? Was it destined to be?Big brothers and sisters have a big influence over us and Sanshiro was no exception. At age 1, he would pretend to be on the soccer team!
Deborah GrowOct 22, 20194 minWhat's in a Name - Part 2: Why did you name him Sanshiro? Did you think he would do Judo? One afternoon, Hidetoshi announced, "His name is Sanshiro!" "Sanshiro?" I pictured myself calling out this traditional Japanese name....
Deborah GrowOct 17, 20192 minQuestion #3: What's In a Name? Part 1What is in a name? Why were you given the name that you were? Do you know?
Deborah GrowOct 12, 20193 minQuestion 2: Sanshiro is tall! Where did he get his height from?But I just dug up an ancestor (not literally) on the Grow side, who was not only tall but quite interesting as well. Speaker of the House!
Deborah GrowOct 9, 20194 minDNA Part 3: It is not over until the strong women say so! Finally, we stuck Athletic GOLD!! On the Murao Side...the maternal grandmother, Eiko Murao!
Deborah GrowOct 8, 20192 minDNA Part 2: Revenge of the Murao Family!So now part two of the question: Where did Sanshiro get his athletic ability? I have clearly made a case for the Grow Family (not being a...
Deborah GrowOct 7, 20192 minQuestion #1: Where does Sanshiro get his amazing athletic ability? ....Is it in his DNA?Is Sanshiro's athletic ability in his DNA? Let's jump in the gene pool and find out....
Deborah GrowOct 6, 20191 minWelcome to my New Blog! Judo Mom.....The Murao StoryRecently, I was featured in an article in the Japan Times Newspaper, "It takes a Village to Raise an Olympic Hopeful". Since then, there...