Maybe the H1 visa's have something to do with it... but those have all been sent off by now and even tho it's the same time each year, many of those who filed last year at the same time were approved very quickly... so maybe not. It's all just really speculation.
We are as impatient as anyone else but honestly... In September we thought it would take 6+ months from NOA1 to NOA2.... then by January we were thinking it could be as quick as a month! So by March (before we even filed) we gave up on trying to speculate about timeframes! We simply hope for the best ...and ok, sometimes quietly curse the U.S. government for not being able to touch either other.
I don't think these people are all just sitting around drinking martini's and saying to themselves
'oh lets let them wait another month or two' .

Sure it's tough, but be thankful you didn't file during a fee increase (some of those ppl are still waiting) and I, for one, am quite thankful that Russell is not from a high fraud country that puts you in AP or security checks literally for years! There's so much about this process that is unsure. Each step brings new challenges. That's going to happen regardless. How you deal with it.... well that's up to you.
Ultimately, I think that what we must remember and try to focus our energy on is why we are in this position in the first place... how lucky we are to have found such great love that has already stood the test of distance and time. We'll get there... and when we do we will be that much better because of it!