BlakeandOlha

Hello all Well Levi and I are home now! It was an emotional weekend with all the goodbyes but we had a safe trip and got home last night. No troubles at the border at all.

Welcome home you two, Congratulations

Oh Blake, I know I'm a few days late, but here's a huge CONGRATULATIONS to you and Olga. It warmed my heart to read this post. Congrats to you both and may you travel well and finally have some peace.

:star:

Approved

Olga's visa was approved and everything went smoothly (once we arrived) The previous posts about what to expect were very helpful (thank you Gary and Alla). They did not have even one question for us. Olga's paperwork was flawless thanks to this website and the people who contribute to it. In a little over two weeks Olga and my soon to be stepson will meet me at the airport in Kiev for the journey over. Finally!!!!!

Thank you to everyone for your support, we never would have made it through this process without your support.

Now to celebrate, Ukrainian style.....

Love to all, Blake & Olga

Thank you!!!! There will be peace the day after the wedding, oh wait, that's a work day, damn I'm leaving this Saturday on the first leg of a journey that will take me to England, then to CZK, then to Kiev and finally back home with Olga and my erstwhile step son. I'll be gone all week, so whatever isn't done in the house, will just have to wait. It'll be something to keep her busy with anyway.

Congratulations!!!

It's a great feeling

APPROVED!!! The wait is finally over! They said that we can go pick the visa up this afternoon at 12:30. We thought it would be 2:00, but the earlier...the better!! Plan is to pick it up and head on into to Seattle today! Can't wait to get back "HOME". Wedding is in 3 weeks!!

CONGRATULATIONS!! Approval and Visa at the same time? amazing and wonderful.

I wish they were so efficient in the Ukraine - we have to wait up to 10 days for the visa to be delivered.

I wish so too, they actually give us even more stress when we have to wait for the mail to arrive again >_<

I know, it's particularly stressful in the Ukraine where express mail means they get out the donkey instead of walking. Seriously, you have to allow 10 days for them to "express" it back to you. After the emotional roller coaster you've been on Jeroen, what's a few more butterflies in the stomach. I was very happy for you when you finally got the visa in your hand.

Hi Gary, this is what they replied with:

Dear Mr. ____:

Thank you for your email message of September 02, 2008. The Consular Section is pleased to inform you that currently your fiancée's case has been loaded electronically into our database. However, the hard copy of the case has not been received yet. Therefore, we cannot take any action on the case until we receive the hard copy of the approved petition from the National Visa Center (NVC). Upon the receipt of the hard copy of the case the instructions on how schedule an appointment will be mailed to the applicant.

No problem, as Gary said you can download everything you need off of the embassy website - checklists and document requirements. Get started now so there is no delay when you get the notification from the embassy to make your appointment.

APPROVED!!! The wait is finally over! They said that we can go pick the visa up this afternoon at 12:30. We thought it would be 2:00, but the earlier...the better!! Plan is to pick it up and head on into to Seattle today! Can't wait to get back "HOME". Wedding is in 3 weeks!!

CONGRATULATIONS!! Approval and Visa at the same time? amazing and wonderful.

I wish they were so efficient in the Ukraine - we have to wait up to 10 days for the visa to be delivered.

Approved

Olga's visa was approved and everything went smoothly (once we arrived) The previous posts about what to expect were very helpful (thank you Gary and Alla). They did not have even one question for us. Olga's paperwork was flawless thanks to this website and the people who contribute to it. In a little over two weeks Olga and my soon to be stepson will meet me at the airport in Kiev for the journey over. Finally!!!!!

Thank you to everyone for your support, we never would have made it through this process without your support.

Now to celebrate, Ukrainian style.....

Love to all, Blake & Olga

Just stopping by to wish you good luck Blake!!!

I am sure you will be fine!!

I am also happy you get to see Olga soon!

And Sunny, your dress is very nice, and does fit you well!

Well, for me, my wedding is in 2 days, and my sister and brother in law are coming in 3 hours!!!!!

I am so so excited and happy!!!!

I wish I could have more time to chat with you guys, but I will let you all my news after the wedding...

Thanks Pam - Congratulations to YOU!

I'm here in Kiev with Olga and her son, and we are getting ready to leave for the medical - the interview's tomorrow. Cecile, I'm glad you're in the lead on all this so we can figure out what to do once our SO's are here. Didn't I annoint you the Canary? So much good news is floating around. I'll update everyone tomorrow.

Oooh Blake this is it!!! Good luck to you both and safe travels to you both as well!!!

Thank you guys so much. I'm actually in a bit of denial as I haven't packed a damn thing yet. I'm sure I'll wake up in terror tomorrow morning. Thank goodness my flight doesn't leave until tomorrow night.

Tell her that you need you very own nurse

Great advice Chantal, I will definitely use it.

Well tomorrow is my flight to Kiev to be with Olga for the interview. I can't believe that this day has finally arrived I went back and read the openning pages of this thread and now it seems like such a long time ago, hell, it was a long time ago! But here I am taking the last couple steps in this long journey. My flight doesn't finally get into Kiev until 1:30 in the am Monday, at which time I will sit and wait at the train station until 6:30 when Olga arrives.

Although my leg is much improved today, I'm sure I can summon up a limp that will require immediate medical attention. Iwill write from Kiev to let you all know how it went. Your good wishes are greatly appreciated.

Well Gareth called the London Embassy today since our stuff supposedly got mailed to them on the 19th and still nothing. We got the 2 to 3 week period and well next week hits 3 weeks. He asked if him having medical already now would mess anything up and they assured him that no it wouldn't. We are just hoping now that he put the bug in their ear about having medical already and that they should have file by now that they will speed up a bit........I know wishful thinking aye?

Our hopes for a September interview is slipping away more and more each passing day...SIGH.

WOw Blake you have lots on your plate right now and too darn cute about you being Olga's first American patient tee hee! I am sure she will take very good care of you

I asked her if she wanted to play doctor when I got there, and she didn't understand . Damn language barrier strikes again

Ever since I bought my plane ticket the distance has become harder to deal with.

I'd been okay up until now, really.

This week has been horrible so far. I miss Alex as much as I did after I'd left in January (of course the distance always sucks, but it's a little more painful when you've just left someone - I'm sure you can all empathise). I thought it'd be easier once I'd booked my plane ticket, but it's not. I think it's because I know it's so close.

I don't want to plan a wedding or worry about money, I just want to be there!

I understand your feelings exactly - I've got so much to do on the wedding planning, house fixing, flight arranging, and work sides that I'm a bit looney at this point. I leave for Kiev in 2 days and the interview is next Wednesday after Tuesday's medical exam. I just want all this to be over, no more planning, no more painting, or waiting, or any of that. I've been waiting for too long already and I want it done. On top of it all I pulled a calf muscle in last night's softball game so my Kiev excursion will include a lot of limping. Oh well, thank goodness Olga's a doctor - I'll be her first american patient.

K everyone here is me in my dress....was just holding flower girl sash up mine will actually tie in a bow in back and hang down a bit.....

Rock'n dress Sunny!! My, my, the bride is glowing

Awww tee hee yeah I am a bit of a smitten kitten what can I say?

Yes you are Gareth is a lucky man

K everyone here is me in my dress....was just holding flower girl sash up mine will actually tie in a bow in back and hang down a bit.....

Rock'n dress Sunny!! My, my, the bride is glowing

Cecile,

I hope you had a beautiful service as well. Congratulations to the Bride and Groom!!!!

Levi - Good Luck today also

Happy Birthday Rachel!!!!!!

Second the emotion!!!

Happy B-Day!!!

Oh man on the family taking over..I am happy to report that mine mind their own business for most part! Of course they know I am gonna do what I want in the end Oh I will post what I have so far on our wedding site too heehee...yeah I am such a dork I know I know...

Blake I am not sure what is better for facebook and myspace I used to say face but then they got into adding all these ####### applications (but you don't have to add any u can keep real basic..same as myspace or aka spazz as me and Gareth call it).

LMAO Rachel about us already being friends on spazz haha! Funny stuffs guess we had this convo before...gosh my memory is horrid.

Our wedding is gonna be quite the event and have prob between 100 and 200 coming...I just did the courthouse thing first time around so I am making up for it all

200? Yikes!

Sunny I have new found respect for you and your book

Now, how can a person "need" an R2D2 USB Hub - yes I checked out your registry on your website. Even signed it.

Oh man on the family taking over..I am happy to report that mine mind their own business for most part! Of course they know I am gonna do what I want in the end Oh I will post what I have so far on our wedding site too heehee...yeah I am such a dork I know I know...

Blake I am not sure what is better for facebook and myspace I used to say face but then they got into adding all these ####### applications (but you don't have to add any u can keep real basic..same as myspace or aka spazz as me and Gareth call it).

LMAO Rachel about us already being friends on spazz haha! Funny stuffs guess we had this convo before...gosh my memory is horrid.

Our wedding is gonna be quite the event and have prob between 100 and 200 coming...I just did the courthouse thing first time around so I am making up for it all

200? Yikes!

Sunny I have new found respect for you and your book

By the way, when I said Alex's apartment was on the outskirts of the city...

Well, I really meant it! It is here. I'm really going to have to learn to drive as soon as possible. Alex says the only store within walking distance is a 7-11, and even that is quite far away.

Nice location, not too far from the water, but far enough that you should avoid the marine layer every morning. Driving is a must. Olga's never even been behind the wheel of a car - she is both excited and terrified of the concept. But that's the only way to get from store to store here, everything's so spread out and the mass transit is pretty bad. You'll enjoy driving in California - always a high speed adventure.

I have myspace too (Rachel, I just added you to my friends): here's my profile

So how are you adapting to St. Louis, are you a Cardinals fan yet? (I heard it was required for entry). I couldn't get into the albums to see what boots are being talked about, so I'll just have to use my imagination.

he probably woke up at some point, but we left before that!

yes, all my albums are private, and I believe you have to have a myspace account to see any pictures. Not sure which is better between myspace and facebook. I went on myspace because that is where Bryan and his friends had profiles.

I wish the city was better for pedestrians (in my area it's definitely not, I'm scared everytime I have to cross the road), but other than that I like being here. I'm not a Cardinals fan yet and I doubt I will be (usually sports aren't for me). Although I went to Bryan's softball games the past weekends and we also went to the batting cages (is that how it is called?) a few days ago. It was my first time with a bat in my hands. He said I did well for my first time

You're right on the "cages" although many people use the singular. It's good to see Bryan is supportive of your natural clubbing instincts.

And it would be very weird to have the aunt here but not the parents. If my son was getting married and I wasn't invited but my sister (who would be the aunt) was going there, I would feel very upset.

I understand your pressures Cecile, I'm going through the same thing now. We're having family in, dinner for friends, etc. and even though it's only around 20 people, trying to get everything organized is driving me nuts. I'd love to have a courthouse wedding but that is not to be. I have great respect for all those people who have had to plan these things.

For my first marriage, all I really had to do was nod my head occasionally and show up on time.

Payback's a ######!!

I have myspace too (Rachel, I just added you to my friends): here's my profile

Good Morning all January Filers!

Love your pictures Cecile - did the dude ever wake up? I'm not part of the facebook or myspace generation (yet) but someday perhaps...... Which is better by the way?

So how are you adapting to St. Louis, are you a Cardinals fan yet? (I heard it was required for entry). I couldn't get into the albums to see what boots are being talked about, so I'll just have to use my imagination.

Sunny, Cobbson is a good name, I just hope having you both change names doesn't confuse the Gov't anymore than they are already confused about seemingly everything.

was as shocked as I was when I realized that things may go totally wrong still :S

The Gods are just teasing you Jeroen, don't take it personally.

Hmmm.. I suppose you're right.. besides, you can know this as you have close connections to them with you being Moses and all haha

very well put

was as shocked as I was when I realized that things may go totally wrong still :S

The Gods are just teasing you Jeroen, don't take it personally.

If I could stop working 12 hour days I might feel like I can get things done, but that's not happening right now. Hopefully soon.....

Well, unless you want me to try it on you'll probably have to wait until the wedding Yes Sunny it was a Peridress - Jasmine collection. I was actually suprised at how nice of a job they did. It really is stunning. The first thing we'll do when Olga's here is get it fitted at the seamstresses just to make sure it's perfect. Talk about a great way to spend the time waiting for approval, Olga and her sister must of had 40 dresses lined up at once. But this is what she finally settled on.

Oh heck, here it is, http://www.peridress.com/shop/product.php?...t=77&page=9

Blake I hope your house/apartment is really ready for Olga's homecoming... Ricky (poor guy), is almost panicking now with only 2weeks left before our arrival and he is not yet done with all those painting and cleaning up and setting up extra beds.. good thing his mom is pitching in, giving us linens for the beds and extra towels and his mom also took it upon herself to prepare for my son's birthday on September 6, which would be 2days after we get there. (So sweet of my future mother in law really. )

I checked the link to Olga's dress. It's BEAUTIFUL... I can't wait to see Olga in it, I bet she would be a real stunner.

Dbears, tell Ricky he's not the only one in a panic. I just finished painting the trim in Olga's son's bedroom last night at midnight. I've go so much still to do I'm not sure how I'm going to get it all done. I told Olga that I'm purposefully leaving whole areas of the house for her to put her decorating touches on (she said "Yeah, right!)

I'm so excited to see Olga in her dress as well - the time is approaching - about 7 weeks to the wedding. Man, I'm so screwed

The other thing about selecting a dress on Peridress - make sure you only select one that has a lot of pictures of it. They are great at copying if they know what it is they are copying. Good Luck!!

Blake and/or Steph.. could you tell me how long the delivery times are from PeriDress? My fiance is looking at that site as well since I gave her the link today and she wants to know how much time she should order in advance if she gets it from them hehe... and yah, have to say, those dresses look really good and for a very good price

About 4-5 weeks - and I told them not to rush. The more I look at the construction of the dress the better decision I think I made (of Course Olga chose the dress ).