:: Brinna's ::

:: Monday, January 23, 2006 ::
:: another day ::

Well I took a test last Saturday morning, and so far, it seems, I'm not pregnant. I didn't really expect to be. I wouldn't have been disappointed to be, I loved being pregnant. Although I would have been a bit sad that I wouldn't be able to wear my jeans for very long...that was what I missed most while being pregnant, wearing normal jeans. Especially in the 9th month. :) I'm finally down to a size 5 again, 6 months later.

Alice is learning to drink from a sippy cup. She can already drink from a big cup if you're patient, but hopefully she'll be able to drink breastmilk from the sippy cup while I'm away snowboarding or something. She doesn't like bottles at all, and now I don't have to wean her from one. She's doing pretty good so far, the one I gave her yesterday she (gradually) drank all 3-4 oz I gave her.

Andrew finally got orders to his next place...we'll be at Ft. Stewart, in Georgia, right by Savannah. I remember a bit about visiting Savannah...I remember I liked it. Of course, I was little, so I didn't remember simple drawbacks, such as 90% humidity. It will be a big change after Colorado. Then again, I didn't notice Monterey's humidity...but it wasn't at 90 degrees either. At least the ocean is about half an hour away. We'll probably be there for the rest of the time he's in the Army, which will be about 2 and a half years.

:: Brinna 10:22 AM [+] ::
...

Now that I'm away from my hubby, I'm gonna have to take a pregnancy test soon. Breastfeeding is a form of birth control, but how effective it is is never agreed upon. I honestly wouldn't mind having another baby (crazy I know, but I almost look forward to it). So we'll see...no hurry, since it has only been one week since my last chance to get pregnant. But my mind will gradually increase how much it dwells on the question, so probably within a few days I'll feel it's more of a necessity.

:: Brinna 6:49 PM [+] ::
...

I can't believe it's only been a week since I posted. That last night with Andrew was great. Wonderful. It had been an ok parting before, but it was like we had a second honeymoon. We got Pizza Hut (my favorite...not the great Korean toppings (not joking), but the normal American pinneapple), and while they were making the pizza I agonized over what sort of alcohol to bring up to the room. I picked some pinot grigio and rose wine. Maybe I'm girly but I like them way better than the cabernet I've tried. The 'jacuzzi' was disappointing. Very disappointing. Instead of it being, basically, well...a jacuzzi, or hot tub, it was a large-ish bathtub with jets. Kinda nice, but not like the great tub we had in Lynchburg at the Super 8. However, the room made up for it...it was huge and very nicely decorated. It had nice tvs in both the 'living room' and bedroom. And the dining area had free high-speed internet.

Andrew and I drank wine and talked for a really long time, then we watched 'The Notebook', which is a REALLY good movie. It even made Andrew cry. (Sorry, I told...) Just about everytime I watch it, I feel sad. My grandad has Alzheimers, and I love him a lot. I was one of his favorites...he always called me 'Bones'. Him and my grandma used to be what I wished my marriage would be like someday. And, in a way, I still do. It's really hard for Grandma to deal with her husband slipping away like that, I can't imagine how hard. They fight a lot, because he forgets a lot of stuff, and she tries to help him, but it doesn't work. I wish Andrew could have known them the way I remember them. But he told me that he knows how they were, he can see how much they love each other, even though they fight. They'll get real mad at each other, but Grandma says that each night before they go to sleep Grandad will hug her and tell her how much he loves her. It breaks my heart.

The next day Alice and I flew away home. The plane ride was nowhere near as bad coming back...for one thing, I didn't feel like I was going insane. The first time it was 13-14 hours long, and I tried to sleep but couldn't. No source of entertainment, because I couldn't look out the window, and I couldn't read, much less knit or crochet, while holding Alice. And she woke up when I tried to lay her in the provided bassinet (which blocked the food tray). Fortunately on the way back, the plane was newer, and everyone had their own flat screen tv. (So that's where all the money goes...) It had 6 movies to choose from, a couple tv channels, about 8 music stations, and a few games. The games were mostly strategy type games (one was like connect four, only flat), and a couple card games, including poker, blackjack, and solitaire.

When I got off the plane that took me from San Fransisco (my 'port of landing') to Denver, Kristi and Katie picked me up in my car, which had a very damaged left rear fender, due to a hit and run in a park and ride. So much for my virtually damage-less car...I finally get a clear driving record and my car tells a different story. The damage estimate was worth more than the car itself...and I only have liability insurance. Ah well, what's done is done.

My first day home, I wake up 3 hours after I go to sleep, because I agreed to go snowboarding with the family, the first day of lessons everybody's going to with the local homeschoolers (for a discount). It was tons of fun. I fell down so often. But, I now know how to link turns! On my first day too. Now if I could only get off the lift without biffing it...

Not much has happened since, really...well, I got my Christmas present for myself. My mom-in-law went by the bank yesterday and deposited some money for Christmas. So I got what I'd been wanting for awhile, a portable dvd player. It's made by Samsung. I like Samsung. So far I'm really pleased. It cost under $200, and it doesn't feel near as cheap as most of the models I've seen. For anyone who didn't read any the posts on my blog, so didn't see the pics of my room, I'm living with my parents now, in a 10'x12' room, that has a twin-size bed, a crib, an armoire, a changing table/dresser, and 2 sets of plastic storage drawers lining my room, not including my electric guitar, snowboard and boots, baby bouncer, diaper pail, trash can, and more. It's a bit cramped. I don't have room for full-size entertainment equipment. And with 5 siblings aged 10 and under, movies are completely out unless they're PG, if I don't want to wait until at least 9:30 to start watching them. It's a big hassle. It's really nice to be able to listen to music and watch a movie after Alice has gone to sleep, or during the day.

My other gift from my in-laws is a parallel Bible. Assuming they got the one I saw when I was visiting them (it's coming in the mail), I think it has KJV, NIV, NAS, and NLT. My mom said she would get me one if they didn't get me one, and when I found out they did get me one, she acted all hurt. Parents... : ) I guess it's because she finally knew what I wanted, as opposed to wondering what in the heck her 21 year old daughter could want that she doesn't have. (Andrew and I are the type, and are well-off enough, that if we want something, we go out and get it. Did I mention my gift to him was letting him buy a Canon Rebel, a digital SLR camera? Not as if I was opposed to having one, but he does really enjoy taking pictures with it.)

Hmm, what else...(is it me, or do I say that phrase, or a similar one, every post?) Alice had her 6 mo. checkup today, she's basically in the 50th percentile physically, and a bit ahead mentally. She can hug me!! Is that a bit early? She'll reach out to me and wrap her arms around me. It's so sweet. Sometimes she opens her mouth and puts it on my face, which may be a kiss. I can only hope.

:: Brinna 6:00 PM [+] ::
...

Technically, this isn't my last day in Korea, but it is my last with access to the computer. I'm staying at a hotel tonight on base. I wasn't going to, because there really wasn't much point with me flying out of Incheon (Seoul) at 7pm. But Andrew got to come see me off, I don't know how, so we're going to stay at the hotel the last night. It has a jacuzzi suite I reserved. They have a nice package available where you get champagne and rose petals and included meals, but you had to have 24 hours notice for those (so they can decorate the room I guess) so we're getting the undecorated room. Doesn't bother me too much. :) Maybe I can dig out Alice's swimsuit and give her a bath (not in very hot water of course, I'm sure you fill the tub yourself).

Overall I've had a great time here. I really wouldn't mind living here. Andrew told me that people would be staring at me because of my blond hair. I don't notice people stare at me here any more than at home, but the people who come up to me and fawn over Alice is sure a lot more than at home. Personally I get more attention from the people who aren't Asian, since it's not common to see another. It's really kind of nice, when you're just walking down the street, to see another person who's just like you (okay, they look completely different, but they're not Asian), and you just smile and nod at each other. You don't have to be both from America; in fact, I think I've only seen one other American, the others were Aussie or European. Unfortunately that one happened to be the type to give us a bad name...he didn't adhere to the general rule that in another country, you never know who understands what you're saying. He was even talking about how they can't understand him, and something about ignorance because English is becoming the international language, or some other tripe. I haven't met one person that couldn't understand me. (Whether I could understand them is something else entirely.) Besides, everywhere you go there's English, it's easy. I picked up the alphabet, Hangul, pretty easy too, so I can read Korean now. Although I don't know what I'm saying in it. All I know is some place names, how to say 'hey you', and that the grammar is subject-object-verb. Feels backward.

Anyhow, looking forward to seeing Andrew again...come to think of it, I better wrap this up because he should be here any minute to take us to the hotel!

:: Brinna 2:48 AM [+] ::
...

I am now alone (with Alice) in Korea...which isn't so bad really. I enjoy it here. It doesn't feel a whole lot different with Andrew gone, which says more about my personality than my feelings. Today I've done nothing but browse the internet and watch a Korean movie. I'll probably watch another soon. They've got a good selection for cheap, and all the movies I've seen so far haven't been that bad. Maybe it's because they sell them on the street, and they don't bother trying to sell the crummy ones.

The New Years' thing went pretty well. It wasn't so much a ball as it was just like any other party, except that everyone dressed up. There was no great music, in my opinion, and they never played a slow song that I remember, so we didn't dance at all. I enjoyed it, but it just wasn't a dance really. If I was to think about it, I'd be disappointed by my Christmas season, because I only got to dress up twice, and it didn't really feel like Christmas. But I did have a good time. I got to see my husband, host a Christmas Eve party, and experience a bit of a foreign country.

I wouldn't mind staying here with my husband, but I don't know where I'd live. He very likely wouldn't be able to live with me, anyway, because he's not E5 yet. Also, he's going to be in the field 75% of the remaining 4 months or so, so I wouldn't get to see him a lot anyway. Not enough for the expense of living here, which in Seoul is akin to New York City. Also, I have a snowboard package I haven't used yet, and a lift ticket season pass I don't think I could get a refund for. Andrew likes it here too, though, so we'll consider returning to Korea, especially since there's such a demand for English tutors. You can get really good money teaching English.

Alice has been sitting on her own beautifully, and is starting to scoot around. I'm not looking forward to her trying to crawl around in Colorado, it's either muddy or dusty there, impossible to keep the floors clean.

I'm just about done with my Christmas shopping, post-Christmas. :) And that's 2005, not 2006. I've gotten a few things here...hopefully I can make use of the rest of my week and finish up.

Well, really not a whole lot happening...other than that every day is an adventure here. I don't get near as bored as if I were alone somewhere in a small American town. This place is the size of LA, I've heard. That and I don't exactly know Korean! :)

:: Brinna 10:50 PM [+] ::
...

Your 2005 Song Is

Beverly Hills by Weezer "My automobile is a piece of crap My fashion sense is a little whack And my friends are just as screwy as me" You breezed through 2005 in your own funky style!

What Hit Song of 2005 Are You?

:: Brinna 10:47 PM [+] ::
...

The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done.
- George Carlin

:: Brinna 5:22 PM [+] ::
...