My 2019 can be divided into three phases:
- Getting my master’s degree
- Having a baby
- Moving to China (again)
Each phase brought me to tears more times than I expected, but each was more rewarding than I ever imagined. Here is a rough overview of my year in words and pictures. Please forgive my complete disregard for blogging etiquette – I know there are too many pictures and words, but I didn’t want to edit out my year here!
Right after we celebrated the new year, our little family moved to China. It was the most miserable flight I have ever experienced. I was newly pregnant (read: sick) and got a migraine that destroyed me. I have never puked that much in my life.
The only picture we took on our journey to China was right before takeoff. 
Taking in the sites of our new home. 
Pushing through jet-lag by exploring the park.
Jet-lag was a real doozy, but I didn’t get to rest because I was in the final stages of writing my master’s portfolio. I was so excited to be back in China and this time with my son, but I didn’t really get to enjoy it because I was drowning in school work.
But 2019 did not defeat me! It actually sent me a miracle when I needed it most. One of the consulate families went on vacation and offered me their nanny the week before I had to finish my portfolio. I sent A to play with her while I wrote and rewrote my portfolio and practiced my presentation. I was exhausted. But I finished.
A few photo highlights from our weekend trip to Yangshuo. It was breathtaking. A much needed respite from the city.
In April, I found myself on a plane to DC to present my portfolio. By then, I was about six months pregnant, which meant the plane rides weren’t nearly as horrible. Plus, I was kid-free so I could easily run and hide in the bathroom during long stretches of sickening turbulence.
My trip to DC was a whirlwind! I arrived on Tuesday, presented my portfolio on Friday, and flew back on Sunday. Baby boy put up with a lot of stress that week but he stayed strong! (I think he made me pay for it in the last month of pregnancy…) I wanted to cry tears of joy when it was all over, but I think I used up all my tears writing and editing the whole thing.
Me carrying two of my babies: one named Thesis and the other didn’t have a name yet. 
I couldn’t have done it without these beautiful people! They are changing the world.
There was no graduation ceremony for me, however. I still had one class left during the summer term. You see, it wasn’t enough for me to just get a master’s degree. I also needed to get a master’s certificate in international arts management while I was at it. I think I kicked myself for that decision almost every day during my second year. It was 100 percent worth it though! I think.
I got a week or two to rest and then it was back to work. Not nearly as grueling, but pretty dang intense. It turned out to be one of my favorite courses, though. It was titled “International Communication and Cultural Policy”, something that turned out to be extremely relevant to an American living in China in 2019. (If you’re nerdy and love looking at cultural policies like I do, check out my final project – a blog about UNESCO’s policy that heritage sites ‘belong to everyone.’)
My mom and youngest brother visited us in China so they could help A and me fly back to the US in order to deliver baby boy in Colorado. I was huge and ever so grateful for their help on those seemingly eternal flights!
Cheering on Dada at his first dragon boat race! 
We took my brother and mom to Yangshuo to enjoy the gorgeous countryside. A must-see while in Guangdong. 
One of our last photos with A as an only child in this apartment! 
The start of the long journey back to America. 
Pain. I was done, but baby boy still had a few more weeks to go.
Another miracle of 2019: I graduated just a few weeks before delivering T! So I still got to walk clothed in a gown, but the gown had special snaps down the back and the walk was through a hospital. Now that I think of it, I should have played “Pomp and Circumstance” as I walked around the hospital during labor. Darn.
We threw an early birthday party for this little dude so his big day wouldn’t be overshadowed by a new baby! 
Exploring the Arapaho County Fair was the last big activity we did as a family of three. 
Did you know that pull-ups make great astronaut helmets?
The day T finally came was perfect. I went to the hospital in the morning, my doctor broke my water, and T was out after an hour and a half of labor. Two pushes and the nine-pounder made his debut! (Yes. Ouch.) The doctor called him “Bruiser” because his face was bruised from coming out so quickly.
Can you believe there is a nine pound baby in there? (That’s rhetorical..) 
Our little “Bruiser.” 
Relief.
The first few months of his life were beautiful and ugly and everything in between. He vomited and cried A LOT, leaving us more exhausted than ever before. And despite severe sleep deprivation, we had to get all the paperwork in order for T to get a passport and visa. (I wrote a post about that here.) His visa was delayed – we weren’t surprised by that at all – so we ran out of per diem and chose to stay with my parents until the visa arrived. We stayed with them ten days, during which time A chipped the paint on my dad’s new 2019 Mercedes, ran away into the neighborhood in the early hours of the morning when everyone was asleep, and shattered the window on the back door of their house.
Sorry mom and dad.
We finally made it back to China in late September. Jet-lag struck again and I don’t think A ever recovered.
This return to China signified a new chapter in our lives.
Chapter Seven: In Which Jarek and Kaylee are Done With School and Learn About Being Adults.
Our first adult move? We hired a cook (see this post) to come twice a week and a nanny to come three mornings a week. It’s okay, you can laugh. T wasn’t the easiest newborn, and I really struggled grocery shopping with the two boys in tow (no car, multiple staircases, and no kid-friendly carts) so I was beyond grateful for their help.
Our lovely nanny. T adores her. 
An interesting time to be in China. 
Was it jet-lag or just the terrible threes? He destroyed his room with vaseline lotion, brownie mix, spit, and urine… 
We won best family costume at the US Consulate’s Halloween party. Jarek and I both worked so hard on my Gimli costume! 
My boys made me incredible pizza for my birthday. A taste of America! 
Jarek and I took a trip sans kids to the old part of the city. This is the China I love.
Right before the start of the holiday season, we learned that our next post would be in North Macedonia. It was one of our top choices and we were thrilled when we received the news.
Another miracle of 2019? I was given multiple opportunities to perform again! Sadly, it was something I hadn’t done in years. I made my Guangzhou debut at the Guangzhou Outdoor Arts Festival during its opening weekend. It was a blast and I felt on top of the world because I knew my three boys were cheering me on in the audience. (I have a blog post drafted that tells all about that experience, but I haven’t had a minute to finish it and now it’s 2020! I’ll get there.)
Christmas arrived and we did our best to make it as special and homey as possible. I cooked our favorite dishes, including my family’s traditional Czechoslovakian bread, we had friends over, and spent all of Christmas day playing with A’s new race track and Legos. We rang in the new year with more yummy western food and comfortably watched from our windows the masses push and shove to see the light show on Canton Tower. (We couldn’t see the tower from our apartment, but we were pretty sure that’s what was happening.)
Spicy gingerbread cookies. He must have eaten half the dough! 
We love Christmas. 
And we love T!
And here I am now. January 3rd, 2020. Exactly one year ago, we arrived in China wondering what the year would bring. And as you can tell, it brought more tears than I would have asked for, but it also brought more joy than I imagined. It has really been one of the hardest years of my life as I was tested physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
But the coolest part about that? I feel like I can do anything now.
So thank you, 2019, for stretching me more than I wanted and teaching me more than I asked. I’m glad I never have to do it again.
