Vacation Time

J on his bike a few days ago.  18 months old now.

In a few days, the fam is headed to Korea for a much-needed 6 week vacation/in-law & friend frenzy.  It will be our first trip back since moving to the U.S. in fall of 2010.  Much has happened since the last update.  We bought a house (townhouse in Frederick, MD).  Min Gi got his 10 year greencard.  I completed a successful year of teaching (almost had thought that was impossible) and will return to the same school in the fall.  J is a toddler (as you can see above).  I switched to a new hotline near my (new) house (part-time now, of course).  I became an auntie to a baby girl earlier this month.  I have dealt with three steroids-required flares of my ulcerative colitis.  I wrote most of a novel for NaNoWriMo with 19 of my students at that time.  Dad's health has held out; my brother's has not.  Mom remains amazing support for Sarah and I as new(er) moms, but I worry about her stress level.

Ayanna Jordyn, niece extraordinaire.  Aka A.J. and "Yaya." 8 days old.

Generally, life has been pretty good to us in this time, but it has been stressful with so many transitions.  I am looking forward to the rejuvenation of this vacation.  I had planned to try to get some work while in Korea, but since that didn't really happen, I'm instead looking for my first actual summer break since I began this teaching gig almost 10 years ago.  Perhaps I will even find time for this woefully neglected corner of the internet that is my blog.

To those of you still reading: thanks.  I'll let you know what Korea's like under their first female president.