A Year Has Passed...

Since my last post! Oops! Time fly's in this life of ours.

So many things have happened since my last post... I don't even know where to begin. So, I won't. Needless to say, it has been a tough year, an amazing year all rolled into one if that is possible! It was the worst and the best, the most amazing and the most hard time. So, here is to a new year with endless possibilities!

I will try to post more frequently here. Even though no one is reading, I feel like I can leave a record to look back on and remind of these times. Maybe someday I will have children in this world, who will read and even smile when they see the words written by their mother.

A picture is worth a thousand words they say... so I will post a few from the year past and look forward to the year ahead for many exciting posts!

Hello Stranger!

Well, I am embarassed to see how long it has finally taken me to update my blog! Leo has been in Canada for almost 8 months (as of August 2) and I haven't given any new updates! Time has flown by... I can't even believe he has been here for that long. The first few months were tough, I have to say. He was very emotional when we left Costa Rica and arrived in Canada just in time to welcome winter! The weather was a hard adjustment and since he was at home for most of it, he started to get a little wiggy. But he made it through our pretty mild winter and is much happier now that we are in the midst of summertime and great weather. I am going to add some photos from the past 8 months and then hope to keep my updates a little more frequent.

Two more sleeps alone!!!

Well, I am very excited... the day after tomorrow I leave for Costa Rica to pick up my husband! I truly am excited now...unlike any other time that I have left to go there. This is much more different and I feel excited, nervous, anxious (in a good way) ... so emotional. Our lives will both change and it is a very different situation than most newly married couples. It seems kind of crazy that we have been married for 13 months now and my husband has never been to my house!! lol... I bet not too many people can say that now can they? I have been racing around like a crazy lady - cleaning my house to make sure everything is perfect when he gets here. I really feel emotional that Leo is leaving his home and family... and I want him to arrive here and feel welcome and feel at home too since this is his new home! I can't wait for him to move his things here and place them around our home so that he can make it his home too! Its going to be strange having 'boy' things around.... after purging and cleaning out the closets and drawers to make room, I feel fresh and like this is a new start!!!

Off I go in about 36 hours from now... my last countdown. ;0)

Leo Received his Canadian Visa!

We are so excited! Yesterday Leo went to the Canadian Embassy first thing in the morning and was given his Canadian Visa! Even though we were told that it would be available November 17, I still was a little hestitant... in the back of mind I kept thinking that something would go wrong. The night before he picked it up I even had dreams that he showed up to the Embassy and they had no clue who he was and no record of his visa. All is good! We are happy to finally see this day after one year...almost to the day... since we applied. All that hard work gathering information and the waiting was all worth it. In two weeks (from today) my husband will finally be in Canada!! Yippeeee!!!

The Final Countdown!!!

(isn't that a song??)

10 more days until I head back to Costa Rica to get my husband and bring him to his new home in Canada! We arrive into Toronto on December 2nd... it is hard to believe that the day is so close! It seems like we have been waiting an eternity. Well, lots of emotions flowing... we are both excited but also anxious and nervous. Leo is giving up a lot to come to live in Canada but he knows that he is also gaining a lot too. We are so excited to start our lives together... it is hard to imagine the time has almost come! Leo finished working at Reserva Conchal on Oct 31 and has moved all his things back to his parents home in San Jose. He has been busy helping his Mom with things around the house, getting his stuff organised and playing some music with friends.

Great News!

Well, I have been home from visiting Leo for almost two weeks... I am a little behind on the posts. While I was visiting him we spent a few days in San Jose getting all his documentation together to submit to the Canadian Embassy. It was a little hectic, but we were able to get everything done and taken to the embassy. Then the last few days we could enjoy some relaxing time at the beach with his parents. Well, at least I was able to- Leo had to get back to work.

On October 26 Leo's Mom received a message from the Canadian Embassy that Leo would be able to pick up his final documents at the embassy on November 17th! Apparently they tried to call him on his cell but were unable to get through so they called his home. So, I looked into flights and realised we didn't have much time to make a decision about buying a ticket. The flights were booking up fast and unfortunately, since Leo is unable to go to the USA, he cannot fly through the US. So, it narrows it down to Air Canada which fly's direct from San Jose to Toronto. So, we took a risk and issued tickets. I will be heading back to Costa Rica on November 25th and then coming home with Leo on December 2nd. So exciting! It is hard to believe it is really going to happen after all this waiting. So, much work to get through the visa process- who would have known it could be so difficult?

Well, I can honestly say that our first year of married life was extremely tough- being apart and so many obstacles to face. So many times we both thought, can we really do this? Can we get through this? But we also had a great year - many happy times together and talking everynight on Skype. The great thing about technology these days- we can see eachother and talk... we really had some amazing conversations that we may not have if we were right beside eachother. This time apart has also made us appreciate one another- we will always know that feeling of alone and once we are together we are going to be so grateful for each moment! I am so thankful to have met Leo and I cannot wait to start our life together living in the same country! Stay tuned!!!

Back to Costa Rica...

Well, I am headed back to visit with Leo on Friday! Yet another countdown... Hopefully this is one of the last times that I have to visit with Leo. The next trip I hope he will be on the plane with me and we will not have to say goodbye!!! We are pretty excited but also experiencing lots of other emotions too. I worry about how it will be for Leo when he leaves his home and I pray that he feels happy and welcome when he arrives here. We have known for sometime that he will move here but now that it is almost here, it makes it more real! I can't imagine the feelings he has and I am overwhelmed and thankful that he loves me so much- enough to leave the place that he has always known as home. It is a big, life changing step but I know that he also is looking forward to it and is excited about the many opportunities that he will have here. As much as I love to travel and have visited so many beautiful and wonderful places, I always appreciate that I come from this amazing country that we live in. Canada is a great place to live and many take all that we have for granted. I cannot wait for my husband to come here and see his new home!