I've went down from a US size 26-28 to a 14-16....

Good morning VSC Januarians and visitors!!!

Thank you. I appreciate it. I still struggle with the fact that I need to eat in order to lose. My mother, who is also on the site as a success story, tells everyone how I never eat but still gain weight. It's a hard lesson to learn. Water is just part of my life now. If I have it with me, I drink it. It's that simple. Thanks again.



Thank you for your kind words psiprez and especially for taking the time to view my brother's flyer. Unfortunately, it's been 5 years now and still no word of his whereabouts. He is an absoultely beautiful man, a harvard graduate...has(d) so much going for him. But he suffers from depression and was on the opposite coast from his large close family here in MA and just feeling lost. We were extremely close but he felt as though his illness was a burden. We still hold much hope that he will come home to us someday soon. I've started a book about his life so hopefully that will help.

our father passed away in 1999 at just 51 of a massive heart attack. My xhusband and I found him and tried to bring him back. He died instantly. This is a man who ran 12 miles a day and worked out as well. So it was a huge shock to our family...especially hard on my brother.

In 1994, I lost a child who was born with a congenital heart defect. Anything else this life brings me will pale in comparison to that pain.

This is a difficult process. The worst part being the distance from the ones we love so much while other people are in control of our destiny. But it is what it is. Life is always going to hand you difficulties... getting through them, learning from them, it all makes you stronger. It makes you treasure what is truly important. This process, if you let it, will help teach you to never take each other for granted and to cherish your love even more.



Thank you.



Thank you. So, you've lost 70 pounds already? Good for you!!! I thought your pictures looked much different. You should send me your before/now/after pictures for our success stories and perhaps join us on the getting2goal message board. It really does help keep you accountable and the people there are just awesome. Congratulations to you...keep it up!



Wow Saffyre, 70 pounds is great! I think you are much stronger than you give yourself credit for! Congratulations!



When you're as big as I was you just find the biggest, stretchiest clothes you can find. I think that 'before' shirt & pants was a 30/32 but extremly stretchy and I never would have fit into jeans that size at my heaviest weight so I really don't know. My lowest is about a size 12 jeans. I'm still a DD cup up top so I tend to wear bigger shirts.

Good morning greeneyedgirl

Was hoping to see more approvals from VSC this week although it was nice to see CSC catching up a bit! Good luck to you all this week. I hope some hard working adjuticator has taken all your files home to approve and that you'll have your notices early next week! Have a good day folks and thanks again for the kind words.

Yeah it's hard work watching what you eat all the time - but it feels good to buy the clothes I like!

6 hrs to goooooo i'm so excited i just can't hide it!!! How are you all on this lovely day. my stomach is in knots and i'm anxious!

What did I miss? 6 hours till what?

his visit:) I have had anxiety all week it's been worse than usual!

Have fun!

Happy flying and good luck!

Have a wonderful visit!

I'm so excited... we got an RFE!! For something super easy and simple!!

WHY am I so excited? Because it means that an approval is hopefully right around the corner.

What they are asking for is related to my previous marriage, as I would have guessed. They are asking for more proof that I had changed my name from my maiden name to my ex's when we got married (I haven't switched back).

So what they are asking for is:
1. Another copy of my birth certificate.
2. Another copy of my marriage certificate.
3. A copy of my old passport, which was issued in my maiden name. You'd think their system would show that I was issued a new passport in my married name, but I guess not.

I could also send copies of my old and new SS cards. Can't hurt!


Maybe my birth certificate looks a bit shady to them. You see, the computerized county records where I was born here in NJ were hacked and thousands of identities were stolen a few years ago. So the State of NJ declared all birth certificates ever issued in that county to be invalid. I had to go through the State of NJ to get a "new" birth certificate issued, and it looks much different from other birth certificates in NJ.

Either way, it will all be in the mail at 8:30am Monday!

wow, seems a strange request when they already have the copies of your birth and marriage certificates. I wonder if it is because of the NJ Birth Certificate problems as you described. Picky adjuticator perhpas? Well, ti's good you have it all ready to go again on Monday! Hope your approval is soon after that.

A national database would be so much simpler for all of this...I'm glad the RFE was something simple, and even happier that you have it ready to go...

Did anyone else get approved in the last two or three days? I haven't seen anything on the boards?

Oh and good morning to all......

The only one i saw was a February filer, I just wish they would do them in order.

I work in front of a computer all day long with not always so much work to do... I check out VJ a few times a day and I also haven't noticed so many approvals this last week. Today is a Sunday so hopefully everyone will get those strange Sunday touches...

Filed on February 8th... touched on the 24th (Sunday), nothing since... I know I shouldn't even be expecting anything but all these January NOA2s and even a couple Febs got me excited

I know what you mean - I check several times a day just hoping that today will be my lucky day. It's never my day to be lucky though.....

There are quite a few of us last touched on 24th Feb and nothing since, hopefully they will get to our pile soon.

Yeah I keep thinking if that person who touched our files on the 24th Feb went on their holidays for two weeks, they'd have to be back by now and ready to get our cases approved....

I wonder if the Easter holiday will slow it down much.

Here in NJ, many people go on vacation the week that kids have off from school (either the week before or after Easter). And it's usually to go to WDW. I hate to think there may be cases just sitting on someone's desk for a week while they are off riding It's A Small World for the third time in a row!

I actually thought it would speed up in the week or so before. You know, people wanting to clear their desks and such. Maybe that's more of a Christmastime thing.

I had thought something similar, but i'm told by my SO that they don't take holidays in the US the way we do here in the UK. First off they don't get as much allocated days as we do, and second, they have to use holidays for their sick time too? So perhaps not too many folks will take off for Easter after all.

I'm hoping to get my NOA2 by mid April, and then be leaving the UK by the end of May.......

Hope is good isn't it?

I would like to be there for my birthday in June but who knows lol

Yep, most workers here only get two weeks off each year. Not the five you are probably used to.

Even worse, if you have to accrue time off, it means you will earn one week off every six months that you work. If you want to take two weeks off, you need to save up your time for a whole year. But then most employers won't ever approve two whole weeks off together.

So while some workers will take off that week (for a trip, or because they have no other childcare that week), most will still be on the job. Thankfully.

I think that's realistic. That is 5 months from filing.
I suppose i'm just holding out hope that i'll get processed faster.



and whilst I feel sorry for those people, i'm glad they'll be working.

Government employees will get the holiday off and earn some vacation days but my guess is that they save those vacations for Thanksgiving and Christmas season like most people in the states do... maybe some summer time off... most people I know don't take multi day vacations at all between mid January- June.

Touched today - looks like someone is working over there....

Oooh fingers crossed!

Praying for you guys!!!

Lol I know its gonna hit us Brits really hard with the holiday entitlements.

Ha, the saddest part being that I kept dreaming about getting an approval notice (a day late of course) and I kept checking back to make sure it was real.... Hope it's a sign. I hope everyone else starts to see some touches and then approvals - I'm starting to feel "overtouched!!!"

oooh you're not wrong there!



Well, as soon I saw you got touched I went and checked mine....but sadly no touches for me today....yet. I'm still hoping though

Really it just depends where you work. The company I work for is really good about paid time off (I thought so at least). As an entry level employee I'm allowed 18 days - which is unheard of for many. Unfortunately, sick time does come out of it. For those above me they get 23 but we are allowed to "purchase" more at the beginning of the year. And many do.

I happen to be in a job that has quite a bit of "time off"...teaching. However, I spend much of that time catching up grading going to trainings, and planning. I am still thankful for all the time I have off...I know Darren will miss his holiday entitlements (probably more than he realises)...

My mom had to wait almost 15 years at her job to have her 4 weeks off; and then she had to wait until she had more seniority to get the time off she wanted to (Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.)...

I'm actually considering myself lucky then, because as soon as I am work autorised I have a job waiting. I'm going into business with an uncles who currently lives in NY....so I wont be too concerned about holidays. He is English too!
All I need now is just to get there!!!!

I got touched and approved on 2/24, but didn't get the e-mail notice until 2/25....so there is hope!

Hope everyone's St. Patrick's Day is lucky!!!

Hello Everyone..

Receipt Number: EACxxxxxxx

Application Type: I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On March 13, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

We we were touched the 13th, but only today the 16th were we notified and the website changed to our approved status..

Best wishes to everyone still waiting..

Congratulations!!!

Congratulations 24.2 touch

Congratulations!!! What a lucky day for you!!!

I sense I might be checking the USCIS website constantly today.

That would be completely understandable with our record of Sunday approvals!!!

CONGRATS!!!!! I can't believe that they waited 3 days to notify you!! You've probably started the journey to the NVC without even knowing it!

sorry, double post...

Maybe I should try and hold off until later today. They only work till 4pm (i'm told) so if I wait till then I should at least get a better clue and retain a bit of sanity.

I'm like you though - I can't help it. I have to check and check and check.

You're getting an awful lot of touches though - seems your approval is coming...

I have a feeling that you're just going to randomly see an approval one morning with no touches behind you..

Oh that would be so nice! It would make my day

I want that so badly for you!!!!

CONGRATS!!!