Fair Winds and Following Seas...: Turn Around Twice and Oh How Things Change

Well I started up this blog 2 years ago with the intention of telling the tales of all our adventures. While our sailing adventures were stopped short, the changes in our life have indeed been significant.
We haven't been to far flung lands or fighting through storms or partaking in hair raising adventures. Geoff and I have stuck pretty close to home... now that we know where home is.

I'm looking to get back into writing blogs even if they aren't about partying at the top of an active volcano. This first entry back is just a collection of everything that has happened since we returned from the land down under back in Dec of 2011. This might be a bit long as it's squishing 2 years into one post.

After our contracts to return to the Tall Ship Soren Larsen in Sydney, Australia fell through and a horrible experience with the US border patrol at the Halifax airport left me stranded in Nova Scotia, we started seriously looking at our cross border situation and where we were really headed in life. (yes, Canada and the United States are in fact two separate countries with their own immigration laws... weird I know) We decided we were in it for the long-haul. Geoff took a "grown-up" job in Seattle and I ended up back with the Bluenose II in Lunenburg, NS. East Coast vs. West Coast. There are definitely challenges being 4 time zones apart. On June 2nd, 2012, on one of Geoff's visits to Nova Scotia, at Peggy's Cove we decided to take the leap into forever together.

Two weeks later during a Skype date Geoff proclaimed that to get this immigration shenanigans started we should really just get married ASAP. In fact he had already bought his plane ticket so I better get planning! Planning any wedding takes time and effort. I was on crutches from a work accident suffered on my birthday and working a 8-5 job that didn't really afford any time off. But somehow in the span of 3 weeks everything came together and on the hottest day in the history of Lunenburg we were married at the Dory Shop on Friday July 13, 2013, surrounded by some immediate family, a few good friends and my Bluenose II crew.

Geoff left 3 days after we said our vows. We spent the next 4 months apart. It was horrible!

We spent New Years in London, UK celebrating the marriage of our good friends Ben and Kate. There were a good number of other friends in attendance as well. It was one big party. Perfect way to ring in the new year.

The winter was fairly uneventful save for a vacation to Las Vegas. I had never been there before. I don't think I'll go back. While we were in the area we took the opportunity to see the Grand Canyon. We spent a night in the National Park and even though it was bitterly cold it was definitely worth it. Everyone should go there at least once. It's beyond breathtaking.

After coming to Seattle and playing the waiting game with immigration we decided that maybe buying a house was something we should do. The housing market in Seattle was terrifying. We had our hearts broken twice. The third time was indeed a charm and on June 5th we received the keys to our home.

A month later family started showing up for our wedding. Yes we already were legally married but we felt we didn't really have a proper wedding. So on July 13, 2014 (our 1 year anniversary) surrounded by much of our family and many friends we exchanged hand written vows on a cliff over looking the salt water, which is what brought us together back in September of 2009. It was wonderful. Showing off my new adopted city to my family and reassuring them that my new home was in fact pretty awesome.

Geoff and I took a honeymoon road trip down the coast with a tent in tow and a lot of hotdogs and marshmallows for roasting. I never knew how amazingly beautiful and diverse the west coast was. We got all the way down to the Redwood National Park in California before turning north again and having a few days at home before Geoff had to head back to work.

Months went by. Finally I got my interview date from immigration. The end was near!! I flew to Ottawa and spent a week with my sister and took the train back and forth to Montreal, where I underwent an intense medical and a stress filled interview. Then I heard the words "Congratulations and Welcome to the United States!" I wanted to cry, scream, laugh, jump around and pass out from exhaustion all at the same time. I desperately wanted to hug someone... There was no one there to hug.

When I walked out of that building the sky seemed bluer, people seemed friendlier and I felt this weight lift off my shoulders. After 17 months I had been approved for my Permanent Residency in the US. The phone calls that followed were all very much filled with laughter and the happiest of tears.

I took a train home to Nova Scotia for the holidays. That in itself is a whole blog entry... perhaps another day.

Christmas at home was amazing. It was my first Christmas at home in three years. Everyone was home. Sisters brought their boyfriends. The house was filled with laughter and was constantly at the most ridiculous of volumes. Geoff joined the party on Christmas Eve Day. It was an action packed few days and it was full of wonderful times we'll all remember for a very long time.

December 30th saw Geoff and I off to the airport. At Customs and Immigration I was "processed" and completed one of the final steps of my migration. The following three flights were uneventful from Halifax to Chicago to Portland to Seattle. Our baggage had a very different trip and were sent to Newark straight from Halifax. We didn't see our bags till 10:30pm on Jan 1st. Oh the joys of flying, right?

Now here we are at the end of January 2014! TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN! So far this year I've bought my first vehicle. I know! Late twenties and just buying my first car. I'm on the job hunt and having some successes. The Seattle Seahawks are a few days away from crushing it in Super Bowl 48 and this city is electric with energy and enthusiasm for our NFL team. And on Feb 5th I get to take my Washington State drivers test. Wish me luck!

This is going to be a great year. I can feel it!

Stay tuned for hopefully more regular blogs.

Much Love;
Marsha Dickgieser