My noughties!

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a good one! As I am having so much fun reading about everyone else's last decade I am going to do the same for me. I don't have the best memory though so hopefully I can remember some interesting stuff.

2000 - 2nd year of second stint in Japan. Saw in the New Year in Australia with family and friends and then headed back to the Guch early in the year. Lots of nights of drinking and partying with foreign friends. In February or March, headed to Fukuoka with British friend for a night of dancing at one of the "Cock" clubs in Fukuoka. Met and exchanged contact details with Kenji. He came and visited me in Yamaguchi soon after and we started going out. In early April, jetted off to Thailand with another British friend for 10 days of fun in Bangkok and Koh Samui. Drank way too many Pina Coladas. After coming back to Japan, Kenji turned into a bit of a crazy so I ended it which resulted in some stalker like activities. Came to Yamaguchi from Fukuoka in the middle of the night. Luckily was living with another Aussie who is quite full on and she managed to scare him away. In the end of April, British friend and I were out on the town and met Ryuji and Yuji. We were totally confused and didn't know who was who for ages. Ryuji and I hit it off as did friend and Yuji. Did the double dating thing for a while until friend and Yuji fizzled out mainy because of communication difficulties. Went to Malaysia in the summer and then back to Australia for Christmas.

2001 - Ryuji and I started basically living together but he went home most Friday nights to play soccer and hang with his friends. Went to Okinawa with Ryuji in the spring and then came back to meet Aussie friend in Kyoto. Spent some time hanging out there and then came back to Yamaguchi with friend. Found out I had gall stones so organised to have operation in August. First time to have blood drawn, have a drip and of course have an operation so was a wreck. Thankfully mum came over to offer moral support! Survived operation lol but was worst patient ever. Cried at night when Ryuji had to go home and demanded to leave hospital early.

2002 - I don't really remember much about the start of this year so who knows what went on. Ryuji officially proposed in the summer but as we had already talked about marriage it wasn't such a big deal. We decided to have our wedding in April of the next year but handed in the papers in September. Took Ryuji back to Australia after Christmas for a whirlwind 1 week trip. Bought wedding dress in Australia.

2003 - Wedding in April! Mum brought my wedding dress over in March and it was too big as I had dieted a bit so had to frantically find some dressmakers to bring it in for me. Had a lovely wedding with lots of visitors from Australia and over Japan. Went to Hawaii for honeymoon. Packed on lots of weight after the wedding and at the end of summer decided something needed to be done. Went on strict diet where I didn't eat any carbs well bread, rice, pasta etc and lost 16kg. Shouted mum a trip to Japan for Christmas. Met her in Kyoto and showed her some of the sights.

2004 - Went back to Australia in March for friend's wedding! Surprised everyone with my weight loss which was lots of fun. Decided to go off the pill in preparation for baby making at the start of July. Believed everything I had read about it taking a while to get pregnant after being on the pill so didn't use any precautions on the day I went to Australia in the middle of July. Had 2 weeks of fun and lots of drinking in Australia. Was surprised my period hadn't come after getting back to Japan but thought it must be a side effect from the pill. By mid August was worried so took a test and I was pregnant. Was majorly freaked out that I had drunk so much in Australia but thankfully everything went well. No morning sickness either!

2005 - Started maternity leave at the end of February. Mum came over in March about a month before my due date. Had Liam on April 19. He was 8 days late. Swore I would never give birth in Japan again after the long and painful labor. Mum stayed in Japan until mid June which was a great help. Dad visited in August for a few days. Mum came over again in November and we went back to Australia together. Liam and I stayed for 5 weeks and Ryuji came over for the last week.

2006 - Came back to Japan where it was freezing and I managed to get the flu for the first time in my life. Gave it to Liam but we both survived it somehow. Ryuji and I were browsing on Yahoo real estate one day and found a 15 year old house near his hometown. It was majorly cheap so we came and checked it out. The previous owners didn't seem to like cleaning so we were shocked by the state of it but saw the potential and ended up buying it. Moved in at the end of March. Mum gave over to help us move and to try and get the house into a livable state. Liam turned 1 and I went back to work full time. Ryuji quit his job as the commute to his old one was too far after the move. The timing was quite good as Liam started daycare and he could help with taking him and picking him up. Ryuji got a new job after about a month. Liam and I headed back to Australia for a month in the summer.

2007 - Decided I couldn't handle working full time and bringing up Liam so changed my job at the school to part time and picked up some private students. We put a lawn in our backyard. Mum, my brother and his now wife came over for Liam's 2nd birthday. Liam and I headed home again in the summer. Mum came back here for Christmas and we had a big lunch with other foreign wives and their families.

2008 - Not so memorable year. Usual trip home in the summer but this time a little earlier than usual as my uncle got married in early July.

2009 - Picked up lots of private students so work was busier than ever. Went to Australia in June for my brother's wedding. Ryuji and his mother came along too. Had issues with my father and his new wife at the wedding which resulted in him ignoring me for 3 months. Silly old git :-) After years of thinking, Liam would be an only child decided I would like another baby. Ryuji was up for the idea so we started trying after Australia and got pregnant in the 2nd month. Am having another easy pregnancy with no morning sickness and other problems so far. Have decided being pregnant over Christmas is very harsh though. Not only can't you drink but you put on way too much weight too. Had mum, my brother and his wife here for Christmas and New Year which was lovely.

So that's me done! Sorry it's not too exciting but I am amazed at how much I actually remembered. Aargh can't believe I have a lesson at 10AM tomorrow morning. I have been getting up around that time for the last couple of weeks so I had better get to bed soon.