Overseas Experiences to Baby Booties

Seeing as how I haven't updated the blog since last May, Bruce and I thought it would be a nice idea to have one post to review 2009 (and might I say what a crazy year it has been!)

We completed our training to be ESL teachers in December 2008 and were looking forward to spending 2009 in Taiwan, S. Korea or Vietnam. However, after finding out the airlines made a mistake with our tickets instead of going straight to Asia, we returned back to the lovely summertime in New Zealand.

We quickly realised that no Asian country would give me a visa from New Zealand and after 3 short weeks, I had to return to wintery Denver, while Bruce remained in Auckland.

Being true to our itchy feet, Bruce spent the next two months hiking and swimming in NZ while I took a trip to the Yucutan Penninsula of Mexico with my mother. I managed to convince her to snorkel in the ocean, swim in cenotes, climb ancient Mayan ruins and plaster herself with salty mud!

Finally, our visa's for South Korea came through in late March and by early April, we both headed to Incheon, eager for our reunion. Perhaps too eager as just a short while later, we discovered we were pregnant!!! Definitely a surprise to us, we decided to have the baby in Korea and ask the grandmothers to come out and help us while we finished our contracts. Course, things don't always work out how you plan and between 12 weeks of bronchitis, losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks and not receiving enough help from the Korean doctors to get better, Bruce and I decided in June that it would be best for me to return to Denver for medical care. It was a sad day when I got on that plane not knowing when I would next see Bruce.

We immediately applied for permanent residency for Bruce in the U.S. but thought it best he stay in Korea where he had employment until his greencard came through. True to US government style, it's now 2010 and we're still waiting.

Bruce was able to come out for a visit in October when we had the ultrasound and learned we were expecting a baby girl! After 2 weeks, he returned to Korea where he began working for a program called the Island Program. For 3 to 5 days a week, he would travel to remote islands on the Western coast of Korea to teach English in the villages. He has truly loved teaching and really excelled at connecting with the kids which is why he is looking forward to getting licensure here in Colorado.

Deciding we (meaning the arrival of the baby) could wait no longer for his greencard to be issued, Bruce resigned from his job in Korea in early December. He spent two weeks with his family in Auckland on his way to Denver and on 21st, I happily picked him up from the airport. None too soon either as doctors were convinced I could have the baby at any time with as many contractions as I've been having.

It's now 2010 and we eagerly anticipate her arrival (especially me!). Her official due date is 20 January, 2010 and we expect this coming year to full of milestones and adventures of a different sort. Don't get me wrong, I still want to travel, but as you can see we've changed the title of our blog from Itchy Feet to 6 Itchy Feet!