Awww - search on images.google.com and see what you can find then just change your avvie Looking to get the whole lot of us bean-bagged up I looked for a bean bag sofa for you:





Audrey - that is just what I want to do!!! I think we can make it - maybe when we are all with our loved ones we can compare how we are doing with weight loss to keep ourselves motivated - instead of a timeline of visa stuff we could have a lbs lost table and see who is winning!! I find a bit of competition keeps me motivated cause I hate to lose We could have a weekly weigh-in (Saturday mornings before I get out of my PJs is always good for me!) and then record our progress together!! Maybe we could have quarterly prizes or something or monthly prizes of things that are non-fattening... face masks or something like that YEAH!! We could have the participating members send something nice to the "winner" but they have to get it from the dollar store (so we don't spend a fortune). That means the winner will have a bunch of little surprises to look forward to as a reward for all their hard work!!

I think I might be onto something here...

*plots*

just back from some marathon shopping with my mammy....went to go buy my wedding shoes...didn't have my size, ended up getting totally different ones but I still love them.

Aly - I'm all for the diet thing after the visa. Count me in!

It is about -14F here right now and it is unbearably cold. When the nostrils stick together, you know it's cold.

I just checked the USCIS site - and nothing yet. Talk about blowing the wind out of my sails for the day. No kids this weekend and it's all mine to do whatever I want. I guess with no news of the visa, I will sit and stress more. I guess I'll eat and sleep. Huh!

Oooh - what size feet do you have? What are your shoes like? I want to see pics! Oh I can't wait to share wedding pics with everyone here!!



It's a deal! Post-visa we will have some kinda little competition thing

As for having the weekend to yourself!! Don't stress!!! Tidy the house, make it all nice and clean so you don't have to worry about doing it later. Go to the store, buy a bottle of wine and something nice for dinner. Come home, put dinner in the oven (ok when it is time ) have a nice hot bath and get into some snuggly warm clothes then chill out with your meal and wine in front of tv/movie That's pretty much what I am going to do!!

Thank you Aly - that's exactly what I will plan to do. Thank you.

See?! I have brains and good ideas sometimes I used to hate being alone but being in our situation you kinda have to get used to it - mum is out tonight so I have the house to myself and I am just going to chill - bliss!! CSI is calling!!! Although I have to look for a 50th birthday present for my dad... :/

I'm on the wine and CSI night tonight too. Got an early start tomorrow, driving down with my dad to visit grandparents and aunt in Newcastle for the day.

Oh kewlies - I'll think of you while watching CSI There's something else on after that is kinda similar that I like as well - can't remember what though

Oh - for the UK-ers (or for those who wouldn't mind paying the exchange rate/overseas shipping) I have fallen in love with this site - I found it last year when looking for wedding stuff and I just haven't found anything I like more:

http://www.designsbyloulou.co.uk/index.htm

We're getting our wedding photos taken professionally but we are having them on CD so we can print our own and mount them in an album of our choice - works out so much cheaper (my cousin paid something like £500 all told for hers - Debz you must be rolling in it! ) and we get something that is perfect for us

I'm here!!

Sorry for not posting sooner but we have had problems with internet access in our room at the hotel. They offered to move us but we'd unpacked and I couldn't be bothered. It's 6.35am here now and because of jet lag I'm sitting in the hotel lobby using their wi-fi access and drinking coffee.

We're moving into a new place today which is unfurnished so we spent the whole of yesterday shopping - today will be more of the same!

Our broadband is being connected on Tuesday afternoon so I'll be around again from then.

Speak to you all again soon. Good luck to everyone.

Gillian

GILLIAN!!! YOU MADE IT!!! Oooohhh - how does it feel? How do *you* feel?! Is it weird yet or are you just excited? Has it sunk in? Or is it all still a bit of a haze?!

I am soooo excited on your behalf

CONGRATS GILLIAN!!!!!!! Welcome...Welcome!!!!

Good Luck to you and your SO!!! Good luck with the move!!

Bless-ed,
Gill

Congratulations! The first arrival.

I know!! I feel like there should be fanfares and streamers!! It is so amazing - one of US has moved to start their new life in the States and I feel so proud!!!

CONGRAT GILLIAN!!!!

Congrats Gillian! It is very exciting to have our first July filer set foot on US soil (ok, probably US asphalt or concrete). It will be so cool to start reading the arrivals!

Congratulations Gillian!!!!

I also got my shiny new sofa bean bag avatar! thanks Aly!

Welcome Gillian, glad you made it! Enjoy getting settled in and discovering your new digs!

Yay for the beanbag/sofa infestation - moxie it's your turn now!! We will take over the world with our plush seating and comfy bottom supports

knock knock....may I enter? I found a cool new tartan bean bag!

Gillian congrats. Sorry I wasn't around yesterday...was visiting clan cowey(my dad's 'rents and my aunt) in Newcastle.

Hehe - ahh the tartan beanbag looks very spiffy!!

Got my Packet 3 Am very happy - now for a mass of form filling - is it like the G-325a where you can't save the forms - you just have to print it right out?

Also read the medical letter - am freaking out now that I might have inadvertently caught HIV/AIDS/Hep A/B/C/D/E... etc you get the picture!!!

you CAN safe the forms, as long as you have the extended version of adobe. (don't ask me which part you need, i think it's the writer or editor or something alike). the DS 156 you HAVE to fill out online, and then you click: continue, and it will produce a barcode at the bottom of the page. at the embassy in frankfurt they had to set up a internet terminal for people who ignored the barcode requirement....

oh, and yeah, i am afraid that i somehow caught some nasty disease as well.
on the other hand i was a really good girl.

Yay Gillian.....welcome to the States!!!! Fireworks and all!!! woohooooo!!!!!!!!!!

Cool... well I am thinking it will be another weekend job along with the million and one other things I need to do!!! What a nightmare!!! I swear I would relax more if I had just gotten through immigration... can you believe I get "married" three weeks today?!

Part of me can believe it as it kinda feels ages since we started all this. But in another way it really doesn't feel that long ago we were all complaining that our projected timelines showed dates in november...it's nearly the end of jan now!!!!! I can't believe that 2 weeks from now I'll be heading to glasgow to catch the caledonian sleeper train to london, hopefully for the last time!

My mammy has her friend here from england, shes just made me put on all my wedding dress and veil to show her!

Ooooh - but now I want pics - ok get them to take pics then show show show!!! I love piccies!!

It'll be a sad, sad day for single men around the world.

Aww moxie you're so sweet

you will have to wait until wedding for pics...can't risk them being seen by those that shouldn't see them

Hey hey everyone....fellow July-filer here:)

Happy to report my girl gets here this Friday, January 25th:) Flying into Dulles airport here in DC!

So excited!

I'll keep you all posted, and GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

Yay! Glad you reported in!!! I couldn't believe it when I did a quick spreadsheet check earlier and saw you had the interview and everything already - AND from CSC!!! My goodness!!

Make sure to pull up a beanbag, share wedding pics and let us know how the AOS/adjustment to living in new country goes!!! We'll all find it really useful I am sure!! Ohhh soooo exciting!! I can't wait til my turn and I love it when I feel like that - most of the time I am nervous but when I see everyone else moving and getting excited about it it rubs off on me

is this our first CSC july graduate?!?!

So exciting that July filers are finally making the big move. I hope I'll be following soon.

Yeah - as far as I can tell it is our first CSC July grad Exciting stuff!!

Holy cow! Did you pay someone to have your interview so quickly after the embassy received your case??? That's just incredible.

Hey - just thought I would let you know that as people start filing for AOS, here is the place to post updates and things... I think I made that kinda obvious already but as I have been going through our July Filer Spreadsheet updating things, I thought I should make sure the AOS one is uptogether as well!!!

Don't think anyone has started just yet but thought I would forewarn people!!

I called the embassy in Costa Rica and they have received my paperwork and she will be able to pick it up the packet 3 next tuesday. Wow...whoever said that once it's approved it starts to move quickly was right. My fiance has two children that we will be bringing with us to the states. I've tried to find some things on her about visa's for her two children but I don't think I've been looking in the right place. Does anyone have any information on how to get the visa for the children too? I included them on the I129F and they are under 21. I'm so excited

I'm not too sure - you might be best checking in the Family based immigration forums

12 days til interview......stress reaching obscene levels

YOU'LL BE FINE!!!!

Myself and weedebz (remotely via text message) have the pleasure to announce:

The Friday Night Hijack!!!

*insert big booming announcement voice here*

At approximately 7pm GMT (2pm EST) we will be hijacking a thread (quite possibly this one, the July Filers thread or the July Filers' new home in the "Moving Here..." forum) and having a good ol' red wine and natter session A fair few of us are feeling miserable, fed up and dejected and those that aren't might have their excitement and joy rub off on the rest of us!!

Check any of the above threads to see where it'll be - I'm opting for the new July Filer home as it is smaller We can always move over to the chat room on my website later - MUCH easier to have a good old gossip

Be there or be...

a squashed tomahto

I'll be here!!!!

Yay! Well that makes two of us! And moxie is going to try and join us in between distracting his auditors with the sparkly cat toy I donated to him

Oh - am working on the AOS section of spreadsheet and K-1 section is fully updated aside from waiting back on PMs I will have another look at it later and when most of us have started the AOS procedure will move it to the front. Am looking for ideas on how to head the sections though as will be nice to record EAD/AP as well... Suggestions please!!!

Will also be updating AOS from here, not the AOS section as we will all be filing at different times - between Debz and I we should manage ok but if you want to be added to the AOS sheet then let us know here!!

11 days to interview.....every day I think I can't get more stressed or depressed about possibly being declined and every day I do get more stressed!

i feel the same.... 5 more days. man.
anyway: i wish i could party with you guys tonite, but my cousine is taking me out for dinner to a real fancy place..... YAI!

have fun

hugs for everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the chick

Aww Agnes - you're standing us up already!! At this rate it really *will* just be me and Debz

I have my zinfandel at the ready, breathing and I am contemplating what I am going to nibble on first Ohhh - I deserve tonight after working so hard all week!!

CHEERS!!!![color="#00BFFF"][/color]

I will try to be there this time. Last time, I ended up fixing my mom's laptop. No laptop issues - except that Phil sent me a new Mac today which I am trying to set up. I'll take it home at lunch time to get it on the wireless. Oh well, I have three others at home to use. What time?

Umm aren't you in New York? It'll be 2pm EST anyway Although it'll (hopefully) go on for a few hours We can move over to the chat room on my site if it gets too busy here

Oh duh - Wisconsin Is that Central time? I get confused

I'M HERE!!!!!!

ok I'm a tad early but I'm here, my wine is here, my nibbles are here!