Last Monday we received the call from immigration that we had been waiting for....We were told they might come by to visit to check us out and make sure Moon and I are really married like we and all our documents say. Instead Moon answered a few questions over the phone about finances and was told that she would know the result by Wednesday. Wed. came and went and my anxiety was up and down like the week before the presidential election. Thursday we made a call to the office and we were told that the paperwork had not been received. Friday we visited the office and the tension between Moon and the immigration officer was palpable as he wasn't the most understanding about our anxious eagerness for the result. He said by Tuesday at the latest with a hint of a smile. Monday the phone rang and the visa was approved! Yeah! Big relief and progression into the next chapter of our journey here.
What does it all mean? I was here on a 3 month visa that expired last Thursday. If they had said no I may have had to return to the US to work on a teaching visa. Instead I was approved for a spousal visa which means I am good for at least a year and eligible to work anywhere anytime. Moon had to hold a part time job to make this happen. We found a school that wanted to hire me so they hired Moon to help facilitate things. Not bad... Now we can look at our options. Moon can stop working with no hard feelings if she wants and I will have to get on the official teaching wagon soon. It really means releif. Like Obama's election it will take a little while to sink in and by then I will be more than busy. Strangely, I look forward to being busy and interacting with new folks. It gets kind of isolated at the home.
What about Joon? I realize you certainly hear more about me (since i'm the writer, for better or for worse). Joon is doing awesome. We are home a lot with him so we don't notice the changes as someone who sees him less frequently might but occasionally we are in awe with the changes he has made. He is getting more and more adept at running and is spending more time playing by himself with his puzzles or blocks. His langauge development is amazing. He seems to instantly know the Korean and English word for an object. Sometimes we don't know how but his brain is absorbing it all. For instance I'll say 'let's go' and he says 'ka Ja'. He has gone through a bout of constipation which has not been fun but we finally made it to the local pediatrician for some medication that has helped. He wants to be helpful which is cool to watch. After dinner he will try to close the containers and insist that he put them in to the fridge and close the door. Of course he is getting bigger and more teeth are coming in. He is developing an awesome personality and is not shy about meeting other people. I'll try to post another video soon....
We hope everyone is doing well and preparing for a fun holiday season. Peace
