Daniel and Rianne

Just called today and they said applications are taking longer than expected right now due to the work visas. Bummer for us April folks......

What irks me most is that they process the work visas first! I need my husband more than that business needs the employee. 2 months for an employer is nothing. 2 months for all of us is, well, a lot .

Thanks for passing on the info - we'd guessed that was the problem, but it's good to have it confimed. At least they aren't all on vacation and there aren't 160,000 apps like in previous years.

*sigh*

I agree with you!!! I absolutely don't understand that either! I feel a bit sad too!

I just want to be by my husband! The sooner the better! I miss him so much!

I myself am trying to stay away from here a bit, it is so frustrating to be so close and hear absolutely nothing

Anyway, am back to work and hope that will take my mind of things

That's always a really good idea. It'll be a lot easier to deal with the waiting if you have something to keep you busy, and it'll be an even greater surprise when you see the notification. Still.. I really hope you hear something soon.

That said -- TamTu had his tetanus shot a couple months ago, due to an injury sustained while at work and, unfortunately, he had to receive a second one because it was apart of a cocktail shot. I always forget which one, but.. yeah. You might have to have some repeat shots.

I have all our emails printed from the beginning! (my whole family thought i was silly but i more did it because i did like it and never thought that we really were going to get married when we started) but now, know how good it is ;-)

Haha. I love that you did that! I think it's very sweet. When TamTu and I started dating, I would save all of our conversations, and when he would come to visit, I made sure I saved all of his plane-ticket stubs and boarding passes, if I could, just to document the fact that he was here. I didn't tell him I did this because I am sure he would have thought I was insane, but.. unbeknownst to me it turns out I was actually planning ahead for the I-129F. ;P

Liz -- How did your appointment go today? Will you know about any results today, or are they going to make you wait it out?

I hope everything is going well for everyone this week. And I really hope those approvals start coming.

TamTu's interview is in less than two days. Exciting.

Hey Nikki! Wow, you did the same thing! Lol! I also have all our msn conversations, that isn't that much because we skype most of the time and i also have all our textmessages written by hand! lol!

Wow, sweet that you did the same thing! Also his boardingpasses, i have his planetickets too. I saved mine always for scrapbooking sometime...uhm i need to do a lot of them never started with it but its still in the planning!

Oh, TamTu's interview is coming up, yes that is exciting! Wooah, hope it goes well! Did he receive your post on time?

Liz, i am glad that your heart is okay! than you must have asthma very bad and so sudden? Well take care!

Oh jah, another thing: (LOL) you are so old as you feel! isn't it? And love make us younger! i am sure!!

Paul I hope for you that your wish came through, that you got your visa today!

Thinking at you all! And try to keep smiling! I don't know to whom i say it more, to you all or to myself?! ;-) LOL

Ooops! Sorry about that. I modified the security settings so it should be good to go now

Hoi Marie,

Thank you for making the spreadsheet, I could open it before but now i can't open it because its saying something like: making a sreadsheet. Urgh...

Can i copy this link and Igor's list to my account?

I am not really a computer wonder so how can i do that? urgh...

Seems like they are working at the March people to give them their NOA2...hope we get it soon too.

I really hope we don't get a RFE, do they give that often? I did send stuff with our package but you never know what they accept or don't accept in advance can't read their mind ;-)

Take care!

Yeah, certainly keep yourself busy, it helps so much.

Regarding the Dutch police certificate, this is what has held me up even after I have been approved, I think. Basically, you can not request it. When the embassy gets your documents sent from the NVC, just before your interview, then they should request it themselves from the US consulate. As you will be going through Amsterdam anyway, it's not a problem as they deal with them every day. The issue for me is that the Embassy in London does not deal with people who also lived in The Netherlands every day and therefore I think they forgot to request it...I don't know how long it takes, but the lady made a note during the interview to get someone to request it. It's weird anyway, as I left aged 17 and at age 18, I know The Netherlands wipes peoples records so they can have a fresh start in life as an adult....so my record would be clean regardless and therefore, this waiting is pointless right now. I have my fingers crossed so bad, if the wind changes, I'm stuffed!!

Hey Paul, Urgh, wat silly that they didn't have your dutch police certificate and need to get it while you are approved!

I am really sorry but i absolutely don't understand anything of all this bureaucratie!

But now i understand how they eventually can get it, I thought maybe i get a from with request from NVC and have to send that to consulate but nope they do it without i know it ;-)

You can get your verklaring van goed gedrag but they don't accept that anymore and i figured out that, that cost 30 euro or something like that, i almost couldn't believe it I believe it when you have a record of misbehaving! ;-)

And Paul, i am so sorry but that dutch police clearance certificate can take a couple weeks. I thought the max 6.

But I think those weeks is more when you need it for a job, like a teacher need it so than you have to request it by yourself but now the Embassy in London has to do it, so thats more official! So hopefully that goes faster!

But hang in there, hope you keep busy too and i am hoping for you that you get it fast! I can't remember how long it took for Jeanine, I thought 2 weeks.

Liz, i am glad you feel better, hope the appointment with the cardiologist is going well too.

Well, I am going back to work! I took 1 year unpayed time (that was the best to make sure for my job and in case Daniel need to get deployed sometime I thought than i can go back to NL and work but i figured out that if you have your greencard you are not allowed to be longer as 6 months out of the USA) so my work was already asking when i came back while i was in the USA.

So I thought i take till this week to get stuff done for our visa like proofs of relationship etc. But they already called me yesterday if i could come to work today so i have to work tonight and this morning they called me again can you work thursday, sunday etc. etc. so yes i can.

I have all our emails printed from the beginning! (my whole family thought i was silly but i more did it because i did like it and never thought that we really were going to get married when we started) but now, know how good it is ;-)

I did print the skype history, i have my mobile phone bill which show that i text a lot to Daniel ;-) LOL! So those are printed too now i need to select some pics from the beginning.

We really didn't send that much with the I-130 petition couple pics from the wedding and some things which is in both our names but not really emails and pictures from the past. So I really hope we don't get a RFE. I thought they did want to get stuff like that more at the NVC or at the interview.

So there is 1 thing which is good that i am in NL that is that i can collect my stuff ;-)

Staying busy is the best

LOL@Peet. You always say you're so old. Well, you don't look it from your picture!

Hey Paul, Hope you get your stuff this week! I hope tomorrow!

I did look at the NVC shortcut and went to my townhall to ask about the police clearance certificate, they said i have to get that at the consulate in Amsterdam (NL), i did go to that website (used the seek option: police clearance certificate) and they are saying that the NVC need to request that to them, and I do not get a copy anyway?? Pff... so i can not get that now, so that means some longer time for us :-(

Jeanine didn't need it because the embassy did care for that for her interview, so is it different because we do CR1 and she did K1?

Or are things different in NL and England?

Oh lol, Peet I think you are lying about your age ;-) hihi...you look much younger!

Liz, hope you feel better this week!

Jeanine, hope all is well with your grandparents. Uhm, we are allowed to be in the USA for 180 days a year and not longer as 90 days at the time. I did a call to the embassy about that question, they were not friendly and said you can find everything at the website, I said i can not find it but they keep saying that so i said thank you and goodbye. Pfff...and i was pissed

So i thought what now? So i called KLM, they didn't know and gave me the douane, they didn't know and gave me the Marechausse (how do you write that?) they didn't know and gave me the higher organisation i still don't know what it was and they said 3 months in USA means 3 months outside the USA so thats why. I have to say i was used to live by Daniel much quicker as without him, i feel like half but my work called me today if i could please work tomorrow so i am sure that will help too, Daniel seems like very busy in our house and at work but he said that make the times goes faster.

I snuck in through a backdoor and got the number out of an unsuspecting receptionist hehehe. I'm still being processed and they only work 830am-430pm Monday thru Friday on cases, so I am looking at Tuesday onwards now. At least I'm through though, it's just frustrating.

Hang in there!!!

I am glad you were able to call and figured something out!

Its coming I am sure!

With Jeanine it took a while, i think 2 weeks before she got her visa and passport back.

Take care!!!!!!!

And I am sorry, I don't know your name yet, I will say lazulineiris ;-) lol, hope for you that your post goes fast, sometimes the post is slow! URgh... I see you are almost done with the journey!

Haha, aw. My name is Nikki. From your signature, I assume your name is Rianne -- Pleased to meet you. And, yeah, his interview is almost here. I'm excited! I see that you just started yours - The CSC has been working pretty fast lately, so I hope you'll hear some good news relatively quickly.

Hoi Nikki! Lol yes my call name is Rianne but you can also say Ri or what ever ;-) haha, nice to meet you too!

I can see that you are excited! Wooah! great!

Yes CSC was very fast in februari but now its really slowed down, people from March are still waiting for NOA2 so we have to see. They had problems at USCIS or so with the computer.

Yes I really hope that our jouney goes smooth and quick, I am just back (since tuesday) in NL from a 3 months visit and it sucks, i feel more bad for my husband because he is there totally alone, no family and friends are living about 11/2 hour away, its just his work (military) but they are kind a like family too. He will be very lonely but its the way it is, I have my dutch family and friends here and i am going back to work i think so than time goes faster we will see.

I will look at your timeline so i know how yours went! ;-)

Good luck with the last couple things!

Ri

Hey all!

Wow, Peet, you are back in Europe too, I can see that you are cold! I am cold here too! URgh ;-) Hope your NOA2 come soon! Seems like NOA2 take a while!

Liz, how are you feeling now? Hope you are quick old Liz! Its going on for a while now isn't it?

Paul, I am so sorry that you didn't got your visa yet, I am sure its coming soon! Keep your smile from the helicopter ;-)

Jeanine, May 22...wooah...count down girl! Soon you pack your container and fly to the USA and have your wedding!! Can't wait! ;-)

And I am sorry, I don't know your name yet, I will say lazulineiris ;-) lol, hope for you that your post goes fast, sometimes the post is slow! URgh... I see you are almost done with the journey!

Well Take Care!

Ri

Thanks Nikki!! It's beginning to get very summerlike here and that means lots of heat and humidity! So, we'll see how it goes!

btw, got a call from my doctor and all the blood work came back normal. So...just have to go to the cardiologist next week and see what he says.

Hey Liz, Take care, hope you feel better soon!

Today, tuesday I am back in NL after a long flight, it sucks! Said goodbye on monday, hate saying goodbyes and even more the times i cry and make it hard for my husband, myself and the people around, I want to be strong, i have to, I miss my husband, I want to be by him in warm CA

But heh, keep smiling number 1 of 90 days is gone (than i can go again but we have to see how the VISA thing is going)

I just am a little down, because a lot of people from March/April are still waiting for NOA2 so i figured we will hang long, I know i don't have to complain, people around are more allowed to complain as me but its just I am here and don't want to be here.

Peet is waiting for NOA2 much longer!!! Hope you get it this week, or soon! So Ri, don't complain, stop it!!!

Tomorrow will be another day! right?

Hey all,

we are April filers too.

Can't wait to get NOA 2

But as I noticed it will take long!

Take care and stay strong!

Ri

Ps: Our NOA1 is April 23 but the last update i found at USCIS.gov was april 24 does that mean its touched? Our check is cashed at the 28th

Yes, we're very lucky as we get to fly as enlisted. I worked my way from Private to Sergeant before being able to learn to fly, but I believe the UK and France are the only 2 in the world that still do that. I know the US Army has Warrant Officer school, but that is different than how we do it, as I'd already served 6 years before learning to fly.

Hmm, long time ago for all of that you ask! I do believe that after the initial paperwork was done, they only ever needed photos of me, not my wife. The wiki here has great info that helped me when I did it all last year:

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...Immigrant_Visas

and then also, when you get to the NVC, there is a great shortcut guide which you should follow, as it saved me over 6 weeks at the NVC, I reckon! You'll need to start preparing for it about 3 months into the I-130 stage, as you need to get a things done like vaccinations, a Police Clearance certificate, etc. and the shortcut guide works best if on day one of the NVC, you are ready to send them everything for the first package to them. Then, when they request it, they have it in days. Otherwise, if you just react to what they ask for, you'll spend ages getting stuff done on their command rather than just having it waiting, as we know what they want. It's pretty cool that way and the NVC goes real fast. The I-130 is about 6 months at CSC, we got stuck at VSC for 7 and then then CSC took it over and did it within weeks!

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...he_NVC_ShortCut

hard copy is indeed the form sent back in the mail to tell you they received the paperwork.

At the interview, I didn't take anything but my passport and you should take the appointment letter you receive that has a bar code on it, but I couldn't print it and it wasn't a big deal, they just check you're on the list to attend. But I'd keep as much with you as possible when going to Holland, unless it's easy to send by mail. Just to be safe.

It's late here, so I hope that all makes sense, if not let me know and I'll try and be more clear when I'm not tired, tomorrow.

Paul, Thanks for your answer. I will check it out next week when i am back in NL, because than i have more time as what i have right now, want to finish a couple things here.

Peet, Cool that you did send us a quick note, to bad that you didn't have any news about the Visa yet. Hopefully soon! Well have fun while you are together.

Liz, thats really to bad that you didn't feel well, guess you were kind a worried that you had the swine virus. Hope you feel better soon!

Take care!

Talk to you later.

Oh jah, what will it mean: hardcopy?

I did read some timelines and saw NOA1 and than later hardcopy received, just wondering what that is.

Is that the paper we got in the mail which is saying our casenumber and date of activation etc?

I will fly home when it comes through, I already have the papers needed and the courier to take them is coming tomorrow morning, so basically 4 days from then roughly until he comes back with my visa papers! Then I'll fly the very next day on a last minute ticket.

I am joining our county sheriff, initially as a deputy as I need 2 years US law enforcement experience before they'll consider me to fly their chopper, but with the chopper being my goal.

Tell your husband to go for it, observer or pilot, doesn't matter, it's both amazing fun and such an awesome job. Every day in the office is amazing, just check out my smile lol!

Hey you!

Here a smile back ;-) but yes, you have a very happy and great smile in that heli ;-) lol!

Yep I will tell my husband and show your smile ;-) LOL (you kind a look a little like my husband, blue eyes)

He would like to be a pilot but than he need to get higher ranks.

There is no place for staff sergeant this year anymore what is really to bad but well its the way it is and technically he isn't a sergeant for that long yet but because the responsibility he has is higher as what his rank is right now.

I kind a like the "safer" job mechanic a little better as observor ;-) hihi but i understand my husband that he wants more adrenaline I would be the same ;-) LOL so i am not staying in the way if he really wants too.

Ah you will have such a great flight back home! So happy for you and your wife! Guess she can't wait either.

Oh and another thing, which is really funny, my husband before he joined the USMC he did law enforcement to be a police, but they didn't accept him after because his behaviour wasn't that great, to much tickets and what ever so they told him you first need to be a "good" american so thats why he joined the USMC and I guess he likes this much better LOL I am not sure if he did finish that school but i thought so.

I have another question about this visa stuff.

We send out our I-130+G325A with a passportpicture from the both of us.

Do they need more passportictures from my american husband later?

Or just from me the dutchie? and how many more?

And to proof our marriage etc. i made copies from some receipts etc. Do i need to take the original receipts with me for the interview when the time is there? Or a copy is enough?

Because otherwise I have to take them with to NL (thats not a problem) but if some of the stuff we bought is not working anymore there is still warranty on and than its handy if the receipts are staying here with my husband.

I just am wondering.

I did check the USCIS.gov about our case and its saying: case received and pendling, that status will be for a while.

Well take care!

Greets from CA

Liz did you have a great day in the field? How was the weather? It was very cold by us yesterday, well very cold, uhm i mean, i was used to the hot weather and than the big change to colder weather than it is very cold for me ;-) hihi i will be so freezing cold in NL next week.

But today the day didn't start so windy so hopefully a warmer day

Thanks Ri! It's kind of a blah day here today...raining again. Tomorrow should be fun though...I get to go on a field trip with my daughter! We're driving to another city about 2 hours away to tour the battleship called the Lexington! I can't wait!

And as for the timeline....you would just need to either copy it from someone else's signature or type it out in your signature area. And the same for the pictures....you'll need to load you picture(s) onto a hosting website like Photobucket and copy the code to your signature line.

Hey LIZ! Have fun in the field! Hope you have nice weather!

Here the wind is so cold! We fly from 97F to 53F right now! The weather change so much! BRRR ;-)

I guess that battleship will be a lot of fun.

In San Diego there is a battleship too, I thought its called Midway or it is in Midway I have no idea, sometime we like to go there again. In San Diego you can do a lot of fun stuff.

We already went to Sea World and that was great!

Thanks for your answer at my question about timeline and pictures! I will try it out, but it will most likely be when i am in the Netherlands, because i want to finish something more here.

Take care!

Congrats!

Happy for you and your hubby!

I see you did DCF, thats great!

Yes another happy couple!

Come here with the visa's and make more couples happy and give them a normal live! ;-) LOL!

All the best!

And.......we're done. What an anti-climax that was. 3 questions, where did we meet? How long have we been married? Have you ever lived together? That was it, simple as pie and I have to say, the lady at counter 16 today made me realize why I love the America I have experienced-she was the most polite, helpful and friendly official I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with, as was the lady behind counter 1, who did my initial paperwork prep. I got there at 0730 and was out by 1030! BBQ time!

YES PAUL!

Congrats!

I am very happy for you and your wife Kourtni!

Wooah, when are you flying to the USA? Guess it depends when you get your visa by post!

Interesting life you had!

Ah, thats fun that you did work with helicopters too! My husband rather want to be the person which do the observation out of the helicopter...more fun as being a mechanic. But well, we will see.

Yep, you military people are living on adrenaline i think ;-) LOL!

So are you going in the police in the USA? Or don't know yet?

Take care and wish you both all the best!

If i have questions i will mail you! Guess i better add you as a friend ;-) LOL!

Have a nice BBQ!! WOOAH!

1 more day! It's 6am and I can't wait for tomorrow hehe.

Yeah, I do miss the camaraderie a lot. I went out with some old friends on Saturday to say goodbye, which was cool.

I did the obvious deployments this decade and in the late 90's went to Former Yugoslavia on 2 tours. I was lucky though, I never got injured on tour (although I had bad dysentery in Iraq in 2003, which sucked lol). But I have a friend who was the same rank in the US Marines as me, same age and had served the same length. We both have shot knees and back and groan like old men when getting up from chairs haha, which we thought was quite funny. It doesn't matter which Infantry you're in, it's pretty hard on the body and training just helps overcome that, so I just can't wait to be near a gym and be able to take my dogs running.

Hey All!

Yeah Paul, tomorrow!! Guess you are counting down!

I can see that you miss the kameraadschap ;-) Daniel is missing that here sometimes.

He was always in the infantery and that is so different as the helicopters.

Last year he did resign and they took his 3th choice helicopter mechanic. He is a sergeant and he is so used to drilling and all that and here they don't really drill, but i think he is a real drilling type ;-) (he really want to have "good" marines, which take care for each, do things together etc. so he loves to drill them to that but he do it with more "love" and not how it is in bootcamp etc.) but its so important to have a good camaraderie.

Glad you never got enjured! But urgh dysentery is not fun! Did you know your wife already when you were on your deployments?

Gun that you have a friend in the USMC, same rank same age, same served length, LOL! than you have enough to talk about! ;-) a lot in common!

Thats fun that you had a great time saturday to say goodbye.

So i have been thinking about you, you grow up in Scheveningen and than you moved to England? Were you in the army there or maybe i need to read the first notes in this forum to read your story? ;-) LOL

Ah jah you military people can act so funny ;-) LOL! Like old men yes ;-) haha but fun to do that together!

I think when you have been in the military you always love the gym and the camaraderie!

Hey Liz, good week to you too!

Hope all is well!

Wow, i just opened the mail here and guess what...NOA1 from California Service Center!

My husband is right...i need patience! Who can give me that? ;-)

I will be such a crybaby when i have to leave next week monday...urgh...its hanging above my head as a dark sky!

We did do a lot of work last saturday in our house, so I am very happy with that! The masterbedroom is almost finished, the garagedoor is working, we took the walls out of the garage (those people before us made bedrooms in the garage), the sprinklersystem is working again, the grass is planted, YEAH, 1 thing at the time!

Take care!

Love Ri

By the way how can i put our timeline under my notes?

And how can i put that at my own page?

I will load up a profile picture sometime!

1 more day! It's 6am and I can't wait for tomorrow hehe.

Yeah, I do miss the camaraderie a lot. I went out with some old friends on Saturday to say goodbye, which was cool.

I did the obvious deployments this decade and in the late 90's went to Former Yugoslavia on 2 tours. I was lucky though, I never got injured on tour (although I had bad dysentery in Iraq in 2003, which sucked lol). But I have a friend who was the same rank in the US Marines as me, same age and had served the same length. We both have shot knees and back and groan like old men when getting up from chairs haha, which we thought was quite funny. It doesn't matter which Infantry you're in, it's pretty hard on the body and training just helps overcome that, so I just can't wait to be near a gym and be able to take my dogs running.

Hey All!

Yeah Paul, tomorrow!! Guess you are counting down!

I can see that you miss the kameraadschap ;-) Daniel is missing that here sometimes.

He was always in the infantery and that is so different as the helicopters.

Last year he did resign and they took his 3th choice helicopter mechanic. He is a sergeant and he is so used to drilling and all that and here they don't really drill, but i think he is a real drilling type ;-) (he really want to have "good" marines, which take care for each, do things together etc. so he loves to drill them to that but he do it with more "love" and not how it is in bootcamp etc.) but its so important to have a good camaraderie.

Glad you never got enjured! But urgh dysentery is not fun! Did you know your wife already when you were on your deployments?

Gun that you have a friend in the USMC, same rank same age, same served length, LOL! than you have enough to talk about! ;-) a lot in common!

Thats fun that you had a great time saturday to say goodbye.

So i have been thinking about you, you grow up in Scheveningen and than you moved to England? Were you in the army there or maybe i need to read the first notes in this forum to read your story? ;-) LOL

Ah jah you military people can act so funny ;-) LOL! Like old men yes ;-) haha but fun to do that together!

I think when you have been in the military you always love the gym and the camaraderie!

Hey Liz, good week to you too!

Hope all is well!

Wow, i just opened the mail here and guess what...NOA1 from California Service Center!

My husband is right...i need patience! Who can give me that? ;-)

I will be such a crybaby when i have to leave next week monday...urgh...its hanging above my head as a dark sky!

We did do a lot of work last saturday in our house, so I am very happy with that! The masterbedroom is almost finished, the garagedoor is working, we took the walls out of the garage (those people before us made bedrooms in the garage), the sprinklersystem is working again, the grass is planted, YEAH, 1 thing at the time!

Take care!

Love Ri

Oh, Oklahoma is 88F today. I am gonna pass out so bad, I grew up on Scheveningen beach, but 88F/31C would be a few days in August maybe, not April that's for sure.

Peet, hope your flight goes well and you have a great time!

Jeanine, hope you get everything sorted soon, it's been cool flying next to you through our visa journey, you as K and me as CR!

Rianne, I understand how you feel. I spent 11 years in the Army and ultimately left as Kourtni had spent time in England and was ready to go home. I decided that I was ready to leave the Army and find something else in the USA. I still have friends in the USMC in 29 Palms and Camp Pendleton, whom I served in Iraq with and/or who are friends locally in Oklahoma. But of all my deployments, this 5 month "short" one has been the hardest as I am civilian and I thought I'd never have to leave her for that long again! Argh! Anyway, if you need support or help, PM me as it emails me, so I'll get to it faster. I can't see myself checking in on VJ more than twice a month once this is all done, as I'll be enjoying that 88F/30C

weather as I have to keep training hard for my Police training course. A year of being civilian made me out of shape hehe!!

Hey Paul,

Wow, 11 years in the Army. My husband is now in the Marines since 2001. He went to Iraq and got injured there but that was all before i knew him. He trained hard to be back in the Marines.

He did go to Camp Pendleton, he loves that place, guess all military people like it a lot over there! ;-)

I have been there a couple weeks ago, it is nice, its different as here.

Did you do a lot of deployments? Yep i can see its harder now!

Wow, police training course? Sounds interesting! Yep, you need to train again, guess you are missing all those trainings, the things you do together.

Paul, Thank you so much for your reply, I can see that you will not be at VJ that much after you are done with the visa part. Thanks for inviting me that i can email you if i need support!

Soon you will be by Kourtny!

Yep, I can understand that you are a bit nervous!

It is really to bad that it took you a year! It is sad!

Liz, good that you are walking! Would be fun to walk together ;-)

I am running every day in the morning, i started 4 weeks ago but now i can run 20 minutes, yeah! first i had to walk and run and walk and run but it feels good now. LOL. But the running trip i make doesn't take 20 minutes anymore i think its about 15 minutes now.

My husband bought P90X so it are DVD's and you can do the training at home and so he don't need to go to the gym after work and he will be earlier home this way. We did it twice, i do it for fun but not the pull-ups and push-ups ;-) I like the jumping and all much better but oh i had such a sore muscles! :-p

Summers in CA are normally Hot (can be 110 F) but it is dry and not humid and at night it cool down. We are living in the desert here. So I never been here in the summer yet, and now i have to fly back May 4 to NL and can't be here in the summer either. Have to be in NL for 3 months before i can fly back to USA. It all depends how our VISA thing is going.

But i am still waiting for my return receipt from the USCIS, i know from the USPS that they delivered it on April 19, I did send it out on April 15, Daniel checked his bankaccount but the check isn't cashed either.

So i think it will take a long time. URGH...

Jeanine, glad you got your VISA wooah! Guess you are so excited! July 31 sounds good! FUN!

Well I wish you all a nice weekend. For us it will be a home-work weekend but thats ok, just the last things we can do while i am here, hope we can finish a lot.

Take care!

Packing right now, we leave from Schiphol at 10 am.

Leaving home at 5:30 am

Not sure if I will have time to be on the pc, don't expect to be on.

But really hope I will be back with some good news.

Paul, good luck next week!

Off to go on packing, tomorrow I'll be with my guy

Peet have a nice time with your guy! I know how exciting that is! ;-)

Packing is a pain, or thats my opinion because i can never choose what i want to take with!

Don't worry about the PC, just enjoy the time with your guy!

We hopefully hear good news from you about your petition!

Ah Jeanine, that is great that you get family over to your wedding in NJ!

Wow, where are they going to stay? Guess they think now its a great time to look in the USA and see an american/dutch wedding! LOL!

I can understand that you are nervous about no visa yet and no passport back! But they are not that quick at the embassy and consulate! ;-)

Hihi...I am sure if we people from the visa journey did work there, we would process visa's quick! ;-)

Hope you can find a great deal about a moving company... please let me know about the moving company sometime!

Its nice and warm here about 81 F I did work in the garden but i have to much blisters at my hand now...urgh ;-)

Waiting for the plumbers so they can fix the shower. Glad we have 1 shower which is working!

Well take care!

Love Ri

Oh it will be cold alright! Glad you had fun!

Don't worry about this process. If you're an honest couple, there is nothing to worry about, seriously. It's just getting through the time apart, the cost and the pain in the bum paperwork. This forum has done wonders for me, I sometimes think that I'd never have gotten through it all without VJ and wonder how people do! I'm a smart guy and that paperwork had me stumped at times. But the final hurdle is coming and I see it more as a step I have to take, than a hurdle. I'm nearing 5 months away from Kourtni now, so I will SO happy to see her and get on with life eh.

Hey Paul,

Thanks for your note ;-)

I am very happy that you are almost done with this process! I saw your timeline and its almost a year now!

Yes 5 months apart is very hard! I can see that you will be SO happy to have here by you and get on with life! Being apart is hard!

You are right when you are an honest couple there is nothing to worry about, but its just you want to be so bad by each.

I almost have to leave and i know i can go back in 3 months but still, its something you don't want it is against your feelings to leave someone you love and you choose for while you did sign your wedding papers.

Well and we also have to deal with the military, maybe he need to get deployed end of this year or beginning of next year and than we will be separated again 6-8 months, its life but before that you just want to be by each the most you can.

I do not mean to complain about it though, but guess i just need to write it away from me.

I know when he get his official orders than the visa part can go faster but still it sucks.

You said it right, its just being apart, the cost and bum of paperwork! and yes, it is stumping!

Wish you good luck. And i can tell you i am glad with those forums, this website etc. etc. sometimes you just need a word from someone which do understand and that are most of the time the people which go through the same thing!

Take care!

Hey all, so awesome to see everyone moving along nicely! Oh and of course, congrats Jeanine!

My interview is in exactly one week time, slightly different as it's for a CR-1, but I'm only nervous about forgetting what to bring with me. Not too nervous about the actual interview itself.

I wish there was a black and white list of things to do and bring through this whole process, all the different paperwork just gets me confused. I'm glad I don't work in administration, cos I would suck! hehe.

I'm looking at flights, a bit presumptuous, but ya gotta be confident, right. Looks like the dollar is still low, which is good for me right now as I can get a fairly good flight home. I found one for 513 dollars, roundtrip London-Dallas, as roundtrip is cheaper than a one-way. Which is good, cos this whole thing has been mighty expensive!

I wish y'all well and I might check in before my interview, if I don't I will for sure let you know how it went next Tuesday.

Hey Paul,

Hope your interview goes well, but i guess so!

Yep I understand what you mean with a black white list, its so Liz said you get confused with all the papers/topics/guides etc.

I am really interesting at your interview because i am taking the same trip in this visa journey as you.

I hope it goes well, but i am just a bit nervous about the whole thing ;-) we just send out the papers last week, so we will see.

You are right this whole thing is expensive! it still surprise me how much we have to pay for all this!

Its unbelievable!

Liz, glad you got the rain you needed over there and guess now nice weather again?

The bridal shower was fun! Seems like we do everything twice or something like that ;-)

Because we got married in January and after that we got presents in February March and now the shower which was cool but on sunday we got more presents from people in church because they couldn't make it to the shower.

Yes Peet it is exciting that those things are still there for us!

Daniel stayed there the whole shower too what was really fun! After we went to the beach and had a great time.

But well I should go to the store (nice bikeride 10 minutes) and go back in the garden to plant the grass we got.

Its nice and warm here. Summer time!

Soon I have to leave to NL again...back to dutch weather...guess i will be so cold now i get used to this hot weather!

Well wish everyone a nice week and take care!

Love Ri

**TGIF!!!!**

Hope everyone has a great weekend!! We're going to have a very wet weekend here....blegh!

Hey Liz!

Ah thats to bad to have a wet weekend! Well i think here it will be sunshine, mabye wind but today its finally not so windy!

Tomorrow Daniel and I get a bridal shower, brunch, from people of our church! normally a bridal shower is a surprise but they did plan the date with us. I am excited. I have heard about those showers but never been to one.

And well we got married in January and now we have it but anyway its fun and still a surprise because i didn't expect something like that! LOL!

Oh thats to bad that skype doesn't work for you and no webcam, but well before we had that we did use the email and msn too.

MSN can be a lot of fun! Well its always fun to hang out together anyway! Because i still see this as spending time together like a date! ;-) isn't it?:-)

Well I want to wish you all a nice weekend!

I know Jeanine will have a wonderful one!

And well nice to know the date of the interview of your LOVE!

Love from Ri

MY VISA IS APPROVED!!! I should get it in the mail in a couple days!! Im so excited that i kinda still dont believe its really happening now!

Met another girl from visa journey at the consulate and she was approved too. Its not even hard. Ill write more 2morrow cuz right now im tired and just want to sleep haha. But i had to share the good news!!

Jeanine

YES Jeanine!!!

Congratulations!!!

I am sooooooo happy for you!

Finally the waiting time is almost over!

Wooah, this is so exciting! Now up to the USA and the wedding!

Liz, we live about 1 1/2 hour away from LA just a little to the left and than a little more up north from LA i am very bad in south, north etc.

My husband is a Marine so thats why he is moving. But his parents are still living in WI.

I know what it is to be in Long Distance Relationship! It can be very hard especially when you have a problem, but glad with the Skype and the webcam and sure the email! Imagine that you had a LDR with just the post! Years ago that took a very long time!

But its like you said: It can make relationships stronger! you are so happy with the time you get/have together but it is always gone in no time!

OK, thats nice that you have October to look forward too, That are things what help too, and try to stay positive. Sure you have your ups and downs but isn't that what we have all?

So you are counting down? I love countdowns! ;-)

Well take care!

Ri

Lol Peet april will be your month!! Lets go for that...hope u can celebrate together!

Theres already some vermont ppl approved yeah around the date you filed/noa 1...so theres coming light at the end of the visa tunnel!

Wooah, Just am back from the post office, I sent out our I-130 petition... my husband text me back: COOL

So we are new here!

I am still by my husband in the USA but soon i have to leave, back to NL :-(

Hope you all have a good visajourney and hope our jouney goes well too.

Its so stressy al those papers...and I just think...hey there do your job and work ;-) Sometimes i really can't understand that it take so long!"

And those papers are sometimes hard to understand, and asking "double" information but well we just started guess there are enough around here which can write a whole complain book about it ;-) and have much more to complain about!

Still thinking what journey we are going to take, the K3 or CR1 visa. I think the CR1 but sometimes its hard to understand what is the difference etc.

Seems like I only complain istn' it? But most of the time i am positive ;-) LOL! We try to take it easy and i have a wonderful time by my husband in our house! Busy with painting and making our house a home! Its fun to do!

Take care!

Ri

Hi Ri (and Daniel!!)

Welcome to our little group.... And congrats on getting your I-130 sent off! I hope your journey is done quickly!!What part of the Netherlands are you from? My fiance Patrick is from Den Haag..

Hope to see you around here often...have fun while your still here with your hubby!!

Hey Liza or i think thats your name ;-) and Patrick ;-)

Thanks for your welcome note!

When i reply to a topic I just click on reply, hope thats the good way to answer ;-)

Where do you live in the USA? So your fiance is from Den Haag?

Well i am from Zeeland: 's-Gravenpolder that is close by Goes.

Ever been in Zeeland?

Well Jeanine invited me for this group so thats why i joined. Because i didn't really look at the K1 option.

My husband is born in NJ, than they moved to WI and now my husband and I are living in CA, its beautiful here, but right now its very windy.

Is your jouney almost done? (oh I can check your timeline) I hope it went smooth, but guess not quick enough when you are seperated from your Love!

Well take care!

Greets Ri