My travel papers arrived Monday Jan 30th in Boulder! Yipeeeee!
They are currently on their way to Victoria, BC via UPS and Rachel and I will fly out on Friday to meet Jason in Denver Friday night.
So our family will be reunited again soon, and we are excited.
Rachel and I have been on the go to California, Virginia, and BC since the beginning of December. We have no routine whatsoever. Rachel has been an awesome traveler so far on all the planes, cars, boats, bus rides, etc. She has had a couple of colds and has been an inconsistent sleeper. She has charmed everyone we've seen - family, friends, plane seat companions, flight attendants, etc. We are really looking forward to our own bed / crib, our own kitchen and food situation, and getting settled with consistent nap times. Hopefully soon we'll have a daycare and work schedule set up, and then I can go crazy on scheduling all of our family's activities and goals. (I love schedules and lists!)
I've been thinking about writing a goals or New Year's Resolution blog for a month now. I'm probably the most goal-oriented person any of you know. I think there is only one goal I've ever written down in my life that I did not accomplish. But it's been hard to set goals recently since our plans have been so up in the air. We don't feel settled in Boulder yet and it's taking it's time.
Typically I'd like to write goals that are specific, measureable, attainable, and have a time frame. And we are not there yet.... But here are some general things that I hope to accomplish in the next while.
1) Get a job. This is a little out of my hands right now but something I can work on again and get going very soon.
2) Save up our pennies and buy a house. This relates very much to me getting a job, and as soon as I know my job situation, we can learn more about our house budget.
3) Take better care of myself. I don't just mean sleeping better and things like that but I want to do more for myself to help improve my confidence, my physical strength and fitness, and my sense of control over my life. Being a mom and moving to a new country for me have included being mostly sleep deprived for the last 16 months. Since moving to Boulder, we've had very little time for ourselves to exercise, eat well, be social, shave, get a haircut, and things like that. It takes away from your own identity. I want to be confident and feel attractive and energized again. These things seem especially hard to do when visiting and living on the road and wondering about job and daycare schedules. For me, I have lost a lot of confidence not working since I love being a physical therapist so much, and consider it a huge part of who I am. When we get home it will be time to crack down on many things.
Here are some examples:
- Exercise consistently. Jason runs every Wed night and I plan to go to an exercise class every Mon night. We each get in something longer on the weekend, usually as a family. We both want more but are not sure how to get it just yet. Many people perceive us as being so active and fit, and we typically are, but we've both struggled in the last few months and I'm feeling it.
- Find time without Rachel. For the last few months this has been time in the shower, or online when Rachel naps. Maybe a family member has watched Rachel in the last couple of months while I've gone out for a jog. In March I'm going to Vegas with two special girlfriends for a girls weekend and later in March I'm going to Michigan for 6 nights for a manual therapy course. Vegas will be the first night since Rachel was born that I will be without her. This whole 'travel without Rachel' will also mean weaning her off breastmilk. I have mixed feelings about this but it will be great for some independence!
- Find time for Jason and I as a couple. Every parent will tell a new parent that it's hard to find time as a couple. We have no family near us to babysit, and bedtime has been our only consistent routine that we do have. We have hired a babysitter twice so far in Rachel's life and had a few dates out when family have watched her. We're going to work hard to find a babysitter again and make a date night (or date afternoon, perhaps) every 2 weeks to splurge and create some time to ourselves.
- Use daycare. Our hope is that we can use a little extra daycare time around our work schedules to fit in a run, hair cut, doctor's appointment, etc. to get something done for ourselves as adults.
- Sign up for an athletic event. Jason hopes to do three 50 mile runs this year and has signed up for his first. I plan to find a trail half marathon to do in April-June and get running again soon. If I don't have an event, I don't go out very often.
So we'll keep you posted!!
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Two different destinations
Parts of the Kelowna airport are lovely, like the section with the little waterfall that masks the noise and conversations of other passengers while you are waiting for your flight. However, the part where Rachel waves "bye-bye" as she and Meggs walk through the security door is lame. It is also hard to watch people traveling together as a family, today's opposite of families like ours, since we have to get on two different flights, and only half the family gets to go home. But that isn't the fault of those other families, so I sit in the airport and smile at other people's kids instead of my own. Someday Meggan's paperwork will come through, she and Rachel will return home, start work and daycare, and we will hugs lots. But not today (sigh)...
So I will tell you about our weekend in the Okanagan Valley, where we used to live. Meggan and Rachel arrived in Penticton on Wednesday, saw friends, and then Jehanne drove them to Kelowna on Thursday and dropped them at the hotel. When checking in, Meggan let the desk clerk know that I would be checking in late (after midnight), and could he give me a second key and let me know which room was ours? I worked Wednesday, then went to the airport, flew through Seattle (4-hour layover) to Kelowna, rented a car and drove to the hotel.
Friday we got up and Rachel and I played in the hotel pool before heading to my citizenship ceremony at Kelowna City Hall. I checked in and was given my seat assignment, and Meggan and Rachel were directed to the spectator seating area. I was really excited; even though this may seem trivial now that we don't live in Canada, it was very important to me to complete this journey to citizenship that began when I moved to Canada in 2006. It was exciting to see people from so many different places and cultures, all excited to become Canadians. The ceremony began with a short speech from the citizenship judge, then we all recited the Citizenship Oath (in English and French), and the judge heartily declared, "Congratulations, you are Canadian!" Everyone cheered, and it was very emotional for a lot of people in the room. I saw a man from Senegal who was present the day I wrote my citizenship test in November; he has been working toward this day for over 9 years, and I'm sure many in the room have waited longer. Then we heard some speeches from local dignitaries, and sang the Canadian national anthem, before adjourning the ceremony and taking some pictures. Very cool!
Then we headed to Penticton, where we went to Jehanne and Nick's house (thanks so much to them for letting us stay there while they were out of town for the weekend), where we promptly exploded our stuff all over the place. Oops, hope we got it all clean this morning before we left! That evening we visited with Scott and Sarah McMillan, just across the street -- thanks to them for the weekend loan of the Pak N' Play, so Rachel could have a place to sleep without us bringing our travel crib.
Saturday we went for a family run up to the reservoir (thanks again Sarah for the running stroller). Then we went to Caithy and Sean's house so Rachel could terrorize their remotes, DVD collection, and other fun things. We are so excited for their little one coming soon! That evening we had a great dinner at Amber's new (well, since we left) apartment, then she and Greg came over for games. It has been so long since we've played games that it felt great to enjoy Settlers without having 50 other things to get accomplished that night.
Sunday we drove to Rob's house in the morning, and he and Andrea were kind enough to give us a ride up to Apex for the Annual Snowshoe Hash! There was a huge group there, and a wonderful trail through the woods was laid out for us to follow, complete with fun surprises along the way. So fun to see all our hashing friends again! Rachel was a good sport about being carried in the Bjorn for so long, but probably enjoyed more when she was set free to roam around the Gunbarrel restaurant afterwards. Back to Penticton for a fun dinner and catch-up with Dave and Stacey before it was time for us to pack up our things to get ready to leave this morning.
A crazy long weekend, but aren't they all for the three of us? Meggan and Rachel are winging their way back to Victoria, and I am waiting for my own flight day to start here in Kelowna. Hope all is well with your families; please give them an extra hug for us when you see them.
So I will tell you about our weekend in the Okanagan Valley, where we used to live. Meggan and Rachel arrived in Penticton on Wednesday, saw friends, and then Jehanne drove them to Kelowna on Thursday and dropped them at the hotel. When checking in, Meggan let the desk clerk know that I would be checking in late (after midnight), and could he give me a second key and let me know which room was ours? I worked Wednesday, then went to the airport, flew through Seattle (4-hour layover) to Kelowna, rented a car and drove to the hotel.
 |
| My cheering section at the Citizenship ceremony |
Friday we got up and Rachel and I played in the hotel pool before heading to my citizenship ceremony at Kelowna City Hall. I checked in and was given my seat assignment, and Meggan and Rachel were directed to the spectator seating area. I was really excited; even though this may seem trivial now that we don't live in Canada, it was very important to me to complete this journey to citizenship that began when I moved to Canada in 2006. It was exciting to see people from so many different places and cultures, all excited to become Canadians. The ceremony began with a short speech from the citizenship judge, then we all recited the Citizenship Oath (in English and French), and the judge heartily declared, "Congratulations, you are Canadian!" Everyone cheered, and it was very emotional for a lot of people in the room. I saw a man from Senegal who was present the day I wrote my citizenship test in November; he has been working toward this day for over 9 years, and I'm sure many in the room have waited longer. Then we heard some speeches from local dignitaries, and sang the Canadian national anthem, before adjourning the ceremony and taking some pictures. Very cool!
 |
| A new dual citizen! |
Then we headed to Penticton, where we went to Jehanne and Nick's house (thanks so much to them for letting us stay there while they were out of town for the weekend), where we promptly exploded our stuff all over the place. Oops, hope we got it all clean this morning before we left! That evening we visited with Scott and Sarah McMillan, just across the street -- thanks to them for the weekend loan of the Pak N' Play, so Rachel could have a place to sleep without us bringing our travel crib.
Sunday we drove to Rob's house in the morning, and he and Andrea were kind enough to give us a ride up to Apex for the Annual Snowshoe Hash! There was a huge group there, and a wonderful trail through the woods was laid out for us to follow, complete with fun surprises along the way. So fun to see all our hashing friends again! Rachel was a good sport about being carried in the Bjorn for so long, but probably enjoyed more when she was set free to roam around the Gunbarrel restaurant afterwards. Back to Penticton for a fun dinner and catch-up with Dave and Stacey before it was time for us to pack up our things to get ready to leave this morning.
A crazy long weekend, but aren't they all for the three of us? Meggan and Rachel are winging their way back to Victoria, and I am waiting for my own flight day to start here in Kelowna. Hope all is well with your families; please give them an extra hug for us when you see them.
January 24, 2012
Some extra time
Well Jason and I will see each other on Friday in Kelowna for his Canadian Citizenship Ceremony. We will fly out of Kelowna and I will return to family in Victoria and he will go back to work teaching in Boulder. How long will I have to remain in Victoria before I can join him and begin work as well?
On January 4th, we were told that processing should take 2 more weeks. Today, we were told that they were currently 'backlogged due to a high volume of applications' and were processing applications from Sept 30, 2011.
What does that mean for our family? I don't know how long it takes them to move from Sept 30, 2011 until October 19, 2011 - the day I applied. But it would be safe to assume that I am not going to get my paperwork this week, and could safely plan to be in British Columbia for another couple of weeks...
My poor mailman! I've been pretty much attacking him in Boulder every day since December 1st assuming that my papers were about to arrive... and now I am certain that it will be days and days before it gets into the mail system.
So... how can we make this into an opportunity? I've had the unexpected chance to spend more time with family, catch up with friends, and play field hockey. I had an absolute blast playing field hockey and, although I am still very sore, was very happy with the atmosphere, the feeling of working hard, and how fantastic it felt to play the sport I love so dearly. I also got to play with some very amazing people, and remind myself how awesome it is/was to be a UVic Vike.
Should I stay put and enjoy time with family? Come up with some alternate trip? Get my BC Physical Therapy license and try to do some locums? Although I'm trying not to spend very much money, and I cannot enter the USA, I have time to enjoy many other options. Time is a gift...What do you think?
-Meggan
On January 4th, we were told that processing should take 2 more weeks. Today, we were told that they were currently 'backlogged due to a high volume of applications' and were processing applications from Sept 30, 2011.
What does that mean for our family? I don't know how long it takes them to move from Sept 30, 2011 until October 19, 2011 - the day I applied. But it would be safe to assume that I am not going to get my paperwork this week, and could safely plan to be in British Columbia for another couple of weeks...
My poor mailman! I've been pretty much attacking him in Boulder every day since December 1st assuming that my papers were about to arrive... and now I am certain that it will be days and days before it gets into the mail system.
So... how can we make this into an opportunity? I've had the unexpected chance to spend more time with family, catch up with friends, and play field hockey. I had an absolute blast playing field hockey and, although I am still very sore, was very happy with the atmosphere, the feeling of working hard, and how fantastic it felt to play the sport I love so dearly. I also got to play with some very amazing people, and remind myself how awesome it is/was to be a UVic Vike.
Should I stay put and enjoy time with family? Come up with some alternate trip? Get my BC Physical Therapy license and try to do some locums? Although I'm trying not to spend very much money, and I cannot enter the USA, I have time to enjoy many other options. Time is a gift...What do you think?
-Meggan
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