The Goodbye Tour

I apologize for no new updates recently. We've been busy with preparations for leaving, and every time I sit down to write, something comes up for me to do, or I remember something that needs doing right that moment. So FINALLY I'm updating.

The past couple of weeks have been filled with what I call our "Goodbye Tour." Probably the most difficult part of our leaving. Every person we say goodbye to seems to be more difficult than the last. Goodbyes have always been especially difficult for me, but I've never been away from everyone for more than a month, so a year seems especially daunting. Everyone tells me, "A year is so short." And, "It'll go by so fast." Which I know is party true. But a year is a year. And that is a significant part of my life. Thinking of a year without seeing my family and friends brings tears and fear.

On the other hand, I'm incredibly excited for the adventure on which we're about to embark. This will for sure be our biggest married adventure yet. But back to the goodbyes.

Our Goodbye Tour has taken us from Ames to Minneapolis to La Porte City to Ottawa to Delmar. Goodbyes have been said to friends and grandmas, aunts and uncles, siblings and nieces with many tears and much bawling (on my part). Saying goodbye to the nieces, my bros, and the grandmas has been especially difficult. So much happens in a year, and I know I'm going to miss a lot of important events back home. Right now, as we're preparing to leave, my focus has been on what I will miss. Once I get to Korea, I know I'll switch my focus to what we'll experience and the many adventures we have at hand (so don't worry...I'll be okay).

But for right now, I'll say my goodbyes and cry my tears. And next? We fly out of Cedar Rapids tomorrow to begin our adventures.

NEWS.....finally

We got word today on our status for going to South Korea. This was so welcome after waiting for weeks and hearing skepticism every time we said we hoped to be gone by mid-September. "Oh, and what job do you have?" "Well.....we don't really have one yet...."

Well guess what, people?
WE HAVE JOBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, the moment we've been waiting months for has arrived. It's hard to believe I can now say that I have a teaching job. And so does Chaz. We got the call today that both of us got public school positions in Busan (the jobs we wanted in the city we wanted). Pure goodness. They want us by September 1 (so soon!), but I feel they may be a bit optimistic about that. Basically, whenever we get our visas, we're gone. This means we have two weeks to get our goodbyes in, finish business in the states, get plane tickets, and move overseas. Eek!

Thanks for prayers & support through this process! We've felt very taken care of throughout the ordeal. Now the difficult part...saying goodbye and adjusting to new life....is coming.

An Ode to Wal-Mart Workers

Everyone enjoys a quick shopping trip, right?

I mean, the ones where you know exactly what you need to get. There's no need for large decisions, wandering down aisles, and circling the store five times just hoping you see something you need. You go in, you get what you need, you check out, and you're done. Beautiful organization. In these shopping trips, it's of utmost importance that you remain anonymous in the checkout line. Your efficient trip comes to a quick end as you have your neat pile of necessities on the line, you pay, you grab your bag, and you're out of there.

Tonight, we were to have one of those trips.

Chaz and I were with my mom helping her get her classroom ready for the school year. We had to stop at Wal-Mart to get some items Mom needed for her room, we listed them as we walked in, and we planned on getting in there and getting out as I wanted to catch at least half of Design Star on HGTV tonight.

The beginning of the trip went smoothly. We grabbed everything we needed with graceful speed and precision. There was some slight indecision at one point, but that was quickly remedied, and we made for the checkout counter assured we'd be back in time for the show.

Going through the checkout line, Mom chatted a bit with the cashier (she was a past student). We paid, and were prepared to grab our sacks while Chaz was preparing to buy some Naked juice he was getting for Mom. In her friendly chatting, Mom says, "Stacy, this is my daughter Kate, and this is her husband, Chaz."

At this point, disaster hits our optimistic party. You know the keyboard sitting above the scanner that's on a pedestal at the cashier's station? Well, Chaz cries, "Oh shoot!" as his debit card slips from his hand (resting on the pedestal) into a crack and slides down the pedestal above the scanner.

I kid you not. Only Chaz could do this.

Immediately, Mom, the cashier, and I all laugh hysterically. The cashier says, "Don't worry, there's a chute that comes out down here!" She pulls a trashcan out from under the scanner, looks in it, crawls under the counter, looks all under it, and comes out unsuccessful. Chaz then asks, "Can I look?" And then he looks to no avail. Meanwhile, I peered into the crack that the debit card fell in, and I could see it propped up against the side of the chute, close to, but not quite down the hole that would have gotten us out of this mess quickly. The cashier grabbed a Swiffer duster, and then a ruler to try to get to the debit card, but neither of those worked. At this point, you can imagine we were attracting quite a bit of attention from other cashiers as well as customers.

Finally, one of the Wal-Mart associates contacted Doug, our savior. Doug came over and assured Chaz, "Don't worry, you're not the first person who's done this." To which Chaz responded, "Yeah, right!" Doug stripped out the scanner, grabbed a plastic hanger, pushed the debit card into the hole, and then emerged from underneath the scanner with debit card in hand. Immediately, we cheered and clapped and shouted, "Yay Doug!!!" At which Doug became bright red and scooted back to the employee room. Chaz was sure to remind all within hearing distance that it was Jane Schmidt's, local teacher, son-in-law who had done this. At which Mom became bright red and scooted us all out of the store.

After fifteen minutes, five Wal-Mart associates, and major surgery on the scanner, Chaz was able to use his debit card to pay his $2.73.

Things that make you go, "Awwwww....."

Okay, okay, once again, I'm a bit obsessed. But I just love their interactions with each other!

Still Waiting...

Well, I figured I'd update on our South Korea process. I've been waiting to do this because I've been hoping we'd have news soon, but it seems as if we're doomed to wait until the last possible moment to find out where we're going, when we're going, and if we even have a job.

Some of you already know that Chaz and I wanted to teach in the public school, but then we were told there were no positions until March. Plans then changed to teach in the private schools; our second option, but still very exciting. Last Thursday we got an email (and a phone call) informing us that six PUBLIC school positions opened in Busan, South Korea: THE CITY WE WANTED TO GO TO. We were excited, so we applied right away. They sent off our applications to South Korea and told us we'd probably find out in a week about the positions as they wanted us to start September 1st.

That was one week ago.

Today we got an email saying that the woman in charge of hiring for public schools in Busan is incredibly busy and hasn't chosen who they want to hire yet. So now we must wait another week to hear about job offers. The good news is that this most likely means we won't be gone by Sept 1, so we have a little more time to say goodbye/visit/get stuff done before we leave the country for a year. The bad news is that if we don't get the jobs, that's one less week we have to find jobs if we want to be gone by mid-September. Ugh. I'm sick of this waiting and having to smile, laugh nervously, and say to people, "Well, we don't technically have jobs yet....we're still waiting on news...but the PLAN is to go to South Korea..." Gross. I just wish we had things a little more nailed down, but I guess this is why it's good Chaz and I are pretty flexible.

We've been taken care of thus far in this process (I mean, the jobs we wanted opened at the last minute...that's pretty sweet), so I guess we'll probably continue to be watched over. And that, at least, is comforting.

I've been meaning to write this...

I've been meaning to write about my birthday last Friday, and unfortunately, I just haven't yet. So here goes:

Last Friday I celebrated my birthday. Some of you may know that inevitably, something bad happens on my birthday. This means I rarely have a fun birthday. For example: last year we spent my entire birthday moving and cleaning our old apartment. The end. That was it.

So Chaz tried to make sure that this year it would be a good one.

We moved out early that week so we wouldn't have to worry about that on the 31st (move-out day in Ames, my birthday). Chaz even made plans to go to Minneapolis to stay with friends and go dancing/have a great time. I was pretty excited because it promised to be a great day.

And then my birthday struck.

The night before my birthday, we got a call from our friends that their plans had changed and they had to go on family vacation.

dun. dun. duuuuun.
Kate's birthday strikes again!

The next morning, we got ready for the day, and Chaz gave me my present (gray Toms!). I started the day with breakfast with Renee, then we had lunch at Stomping Grounds with my cooperative teacher's family, and followed that with hang time at Steve & Kim's place (okay, I played Sims for a few hours). It was already a full, good day. But it didn't end there. Steven's parents were in town, so they treated us for supper at El Azteca, where I got sung to even though I didn't want it. Yes, I had to wear a huge, goofy sombrero, and brace myself as they pounded on the hat (seriously...they hit hard!).



I got fried ice cream out of the deal. Then we trekked to Snuss Hill Winery in Cambridge for about 30 minutes of music and socializing. We ended the night with some serious Wii-playing at Steve & Kim's place.




I definitely slept well that night because the curse of my birthday had been lifted. :)