~July 2007 K-1 Filers~

[Jeraly 4]

Thanks KG for my lovely new advert-less avvie!!! Yippee!!!

Ok - onto vows again now... this is what I have now:

Jeremy, today in front of our friends and family, I pledge to be your loving wife. I take you to be my husband as you are and for who you are, just as I offer myself to you as I am for all our faults and virtues. I also offer my heart and soul because I know they will be treasured by you and safe in your love. I vow to build a loving and trusting relationship, to be your companion in joy, comfort in adversity and to bring happiness and laughter into our marriage. I will cherish your company (needs something here). I promise that on our journey through life I will find the sunshine behind every cloud and make each day as beautiful to you as you are to me.

[Jeraly 4]

Haha - my mum just read them and got all teary at the last line!!!

Ok... another revision:

Jeremy, today in front of our friends and family, I pledge to be your loving wife. I take you to be my husband as you are and for who you are, just as I offer myself to you as I am for all my faults and virtues. I also offer my heart and soul because I know they will be treasured by you and safe in your love. I vow to build a loving and trusting relationship, to be your companion in joy, comfort in adversity and to bring happiness and laughter into our marriage. I will cherish your company and look forward to working together to build a life of dreams and adventures. I promise that on our journey through life I will find the sunshine behind every cloud and make each day as beautiful to you as you are to me.

I would like to get something about learning and growing together in there somewhere, something maybe to symbolise where we have come from... I think the length is ok now but there are just bits that kinda need re-jigging, change some words etc...

Ideas?

[Jeraly 4]

Yay!!! But come on - constructive criticism is welcomed.. as long as it isn't *too* much Can always improve on things I'm kinda taking a break on it til tomorrow now so I can take on board any ideas and hopefully tomorrow I will be done and can print my vows Ooohhhhh that is so scary!!! These are the words with which I commit myself!!!

[Jeraly 4]

Yay! Thanks!! I thought about mentioning batman but figured Jeremy might get jealous

Almost time to start my red wine and TV extravaganza... and I want a bath somehow before... not sure how I am going to fit it all in - crappy cop shows start in about 25 minutes!!!

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

*Ehm*

May I join in although we filed in June?

I promise to show some wedding pics when I figure out how to

[KGSodie 0]

As the day of the interview draws closer, things are getting very difficult for Natasha. She has never been apart for very long from her family, and she is very close to her sister. When circumstances required that she move in with her parents 5 or 6 years ago, I am sure this was not easy for her either. But having experienced the love that her family has for each other during my month spent in their embrace, and as the day of her interview and departure grows near, Natasha's heart grows heavy. During our online chats she often begins to cry when she thinks of leaving, as she must do as we make our preparations for the interview. She tells me that when she meets me at the airport in Moscow, she will likely be crying too - not because she is unhappy to see me, but because it will be at the end of the first train trip she has taken where she will not be returning home soon. I do not know how long AP takes to receive, but we cannot start the AOS process until we are married, which is currently scheduled for early May (it is considered improper to marry during most of March and April, by the Russian Church). It is likely to be many many months before we can return to Russia, and the finality of everything is setting in for her.

The ray of sunshine is that she knows things will be easier once the waiting is over and the actual travelling begins. Life with me (he says, trying to at least sound humble) will have much happiness in store for her, and she knows this. She will have her own cell phone immediately upon arrival here, and I have promised to pay for all the calls and all the hours she desires to speak with her family while she adjusts to her (our) new life. She will also have the computer and can see her family when they gather around the web camera, as often as they are able to do so.

But whatever the intellect may grasp, the heart will not be denied and there are many tears and many long nights ahead. It is so difficult to see my angel cry, and to know there is nothing I can do. Nothing but try and be strong, and supportive, and give to her all the love that I have in my possession.

These past 6 hours as I have been chatting with Natasha have been emotionally draining, and I desire to lessen my burden by sharing it with you all, my friends here on visa journey. I know everyone wishes me well, just as I wish everyone here success, health, and happiness.

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

Sorry to hear Natasha is having such a hard time right now. Well I can tell you from my experience that about two weeks prior to my arrival to USA I had major problems too. I didn´t wanna leave my home country at all and was very sad and was thinking it was a bad idea for me to go so far away. I spent almost 6 months in USA last year with my fiance and it was great. Cuz last year I knew that I had to go back to my home country and things seemed much easier than now. Now it seemed like final and I was flying to USA now with a one way ticket only so that was quite depressing. Scott had a really tough time with me and it continued about a week after I arrived to USA, but then I started looking at the possitive things and I´m very thankful that Scott stood by me during those two or three weeks cuz it must have been terrible for him. Make sure to be supportive of her and let her know she can travel back home to see her family again as soon as it´s possible. Wish you both good luck and don´t give up

[Ahmed N Cheryl 0]

WOW!!! How did I get so behind? I am not even going to try to comment on all and catch up. I will just say Hi everyone. Congrats to Gillain and our first CSC arrival. Sorry solate with that. Jeraly I used some of those wrods in my vows too Someone posted them...was it you that posted the examples? My mind is failing me and I am too lazy to go back and look. But they sound good. I will share mine later. Maybe tomorrow. I am tired tonight from dress shopping I did buy my dress tonight....It is alot like the frist one I posted but it has a halter neck insead of spaghetti straps.

Wedding Dress I Bought

We are doing a very simple wedding...It is my second although I have been divorced for 14 years I decided to wear Ivory and not white. Will be an outside Garden wedding or a backyard ceremony. I did not buy the veil. After trying it on I did not like it with the dress.

And I am sorry I am the winner for the age difference.....I am 16 years older than Ahmed. But love knows no numbers so age does not matter. However, at frist I was unsure about it. But each day I love him more and each day I am more sure he is who I want to spend the rest of my life with.Sorry to take the winners sash..............lol

KG I am sorry to hear Natasha is sad and having a hard time righ now. I will put her on my prayer list. Hang in there!!

Happy Bithday Weedebz!!

Okay guys that is all I can rememeber about what I read....I have CRS syndrome (Can't Remember S- - - !!) Hope you all are having a great Saturday. Take Care!! See you soon.

Cheryl

PS Jeraly I see u got the Advertisement off your beanbag sparkles....NOW I am jealous again......LOL

[tucson_chick 0]

KG, i am sorry for the hard time you guys are having. i had a very similar conversation with eric basically each day for about 1 week now. he keeps telling me that i am draining him with my emotional state and all the negativeness and the reassurance that i constantly need.

but there is not a whole lot i can do about it. i mean, i am leaving my family and my friends behind. my flight leaves in 5 days and i already know that i will need a ton of tissues.

and it doesn't mean that i don't love him, or that i don't want to close to him or anything. it's just the two sides of one coin called: K1 and immigration.

i hope everybody has a sunny, happy, bright sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FREE HUGS FOR EVERYBODY!!!

[Jeraly 4]

*Ehm*

May I join in although we filed in June?

I promise to show some wedding pics when I figure out how to

Yay!! Sure you can join us! You can be an honorary July filer like Moxie I'll make certificates in a little bit... in fact as we will all be filing AOS at different times anyway then I will even add your AOS progress to our spreadsheet Let me know all the details and things and I will fill it all in - I am anxious to add something to it as I made it all myself!!

Aly <------------ big girl now

KG, i am sorry for the hard time you guys are having. i had a very similar conversation with eric basically each day for about 1 week now. he keeps telling me that i am draining him with my emotional state and all the negativeness and the reassurance that i constantly need.

but there is not a whole lot i can do about it. i mean, i am leaving my family and my friends behind. my flight leaves in 5 days and i already know that i will need a ton of tissues.

and it doesn't mean that i don't love him, or that i don't want to close to him or anything. it's just the two sides of one coin called: K1 and immigration.

i hope everybody has a sunny, happy, bright sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FREE HUGS FOR EVERYBODY!!!

KG/Agnes/Pretty much most of us:

It is really hard - it is harder because when we seem upset about it, it can easily be interpreted as not wanting to go by our friends/family - last thing we need is them asking if we made the right decisions, have any regrets, that there is still time to change our minds(!) etc!!!

Kevin - I know that I will be the same - I peak and trough between feeling totally chilled out and excited to panicking and wondering how I will cope. I am sure it is natural and I am sure things will settle down. Sometimes the buildup/wait is the worst part of it all.

Agnes - I know how you feel hunny *hugs* I am sure part of you just wants to go now so you can get it over and done with rather than hang around waiting for your life to be turned upside down. Just think - when you are there things will settle down - *AND* as if you wanted anything else to look forward to (some might say it is even better than being with your fiance) you will get a SHINY NEW CERTIFICATE from me Will take pre-orders

*hugs* to all

Am feeling totally chilled today actually so

[KGSodie 0]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, everyone. It's comforting to know I'm not alone!

[KGSodie 0]

As the day of the interview draws closer, things are getting very difficult for Natasha. 8<...

Kevin, sorry to hear of the internal turmoil Natasha's experiencing right now. I'm sure you've been expecting it of course, but now the reality really sets in for both of you. How is Vika handling it?

You and I share pretty similar situations (as we've noted before) so I'll be eagerly anticipating your narrative about your new life with Natasha and Vika, living vicariously through your adventures as it were. Hopefully you'll blaze a few trails for me that will smooth my path out when Nadya arrives.

I was thinking the same thing when I was writing that post, Mox, but decided not to mention it. I'll definitely keep you updated on things. Vika seems to be very excited by the entire prospect of turning her life upside down, but being only 10 she is probably not completely aware of what she will feel or experience after she arrives.

[Jeraly 4]

Also kids are pretty resilient so you'll prolly find that once she starts school she'll develop a social network right away and settle down quite well

Have changed from being chilled to somewhat nervous now - it's crunch time. We had family over and the next time I will see them is when I am in the States so it is sinking in how close it is getting. Now I just kinda want to skip to Thursday post-immigration so I can chill again!!

Also the first day I am there (Friday), Jeremy is working so I will be on here chatting and freaking out

[KGSodie 0]

I agree with you Ally - kids can adjust pretty quickly. Natasha, Vika and I will have 2 weeks together in Moscow for the interview, and then 1 week here before I return to work. After I return to work, Vika will be in school and Natasha will come with me to my work (I have such a flexible job - it's quite a benefit). I have no intention of leaving her alone until she feels she is ready. Her English is actually pretty good, but it's still difficult for her to understand spoken English unless it is spoken very slowly. Exciting days are definitely just ahead.

[Jeraly 4]

Oh that is cool I know that when I was out for a couple months in 2006 I went into work with Jeremy some days just to get me out of the house. Ok so I was just sat freezing in A&W (70 feels reeeeaally cold when it's over 100 outside in the shade) with my reading book and puzzle book for company for eight hours but it made a change from time to time

What do you do that is so flexible?! Sounds like I need to get me a job like that Hmmm also need to make certificates for moxie and Marta