ATTENTION JULY FILERS!

[a-jeanne 2]

Yes, she did say that my information was received - at least that's what the website says. She was of no help.

Some day this will all be a blurr.

It wouldn't be possible for me to move to the UK - I have two small girls that I cannot leave behind and their father would never allow me to leave the country with them. Our only option is for Phil to move here.

You're right Jeraly - I have until the end of the month. GO 8 BALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I asked the question - will I get my NOA2 today - This is what it said...

I hope you can read it.

[mox 298]

I asked the question - will I get my NOA2 today - This is what it said...

According to Laura, I'm getting my NOA2 today also!! What could go wrong? We should just make a joint announcement right now!

[a-jeanne 2]

More - more....

I asked the question - will I get my NOA2 today - This is what it said...

According to Laura, I'm getting my NOA2 today also!! What could go wrong? We should just make a joint announcement right now!

Ready when you are!!

[Jason-Sasha 1]

I asked the question - will I get my NOA2 today - This is what it said...

According to Laura, I'm getting my NOA2 today also!! What could go wrong? We should just make a joint announcement right now!

Kirk, it would seem that you're getting very close to an approval. You're over 4.5 months into the waiting. Good luck, should be anyday now.

[mox 298]

Kirk, it would seem that you're getting very close to an approval. You're over 4.5 months into the waiting. Good luck, should be anyday now.

Thanks, I hope you're right. I know CSC usually start the week off slow and then have a burst of approvals at the end of the week, but I'm nervous.

[bakofoil 27]

CBR and babblesgirl - we must stick together. I can't believe it's 202 days today! This sucks BIG time. I feel for you both and know exactly how you feel. Another phone call to USCIS did nothing today. She just told me that if I have not heard from them by February 28th to feel free to call them.

Well, the 8 ball was not right - but then again they have until midnight to approve our case. Keeping fingers crossed but I understand how you feel with this wait. Patience is running very thin. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep it together.

That's just ridiculous...February 28th, sheesh! I wonder why it's taking so long after an RFE. I thought once they get the info they continue processing. Was the lady at least able to say they received your info?

I have until February 18th and then I can call the congressman again if we don't have an answer by then. It feels like living in limbo now. It's all I can think about even though I constantly try to distract myself and think positive about the future. I know it will be a distant memory some day, but I'm not so sure this waiting time will feel like it was nothing.

I do keep thinking that you're going to get approved any time now, Audrey. It's going to sneak up and surprise you. Come onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn 8 ball!!!

Same for Babblesgirl. It's gonna be any time now! It's gooootttttaaaaa be!

We will stick together. I look every day to see if you've posted your approvals. I feel slightly fortuitous that I haven't been RFE'd (yet) because at least (I hope) if I was going to get RFE'd it would have happened by now. I can't imagine what it must be like to know your application has been looked at and still not approved. It totally feels like living in limbo. I personally think the hardest part for me is knowing that there are people within our timeframe who are days/weeks away from being with their SO permanently. For us it is still a matter of when and if . It's a horrible feeling that gets worse each day.

But it has to be soon for all three of us, surely?

[CBR 0]

I can't move to Canada either, I also have 2 kids (boy and girl) and my ex would have none of it. I'd also have to take boards there I would think (RN) and with all this stress I don't think I could deal with it. Not at this point anyway. Luckily Jeremy doesn't have kids so it makes it a little easier for him.

Babblesgirl: am I correct in thinking that you are the one moving to the US? I seem to remember a post you wrote in that regard but I'm not sure if I'm confusing you with someone else. If so, are you ready for it? Excited? Scared? I'm trying to put the shoe on the other foot and think about what might be going through Jeremy's head about moving here.

[bakofoil 27]

Babblesgirl: am I correct in thinking that you are the one moving to the US? I seem to remember a post you wrote in that regard but I'm not sure if I'm confusing you with someone else. If so, are you ready for it? Excited? Scared? I'm trying to put the shoe on the other foot and think about what might be going through Jeremy's head about moving here.

Yep, I'm the angloid! I'm really ready, really excited... I can't wait to get out there. Even with approval I wouldn't be able to go until the end of March - well I could because I don't have any kind of contract at the place I work. If they chose to, they could drop me tomorrow but it's unlikely as I'm covering a maternity leave. I really don't want to go back to day-to-day supply teaching. It sucks. But, whatever I need to do I'll do.

I can't say I'm scared about moving out there. Maybe it's because it doesn't seem imminent. I am even looking forward to the interview I just want to get out there. I barely think about anything else. Maybe the nerves will come when it all happens.

How do you feel about it? Have you asked Jeremy how he feels?

[StillThePrettiest 3]

well, I for one am scared

I recently ordered some books off Amazon, about Houston and Texas and so on, trying to get enthused about things and get a head start on knowing something about the places... well, I can't find much at ALL to get excited about :s

I'm not trying to be rude; I really enjoyed my visit there in 2006, and I know there'll be all manner of things that we discover, that aren't mentioned in guidebooks, but it was something that really backfired on me... and in the meantime I just love London as much as ever

*sigh*

I really want to be with my SO, and that's the thing, in the end... I can accept that my life will just have a different focus, and maybe that's even a good thing: the whole POINT is the relationship, and being together, and so on... but I get scared at what else I'm giving up, and what else I'm leaving behind - this is the SECOND time I've interrupted a career that was actually moving in an upwards direction, just to start all over again, and having already done a major international move I've never been all that eager to do it again - as well as being worried that all of this just puts too much pressure on the relationship, for all we recognise that danger and try to take active steps to counter it

in the end, I just don't see myself loving America; I love Australia because it's my home, and I love England for all the reasons I love England, but I'm scrambling for much I'm going to love about the States

sorry, I'm being unaccustomedly sombre... regular programming will resume shortly

[Rob & Jin 0]

well, I for one am scared

I recently ordered some books off Amazon, about Houston and Texas and so on, trying to get enthused about things and get a head start on knowing something about the places... well, I can't find much at ALL to get excited about :s

I'm not trying to be rude; I really enjoyed my visit there in 2006, and I know there'll be all manner of things that we discover, that aren't mentioned in guidebooks, but it was something that really backfired on me... and in the meantime I just love London as much as ever

*sigh*

I really want to be with my SO, and that's the thing, in the end... I can accept that my life will just have a different focus, and maybe that's even a good thing: the whole POINT is the relationship, and being together, and so on... but I get scared at what else I'm giving up, and what else I'm leaving behind - this is the SECOND time I've interrupted a career that was actually moving in an upwards direction, just to start all over again, and having already done a major international move I've never been all that eager to do it again - as well as being worried that all of this just puts too much pressure on the relationship, for all we recognise that danger and try to take active steps to counter it

in the end, I just don't see myself loving America; I love Australia because it's my home, and I love England for all the reasons I love England, but I'm scrambling for much I'm going to love about the States

sorry, I'm being unaccustomedly sombre... regular programming will resume shortly

Texas- its big, flat, hot, they like to drive big pickup trucks and drink very cold beer.

You will love it

[StillThePrettiest 3]

thanks man, you're really helping

[bakofoil 27]

I've tried replying to your post twice now and I can't find the words to describe how I feel or how to respond adequately. I'm not even sure I'm excited anymore. I just don't feel anything except wanting it to happen. I'm just so tired of wanting and waiting and checking for an update.

I do understand how you feel though. I left a good job too and am not looking forward to not being able to work for a while. And starting over career wise. I would imagine that having had to settle in a new country already that doing it again would be daunting. We've discussed before the subtle cultural differences. I spose when I think about it, I'm not looking forward to not having a clue about how things work - bureaucratic, financial and practical things. I'm pretty self-sufficient here and will have to rely on others for a long while until I get used to the way things work.

I do feel though that meeting and getting to know him has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I am happiest when I'm with him. I am happy alone but knowing he is there. When I focus on being with him rather than being in this unpredictable system I do feel genuinely excited about the prospect of starting over with someone who fits me so well. I am sure when an interview and moving date is tangible I might start to feel jittery.

I'm sorry. The solemnity overcame me too

[mox 298]

in the end, I just don't see myself loving America; I love Australia because it's my home, and I love England for all the reasons I love England, but I'm scrambling for much I'm going to love about the States

sorry, I'm being unaccustomedly sombre... regular programming will resume shortly

If you want me to start ranting about everything that's wrong with America, well...I hope you have a lot of time on your hands because it's hard to stop me once I get going.

But I think that the thing that's going to make you eventually fall in love with America are Americans. We can be rude, selfish, self-righteous, opinionated, loud, intolerant, and a hundred other less than flattering adjectives. But your average American will also be there for you in a time of crisis even when they don't know you. And when we hear your delightful accent, we will immediately open our homes and hearts to you and bend over backwards to make you feel right at home. We will think you're English because that's where we think everyone who speaks English with an accent is from, and you will roll your eyes more than a few times when we do an absolutely horrible take on an English accent. When you tell us you're from Australia we will probably say something like "krikey! Look at the size of that croc!" or "that's not a knife...this is a knife!" because that and Prisoner Cellblock H are our only real cultural references, sorry (we don't even know about Neighbors.). But just know that it comes from a naive attempt at trying to permeate the cultural barrier and make a new friend. Because that's probably what Americans are best at: trying our damndest to make friends and make you feel welcome. I know that sounds a little strange, what with us sorta starting wars all over the world and talking about building big fences to keep all you foreigners out, but just know that's not the real America. We'll get ourselves sorted out, but it's going to take time. In the meantime, I just know you're going to be greeted by most everyone with open arms and hearts, and eventually we'll grow on you. And once we start growing on you, there's not a weed killer in the world that'll rub that stuff off!

[bakofoil 27]

You should write fluffy speeches for Obama!

(Was that a sneaky attempt to get you back on the list?)

[GeordieWife 1]

STP, I bought my fiance a book called 'Fixin' to be Texan' a light hearted short book on quirks of the locals. It's funny and enlightens you to some of the 'inside' traditions. I grew up in Houston.....and one little tidbit, I'm from Humble (just north of Houston), if you ever visit there, they'll know you're from out of town if you pronounce the 'H'. It's just Umble. However, you DO say the 'H' in Houston.

Texas is not flat in all parts though, and it gets very cold in certain areas in the winter. Amarillo always has snow storms every winter. Big Bend is a gorgeous non-flat place to be. Tyler is beautiful, with the tall trees and famous for roses. San Antonio, San Marcos area are known as the 'hill country'...pretty, but not quite as lush as the rolling hills of England and Scotland I've found.

The people of Texas are what make it great though. We are friendly, but yes, we are loud and proud. But...we KNOW how to have fun! Oh..and Dallas has the BEST shopping in the Central time zone!

Can't wait to have you here with us STP! Hugs from Texas!