A little about LIFE EVENTS

Looking back over all of the old posts, I feel that I left you all hanging...did they have a niece or a nephew way back when.....

It was a nephew, and he is totally the cutest baby in my unbiased aunt opinion. His name is Aziz and he would just melt your heart.

A few other things that we have had the privilege of attending since we stayed in Canada a few more months include: Solange and David's amazing Starry night wedding in September. The birth of a dear friends, Laura's, 2nd baby - which also turned out to be a cute little boy! We were also able to help Mark's grandmother celebrate her 90th birthday in style with a photo booth, a live piper and lots of family and friends.

In October we had Thanksgiving which was pretty awesome, who doesn't love some stuffing and gravy! We also celebrated my BIRTHDAY - I don't care how old I get I still love birthdays!

November was a little dreary, but we made up for it by spending time with family and friends making sure we got to play lots of board games while there are lots of people around. Mark and I will have to make fast friends in New Zealand as we do love to do "couples" things such as movies, games nights and entertaining.

December had us celebrating the birth of our nephew (My sister Carole-Anne and her husband Oury), and Christmas. I think Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year with all it's buzz, events and music. I love Christmas songs and would listen to them all year round if it was possible to have a Christmas radio station in March. January had us celebrating an end to some of the events that kept us from heading to NZ last summer - including a dinner out with close friends! February had us planning and filling out paper work again which takes us to the post I had put up earlier today.

Through it all, I have had the privilege of teaching a great group of kids and spending another season coaching synchronized swimming, something I will miss dearly when we move. There is synchronized swimming in New Zealand but nothing close enough that makes it possible to coach consistently. Perhaps I will just have to start a club in Leigh.

Overall, I thrilled with all of the events we got to witness here that we would have missed out on had we gone last summer. I guess all things happen for a reason and it was not quite our time to fly out, but I have a feeling that now is our time and the views will be stunning.

Mark and Mary-Ellen

Round Two *Ding, Ding*

Well we are off to the races.....again...what held us up last time has for the most part been resolved! Hurray! There are still a few dangling loose ends, but they should be figured out in the next few weeks.

Mark had a busy week as he booked his plane ticket for April 23rd, and finished up his Student Visa application. There was just as much paperwork for this application, as there was for the last one but we knew what we needed and where to get it so it felt easier to collect it up and send it all away. There was again the legal forms, the medical forms, the questionnaires about everything you have done since you were born, but we already had all the answers from the last sent of applications. Last but not least were all the passport photos that sent us all over the city.

Mark was hoping to send off his application Friday afternoon, but he needed 2 passport photos to send away with it for the visa itself. The first store we went to had a large group all getting passport photos done, so we decided to try another store as it was close to 3:30 and he had to mail his application by 4:45 to make the weekend delivery. The second stores we went to, the girl who does the passport photos had called in sick so there were no photos being taken that day. The third store we went to did not have a photo centre and finally we were able to get them done at the 4th store. Although, this was a studio and we had to wait for a family to finish their newborn photos. To Mark's disappointment, the baby was not cooperating very well. We left the store with minutes to spare and rushed over to UPS (and by rush, I mean we were travelling in "rush hour traffic" and hitting every red light on the way), only to make it to UPS and watch them lock the doors. 

This weekend as he was double checking everything in the envelope to make sure it was all in order, he realised he did not actually address the envelope, and would not have been able to send it on Friday afternoon. I found this rather comical, and eventually he did too.

Mark sent his application this morning (Monday) on his lunch, so now we wait.....what will seem like forever....but will probably only be 3 weeks. Once his student visa comes in the mail it will be a packing flurry around here as he decides what he will take and what will stay here with me. I will not be leaving until July once school ends for the year and synchronized swimming is finished for the season. The things he leaves behind will come with me when I go. I know for sure that he is taking his laptop and his dive gear. Mark is pretty excited as there is a dive club in the area and he can't wait to join and start exploring the shores of New Zealand and the wildlife there.

 

Next month, I will start the application for my work visa and now that I have a teaching license from New Zealand, it will be a little easier. They also have lots of math and science positions posted so I hope that there will still be some left in our area once I am set to head off to New Zealand.

This week Mark will start arrangements for his lodgings once he arrives and start to make a list about what he will pack. The hardest thing is the weight restrictions with the luggage. He also bought his laptop, and set up his New Zealand bank account.