Prawninator

This inspires a haiku, see P ma'am:
 
Just got some cat ears!
Hopefully I don't get lice
From the Mart of Wals.

Don't be offering help at work unless you're asked.
 
https://www.futurity.org/helping-coworkers-1894162/?utm_source=Futurity+Today&utm_campaign=98d31dedff-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_10_25_02_36&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e34e8ee443-98d31dedff-206443221
 
I see so many people at work fall into this trap. For do-gooders this is counter intuitive. For some management types this is a difficult concept too as they feel that everyone in the office should be going out of their way in helping out in any way possible.

No, not fun at all.  It stresses me out when the littles are sick. I have to talk myself out of thinking they are going to die.  
 
I agree wholeheartedly.  I even tried putting soy milk in coffee I made at home and then felt like I was going to throw up the rest of the night.  There is nothing that will ever replace my Lactaid + English Breakfast tea combo.  
 
 
The oldest one is all dressed and ready for Halloween this morning.  This is the second year in a row that they've been able to wear them at school after an internal victory over religious extremists. 👻 🧙‍♂️🧛‍♀️
 
 

Woohoo!! Interview SCHEDULED!!  12/06 here we come!
 
There was nothing in my husband's N400 notice of interview date about the USC spouse (me) coming along, or about bringing any materials, or about a joint ROC/N400 interview. I'm coming anyway, with documents. 
 
Anyone who has already done the interview and who did N400 through marriage to a USC: Was the USC spouse or the proof of marriage documents mentioned in the notice of application letter?

@GloAndCole and @believe09, maybe if your oaths are the same day, you could meet!! 

Congratulations to all that have passed! I think according to the schedule we have so far, I'm next... only a week and a half left!
 
Incidentally, same day as @PoohBear72's Oath Ceremony. 😄

@GloAndCole and @believe09, maybe if your oaths are the same day, you could meet!! 

Congratulations to all that have passed! I think according to the schedule we have so far, I'm next... only a week and a half left!
 
Incidentally, same day as @PoohBear72's Oath Ceremony. 😄

多谢!! 😍

@GloAndCole and @believe09, maybe if your oaths are the same day, you could meet!! 

Congratulations to all that have passed! I think according to the schedule we have so far, I'm next... only a week and a half left!
 
Incidentally, same day as @PoohBear72's Oath Ceremony. 😄

I’m so excited for you! You are going to have a smooth interview.  💪🏻 “加油～”

@GloAndCole and @believe09, maybe if your oaths are the same day, you could meet!! 

Congratulations to all that have passed! I think according to the schedule we have so far, I'm next... only a week and a half left!
 
Incidentally, same day as @PoohBear72's Oath Ceremony. 😄

Thank you!! I just got back home.
 
As for my interview experience- it was pretty straight forward. I came in an hour early, but had to wait about an hour and a half before I got called in. The officer first asked me to swear that I am telling the truth, etc. She then asked me about my husband and I, what are jobs are, what we do for our free time, and even if we have any plans to travel somewhere soon. She then asked me to read a sentence on the tablet in front of me, then write a sentence she dictated. We then proceeded to the Civics questions, and after answering 6 straight correctly, she congratulated me and told me I passed. Since I had to fly out for the interview I asked if there was a same-day oath ceremony, and unfortunately, there wasn't. Which means I may have to fly out again, if they don't hold one here in my town. 
 
Anyway, I was in and out in about 20 mins. The officer gave me a paper showing I passed my test. As soon as I exited the building, I received a text that they have scheduled my Oath. Hopefully, it will be soon!!! Good luck to everyone!

@believe09 good luck today!

Also  I brought tons of paperwork to show but she didn’t even want to see them. She said 5 years residency doesn’t need to show any evidence of marriage.  I didn’t even upload our joint tax return to them 🤷🏻‍♀️

So my interview was on 10/18 at 8:15am. I was first since the office open at 8.   I went there alone as my husband had to bring our kids to schools. The officer was professional and friendly.  My case is very straightforward: is still married to my husband for almost 10 years with kids. I just have been too busy to file for citizenship🤷🏻‍♀️! She went through the application with me to verify everything from address to answering all the yes and no questions on the form.   I was told all  I need is 6 correct answers and I got the first 6 right.   Lastly she told me to read the sentence out loud then write on the screen and that’s it.  She then said I’m going to approve your application, congratulations! She then asked if  I have any questions and we then ended up chit chat abit.  The whole interview lasted me about 20 mins. It was very easy and every staff at the office were very friendly to me.  I have very good experience with this local office. 
 
Then this morning when I checked on website for my case status (don’t we all have this morning ritual?!) said they just mailed me the oath ceremony letter !   It is so quick and I can’t believe it! I’m so excited to able to close this nearly 10 years chapter of my life. 
 
For the people are still waiting on your interview I’m sending you all my good vibes to you and wishing you all have fast and smooth journey!
 
I hope this review can help out someone someday and please don’t hesitate to ask my any questions.
 
I’ll come back again with my ceremony date once  I can see the letter online. 
 
Glo

In case it's useful to anyone, my experience at my interview at Cleveland was that the interviewer does these interviews many times a day and that it's absolutely nothing special for them as it is for us.  No airs and graces.  No hand shake.  Just a hello, was that your wife you were sat with, then the same questions as is on the form.  Just needed my green card and driving license, didn't ask to look at divorce paperwork or anything - probably because I uploaded everything during my application online.  We were waiting about ten to fifteen minutes and my wife says that I was in the interview for about ten minutes.  If was over really fast.  As I got back to the waiting area my wife said "are you done?" I said, "yeah, lets get out of here".  Conclusion, it was a complete anti-climax for me.  Kinda glad though.  Peace and good wishes to you all, your support through your messages has been invaluable and very much appreciated.

It is preposterous to say that StepFather needs to stay out of it. For all intents and purposes he is parental figure now in those children future, that is part of deal you accept when you marry a person with underage children. He absolutely should be involved in their lives and making decision together with his wife about them and what is best for them. In practical terms though, the children have only been in country for couple of months, and still do not have their travel authorization form. All 3 of them will need to be involved in discussion later on once children and wife can travel. It probably would be extremely dangerous and unwise to let children travel by themselves back to Columbia. It would make more sense for Mother to go with them once she have travel authorization.

OP:
 
The advice has been given multiple times for your spouse to seek a family lawyer. That would be the best recourse. It would also be wise for the father to try to obtain a visa to visit the children.
 
There is a saying we like around here: "There are always three sides to a story - his, hers and the truth."
 
I will not fault you, like another person has, for asking questions and trying to be respectful to YOUR WIFE and her children, whom I am sure you care for because you love their mother. It is absolutely fine to love them and want the best for them. You mentioned in the thread that the father was not involved in their lives before they moved. It is possible that now that they are gone, he has realized that he should have spent more time when them when they were around.
 
Suggest to your wife that while you are seeking a family lawyer, the children should have supervised video chats with their father - IF it is something THEY are comfortable with. It has nothing to do with you or your wife. The kids do have a father, he does have rights, and from a very personal level I plead with you to let them have a relationship with him if if it something that would be healthy for them. My sisters do not speak to my father because their mother is vengeful and controlling. I would hate to see that happen to another father, just because the parents are unhappy with him.
 
Good luck to you. To anyone who disagrees with me: take a walk.

And I can also confirm that it also applies to domestic travel as I have a personal experience with my son's father taking him to another U.S. state that was NOT custodial to either of us and he did not provide knowledge or consent. My son's father and I have never been married, we don't even live in the same US state and I have moved plenty of times between NY, NJ, and now DE, (and we are both USCs) and we have a joint custody order filed with the court. And as many times as we have had it revised (or I have had it revised over the years) the wording in regards to travel outside the other residential/custodial state still applies that both parents must notify the other of any travel whether DOMESTIC or INTERNATIONAL. Granted, some parents don't bother with this notion and make it a big deal provided on the parental relationship that they have but in those complex parental relationships, it does come into play. "Emergency ex parte" or emergency orders are not automatically granted UNLESS there is basis for the Judge to granted a temporary order based on neglect, child/sexual abuse or the environment is unsafe to the child's welfare (basically what is in the child's best interest criteria). I have filed this "ex parte" against my son's father and I had to have probable cause of such. What takes months for the hearing is the custodial/visitation hearing. And if child services are involved, and interviews are taken place with other relatives, that "case" is much more complex (i.e., abuse allegations). What the OP is stating in his initial post, is not this complex.
 
Unless you know more than the rest of us do here and have personal dealings with the OP and his situation, we can only go based on what he provided. We don't know what the father's current source of income is or isn't while in Colombia, but as a parent...A CONCERNED, LOVING PARENT...if he wants to see his child or children, he will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to make that happen and that's whether you make a billion dollars or barely making pennies on the dollar. Regarding funding the "grandparents visitation", I read nowhere in any of his posts where this was something he presented as an option. And whether the mother returns to Colombia with the children to see her family or not, that is NOT what the initial post was about.
 
You seem to be very and EXTREMELY "personally invested" in this matter, that one is to think that maybe you know more than what is being said and if that is the case, then so be it. But if not, you are taking this wayyyyyyy too personally. OP was just seeking advice regarding his situation, not to be criticized about his dealings as a step-parent.
 
All we can do is provide feedback on what is given.

Doesn't matter if it's legal or not. International child custody violations are notoriously difficult to fight. I would NOT let the children travel back to meet him, personally. Can he not obtain a visa & visit them in the US? Or meet in Mexico, with you & your wife as well as the children? Like I said, I would not let the children travel to him.

Thank you!  I just saw you got your interview scheduled too! Yay congratulations!🎊 

A man sat down to write his order for his Christmas geese.
"Dear Butcher," he wrote.  "Please send me my Christmas gooses."
He scratched that out and wrote, "Please send me my Christmas geeses."
Finally he started all over:
"Dear Butcher:  Please send me my Christmas goose.  P.S. And while you're at it, add another one."

Might set a record today for coldest high temperature on record for this date, ridiculous man.
 
For those with a keen interest in these things, the details are as follows, see man:
1.  The forecast high temp is Many degrees (F.), si man.
2.  The previous lowest-high temp was Many degrees (F.), si man.
Many.  The record has stood for a whopping Many years, si man.
 
We are glad to have cleared this up by providing these precise data, you're welcome man.

Gave you a little heart to encourage you! 加油!! 祝你好運!!

Nope,  I have one day left and I’m binge studying right now 😭😭

Good luck 👍🏼