So we met with the priest on Thursday! If everything progresses how I think it will, we are going to get married Memorial Day weekend!!

SO MUCH TO DO! The embassy in Germany seems to be really quick. Packet 3 gets sent like 2 weeks after NOA2 and then an interview date is given about 1 month after you send packet 3 back...

Muchas Gratzies to all the new approvals!!!! May good fortune follow you the remainder of your journey!

Still waiting from London...but we'll probably schedule the medical for the week I'm there to save some $ in travel to London...

I bet you are so excited about your trip!

Everytime I saw Marco, I always went clothes shopping before to make sure I had something nice to wear when he or I got off the plane...

Is your travel reasonable or do you have to stop a bunch of times?

Memorial Day? at the end of May? Wow that sounds very close!

I have a direct flight from Orlando to London! Which is good because I'm terrified of flying!

Are you flying into Heathrow? I'm getting excited for you ... I know you are going to love it there!!

i miss england!!!! aw i wanna go backkkkkkkkkkkkk on another note, Paul is coming a week from today! yay!

Ahheeeem, is that a different Heathrow? Cause the Heathrow I've been flying in and out of elicits more groans than excitement.

Actually, just kidding, I hope you have a wonderfule time.

Well uhh, Heathrow isn't anything to be excited about, however it has been the easier airport to my experience. Gatwick and the other are much slower and far out. Besides the point was, excitement that she gets to goto the UK, and to see Darren!

<sniffle> i just want to go over there and visit Kris but not gonna happen. <sigh>

Flying Virgin Atlantic nonstop so I have to go through Gatwick...Darren always flies through there and he says it's not too bad...I am getting so nervous about the plane ride and meeting the in-laws!!!

Cool. Gatwick isn't bad at all - Heathrow was always easiest because it is on the tube line and my company's office in the UK is in Ealing, only about 10 minutes up the road from Heathrow on the tube!

You'll be fine on the flight ... and you'll do fine meeting his parents too!!! Just be you and everything will be alright!

Meeting the in-laws will be a breeze! They'll love you. I was definitely terrified....cause we couldn't speak a common language..

I'm lucky there...just hope they can understand my southern accent...

You'll have a great time. Are you guys planning anything special to do?

We're actually on Skype right now, trying to figure that out...but I suppose the London Eye will be on the tour (he's never been and really wants to go)...for me the Globe Theater is a must!!!

You may wish to get a pass called a London Pass this gives you entry to many sights which is a lot cheaper than doing them seperately.

If you need any info let me know, Jay was here in September and we did lots of sightseeing, Windsor Castle, Warwick Castle, Id say those are a must.

While I'm in London, the company I am working for these two weeks is in Hounslow. We pass through Ealing on our way there!

We're getting the London Pass with transportation added...never been in a subway, so I'm looking forward to that too!!! I'm so weird....

You're so lucky to travel for your job...the only way I get to travel is chaperoning a bunch of 15-18 year olds!!! Funny thing, some of my students are going on a trip for Spring Break in, guess where? LONDON!!! While I'm there!!!

i was all excited for the subway hehehehe London underground i loved that tower bridge it's so nice to hang out around there in the early evening. We went to weatherspoons for dinner lol first time I ate in a bar, and saw parents and their kids having dinner in the bar ,crazy! I had cottage pie yummm I wanna go backkkk heheh

I was excited the first time I was in London (although it was for business) and the underground!! And definitely, the tower bridge is one of my favorite areas. Parliament Square is a nice place to sit out during the day and walk around. And yeah, the kids in the bar thing blew my mind the first time I saw it! The one thing that has stuck with me foodwise ... Cornish Pasties ..... Yummmmmmm .... and they have these evil "sweeties" as they call them - Mr. Kipling's Battenburgs ... oi!!!!

A few weeks more and Dawn will be meeting the parents. YAAY!

Your probably getting both nervous and excited now... I am sure they'd all love you there ... and if your southern accent is anything like my ricky's accent, IT IS CUTE!

Hope she wraps up warm, 75 mph winds here today and flooding.

Hopefully the waters will recede by the end of the month...

Yeah well, a few weeks more and we'll have to tell my parents he's coming here to live AND we're getting married!!

That's right, they don't know yet! When I went on that first trip to finally meet in person, my parents were convinced I'd end up hacked into little pieces and thrown into canals all over Amsterdam. Or sold into prostitution. And my dad was (is) CONVINCED all he was after from me was a green card. Grrrrrrr.

My parents HAVE spent time with him over the past two trips, and hopefully they know otherwise now, but their early doubts still upset us a bit. We are convinced when we make the big announcement, their reaction will be less than supportive. But hey, it's not like I need to ask their permission to get married. We are 40-year-old adults, responsible for our own decisions. I'd just like them to see it as the happy news it is, and not feel I am screwing up my life.

The plan is to tell them we were waiting to see if the visa would be approved before making any announcement (you know, the way mothers-to-be wait until after the first 12 weeks to announce to the world that they are expecting). Plus, I want the two of us to tell them together, in person. Hopefully, there will be hugs and congrats all around for us.

I was so lucky that my parents fell in love with Darren the day they met him...even my brother likes him (and he has NEVER liked any of my boyfriends!!!)!

This is something I could really relate too.

I have just told my mother last week that me and the kids will be leaving sooner than what was originally planned. And she went into a litany of all those horrid things that might happen to me there. Like I might be hacked into tiny pieces and turned into canned goods ... or Rick would insure me for a huge amount and then murder me.. or that rick will just abuse me there.

Well, she have met Rick already. Rick even spend one whole week here in our house the last time he was here. Our original plan is to get married here and then apply for a spousal visa which would have meant I will still be here for another 2years the most. And my mother was ok with everything, she didn't say any negative thing about ricky. I even overheared her telling nice things about rick to her friend.... now that I might be leaving in the next couple of months, she was all negative. I had to remind her that wheter we have the wedding here or there, I will still be leaving and be with my husband. I also had to assure her that I will go home at the very first sign of abuse. And that she just have to really pray hard for me and the kids and for my marriage with ricky.

I think what she is really negative about is the fact that I am leaving sooner.... I have not told my father yet about the change of plans... i will wait till we have our medical and interview sched to tell him...

Kris' family likes me though i've not had a chance to meet them. I had wanted to go out there but funds are tight so it's not possible (plus with my 2 boys i'm limited on when i'm able to go out) With the chance of things moving faster than we'd expected it's made it easier to have to wait to see him. Unfortunately my mom doesn't know about the k1 visa. I can't devulge it yet as i've recently gotten out of a very very abusive marriage and she fears i'll be hurt again. So though she likes everything she hears about Kris she's also very hesitant. So we've just told her he may be coming on another visa and we will try things out that way.

I think my family is so happy that I'm so happy!!!

I can understand where your mom is coming from and your hesitations to tell her about your plans... when our love ones have seen us get hurt before, it will always be harder for them to trust another person that we will be with... and sadly, it also means, it will be a little harder for them to trust our better judgement... they just love us so much that they don't want to see us go through another pain.

As I have told my mother, i have waited years before deciding to really open my heart again and I have prayed hard for this but still, nobody knows what the future holds so she will just have to really pray for me because I also don't want my past hurt to take away my chance to be really happy with another person. I just don't want to spend my life living with regrets and "what if's"... besides, rick like my kids and my kids like him (my kids, especially my son had always been wary of any guy getting near me) so that actually sealed the deal for me.

I can understand all of that. Its why we are going into the whole relationship reveal slowly with my family. They know me and Kris are involved but not how far. It does help that both my boys adore him to death. (the youngest keeps asking when he will be back )

But yes.. dont want any regrets and if i waited.. i would.

I do pray that your family would give you warm congratulations and all the blessings they could give when you do make the announcement... and whatever negative feeling that would be left, I am sure that in time, you and Kris would be able to dispel all their worries by your genuine love for each other. They will see how happy and how in love you both are and they will surely be happier for you.

Happy Tuesday.

Good luck to everybody still waiting for NOA2... and for those who have received approval already, I hope and pray you will have an interview schedule soon...

for the CSC filers, lets hope they will move faster this week.

God speed everyone.

Have a terrific Tuesday!!! Hope many will get good news!!!

Another February filer approved today. Have they forgotten about us waiting.

No, they just move at their own speed in their own order!!!

We will get our NOA2 soon Sal & Jay.... let's just continue to hang on and keep the faith that it will be pretty soon.

I think I will be checking some short courses on reflexology or baking or sewing this week.. just to keep myself more occupied and not have so much time checking USCIS status. I already had a short course on swedish & shiatsu massage last year.(took it specially for my honey ) So I might just add something more to my repertoire while waiting.

Yes I'm sure you will both have it soon !
Taking courses is a good idea to stay busy. To stay busy (and in good shape ) I have started doing some exercise (pilates and fitness). I only started this weekend so I'm not sure I'm going to continue for very long, but I'll try. that will keep me a little more occupied...

Lets hope for January and months before approvals as it should be.

Pilates is a good way to tone and be more flexible.. I tried the basic before, using home dvd pilates. I also tried yoga, belly dancing and even electra's striptease workout .. all on home videos. But I just don't have the will power to continue everything... It gets boring when you are doing it alone especially when my under arm flabs and lower belly just won't budge.

Will you be joining a group or did you also bought home videos?

I have some home videos. It would probably be better to join a group, but first I'm going to see how I do with the videos.



That's the one Bryan wants me to try!

GO!!! It's actually not hard to follow but you'll feel a little silly doing the moves at first (at least I did) but you'll eventually get the hang of it. .

Ok ok you won, I'll try.
He's going to love you!

Congrats to all the approvals! We got ours 03/05 . I hope days will run fast now and I will see my love soon. I am trying to prepere for the interview now.
Does anybody know what the priority date on the check list is ??

I hope this day will be a good one for both the VSC and CSC filers!

CSC has approved 2 december filers already so it must be an indication of more good things to come!

GOOD LUCK TO US ALL!

I know about that....I've lost 80+ pounds in the past year (still have 50 to go) and the arms and the lower abdomen look frightening...may have to eventually have surgery for part of it...but I am working out to try to keep that from happening!!!

I saw that about the December filers!!! I hope that is starting a trend that will stay!!!

I need to get back to the gym. Had to put it on hold for a few months due to finishing up divorce. As for all the courses everyone is doing.. i wish i had the time. Between full time work, 2 boys to raise and still trying to get all my writing done.. i'm swamped!!! But if it makes the time go faster then so be it