Converse34

I know, I just didn't think it would take so long. We spent the last year fixing it up - everything has been redone, it is like a new house inside. No, the first estate agents were useless. Never returned phone calls, got our brochure wrong like 5 times, and we were never put on their website. We are def with the right agents, I am just worried we will be already to go except getting rid of the house!

You don't have to give it up.

So, now that we have our interview date and our medical is tomorrow - everything should be going in the right direction.

BUT my biggest stress is trying to sell our house! I am still hopeful for a Fall wedding, but our house has been on the market for about 6 weeks and although we have had lots of viewings - we have yet to have an official offer! We dropped our first estate agent as they considered 2 viewings in 4 weeks "good". Obviously, we are not on the same page.

Is anyone else selling a house? Anyone want to buy a house in lovely South Manchester??

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-155...=1&tr_t=buy

Vonage! Unlimited calls to UK land lines or to the US if you are in the UK

Cari, any news yet?

I just got through to DoS and we have an interview date on August 7!!

I was so excited I completely blanked what time it is though. It's so soon, I'm not sure I'll be able to make it over that early! I was planning to go over for the interview, but I guess we'll just have to see.

Cari fantastic news!! Wow the embassy is really on their game this week!!

Congratulations Converse!!

Thank you! I know you will hear something soon! I think this is showing they are looking at the wedding date you put. I can't see how else I would have received such an early August date if I didn't put down Sept 15th. It doesn't make sense otherwise.

I just called the DOS - our interview date is Aug 8th at 10:30!! The letter was posted today. So exciting!

Good Luck!!

I also put Sept 1 as a travel date, but put Sept 15 as wedding date. I also had Conrad send it recorded delivery.

I couldn't really fudge about our wedding date, as everything is booked. Plus I will probably use all my vendor contracts as possible extra evidence at the interview.

Ours was sent recorded as well, signed for on June 25. They finally entered the case into the computer as received July 9. But we still aren't eligible for an interview date for some reason. We were very careful about double-checking everything on the forms, but I am paranoid we did something wrong! I need to just relax about it, but it's so dang hard.

I'm sure it will all come together soon. Just make a daily call to the DOS and see where you stand! I was really paranoid that Conrad wouldve filled out a form wrong (i usually handle all this kinda stuff in normal life anyways). But I think we can agree that there is often no method to the madness. Keep us updated!!

Hmm, I wonder what's taking so long for mine then...

Hopefully tomorrow I will hear something. I'm so impatient.

Did you put dates down for travel and wedding dates? Something specific? If so, what?

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

And for the others too! You guys are close!

I also put Sept 1 as a travel date, but put Sept 15 as wedding date. I also had Conrad send it recorded delivery.

My fella called the DoS line today and had a nice lil chat with the "Good Luck Dude"..... he said that they have received my packet 3 and that we are now eligible for an interview date....and of course....he wished us good luck!

I also called and told we were eligible for an interview date today. It was some lady who couldn't wait to get off the phone, but I had my news - so neither could I!

I was finally able to get through to the Dept of State - our case is "open and eligible for an interview - just one has not been scheduled yet" ooh exciting!!!

Yay! You will probably have a date tomorrow or Monday! They told us that on a Friday and we had a date scheduled on Monday. Sooo close!

Thanks Daisy! Even Conrad, who is the most laid back person ever, is starting to get excited. The FedEx came today with all our financial support documents and he called me at 6:30 to tell me it came.

I was finally able to get through to the Dept of State - our case is "open and eligible for an interview - just one has not been scheduled yet" ooh exciting!!!

Thanks everyone! I just wanted to know if it is worth calling to see "when is our interview date?!" if we haven't had the medical yet.

Yeah the flight isn't a big deal. I work for an airline, I am fortunate to be very flexible with travel - we can book on the day if needed.

Has anyone gotten an interview date before actually completing their medical? Or is it likely that they won't issue the date until the medical comes back ok?

They simply need to invest into a web application so that we can log in and check our own status! I don't think it is too much to ask for in this day!!

I thought you could only get the code if you are outside the usual wait time? Also, is it really $16 to call the extortion line (plus whatever my phone company charges me to call London) and is it really worth it for this code?

I don't think so - not at this point for me anyways. Others have just had luck sending numerous emails. I am going to resend every few days and see if they just give in and reply

FYI Nealandcari,

There is an explanation for your emails being deleted without being read. You have to call the embassy first to get the proper "code" to put in the subject line of your emails, or else they will just get deleted. Just so ya know:)

Yeah, but isn't this just an auto reply? So even if you include the code, you would still get the same message?

Americans do not like giving cash but they don't mind gift cards!

That's not true for New Yorkers. Whenever I go to a wedding, I give cash...one time, everyone at my table was all 'how tacky! cash!'

Yeah, I am from NJ and it is cash all the way.

Ours took about 33 days I believe. This includes weekends.

According to all the wedding etiquette I have been reading lately (which is a lot!). You are not supposed to ask for money or even list where you are registered, either on the invitation or separately. It is all supposed to be done through the word of mouth. In my experience, gifts are to be given at the wedding shower (I know we really don't have those in the UK) and money at the wedding itself.

Please make sure you send thank you notes to anyone who has sent a gift. Even if you thank them at the wedding, you must still send a thank you.

It's very rude to ask for $$, esp. in America (my hubby didn't get that as it's OK in England). We said we were moving across country so gift cards are more appreciated. Americans do not like giving cash but they don't mind gift cards!

Does anyone NOT send thank yous? How rude!

I agree it is rude to ask for money, but I would disagree that Americans do not like giving cash. In my family and circle of friends of weddings that I have been to, EVERYONE gives cash. When my best friend got married, someone commented that she didn't have a table put aside for gifts. She said "we don't need a table, just a basket for the envelopes" and it’s true - she didn't get one gift - all cash.

The wedding book that I have is all for gift lists, lol. There is a whole chapter on it.

Well, we definitely won't have time for a wedding shower... So, I can't really think of any other way of letting people know

We will definitely be sending thank you cards though.

I would think that if a note came from a close person to you on each side of the family, it might be the best option. So if you have someone send a note to your side and he has a note sent on his side, it wont seem like you guys are the one's asking, but your family is. It might be better than a note from you.

According to all the wedding etiquette I have been reading lately (which is a lot!). You are not supposed to ask for money or even list where you are registered, either on the invitation or separately. It is all supposed to be done through the word of mouth. In my experience, gifts are to be given at the wedding shower (I know we really don't have those in the UK) and money at the wedding itself.

Please make sure you send thank you notes to anyone who has sent a gift. Even if you thank them at the wedding, you must still send a thank you. I went to several weddings in the UK and I have not once ever received a thank you note.

Execellent! Thank you both. I suppose when you are sitting around waiting, you find things to worry about. LOL

hotjobs.com and monster.com are by far the best internet job sites. i used to also do searches for companies in my area by using www.yellowbook.com - once you have a list of companies that you would like to work for in your area, go to their websites and see if they have any job postings. good luck!!