Wow, so it has been a while and now our chapter in Korea is almost over. First lets back up and review what has happen since last entry, I'll try to keep it short.
Last blog was in March of 2012. Little did we know at the time, but our family had grown plus one, Megan was pregnant. As you can understand once we found out we became very busy getting ready and learning all the different things about having a baby overseas.
Last blog was in March of 2012. Little did we know at the time, but our family had grown plus one, Megan was pregnant. As you can understand once we found out we became very busy getting ready and learning all the different things about having a baby overseas.
I was made painfully aware of how senses of a pregnant woman become superhuman. Korea is a country were most things smell like dried fish or rotten cabbage. That being said, now that Megan was pregnant with super human smelling powers, we stayed in a lot. We attempted a night out at Outback and it did not end very well. I do not think that Megan will ever be able to step in to another Outback. My parents came out for Easter in April and had a great time.
During the month of May I was busy participating two best Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) of the Year Competitions in Hawaii. I know, having to go to a tropical paradise to show off our awesome Army skills is tough but someone had to do it, and I stepped up. (Really there were several competitions here in Korea in which I had to go through to be selected to go.) I first competed at the 311th Signal Command Competition which is a one star general level and a week long. I did well enough to advance to the Army Pacific Command which is a three star general level. This competition I was was given an extra week in Hawaii to prepare. During this week I was able to train and hone my Army skills and learn to surf. I was able to get up on a long board twice and got an awesome tan. That completion ended on Memorial Day and I brought Megan and Connor out to Hawaii for the weekend. We had a blast and made some very memorable memories and I bought Megan some pearls (Husband of the Year award).
June, July and August seemed to fly by. There was a cat 4 typhoon, hurricane, that came through Seoul, but there was very little damage. It got hot and we stained inside a lot soaking up the A/C. Korea is like Houston in the summer, hot and very humid.
September Megan was very pregnant and started to itch. She had cholestasis of pregnancy. This means that her liver could not keep up with supporting two living people. She got the medication she needed and we entered the home stretch of the pregnancy. This means that I found lots of excuses to take Connor to work and get out of arm and throwing reach of Megan. (I love you babe, but when pregnant your punches hurt a lot more.)
Megan's mom came out in October for the birth. Due to the cholestasis of pregnancy a c-section was schedule for week 38 of Megan's pregnancy, 2 weeks early. So the day came, October 10, 2012, at 8:00 in the morning Lillian Rosalee Riley was born. At over 8lbs and measuring 19", our little girl was bigger then our little boy when he was born. She had a full head of hair and a great set of lungs on her. Our little family had now become even in the fight against men and women, 2 boys 2 girls. Megan recovered so well that we were able to leave the hospital after two nights.
November and turkey day was upon us. Connor had a birthday party with the company and big Mickey Mouse cake. Due to Megan's cholestasis of pregnancy her gallbladder was shot. So morning of thanksgiving Megan had to go to the ER. She is such a super homemaker that she still made it home from the ER to finish Thanksgiving dinner for my platoon, 15 hungry Soldiers. The guys finished off a 26lb turkey, two trays of stuffing, 5lb bag of potatoes that were mashed, lots and lots of gravy, two and half large green-bean casseroles, a tray of sweet potatoes, a pumpkin and pecan pie. In case you were wondering, Soldiers sure can eat.
Megan had her surgery to remove her gallbladder in the beginning of December. A couple of days later I put here on a 18 hour flight back to the states for Christmas, think I shot my chances for husband of the year in the foot. This was the first Christmas that Connor was old enough to understand what was happening. He had a great time. He got lots of toys and a tricycle. He even made a snowman. I think we may have an artist on our hand, he was not content with the snowman until he moved the arms and other features around so that it looked like Picasso made the snowman. We also went to the Houston zoo and Connor got to feed the giraffes. Safe to say that he had a great Christmas. All the family members got to meet Lillian. She was a great baby and just smiled at everyone.
The rest of winter was spent working on my next set of orders. I was made the platoon sergeant and responsible for 20 soldiers. That kept me very busy. Spring came and we got finalization on my orders sending me back to Colorado Springs.
Megan had been working hard as a graphic designer. She has a real eye for it. She made invitations, flyers and RSVP cards for a charity in New Mexico and designed the wedding invitations and other graphic for a wedding she is doing with Coast 2 Coast Concepts, an event coordination business. She went back to the states at the end of May. She is in New Mexico right now working with Coast 2 Coast for a wedding in June.
Megan had been working hard as a graphic designer. She has a real eye for it. She made invitations, flyers and RSVP cards for a charity in New Mexico and designed the wedding invitations and other graphic for a wedding she is doing with Coast 2 Coast Concepts, an event coordination business. She went back to the states at the end of May. She is in New Mexico right now working with Coast 2 Coast for a wedding in June.
I am finishing up my last couple of weeks here in Korea and will fly back to Colorado on the beginning of July. Like it begins it finishes, I will close out this chapter in Korea and begin the next chapter in Colorado with Our Little Riley Family.
