2008

January: Jon and I celebrated New Years and looked forward to the year that we would get married in.

February: Jon and I flew to New Orleans so that my father and the family could meet Jon properly before the wedding. We celebrated Mardi Gras while there and had excellent food. It was also my first Valentine's day being attached to someone.

March: We got married! Yay!

April: Jon and I moved to New Plymouth to be closer to Jon's family as we worked on getting my work visa renewed. Jon took a new job with Foreman's Insulation and I worked on getting everything set for my work visa.

May: I sent everything in and started waiting as patiently as I could about my work visa. Jon and I got our own apartment/flat not too far from Jon's parents or the city.

June: My birthday. Jon and I celebrated in true Gilmore Girl style a week long birthday extravaganza which ended with a lovely dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in town.

July: Jon's birthday. Again we celebrated in style. Another week long event ending on Jon's actual birthday with his birthday party - Mario Party style. The party was themed and fun. Following Jon's party we then went off to Ben's birthday party (Jon's twin) who had an airline themed party since he is working to be a pilot.

August: I started working at a temp agency who sent me to work mostly for Greymouth Petroleum answering phones and filling out reports. Jon and I began filling out and getting together everything for his greencard to come to the states.

September: We took a trip to Wellington somewhere around here to get his medicals done for the applications and stayed with friends.

October: Becca came to visit. Jon and I took time off our jobs, moved back in with his parents and we showed Becca around the North Island of New Zealand. We also had our interview with the US Consulate about Jon's greencard, which went really smoothly.

November: Jon and I got the last few things need for his greencard and mailed them to the Consulate. We also had a late Halloween in November with Jon's family and carved their very first pumpkin. A few weeks later we also had an early Christmas in New Zealand as we would be leaving soon.

December: Jon and I moved to the states. We spent December sorting out a spot for ourselves in the house, getting ready for Christmas and the New Year. We both got callings at church and celebrated the holidays first in Houston with my mother and then in New Orleans with my father.

This year has been wonderful. We were sad to leave New Zealand and miss it, but we are happy to be where we are as well. We are thankful for our family and our friends and look forward to a new year ahead of us.