jon and jheni

My first post~~ But im not new, I have lurked this site for almost a year!! <3
Here I am today!! ONE YEAR TO THE DAY (almost) since we started our I-485 journey for my husband! I am proud to say that today we got APPPRRRROOOOVVVVEEEEDDDDDDD!!! <3
So in January of last year we sent in our I-485/I-130 packet. Shortly after we received a letter asking for more evidence as well as a sponsor. Well I sent in more evidence but didn't ask anyone to help sponsor us, I thought sending in my pay stubs and taxes it would be enough....was I wrong! About a month later we received a denial notice. At this point my husband and I have FREAKED out. We had 40 days to appeal. Immediately we hired a lawyer...after paying 1600 (including the fee for the appeal I-290B) everything was sent off end of July. I was discouraged because I read/heard it could take up to 2 years for them to approve or deny the appeal and I felt bad because I messed up...I could have just gotten a sponsor but i was too hot headed to ask anyone for help.
Well it only took 2 months for us to get a decision on our appeal---- Approved YAY-- so about a couple weeks after that we got the work permit (EAD) and got his SSN......then our interview date was sent.....our nail biting and stress was a little at ease at this point.
Well our Interview was end of Nov--we get there at 6:45am since we were scheduled at 7:30am...we waited for our office to open, exited to finally be in the last stages.......well.....we were called in and my poor hubby (who speaks English VERY WELL) was asked a hard question--If he was going to commit espionage in the U.S....and he choked he didnt know what espionage meant (not that we ever used that word haha so I wasnt surprised he didnt know that one) and answered that he didnt understand....so the officer stopped us right there and told us that he cant interview us without a translator > GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! BUT HE SPEAKS GREAT ENGLISH JUST REPHRASE THE QUESTION....ok whatever fine...
So we waited and waited and finally we got a second interview date--- LAST WEEK--
So here we were again-- we hired a translator ($300 btw) and she met us there at our interview...same time. Well this time we had a different officer...she was really nice but very stern at the same time. She started off with different questions then the guy which hubby answered easily. She asked us the normal questions pertaining to our packet (btw that thing was 4 inches thick at that point) and asked him my birth date and asked me his birth date....then she asked to see our scrap book (that I put my heart and soul in!! It looked amazing!!) She looked at all our pictures from our Cali/Disney vacation, to our New York vacation to our Las Vegas vacation hahaha-- and she noted that I was very creative and my scrap book looked amazing then asked us which vacation was our favorite we both said New York....and that was it----- and we didnt even need the translator (but she was a sweetheart and really nice) even the Officer said that we didnt need to get a translator but she understood the reason why it had to happen...due to just one question.....well she told us 'Give me a few days to review and I will send you a notice in the mail of my decission' Ahhhhhhhhhh....NO MORE WAITING PLEASE....the stresssss the stressss.......here i was again looking online at stories and outcomes since we didnt have an answer right away and I was freaking out as usuall-- seeing that if they take the I-94 its a good sign (since she took that but not the passport) and seeing how many people got approved on the spot or had to wait........one week of this.........well today we checked online and saw we were APPPRRROOVED...after dancng around a bit and calling everyone we know.... I am one happpppyyyyyy wifey to one happy hubby....now to plan our BIG VACATION to Morocco <3 <3 <3 Hopefully in May....no later then June we will be going to my favorite country in the world again--where this all began in the first place....
So I hope my story will encourage other or show that even with hiccups in the road it will all get done eventually!! Took us From January 12' to January 13' (longer then most) but its all over for now...
Oh and BTW--- our I-130 has been pending for ever-- never got approved or denied...lol I was told they approve that after the interview sometimes....if not done earlier.