PINS & NEEDLES!!!

[Dodi 69]

I'm so scatterbrained today I nearly burned down my apartment with my flat iron by forgetting to turn it OFF before I put it above my medicine cabinet on top of the holder. My boss is aware I'm going to be completely useless today, but I'm here anyway, just leaving early to get ready and head to the airport.

This is nerve-wracking!!!! It's only a matter of HOURS!!! Less than half a day!!! He'll be here at 6:45 tonight, and I'm about to lose it!!

Jill, is Rob on his way yet? When does he get in? Where is his POE?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Lol my (now) husband was apparently pretty useless at work and school as well. He'd pre-warned them if his phone rang he was answering, no matter what, but he actually missed my call saying "Officially through border control!" due to shitty signal! He said that he just pretty much did ANYTHING to keep busy and make the time pass quicker. He was at the airport to collect me REALLY early (like an hour or two) just to make sure he was there on time. He was so anxious he didn't bring a book or anything.. but he said he doubted he'd have understood what was written he was just that excited!

For me, being the one that came over.. I was so... stupid happy on the flight! Like "omg, 3 hours till we land!", "2 hours and 55 mins till we land!" stuff like that. I was so anxious waiting to board the flight. So nervous waiting for my bags and it was just SO surreal seeing him there waiting for me. Just.. wow. After so long it's hard not to want to cry with relief! I forced myself to stay awake till regular sleep time so that I minimised jet-lag, and I also made sure I arrived near a w/end so he didn't have school and so could organise time off work.

It's gunna be great. I'm super excited for you just thinking about it all again.

Congratulations in advance!

[marlea 84]

SO excited for you Dodi!!! I don't have anything else to add, other than I'm super envious that your fiance is coming over so soon. Your's and Jill's, but I'm still so completely excited for you! We've got about 80 days to wait, which seems like a while, but we're definitely in the home stretch. Fiance has his passport back, so it's just down to planning and waiting now.

So excited for you!

[JoannaV 174]

The very weird thing is, neither my husband nor I can remember the details of the day I arrived

(Although, I think I can remember arriving home to find that there was laundry to be done and clean laundry to be uncreased and removed off of the bed LOL.)

[Gemmie 142]

I'm SO EXCITED for you, Dodi.

My husband was given the day off work so he could tidy up at home and pick me up from my 5pm landing time. I remember feeling so freaking happy that the journey to be together was over, and when I saw him in the waiting area, I dropped all of my things and gave him a great big hug. He asked how I was feeling (I had said goodbye to my best friends before I got on the plane) and I burst into tears, and cried all the way home. It was like I saved all the tears for his cuddles. It was just so emotional... I'll always remember the day.

Enjoy!

Edited October 6, 2010 by Gemmie

[Jewel-8 21]

I'm so scatterbrained today I nearly burned down my apartment with my flat iron by forgetting to turn it OFF before I put it above my medicine cabinet on top of the holder. My boss is aware I'm going to be completely useless today, but I'm here anyway, just leaving early to get ready and head to the airport.

This is nerve-wracking!!!! It's only a matter of HOURS!!! Less than half a day!!! He'll be here at 6:45 tonight, and I'm about to lose it!!

I had to drive to Vegas 6 hours away to get him because he decided to crash my bachelorette party. I ended up cancelling it because I found out what he was doing and I was a complete mess.

So the calls consisted of... I'm not coming to VEGAS!!--- Nevermind, I'm on my way! -- No, screw you, you ruined all my special plans I had for us. Get a car and drive home. -- What hotel are you at? I'm 20 minutes away.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I went over to collect my guy because he broke his collar bone and some ribs at the last minute and needed help. My grown kids were at the airport to pick us up. They had "Welcome to America" signs, American flags, flag Mardi Gras beads, and a flashing red white and blue pin. It was sweet because he had worried how they would accept him marrying their mom.

Enjoy your day!

[Nik+Heather 121]

Awww, all these POE stories I'd never heard before! I'm getting all emotional! Jewel, yours was interesting - bet that's one of those "this will be funny in 20 years" things...

Nik had his best man with him, which I think was really helpful to keep him all together (plus the extra baggage allowance!) He arrived on Friday AM in New York, and I took a red-eye Thursday night to meet them. We spent the weekend in NYC because there's this guy who helps you make your own wedding rings there, so we spent Saturday doing that.

So, anyway, I spent the first part of the last 24 hours at work trying to do 2x as much work as usual. We were also on reduced pay/reduced hours (thank goodness!) so I took 8 of my reduced hours on Friday w/o having to spend vacation slated for after the wedding. Mom came over to my house (newly cleaned!) and kept me company for the last little bit before the red-eye, not that I could have gotten to sleep before the 10/11pm departure anyway! I got in at 7, and their flight landed at 9, so I toured around JFK, riding the tram and such, then went to international arrivals well before his expected arrival time and then waited...and waited...and waited...I had just gotten a new phone/plan because I also mailed him his SIM card - specifically so that he could tell me when they landed...when he was going into immigration and how long the lines were....SOME sort of progress so I was fiddling with the phone. Inspected the bathrooms (both!) they were awful. Skip them if you are ever going through there! Tried the sample coffee Starbucks was having in side-by-side tests. I hate coffee. Both tasted awful. Had Subway - it was really expensive! I peered around at the doors to customs, scoped out the best place to stand with the best view, and easiest path to get to him when he came out. FINALLY people started coming out, so I alternately watched the doors like a hawk and peered at luggage tags to see what flight. Japan. Sigh. Watched the doors, watched the luggage tags, watched other reunions Watched the doors. Watched the tags. London! LHR! FINALLY! Watched the doors. Watched the doors. Watched the doors. FINALLY a text! It's the best man, they are in customs. Why the best man??? Whatever. Watch the doors. Watch the doors. Become concerned, watch the tags - still LHRs going by....Watch the doors. Not many people coming out now, in fact, they are more frequently closed than open.... Watch the doors. Watch the doors. Watch the doors.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's NIK!!!! Lots of hugging and finally and smiles from ear to ear.

While we were waiting for the car into the city, I asked him if the SIM didn't work or something and THEN he was like Oh yeah...and he pulls it out of his wallet to put in his phone and I was like..............But then since he was there, I decided not to be mad about it except to bring it up every now and again on VJ about how I was promised no fewer than 3 progress texts and he didn't send any, except the one through the BM. I bet he was all excited and focused on other things and it's magnified for me since I didn't have so much to concentrate on like getting through immigration and what form to fill out and make sure they take the envelope etc.

[Rob and Jill 82]

Dodi,

Rob just landed in Newark...an hour early, which of course means it's more torture that he unfortunately has a BIG layover. He'll be here about 9:30 tonight. I took tomorrow off since he is coming in so late, and we're going to run around and get our marriage license etc then!

I can't believe the time is finally here. It's weird that a big step of the process is over and right on its tail another one begins.

I am getting next to nothing done at work...except stalking his flight on Continental. Now that it's landed, I better get something productive. It doesn't help that I forgot my ear buds for my iphone either, so I have to listen to the office racket all afternoon!

Edited October 6, 2010 by Rob and Jill

[ameribrit 37]

I'm so scatterbrained today I nearly burned down my apartment with my flat iron by forgetting to turn it OFF before I put it above my medicine cabinet on top of the holder. My boss is aware I'm going to be completely useless today, but I'm here anyway, just leaving early to get ready and head to the airport.

This is nerve-wracking!!!! It's only a matter of HOURS!!! Less than half a day!!! He'll be here at 6:45 tonight, and I'm about to lose it!!

Jill, is Rob on his way yet? When does he get in? Where is his POE?

So happy for you guys! Good luck for the rest of the process.

Wishing you both a wonderful, and happy life together

[ECWilloughbys 7]

I'm so scatterbrained today I nearly burned down my apartment with my flat iron by forgetting to turn it OFF before I put it above my medicine cabinet on top of the holder. My boss is aware I'm going to be completely useless today, but I'm here anyway, just leaving early to get ready and head to the airport.

This is nerve-wracking!!!! It's only a matter of HOURS!!! Less than half a day!!! He'll be here at 6:45 tonight, and I'm about to lose it!!

Jill, is Rob on his way yet? When does he get in? Where is his POE?

So happy for you, hope he's made it safely by now and you're enjoying the evening!

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Awww, all these POE stories I'd never heard before! I'm getting all emotional! Jewel, yours was interesting - bet that's one of those "this will be funny in 20 years" things...

Nik had his best man with him, which I think was really helpful to keep him all together (plus the extra baggage allowance!) He arrived on Friday AM in New York, and I took a red-eye Thursday night to meet them. We spent the weekend in NYC because there's this guy who helps you make your own wedding rings there, so we spent Saturday doing that.

So, anyway, I spent the first part of the last 24 hours at work trying to do 2x as much work as usual. We were also on reduced pay/reduced hours (thank goodness!) so I took 8 of my reduced hours on Friday w/o having to spend vacation slated for after the wedding. Mom came over to my house (newly cleaned!) and kept me company for the last little bit before the red-eye, not that I could have gotten to sleep before the 10/11pm departure anyway! I got in at 7, and their flight landed at 9, so I toured around JFK, riding the tram and such, then went to international arrivals well before his expected arrival time and then waited...and waited...and waited...I had just gotten a new phone/plan because I also mailed him his SIM card - specifically so that he could tell me when they landed...when he was going into immigration and how long the lines were....SOME sort of progress so I was fiddling with the phone. Inspected the bathrooms (both!) they were awful. Skip them if you are ever going through there! Tried the sample coffee Starbucks was having in side-by-side tests. I hate coffee. Both tasted awful. Had Subway - it was really expensive! I peered around at the doors to customs, scoped out the best place to stand with the best view, and easiest path to get to him when he came out. FINALLY people started coming out, so I alternately watched the doors like a hawk and peered at luggage tags to see what flight. Japan. Sigh. Watched the doors, watched the luggage tags, watched other reunions Watched the doors. Watched the tags. London! LHR! FINALLY! Watched the doors. Watched the doors. Watched the doors. FINALLY a text! It's the best man, they are in customs. Why the best man??? Whatever. Watch the doors. Watch the doors. Become concerned, watch the tags - still LHRs going by....Watch the doors. Not many people coming out now, in fact, they are more frequently closed than open.... Watch the doors. Watch the doors. Watch the doors.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's NIK!!!! Lots of hugging and finally and smiles from ear to ear.

While we were waiting for the car into the city, I asked him if the SIM didn't work or something and THEN he was like Oh yeah...and he pulls it out of his wallet to put in his phone and I was like..............But then since he was there, I decided not to be mad about it except to bring it up every now and again on VJ about how I was promised no fewer than 3 progress texts and he didn't send any, except the one through the BM. I bet he was all excited and focused on other things and it's magnified for me since I didn't have so much to concentrate on like getting through immigration and what form to fill out and make sure they take the envelope etc.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

We did POE together, since we had DCFed. We flew over on Silverjet, the now defunct all-business class airline, as a special treat. It was great to fly out of a private terminal and be able to lie down on the flight. When we finally got to Newark, his processing took THREE HOURS because they "forgot" he was there. I was losing my mind because the guards would not tell me what was going on with him. I refused to leave baggage claim without him. Eventually he emerged, irritated but relieved.

The night before we spent at an Econolodge in Luton. Classeh! Earlier that day we closed the door on our flat and dropped the keys through the letterbox. Sorry to be maudlin, but it really makes me sad to think now about how excited we were to make the move over here when it all went so pear-shaped in the end.

[JoannaV 174]

All of you guys seem to have jobs which are vaguely understanding and allowed you time to think about how exciting a day it is. My husband's (old) job would never allow him a moment to think about my impending flight. (And their only comment on everything was "now you're married you'll have to work overtime all the time".) Maybe it was a blessing though, for him not to have all those hours of "pins and needles"!

Very happy for both of you couples who are being reunited today!

[Nik+Heather 121]

All of you guys seem to have jobs which are vaguely understanding and allowed you time to think about how exciting a day it is. My husband's (old) job would never allow him a moment to think about my impending flight. (And their only comment on everything was "now you're married you'll have to work overtime all the time".) Maybe it was a blessing though, for him not to have all those hours of "pins and needles"!

Very happy for both of you couples who are being reunited today!

It's true, I would have been glad for the day of waiting to be filled with distractions - too busy to clock watch.