Yellow light

Three major hoops to jump through:

1) Secure catsitter

2) Figure out the process to secure Elle a position in school so we can do the snowbird thing

3) Receive confirmation from my boss that my job will be waiting for me when I return

Progress:

1) Looks good, though not 100% -- A coworker, someone Jorge and I both like, and her husband have been staying with her mother since relocating to this area. She would love a little privacy and space, not to mention being a heck of a lot closer to work. Her daughter just had an emergency C-section and she's gone back to meet her first grandchild, so nothing definite until she returns.

2) Shouldn't be hard. Other kids in the school are on the program.

3) Easy. He loves me (so far his little hissy fits have bounced right off my crusty exterior) and my partner, the other assistant, a rather misanthropic soul like myself, even told me today she would miss me, so I guess we make a good team. Jorge wants me to keep the connection alive, because broker buddy not only knows real estate, he knows everybody and everything.

Once those are all in the bag, I have the green light to purchase the tickets.

The plan:

Six months in NZ returning here late November in time for the season and most of the school year, six months here until we are eligible to acquire a one year Returning Resident visa, six months there to fulfill Returning Resident status and acquire five year visa. Then...?