Boy or boy, will I be glad to see that day!! Afterwards, we can keep each other entertained online. What the hell are we going to do with ourselves? I keep telling people I'll start popping out the babies, but in reality, I am soooo looking forward to the sunday where Marty and I go to the supermarket, make sunday dinner, and then sit around knowing there is NOTHING we should be doing, and nothing major to worry about. How nice will that be?

that's what I'm looking forward to also. Just having a "normal" life without having to worry about various applications for basically permission to be together. ahhhhh bliss!

i did garden-work today. bought kitchen herbs and planted them and stuff.
after cleaning the mess i produced in the process of planting i will look for jobs and stuff.
the yard-work felt really good, a piece of normality.

we'll have our Justice of the peace-thing tomorrow evening and i would like to send off the stuff for AOS monday. it's haunting me.

*seeking normality*

Well guys our visa was approved today!!!!!

So I have been really busy with wedding plans the last couple of weeks. I bought the bridesmaid dresses!! I decided on purple and Ivory for the colors. I have been working on my vows, and I think we have decided to go with a small wedding chapel wedding. Since ours is so small we can have up to 50 guests for $445 and the chapel is already decorated and they provide the minister. All we have to do is show up, get married and take some pictures. Not to stressful and serves the purpose. I am all about stress free as much as possible.

Okay sorry for rambling about the wedding plans. Just dropped by to catch up and let you know we got approved and just waiitng for the visa now.

See you soon.

Cheryl

Hi everyone. Just catching up after being away for a couple of days.

I see that a lot of congratulations are in order! A LOT is happening - it's great.

Phil received Packet 3 today and is going to bring it here on Thursday so we can go through it again together. We have already filled out all of the paperwork - just need to put it together and send out the couple of forms that they are requesting. It's coming very fast now. I can't believe it.

I was actually hoping that he could be here in March but with his class reunion in April, we will wait so he can go to Bangkok for the reunion and come here on his K-1 in late April. I have decided not to go to his reunion as almost 40 hours of flying time in about 4 days will be too much - not to mention the HOT weather in Bangkok. Yuck - I don't want any weather like that of Figi. Never again! I will go to the mountains or Alaska for holiday. LOL

He is going to move into the house that he purchased in the UK and get it ready to rent and is also changing his retirement date from February 29th to March 31st. As for now, that's the plan.

We are actually both so much calmer just knowing that we have the NOA2. THAT was the relief that we needed.

I am hoping that Aly and Jeremy are hitched and happy at this very moment. I see that Julie is getting married next week too. Awesome! Congratulations everyone!

CBR - How is it going? Any news?

Has anyone heard from Aly yet? Oh, I hope it all went well...

CONGRATULATIONS Cheryl! Wonderful news!

she's probably hungover from too much wine!!!!! Either that or......well she's a newlywed!!!!

Oh i'm so glad things are moving in the right direction for you. I wish I had packet 3 though! CSC are dragging their heels AGAIN! Anyway, I am just pleased that we are all progressing - save CBR. I haven't heard any good news on that front yet but am keeping my fingers crossed for her that it will be soon. The celebrations are going to be HUGE when that approval comes through!


I can't wait to hear from Aly

NVC got our case yesterday! I am so relieved again! I can really be a part of this group now

This is really sad. It's bad enough that girls make similar demands about their own ring, but to criticise someone else's choice?...

Okay Aly...time's up! Get your butt back here and report in soldier!

I agree! We're ALL waiting! Don't make us wait!

I just hope Aly had time to get the psychic implant link to VJ before she left....

if we have heard nothing by tomorrow I'm gonna give her a kick up the backside by texting Jeremy!

what the he-.... what does the ring choice even matter to her... they got to be bored at work if they have time to worry about other people engagement rings

erics comment to that was: well, you should have let her known that you just paid 2 weeks of her salary in visa fees and that she should shut up

oh, some people don't think at all (or their own experiences have coloured them so they judge everything by their own yardstick)

just today, at work, I was saying I felt so ill and wished I had someone to look after me, and said that the one good thing about getting sick at New Year, in Paris, during my VERY short time with Dave, was that he looked after me so nicely; cared for me and made me comfortable and brought me things and just stayed with me... I made some comment like 'and that's the future!' and my boss (who's divorced ) replied 'don't count on it... people change'



ok then... don't let me be hopeful and optimistic for even TWO SECONDS, ok?

People like that aren't happy so they can't even conceive of anyone else finding happiness. Idjuts.

It's a sad state of affairs when it is after 10:00 (central time) and my comment from yesterday is the last post in this thread. Then again, Aly is out in CA/NV and it's still relatively early there.......

Then again, it's not like I'm actually saying anything in this post either, so perhaps I should look in the mirror?

*tootles by*

hello

*tootles off again*

*kicks some tumbleweed out of the way*

You know, Aly is *so* selfish spending time away from her VJ friends. How dare she! The place is gathering dust without her.

hello all. Hope everyone had a good valentines day yesterday, or as good as possible. Nick sent me some gorgeous purple orchids (my fave flower). Other than that I worked a double shift then spoke to Nick on the phone.

eric boycotts valentines day

getting ready to send off my AOS on monday. YAI!!!!!!

Dave and I both boycott Valentine's Day

I sent Natasha 5 red roses, because we both very much celebrate Valentine's day.

4 days and a wake-up, and I'll be on my way to Moscow to await the interview and visa, and then to bring Natasha and Vika to the USA. Excited? Nervous? Worried? Ecstatic? I am all of these things, and many many more. To top it off, I'm pretty sure none of the flooring contractors are going to be able to start before I leave on Tuesday, so I will have to leave their supervision to my 19 year old. When I arrive back home with Natasha and Vika, I will have no idea what to expect about the first floor of the house. I will be just as surprised as Natasha will be, whatever the condition may be!

The apartment we have rented (assuming it's not a scam - Natasha is still very worried about this) has no internet, so unless we go to an internet cafe sometime, I'll be incommunicado for 2 weeks. I'll take lots of photos and notes, though, and give a report when I return. I'll post it to my blog, and copy it here. I know Mox will be waiting impatiently for it, as will my family and colleagues. Keerrrrrk - I expect you to take up the snarky comment slack during my time away.

I'll still be around through Monday, schedule permitting. Good luck to everyone in my absence!

oh, all the VERY best with it... how very very exciting

safe travels, and we look forward to seeing you on your return!!

Thanks, STP, I appreciate it. Sasha (Jason-Sasha) from here on VJ will actually have her interview in Moscow a few days before Natasha's. It's a pity we won't be able to meet up in Moscow, but we'll be pretty busy anyway.

bring her home safely

best of luck and safe travels for everybody! exciting times....

Thanks, tucson_chick. Why is it every time I try and spell your name, it takes me 2 or 3 attempts to get it right? Pretty soon, everyone here on this thread will be with their SO and (hopefully) we'll all be sharing our now happy stories, instead of all the pulling-our-hair-out stories we've all come to love (and hate!)...

Best of luck KG!! I think it's wonderful that you are able to go out to be with her for the interview and bring her home.

KG I'll be thinking about you. best wishes and good luck ( even though you definatly don't need it)

and while I remember....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALY...if she ever decides to come back!!!

Hahahahaha!!! I laughed out loud at some of your comments!! Am I really the cement!? Glad to see that this place is picking up though - it is so nice to hang out with friends here and find out how we are all doing without *too* much stress! Am really hoping for the last few NOA2s so we can chill out a bit more - everything after seems to be a bit more relaxed although I am sure I will do a debz and freak at my interview!!

Wedding was gorgeous Weather was beautiful and sunny - considering there was 2in snow the week before the fact that it was mid 70s is pretty impressive I think! I blubbed from the walk up to the minister, through most of my vows and through Jeremy's - saying that, everyone said how beautiful the ceremony was, my mum, dad, brother, maid of honour and her boyfriend cried and they are just the confirmed weepees!!! I can't wait to get some pics so I can post them

In Hawaii now and have over 200 e-mails from a week without checking - scary!!! Saying that - e-mails are best to catch hold of me for keeping me updated etc as is easier to filter through than 2500 pages on VJ!!!

Miss you guys!!

*runs back to drinking white zinfandel as it was cheap *

Oh!

@debz - hope the packing is going ok and you aren't too stressed!! Can't believe you move less than two weeks after I get back!

@Agnes - have facebooked you as was thinking about you pretty much as soon as I stopped stressing about the wedding! Was so close to where you were it was pretty funny! Will defo have to come visit you in Tucson sometime - it's not too far from us really and we have driven the I-10 to Phoenix three times now so are kinda used to it

Yay! About time .

I'm so glad you 'popped' back to post, you have definitely been missed. So nice to hear from you, you sound so wonderfully happy .

Thanks to Babbles and Debz for the well wishes, and many congrautlations to Aly on her nuptials!

Speaking of being able to bring Natasha and Vika into this country myself - it's been a little nerve-wracking for us. I have pretty much the exact amount of money we will need for our 2 weeks in Moscow, so hopefully everything will go as planned. If not - we may end up like Tom Hanks in "The Terminal"!

It's all pretty stressful really (or can be. I suppose this depends on your disposition), the money, filling the forms out correctly, the medical, answering the questions right etc.

Two days ago I had convinced myself that I will do something wrong and get denied. Then I read the waiver forums and realised that actually, unless you have something in your background that you already know may be a cause for denial, the chances of being denied are pretty minimal. And even then (assuming it's nothing that makes you completely ineligible), you just file the waiver and wait - the waiting is the punishment I think.

I think i've just typed all this out for my own personal reassurance. I've just been worrying so much about things going wrong - but the post started as a reassurance to you that if you plan things right then everything should be ok. I am sure you will be bringing Natasha and Vika back without any serious problems

i thought about this for a while now (after my interview being nothing but a joke):
the US embassy grants the K1 visa for basically everybody as long as they have a sponsor, because they know that K1-people still have to file for AOS and get denied then.

(saying this, i am just about to fill out the last form and to make the last copies to send the AOS-package in the mail tomorrow. and: I AM FREAKING OUT.

Hey, sorry I haven't been around much, I'm visiting the kids in Denver this weel. I just wanted to drop a quick note and wish Kevin well on the upcoming interview and trip to Moscow. I am insanely jealous, but also EXTREMELY happy for the three of you!! Enjoy the trip, don't sweat the interview, and give little Vika a big hug for all of us.

AOS scares the hell out of me too.

and I'm not even in the US yet!!!!!!

Congratulations ALY - welcome back and also a great big CONGRATULATIONS to julezebelle on the nuptuals. Awesome!

Glad to hear that things are moving a little bit....

Come on CBR! - we're waiting for you! I'll bet she's buried under the 90 + iches of snow that we've received here in southern Wisconsin this winter.

If I never see snow again.....

Thanks for remembering me. I do feel buried in snow and ice here! I'm so sick of snow it's not even funny. There was an article in our paper today about a 76 year old man chasing after a snowplow with a shotgun because his mailbox had been knocked over 4 times! I guess we're all sick of snow lol.


I've been avoiding these threads lately bc to be honest I can't bear to read about wedding plans right now when I have no idea when we're ever going to get approved. This is sucking the life out of me.
The unfairness of being left in the dust eats at me daily. I try to stay positive and just get through each day and at times I do feel numb which helps ease the pain of the separation but it's no way to live.

I don't want to be a downer so I don't really say much. I do still read a bit trying to keep up to date but it's getting harder and harder to do these days. sorry

Completely understand where you are coming from. And no need to apologise. I hope you hear the news you deserve pretty soon. Please keep the faith. I know it's hard but one day soon you will be writing to us here that your petition has been approved. When that happens so many people will want to celebrate that with you. Always thinking of you *hugs*

Me too - Hugs for CBR. We will get through this - we just have to! If you need to vent - just PM me.

@CBR: so sorry that you guys have to go through this!!!!!!! you are always most welcome to vent and to ask for sympathy and support!

Well, Phil had his medical and said that it was quite easy. His email is as follows:

You would be very proud of me as I got to the medical centre 30 mins yes 30 mins early!! I was given a chest Xray and my height and weight checks prior to being seen by the Doctor. A nurse checked on my vacination requirements and confirmed I needed two. The Tdap booster and the "Flu" jab are all that are required and I can get those at my local GP (General Practioner, UK parlance for Doctor) for nothing. The nurse gave me a letter which I need to fax back to them, once I have had my jabs, signed off by the GP.

The doctor took all the required tests and blood for checking on Aids etc, I guess I will know the results at the interview, who knows? I was back in the office at 11.10 after finishing at the medical centre at 9.40am, just over a 1 hour visit. So I now wait to get the Interview date, with the medical completed except for the vacinations.

Very cool a-jeanne, you're one step closer!

And *ahem* July filers...it's pretty lame that the honorary member has to keep this thread alive! I don't even make union scale for this gig, so c'mon ladies and gents let's get your butts in gear and give this thread some life again!