OH! I also forgot to mention! I don't know what German provisions are like out there in Tucson, but there is a German deli in Yucaipa where Jeremy's family live It's been there for years since the family that owns it emigrated from Germany - if you let me know anything you might be missing then we can pop in next time we are there and send you some goodies

thanks for all of your advices and support guys...i know that it would be better for adriano to wait until our green card interview, but its not going to happen...after his biometrics appt, he is hitting the road...i cant bear to watch him suffer anymore, so i have to let him go...if i told him to stay here, he most definitely would, but i dont want to be that kind of wife...if this will make him happy (although i know he is sad to leave me) then i have to let him do it...he left his life in europe for me, so now it is turn for me to sacrifice for him...i know that it is a smart thing to do, because he is a bit more practical, i suppose...basically we can remain dirt poor, living on my student stipend, and remain together, or he can go to ny and we can actually start a savings account (what a novel idea), and get our life started...i would choose poor and with him, but i understand his logic...so yea, there are other things i can discuss, but thats it for now i guess

oh btw - i got the job that i was talking about teaching a seminar over spring break in march...i am really excited about it...the subject is 'children and poverty' which is awesome because i basically get to show people around brooklyn (my hometown!) and other places in nyc...i love when i get to show ppl 'the real ny' and not just times square lol =] at least i can immerse myself in that work while adriano is away from me...plus, i get to write the course content, and tailor it to what i think is the most important material...woot woot

congrats rae on the green card, i hope ours is as quick!!

Great news about the job Susie!!! At least that is something to look forward to as well - it always helps when you have shorter term goals

Thanks for your points of view. The facebook thing has me worried though, b/c if she saw a picture she'd see that we're inviting over 100 people (I want it smaller than that and my side is smaller but what can ya do with a Jewish mother and her wishes oy vei). I'm not sure if I'll tell her about it or not at this point but for now I'll concentrate on not feeling too guilty.

Awesome news about the job Susie. I know just what you mean about showing people the real NY! Every time I have a visitor here I get through Times Square as quickly as I can b/c I hate that place. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you guys that you get transferred to CSC and get your GC quickly too.

Now I'm all jealous - I only went to NY for six days in 2001 but was based in Manhattan. I loved it of course, but now I want to see more!! Well, I'll be paying a visit sometime!!!

I'm sure that Rae or I would be more than happy to show you around if you ever took a trip to NY.

I could see the allure of Times Square if it is one's first time to NY, it's definitely a site, but there is no real depth to it, its just a bunch of lights and large chain restaurants and shops that are solely there to appeal to tourists. Many of those places aren't found anywhere else in NYC, although they are present all over America (ie: The Olive Garden).

Yes for sure! Better come in the next year or so though or I'll be back in Canada.

And Susie, I totally agree with you, that Times Square is cool to see. But now that I've shown it to lots of people and lived here for a long time, it just really annoys me to wade through the crowds of people there! But I dutifully trek through it every time someone wants to see it.

my mother-in-law lived in Manhattan, and worked on Wall Street, in the 30's
she has all these stories... when she was growing up, her mother took in boarders, and for years they had three Rockettes living with them... and the fashions! I've seen a couple of photos, and she was GORGEOUS

I've never been to NYC... will though, some day

I've never been to Australia and I *really* want to go.

Julez, this is for you:
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/09/...oped_ready.html

where in Aus do you want to go?

it's a great country... I'm proud to be an Australian... but my heart lies in Europe

Rae, that is awesome!! Thanks for the link!!

Anywhere... everywhere... just want to travel! I mean, obviously I'd like to go to Sydney (I love cities), but I'd like to see more than that. I also want to see Europe. I've only been to the UK and to Brussels, and they were both short trips. Scott and I have been talking about doing either Italy or New Zealand for a honeymoon (if we can afford a honeymoon!), but Scott has already done the backpacking all over Europe thing. If we went to New Zealand we would probably combine it with a trip to Australia. Oh and I want to see Japan. Sooo many places I really want to see. And I plan to, I just don't know when!

oh, I know what you mean... travel is my number one favourite thing, and while I've been fortunate enough to do a reasonable amount of it, my list of 'places I want to go' never gets any shorter

surely there'd be places in Europe Scott hasn't been, that you could discover together? eastern Europe, Scandinavia...?

Yes... I know he's never been to Amsterdam. But I've always dreamed of Italy being my honeymoon, and he went all over the country! Well, at any rate, he says he doesn't mind seeing places again, so at least that.

Speaking of travel... my dad is one of those people that, oddly, has absolutely no desire to travel. He's never been outside North America (he's been to Mexico and Canada, when neither required a passport). Well, my father, who is almost 60, got his first passport last week, since he'll need it to come up to Montreal for our wedding.

that's great

my dad LOVES travel, but never got to it, for a variety of reasons, until a relatively short time ago (and of course, travelling anywhere from Australia can be a bit more of a production than many other places!)
when the Olympics were held in Sydney, in 2000, everyone got more holidays than usual (to keep us off public transport), so mum and dad planned their first trip to Europe... they asked me to go, as the German interpreter and general guide (I'd been to Europe five or six times before, and knew most of the places they were planning to visit), and then when I was going my older brother decided to come as well... it was a great trip! and then mum and dad came to the UK again last year, to see me before I left - dad was HIGHLY excited about having such an excuse! and now they've been over here as well (but didn't see much, as they only stayed for a week... still, I know they found it interesting )

travel is SUCH a gift
and it's only been such a (relatively) short time that it's been open to the general public! even a hundred years ago, it was much more of a big deal, and out of reach to all but the rich... we are so fortunate, in that regard, to live when we do
as well as, y'know, not dying of smallpox and polio and stuff like that

Haha, yes, all good points!

I agree, it's a huge gift. There are some people (like my mom) who always say "Oh I'd love to go there" but they never will, they never make the plans to actually do it. I don't want to end up older and never having been anywhere, so I know I will make it a priority to see the places I want to see. It's all just a matter of when. Last year, actually, was the first time I really tried to go to new places. I took a number of short trips, and went to Brussels, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic. It's been interesting and not always easy balancing work (I freelance) and trips, but ultimately freelance is what's allowed me to take these trips. When you're full time and have only 2 weeks a year... well, what can you do wiath that?! Now I want to take some longer trips.

That's amazing that your parents came all the way to the US and only stayed a week! The jet-lag must have been hell. But, better than not coming!

yeah, it was weird... they REALLY wanted to be at the wedding, but my dad's mum was ill (she died last week, as it turned out), and they had all sorts of things on... they toyed with the idea of staying a little longer, and going somewhere else as well, but in the end just came for the week

they said they didn't mind though - they LOVE seeing the 'real' side of a country, as opposed to just the tourist spots (they said staying with me in the East End of London was far more interesting than doing all the standard things, for example, but they still loved going to San Antonio on their first full day here ), and as it was the middle of quite a full-on winter (for Sydney! ) they were glad of a little oasis of heat and sunlight in the middle of it

I never really got the travel bug until the past few years or so - I wanted to go to uni and get a career and a mortgage and settle down... now I kinda still want all of that but I want to travel as well I know Jeremy likes finding new places as well and eventually we will move to a different State if not back to the UK but that is why we love road trips so much

We want to travel to Central and South America and I would love to go to Asia... Another reason to want to be self-employed as holiday here sucks Winning the lottery would be a bonus!!

Oh and apologies for the gross siggy - it's a developing joke from the UK forum

you guys are so cute...i LOVE travelling...i have been to about 6 or 7 countries in europe, but that is not nearly sufficient enough...the summer that i met adriano in italy was the summer that italy won the world cup...that night was one of the most fun nights of my life, hands down!!! so that night, some of the people that i studied with made a deal that we would go to south africa in 2010 for the next world cup...so that is definitely still on the agenda...

i also want to go to london for the olympics in 2012...next summer we are going back to albania, and i hope to squeeze greece and croatia into my trip, i dont know if adriano will want to come or not...if we take a month trip to europe, he would most likely stay in albania, and i am planning on meeting up with a friend to travel to those other countries, maybe even turkey! turkey has been a very high priority on my list for years, but i just havent gotten there yet...adriano doesnt want to go there at all, they havent had the greatest history with albania lol (conquered the country and converted it from catholic to muslim, and adriano is catholic - i sense some bitterness there)

now i just have to find the money for all of this!

but yes, you guys are right, we are very lucky to live in a time when travel is so accessible to average people. if the dollar keeps falling though, it will become increasingly difficult. i remember meeting a girl from argentina while i was in spain, and she told me that her money was 1/4 of the value of the euro...i mean, can you imagine how long she had to save up for her trip?! i thought the dollar was bad, but that is much worse...imagine wanting to spend 3,000 euro in europe and having to save 12,000 dollars to do so! crazy!

Ok - quick change of topic!!! I am making up a wishlist for Christmas (if anyone hasn't found the universal wishlist button for Amazon.com I can highly recommend it as you can add items from tons of other sites to share with family and friends ) and have got around to LUSH! which I ADORE. I wondered if anyone had any specific recommendations as I am scouring the site and choosing the old faves but it's not the same as being in the store!

Also for anyone who is interested, they now do shower bomb type things which I am soooo happy about as I loved all the bath bombs and floats and melts and bars - having a shower made me really sad so I am pretty excited about that at least

I feel like I should get this

i agree.

I looked at it again to try and find some logic to its name but there isn't any!?!?! Maybe the inventor of it had had a bad day with the USCIS...

YAY....movement. AOS on it's way to CSC. Still nothing on EAD but wasn't expecting anything yet. Something better than nothing so not complaining.

And no RFE!!!

still expecting at least RFE for W2's, they are sat here in envelope waiting to go. Hoping won't get RFE for medical stuff.

i was wondering the same thing about the name haha...i was like 'but why???'

happy saturday!

debz, sometimes people don't get an RFE at all and have the chance to hand in things at the interview, maybe you get lucky!!!!! we made it without cert. copy of marriage license, birth certificates and bank letters

@ all. i'm slightly starting to feel better. i was horribly depressed the last 2 weeks and hardly had the energy to get up in the mornings. *sigh* but i decided to kick my lovely ### and to get back on my feet. somehow.

happy weekend!!!!!!

Oh Agnes - I am glad you are feeling a bit better - Just think, you had to put up with those awful people who probably didn't appreciate anything you did for them and made you feel like $h!t. But also having people there from Germany probably made you wish you could talk to some of your friends that you actually *like*

Offer still stands if you want me to check for things you miss in the Deli in Yucaipa though

Weekend doesn't start 'til Monday for me!! Cleaning day tomorrow then Jeremy has Monday and Tuesday off. Today he had to pop to Staples for things for work and found a puter monitor on offer so I am getting a new monitor at last!! Better than the blurry yellowed fishbowl I have - I have to adjust the screen settings everytime I turn it on!!! Not anymore!!

congratulations to the monitor!
i am thinking about getting a new wallet. american bills don't fit in mine, and i feel as if i need a new wallet for the new continent . i already got a new keychain. man, i'm nuts.

Hahaha - I am a purse freak - I change mine regularly because I love bags and things with pockets... I also have a Palm Springs keychain so if you are nuts then I am worse because you have been here longer. I bought a new purse last week

let's be the founding fathers of the "we are immigrants and nuts"-club!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or founding mothers as fathers are boys and boys are smelly

boys are stupid most of all!!

OH MY GOD!!!!! i went to the world market here yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH MY GOD!!!!!! I could have spent a FORTUNE there!


i bought these more than cute colored baskets to my closet, to sort my underwear and socks and things, and i bought german gummibears, and asian lunch soups, and german chocolates, and OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and i bought a new wallet, and OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!

and i started the "agnes is getting into shape, and ROUND is NOT A SHAPE" mission. and yes, i am aware of the fact that it was stupid to buy gummibears and chocolate when i want to loose weight.

I know! Isn't it great there!? And some of the furniture they have as well is sooo lovely!!! Am totally with you on the nice baskets and things - I wanted to get some for the shelf in our wardrobe to put memory things in from Jeremy's grandparents an dad etc - I want to buy everything there but know that if I did I would never be able to arrange it in such a way it would look nice - more like an eclectic cluttery mess!!!

Am with you on the getting into shape thing... I have become distinctly spherical as well and it is beginning to bother me. We bought a folder of weightwatchers recipes when I first got here as I was going to have a complete turnaround on the old diet thing but it never happened I've just got heavier and heavier and soon I am going to want to start wearing my jeans and I just know I won't fit into them... so Wednesday - 1st Oct and after Jeremy's days off, we are on a diet. I am going to cook a delicious nutritious meal every evening after cycling to the store to pick up the necessary ingredients. And I am going to start swimming every morning again. I hope I stick to it... Jeremy is too good at giving in to me though and I need someone to tell me off from time to time and make me feel guilty!!

And the offer still stands for that deli btw Maybe if you make it down for the halloween party and Jeremy has the Sunday off, we can pop down to Yucaipa and sit in the Biergarten Not sure if it is open on Sundays though so will have to check

I heart this post.

So, speaking of losing weight... anyone here watch the Biggest Loser? I am really, really not a fan of reality tv... but somehow I got to watching this one, and I think it's *so* inspirational, and so good. I just love it.

I've seen it a couple of times and it was pretty good I think it is nice that there is so much support there but also that there is a good strict routine to be followed but that they are all in it together

Now if only I could get that motivated...

i have seen some of the past seasons, and yea they are a great inspiration!

since we all usually post on here the frustrations of the process and the pangs of getting to be with our loved ones,
let me take a moment to say


ITS AWESOME TO LIVE WITH MY LOVELY WIFE EVERYDAY !!!!!!


My life is so complete just having her in our home each day, talking to her, listening to her, kissing her and generally just sharing our lives together.




and now back to our regularly scheduled programs.....


Chris

com'on, we don't complain all that much here!

hope everybody is doing all right!

well i didnt mean to kill the conversation for a day.



Chris

You can redeem yourself by sharing tummy pics and/or ultrasound pics

I have a cute kitten but it's not *quite* the same... although I still get to deal with poop and getting up in the night...

Hi, ok then here are 2 from this morning from a grudging Gretchen.

Introducing Gretchen and 7 months along Drew!

though the picture in our sig is from this past weekend, her shirt is hiding the belly.


Chris

Ummmmm.......where the heck is Marta????????

Well I still only have 1 cat. Me wee black kitten is with it's orignal owners. Their 6yr old boy was so crushed that they decided they didn't want to give him up afterall. So now I'm crushed and wee black kitten-less

Hi all

Back again after another loooooong break. Popped by to see how you are all doing! Ryan and I got an RFE on our AOS for my W-2's about a month ago, still havent mailed the thing back. He is working and all so there isnt the biggest rush to get it done. Im having my Dad be the sponsor now. I work in a nightclub and my tips werent declared properly last year so that put me below the poverty line. I caught the mistake too late and the backed taxes were alot!! Oh well

Other news.... we are having a baby. The bubs is due April 5th, we find out the sex in about 6 weeks!

Hope everyone is well and happy.

Awww she looks so pretty!!! And so tiny for 7 months as well!! My step brother's gf just had a baby and she is really tiny like Gretchen as well - she took a long time to show but she was alllll baby - was a big one as well - I think either just under 8lbs!


Maybe she is on her way back? Unpacking? Saying her goodbyes? I lost track of what date she is back in the country


Awww hun *hugs* It is the perfect excuse to get another rescue kitty Check the local small ads or try your local pet shop - we went to PetCo where they had rescue kitties - that is where we got Riley

A little good news as well - Daisy came into bed with me this morning for a cuddle like she used to. Things are improving somewhat but she still gets annoyed with Riley when he gets too boisterous!!


Gratzies!!! Let us know more when you find out whether it is a boy or girl!!

Other than that, have been AWOL - Jeremy had his days off then yesterday I woke up and was really clingy so I went into work with him - it is the first time I have worn a jumper since I got here!! The AC in his work takes it down to 74f so say, but in the back room with the AC blowing (the kitchens are at the front) it is freezing!! I took my blanket as well and sat down with my puzzle book and DS

Am also on a diet. We can't afford to go to weightwatchers meetings (though I would love to) so we are just following ww recipes from a binder we have. We still need to pick up some scales though. I am just sooo fed up and feel really unhealthy and unattractive so it is time to do something about it and stop drinking so much and eating so much crap. Need to lose sooo much weight!!

12 pounds need to go before christmas.
want to choin the club?

been watching the debate. fun fun

Only 12lbs? Lucky!! Although that sounds like a good aim before Christmas but ideally I need to lose almost 30lbs

My ideal weight is like 140-150lbs and I am *guessing* I am 170+ right now although I haven't weighed myself yet... maybe I'll be in for a pleasant surprise but I doubt it - I haven't ever been as big as I am now and I just feel really gross and unhealthy.

Gonna get back in the swing of things - gonna go for a swim when it hits 9am so most people have at least left for work and it has warmed up the water a bit.

Sooooooooo quiet in here!!!

Just realised it isn't long til our halloween party now and I am soooo excited!! concerned that the e-vites and reminders I have sent out haven't arrived in peoples' inboxes though