Worth the Wait

May 28...the date of our last blog post. Please accept my sincerest apologies for the break in blog entries. In some ways it feels as if there wasn't much to write about and in others it's as if there is just so much to tell that it's too overwhelming to start. One theme remains constant - Adam and Callie Wilhoit have SO MUCH to be grateful for and hope that this long awaited soliloquy is worth the wait. Please view this post as a somewhat pointillistic representation of our last few months. It won't include everything, but it will hopefully give an overarching glimpse of why we are just so lucky.

To begin, some may have done the math and be concerned that Adam and I are due for deportation. Yes, we arrived in beautiful Wellington on the 20th of August 2010 for a year long adventure in the lands down under with equally as long Working Holiday Visas. Fate, however, just isn't ready to return us back to the States. In April Adam finally received a much sought after and prayed for skilled-migrant Visa complete with a partners open work permit for me that is good until well into 2013. Thus, Adam is able to continue padding his resume with new skills and certifications from his employment with FX Networks while I am able to pursue this crazy movie world with the hobbits. While this may sound like it was an easy feat, my under-practiced blogging skills can not begin to sufficiently express the relief that came with the receipt of those Visas. The peace with which one is able to doze off at night knowing that something so bureaucratically uncontrollable is accomplished is indescribable.

Once we knew with certainty that we would be allowed back into the country, we set our sights homeward for a much needed visit back to see loved ones. Our simple plan turned into a whirlwind return back home for an unbelievable reunion with friends and family. Thus, while this blog generally depicts our adventures in Kiwiland, I hope that its Wandering Wilhoit title will justify the following account of our adventure home. Warning: our travels took us on a combined total of 25 flights, so beware jet lag resulting from viewing.

Steve and Linda, Adam's parents, kindly picked us up from the SeaTac airport and promptly shuttled us to the most convenient Wendy's Hamburger Restaurant for Adam's requested first meal back. Thankfully, our culinary trip only improved from there :) We had a wonderful few days in Anacortes exploring the beautiful island and catching up with some Skagit Valley friends. The Wilhoit Bed and Breakfast is always a favourite retreat and we couldn't think of a better place to reset our internal clocks.




Leaving gorgeous Fidalgo island at a quarter to five in the morning wasn't restful, but it was with eager hearts that we pointed our little VW southward to take on a very long "to-do" list for the Puyallup area. Over the course of a single morning we were able to take care of everything from renewing my drivers license to ensuring that our condo and storage units were properly sorted for yet another year without us. We met up for a lovely brunch with the music teacher folk in Puyallup followed by a fun trip to the Woodland Park Zoo and dinner with PLU friends. The next day brought us back in touch with Adam's colleagues from the Puyallup ITC as well as his mates from Kent. It's amazing to see how many wonderful life changes that can happen within a year.




Following another very early morning wake up call and a memorably surprising limousine ride later, we were back at SeaTac and on our way to St. George, Utah.

My sister, Kara, and her beautiful family moved to St. George the same week that Adam and I moved to Wellington, so this was our first time visiting their new home and adopted city. In case anyone was wondering, St. George is HOT in July. It was only with a lot of perseverance, perspiration, and well working air conditioning that Adam managed to survive his visit. Playing with the Wheelers was WELL worth the sizzle. We ventured all over the area including swims at the pool, splashes at the splash pad, and a wonderful 15 mile hike in Zions National Park. Considering the desert climate is inhospitable to anything that sets off Adam's allergies, I know that we will be back in St. George as often as possible to enjoy the respite from sniffles and sneezes as well as to enjoy the amazing company and natural environment.




I couldn't believe it when I found my own husband in bed with another woman!

Almost as exciting as playing with the Wheelers was the moment Papa Kay arrived from Omaha with a precious little package in tow...ZOE!!! Oh it was a beautiful reunion. We sniffed and snuggled, wagged and wiggled as a whole family for hours. She's become a great companion to her Papa Kay. He and Nomi Ann have taken wonderful care of our little puggy. She's all the happier and healthier for her time in the Midwestern air - though perhaps a bit grayer for the months that have passed. Now she looks like a wise, old, happy puppy.

Leaving Papa Kay and Zoe to drive from St. George to Omaha with the three youngsters and Kara, Adam and I returned to the airport once again to board a plane to Helena, Montana for the most momentous occasion of our trip. Adam's sister was married in a gorgeous Renaissance ceremony. While we've been asked not to report much online, please know that it was a wonderful occasion to celebrate with family and friends from all over the world. The bride was beautiful, the groom dashing, the weather perfect, and the costumes regal.



It was with a very heavy heart that I put Adam on a plane the day after the wedding to start his solo journey back towards New Zealand. Reality dictated that he needed to get back to the real world of work and responsibility while I was blessed to hide my head in the sand for a little while longer by heading home to the Midwest with my mom to Omaha.

My summer weeks in Omaha were largely spent inside since the country was seized by a record setting heatwave throughout my visit. Going to Omaha is always a chance for me to "go home" again. This time, however, it was made particularly special because Kara and the kids were also in Omaha for a full three weeks. I think I love hanging with my nieces and nephew most because I get to experience the world through their eyes and with their energy. Kids are a great excuse to pull out the slip n' slide, go to the zoo, play at the children's museum, and dance with reckless abandon at Jazz on the Green. To be fair, it's all the more fun since the kids I get to hang out with happen to be the absolute cutest in the world. Eli is a snuggler, Talia bursts with love and enthusiasm, and Brooklyn is turning into a beautifully mature young lady. I'm so proud to be related to such a cool family.

Alas, the sad day came when the Wheelers needed to return to their desert homeland. Jason was able to steal away from his work as an architect just long enough to fly out to meet up with Kara and the kids and help them drive the many hours home to Utah. It was great to have 9 out of 10 of the family together for a day, but Uncle Adam was dearly missed by kindred and canine alike.

Thus, while I can't deny that it was difficult to part ways with my daughter and parents at the Omaha Airport for what will undoubtedly be another long period of time, I must admit that it was oh so sweet to arrive back "home" in Wellington on a gorgeous winter day with the cutest husband ever eagerly waiting at the airport.

It is often commented to us that it must be very difficult living away from friends and family for so far and for so long. The truth is that we are living the best of every world. We have multiple cities and even countries that we genuinely call "home." With such amazing support systems behind us in every hemisphere it's nearly impossible to feel isolated. Besides, considering I promised my mother grandchildren in exchange for long term puppy sitting, here's hoping that the extra year abroad will eventually bring about a future family that is Well Worth the Wait.

Saturday Walk About

A shining sun, blank calendar, and membership to Zealandia provided the impetus for this morning's adventure. We visited the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary to walk the trails a bit and enjoy the singing of the local residents.

King of the odd song, the Tui was out keeping taking care of business, never missing a chance to show off his fabulous neck feathers. (Callie thinks they look like misplaced cotton balls.)

This Tui found a tasty snack in the form of some grapes. While the signs posted instructed me not to eat the berries in the reserve, the Tui got to enjoy them undisturbed.

This little bird was participating in the much loved past time...basking in the sun.

These are a new addition to Zealandia. A pair of Takahe have recently taken up residence here.

These flightless birds number in the hundreds and while most of them are living on islands where they are safe from predators, these ones are sterile or over-represented in the gene pool. This has given them the opportunity to become ambassadors at Zealandia. (No, we're not quite sure why they have been laden with antennae. An alien abduction prevention system, perhaps?)

Nothing like these giant ferns to make you feel like you have gone back in time.

View of the reservoir and the hills beyond from a very nice picnic bench along the Valley View trail.

I call this one "March of the Ents....200 years too early". I am not sure what type of plant these are, but they certainly seemed to like this hill.

Here's to many more autumn weekends like this!

Solar Powered Kiwi Bach on Display

The southern hemisphere has decided to join in the party in a big way. Callie and I were out for a stroll to enjoy an appropriately blustery day on the waterfront and saw people queueing up. What for? Other people seemed intrigued and you know what they say about curiosity....it helps you learn new something new!

Turns out that Victoria University with the support of more than 37 sponsors are sending the first house from the southern hemisphere to the Solar Decathlon in Washington, D.C. For those unfamiliar with this event (myself included) according to the board out in front of the home "every two years the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon challenges 20 universities to design, build and operate energy-efficient homes powered exclusively by the sun."

Much better pictures and descriptions can be found at their official website here. Solar Decathalon has been a big part of my extended family, as Jason, my brother-in-law spent several years deeply involved in the same event while he was a grad student at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. You can see his gorgeous home here (it seems to Callie that this NZ house may have "borrowed" some architectural inspiration from Jason's home). Regardless, it's exciting to see this country looking to expand its realm of innovation and getting representation on an international stage, even if they are displaying a traditional kiwi beach holiday home!

Easter in Napier

This weekend a miracle occurred. Adam and I both had Good Friday and Easter Monday/Anzac Day off from work leaving us both with a four day weekend without any other plans. So, we took the chance to escape and headed towards warmer waters in Napier.

Our journey began with a beautiful, albeit windy, road trip along highway 2. We stopped for lunch in a cute little town, complete with this diner that paid homage to dear ol' Papa Kay.



We arrived at The Landing, a bed and breakfast treat given to us for Christmas by Mom and Dad Wilhoit early in the evening. We had just enough light left for a quick adventure up to The Lookout. Re-claimed military bunkers, these old ruins have been turned into a beautiful park that overlooks the Port of Napier and its surrounding landscapes.





Appropriately enough, our bedroom at The Landing was known by the same name for its view.



Saturday morning, after a wonderful homemade breakfast on the balcony we adventured out to the bike rental store. Napier is fortunate to have miles and miles of well-kept trails that follow along the waterfront and inlets. It was a gorgeous ride out. We stopped for a pretzel snack along a slough, where Adam started to regret having stopped taking his allergy meds. It probably didn't help his nose that all along the banks were these huge cattail like fronds just waiting to be picked and used in battle.





Don't worry. Adam can fend for himself. Just as soon as I put the big stick down he grabbed it and attacked back. I just didn't have the camera to collect the evidence.

Sunday's Easter adventure brought us up just slightly north of Napier to the Mountain Valley Adventure Resort, where our guide Carla, Adam and I headed out for a three hour horse trek. Adam's big stallion Socks and my four-legged Ginger steed Tyler were great sports as we made our way up down the cliffs around the farm and the Mohawka River. We all even managed to stay on our horses through some good cantering up the hills (I would have paid a lot to have my video camera out and pointed back towards Adam and Socks) and through a quick surprise when a little white dog jumped out of the bushes and startled the big guys. I've always known that the smallest creatures can be intimidating, but in this case I think the horses were just being wimps. After lots of leg and rump workout, it was hard to complain when lunch was served with a view.







Happy Easter!

Saturday Sailings

Our deepest apologies for the drought of blog updates over the last few months. As you might imagine - we have simply gotten so busy living that we're having trouble taking the time to photograph and record all of our adventures. One notable exception, however, would be our newest passion; sailing!

For Christmas last year, Adam and I decided to give each other sailing lessons. One of the first local activities we took note of while jogging around the Wellington Wharf each morning was the availability of sailboats to rent as well as several yacht clubs that offer sailing lessons. Adam did some amazing research and we found an excellent deal on 10 weeks of sailing lessons. Thus, each Saturday since February we have traded our Saturday sleep-ins in favor of donning rubbery wetsuits and rain gear. It's hard to believe we've already had 7 weeks of lessons float by. We've been fairly fortunate in regards to the weather - especially considering our city of residence. In case you don't recall from past posts, Wellington is BLUSTERY to say the least. Now that may sound like a great thing for sailing - which is true - unless you're just learning to sail. If you're not careful while sailing around the Cook Strait you may quickly find yourself seeing more of the Tasman Sea than you ever intended. We beginning sailors are happiest in winds under 15 knots.

Our two weeks of 25+ knot weather that precluded heading out on the water were spent inside learning to tie important knots, learning the rules of the marine world, and most importantly, learning to rig the sailboats on our own. Adam and I have been drawn to the Feva sailboats, as they are easy to assemble and have so far not turned us topsy turvy...at least not without our permission.

Happy Sails to You!