We need a belly dancing emoticon.

Hahahaha!!! Kirk, you're too much, man! That's terrific. She could use a little bit of a diet, but otherwise its perfect.

Hehe. She puts the "belly" in belly dancer!

Marta looks much nicer than that!!! I am sure she belly dances better too

Jason/Sasha - you must be soo excited! And debz is moving in a couple days too - I am sooo excited for her and a bit jealous too - it's kinda nice having such a strong empathy for someone - it is giving me some idea of how I might feel although obviously on a much smaller scale! I am going to be so excited but so nervous at the same time and sad as well to be leaving my family and friends behind - I think I just have to get my head around thinking about it in a different way

Well, we are extremely excited. She is packing everyday, and I'm cleaning and preparing everyday. I'm actually hoping I have enough time to finish everything. I used to complain about how long the wait was, but now I'm draining every minute out of everyday to complete all of my tasks and still continue working. But nevertheless, we're thrilled beyond words at this point.

I know it must be harder for the non USC. Packing, tying up loose ends, saying goodbye to family and friends, etc. I almost feel guilty because I have so much less to do. As long as we get to Russia once per year, we should be just fine with the distance. Well, i can only speak for myself here. I'm sure there will be years when Sasha gets to go more often. at least 2 or 3 times. I know how important it is and I'd like our future children to really know their Russian family. I'm sure it will be the same for you. We're anxiously watching your progress, Aly. Good luck!

Haha - I think it is a man thing - I think Jeremy had the same kinda shock when he went home after Christmas - six weeks to organise himself and his family for the "wedding" and I *had* been nagging him for months - he just kept putting it off or something I don't know... I can't say I'm not the same though - I try to pace myself but always end up in a rush at the end!!!

Hoping to get Jeremy's tax returns in the mail today - that would be awesome - will mean I can get my packet 3 sent out at last - woohoo!! Part of me wants to get the whole thing over and done with now so I can focus on moving and organising and planning the UK reception and make invitations etc... so much to do still - I am so nervous about it all and I know I will be sad too but I just can't wait to have some sort of normality in my life!!!

I think I will be the same - I would like to get home to the UK at least once a year and I know that my family will come visit me as well but it will still be hard. The last time I moved out was seven years ago when I was 19 and I went to uni and ended up suffering from depression before coming home - I lasted three months tops I really hope I can make a better go of it in the US! I am sure with Jeremy and people there as well as my family and friends back home and people on VJ I will get through it although I am expecting it to be tough - maybe I will surprise myself and adapt easier than I am expecting

Oh and *NAG NAG NAG* to those filing AOS - let me know the info so I can update the spreadsheet!!

I've been putting off filing AOS because it's been so nice not having to deal with USCIS for a month or so.

I've decided that I'll knuckle down this week and get it done so it should be mailed out by the weekend. You'll be the first to know so you can update the spreadsheet.

I can't tell you how depressing it is knowing that I have to start filling in immigration forms again! I'd keep putting it off but I ought to get back to work soon.

Gillian

Unless things work differently depending on your embassy, you should be able to go ahead and send P3 without his taxes. You'd then just bring his taxes to the interview. That's what we're doing. Our P3 (which is getting mailed to Montreal TODAY!!! FINALLY) is only DS-230 & 156 and the other stuff we send later or just bring to the interview.

We also have been turning a blind eye to AOS, but spent several hours yesterday working on it and I hope it wil be in the mail tomorrow or Wednesday! I will kepp you posted on our progress, Aly!



Rae is right, you only need to bring the tax stuff to the interview so you could mail off P3 now.

P.S. Its so nice to see you Rae! I haven't seen you in so long! *hugs*

Thanks so much Julez! It's nice to be seen. And congrats on being reunited with Griff and getting the visa! I can't wait to be in your boat. I hope it doesn't take Montreal too long to assign us an interview. They've been a bit quicker as of late, so I have hope.

having a break from packing. Stomach doing sommersaults and definatly feeling sick with worry just now. Hopefully will get packing finiahed tomorrow morning then I'll be able to have a nice meal with my family, a relaxing bath and hopefully a decent nights sleep before needing to get up around 4.30-4.45am on Friday.

Really worried the weather going to make life hard if it affects flights. I'm bad enough with my fear of flying, let alone the added stress.

hi everybody!

we had a great weekend, here, with lots of hiking and making plans for the time when my family is here.

@ aly: just send the pack 3 away, you don't need the tax papers for it, you only need them for the interview

@ debz: i can highly recommend motion sickness medication for the flight. it makes you a little bit drowsy and VERY relaxed . plus, the moment you are on the plane all the stress at once wears off. it's the biggest anticlimax ever.

@ all: USCIS decided to make things a little bit more annoying for us, and they added a second biometrics appointment for the AP. so if any of you thought it was a hassle enough to drive to the USCIS local office and get your biometrics taken, well - we have to go there twice now. so there is one biometrics for the AOS and EAD and a second one for the AP.
stupid idiots.

the whole AOS-crap isn't that hard after all, the only thing to keep in mind is to shop around for the prices for the vaccination supplement form ( NO, we don't need a whole new medical, we only need a stamp and a sealed envilope, and YES, there are panel physicians who do that for $15 dollars).
at the moment many k1-filers don't even have to through the interview. being transfered to cali service center means that there will be no interview. oh, and the USCIS is VERY slow in updating the case status. we filed 2/20, NOA 2/26 and our casenumbers don't show up yet. well - could be worse

Haha - I can imagine!! I am not too bothered by it - I am going to try and get as much of it together as I can when I first move because we aren't going to have our legal thing until the beginning of August anyway so I will have at least a month to kill - then I want to get it off as soon as I can after we have our legal thing so I can get my AP/EAD etc. I'm kinda looking forward to taking control of the whole thing from the beginning - I was so clueless about K-1 at first so I want to feel big and clever



Yay!! Call me sad but I can't wait! The spreadsheet has kept me occupied anyway and I am sure it will continue to do so when I move



Yeah I know I could do that but London has been churning out a few interviews with only a week's notice and I so don't trust the postal service - it's the reason our initial I-129f was delayed by four weeks We'd have made our wedding in February if that wasn't the case. It will prolly all be fine and turn up tomorrow or something (didn't get it today ) but I really don't want to take that chance even though it sucks



Aww chick - I *knew* you'd stress about the weather I am so excited and nervous for you but I am sure Agnes is right (as she would know - besides, she is also backing up my theory!) that as soon as you get on the plane you'll relax a lot more because everything will be done and all you can do is move forward

*special big hugs for Debz*

Hahaha Did we say beer belly dancing emoticon?

I am sure you will be just fine once you are with Jeremy For us, things are awesome Didn´t even have to adjust to anything here anymore...guess got adjusted the last year since I spent so much time here then

Exactly It feels quite good when you "don´t have to" do some paperwork for a while ... but it´s about time

I've been spoiled lately. No paperwork to do, etc. But in a month or so it will be time to begin the AOS process.

Hugz

there that just proves the stress. No idea why I said Friday...meant Wednesday!!!!!!

blurrrg...feel so sick

Lol - yeah well I'm not stressed and I didn't even notice!!! *HUGS* You'll be fine chickie - how are you feeling besides stressed?

IT WILL ALL BE FINE!!!
i felt exactly like you before i left. and i have to be honest, the first 3 weeks here were harder than i ever imagined. but IT IS SOOOOOOOO WORTH IT

Yay! Glad to hear you cheery Agnes!! I know you found it hard at first

I am just totally stressing about money now - I still have my overdraft from uni to pay off, I am going to be out of work at the end of the month because I am no longer needed (the perils of temping), I have to pay for the medical, the visa, the trip to London, my flight, my credit cards. Jeremy has to pay his cards off, find a place to rent, fly to the UK... and all the flights in June are just so expensive... I just don't know how we are going to do it

maybe another temp job? money.....i HATE money (or to be precise: NOT HAVING MONEY.)

Tell me about it - I am on the lookout already but I am still worried I am not going to be working for a while. It's crazy - it's suddenly crept up on me - all these stupid things we have to pay for and now we don't even know how we are going to afford AOS. It's just stupid. I'm prolly completely overreacting - worst case scenario we just use all my savings and start over when I move which just means we'll be living in a sh*thole and won't be able to get a mortgage for ages...

You could always start stripping... I hear it pays well.
j/k!!!

Heh - don't tempt me... although people would pay me to put my clothes back on so it wouldn't exactly be risque... maybe you're onto something

savings?? what are savings? can you spell that for me please?
strippers make most of their money through tips. well ........

Savings are things like the small amount of inheritance I got when my great gran died and the birthday money I saved and things when I was younger. I don't have a lot. But we were going to use it as a foundation to build on so we could afford a downpayment on a house eventually... I mean we would still have to save for about a year anyway but without the savings...

Ah, but men will pay for all kinds of body types to take their clothes off! Don't beat yourself up. Plus you know you have a man who loves you.

Have you thought of something simple like even just working at a Starbucks? Not sure if they are on every corner over there like they are here... and it's not like you have to be honest and tell them you'll be leaving in a few months.

Plus, just be happy you have the savings. Some people don't and I'm sure that makes this expensive process just that much more stressful. Personally, my career is going well now, but when I was living in Canada the thought of paying for PR up there was extremely daunting. We'll all figure it out in our own ways, though.

I know - I think I am just having a low point which is really dumb. I'm hormonal which doesn't help

I think it is something that will all work out just fine but because it is something I wasn't expecting (to have to use my savings that is) it is hitting me harder than it should do. I mean the important thing is that we will be together, right? And anything we do then, no matter how we start out, will be building towards a better future together

I wish I felt as cheery as I sound - I am trying to convince myself but I think I am just in a cry-y mood

well said.

and who said it's bad to cry? one of the things i have to say has helped me a lot (and i'm not even the one moving!) has been reading the things where people talk about how hard it is. i really feel like people getting that all out in the open is just so helpful. so you being at a low point is not dumb at all, and you saying you are i'm sure helps anyone else who's feeling down right now too.

like you said, the important part is that at the end of the day, one of these days soon, we'll all be with the person we love. money doesn't matter, it just can make things harder sometimes.

Yeah it really sucks - unfortunately in this process it is a necessary evil... I *have* to find the money to pay for the visa/medical/flight etc etc etc... I guess I just have to keep telling myself that even if we start with no savings behind is that is ok... I would be happier with that if we were already on the property ladder but...

I think what it boils down to is that I have spent a long time saving and trying to look after the little I had, even through uni. Now the thought of spending that money when I wasn't planning on it stings is all... I don't cope with change very well (although this process has made me a lot better!!) and so something as simple as maybe having to dip into my savings when I wasn't expecting to has sent me haywire

Like I said before though, the hormones prolly don't help and I am prolly just having it sink in that I am not going to see Jeremy for a while - it is hard to think that two weeks ago we were together in Hawaii. That on top of the fact that now I have done the wedding thing and don't have that to obsess over, the reality of moving and changing my whole life is sinking in. I knew it would and I am actually a lot more chilled than I thought I would be (ask me again in a couple months and I might have changed my mind!!).

And I'm prolly tired as well... OH! And I am back on a diet to make sure my dress fits me in June - started today and have been really good so far. But my normal night time snack is out - I am going to make some sleepytime tea and maybe have... a cereal bar... or a biscuit or something small that I would be allowed as a snack on weightwatchers...

Grr - I can't wait until I move and don't have to wear my dress again so I can just buy elasticated clothes and get fat

Night guys!! Love you all for being so nice to me moaning about stupid stuff! I almost feel better already

You looked awesome in your dress I am sure you will fit just fine when the time comes again Don´t be too hard on yourself

aly, if it helps: the real estate crisis is far from over, so you really don't want to buy at the moment anyway

my savings are melting away while i'm looking for jobs. but, i will go to a jobfair on wednesday and have another interview. so: i'm still hoping.

we won't buy property in the next 1-2 years, as we will be moving by that time. plus: is real estate what makes you happy? i doubt so. what you need is a small space for you and jeremy, a place where you feel at home.

1 year ago everybody was asking us why we didn't buy. well - we first of all couldn't afford, but second we had a bad feeling. all those people lost money on their houses.

you will be fine, aly!


tonite we hang up pictures in the house and now it's time to dust and clean the woodden beams. cleaning is really annoying sometimes....

Yeah, but come on...be honest...I'm sure you're both tickled to death to be able to do that stuff together.

Actually, with regards to property investment, now is a pretty good time to buy. Yes the markets may go lower, but they're not going to go significantly lower unless you're looking into million+ dollar properties. You could hold off 6 months and the property value of a $300k house might drop another $5k, or you can buy right now and start building equity. There are also some really amazing short sale properties on the market if you look. These are houses that the owner is selling for less than they owe, in hopes that the bank will accept a buyout offer from them. So let's say the current owner (who is close to foreclosure) owes $300,000 on their house. They put it on the market for $280,000. You make an offer for $270k. The owner accepts the offer contingent on the bank accepting the $30k loss. Which the bank will often do rather than see the house foreclose outright. So you basically wind up with a $300k+ house for $270k. If you buy that house in the right area, when housing prices do go back up (and they will), 5 years from now you could be sitting on a house worth $400k that you only paid $270k for.

That's why waiting for housing prices to go down further doesn't make a lot of sense in some cases. You could be missing out on a bargain because you're too focused on waiting for bargain prices.

money wise things not great for us either. I'd managed to save a small amount and Nick now working but his wage isn't really enough for us both to live on.

Well today is my last day in Scotland. Hope to get most of my stuff sorted earlyish so I can try to relax tonight. Still stressed about the weather.

DEBZ!! Have a great last day in Scotland - you'll soon be back visiting I am sure - I take it your family are going out in May for the wedding? I acn't wait to hear from you on the other side - I am so excited for you and so nervous for you and so jealous!!! You'll be fine money wise as well - you have *TONS* more savings than I do so I am sure it will see you through - especially as you don't have rent to pay!

Kirk - I really want to get on the property ladder asap because to me it makes more sense than renting and even though the market is low right now we just won't be able to do it right now because Jeremy's credit isn't all that great, I won't be earning right away and we have nowhere near enough for a downpayment... I guess we'll just have to be patient and hope that prices don't start rising too soon

Agnes - property won't make me happy but I am concerned that we will end up somewhere like we were when I was out there for the summer a couple years ago - we had a deadly spider living under our desk and rats in our kitchen not to mention the swarms of ants that got everywhere, even inside our fridge... I don't mind renting somewhere small but I want it to be a place that I will feel comfortable in - I will find it much harder to settle down if I don't feel comfortable in my new home and I think that is what worries me the most about it all

I"m here, ready to join you all...lol. We got visa approved yesterday. Just waiting for him to get his passport back then he's on his way...yay!!!. I'll have to look around for beanbag..lol.

Yay!! Welcome to the party and gratzies on your shiny new visa!!

Well I'm sure it's bittersweet for you, but don't stress. It's all gonna be good. Congrats on the move!


Yep yep, understand. The market's gonna stay low for at least another couple years so you have time. I just wanted to make the point that it's not necessary to wait if you don't want to.

Haha - no way do I *want* to wait - it's just we are going to have to

Debz - How is Nick feeling?! I forgot to ask? I bet he is soooo excited!!! Ohhh I can't wait til my turn - I am really bursting to move now even though I know I will be upset and nervous and scared!! I just can't wait!

haha don't actually know. Not heard from him for a couple of days but having a phonecall later.

Good luck with your travels tomorrow, debz! I'm sure it will all go really well! Just try to relax and focus on the beautiful life that lies in front of you!

Hope you are relaxing already Debz I´m not worried for you ...I´m happy for you ...you will see flight will be just fine and you have someone who loves you waiting for you

right just about to shut PC down as my wee bro is taking it away tonight. Going to have bath then lie in bed watching TV. It's a 4.30am alarm tomorrow. This weather better behave itself.

So see you on the otherside!!!.....HOPEFULLY!

Safe travels Debz!!

Welcome to the USA.

Oooohoo I am sooooo excited and nervous for Debz - she should either be in Ireland or on a plane right now... I am not sure how much of a layover she left but if nothing else she should be through POE at the very least!!!!!!!!!!!!!


AHHHH THIS IS DRIVING ME NUTS!!!!