I watch too many romantic movies!

Have a nice trip Lily!

Mirrajay, that's exciting about moving your trip up.  Never heard of Brownsea Island...sounds nice.

Becca, glad that you heard from Tim...that was sweet!

Equestrianerd, ya...boys can be a pain sometimes...ok, all the time!   

Sarah, have fun @ the pub Friday night...so jealous! 

DF will be here in a little over a week.  We were going to do engagement photos, but reschedule for late July.  We just have too much going on during his next visit.

I know I haven't really poked around here in a while, but I have been lurking

I just got back from taking Steve to the airport, so now he's on his way back to the UK. It feels way too quiet here, and I did my normal crying bit but now I'm too tired to be really upset.

But, with that said--I got my online application done and dusted, and my biometrics are scheduled for the 18th. I should definitely have my marriage certificate by then, they said roughly 2 weeks from the time of marriage which was on May 27th, so I'm giving it another week for good measure. If all goes well, I should have everything in the mail to the courier on the 19th; I'm not really looking to move until the beginning of September, but I'd like to know for sure I got the visa before I really start getting ready to move.

So, now I'm going to go try to sleep and let the time pass by, it'll be another 14 hours before Steve's back in the UK Hope everyone's doing well, like I said I have been reading and lurking and trying to keep up

I just got back from taking Steve to the airport, so now he's on his way back to the UK. It feels way too quiet here, and I did my normal crying bit but now I'm too tired to be really upset.

But, with that said--I got my online application done and dusted, and my biometrics are scheduled for the 18th. I should definitely have my marriage certificate by then, they said roughly 2 weeks from the time of marriage which was on May 27th, so I'm giving it another week for good measure. If all goes well, I should have everything in the mail to the courier on the 19th; I'm not really looking to move until the beginning of September, but I'd like to know for sure I got the visa before I really start getting ready to move.

Yay!  Will you be using a courier since you've got a few months before you plan to move?

I'm obsessively checking my credit card account to see if the embassy has charged my application fee yet...so far, no dice.  I left my info with them on Friday afternoon, so you would think they would have either used the info or called me for corrections by now, unless I got really lucky and the person I called is on vacation or something...

I hope Steve has a safe/easy flight back to the UK.

Yay!  Will you be using a courier since you've got a few months before you plan to move?

I'm obsessively checking my credit card account to see if the embassy has charged my application fee yet...so far, no dice.  I left my info with them on Friday afternoon, so you would think they would have either used the info or called me for corrections by now, unless I got really lucky and the person I called is on vacation or something...

I hope Steve has a safe/easy flight back to the UK.

Definitely using a courier, I have a few in mind that I'm checking out in the LA area. I'm lucky enough to be able to have enough to afford it after paying for the actual visa, and I'd feel much more comfortable with a courier involved I figured September was a viable date, it gives me a couple months to get a visa approved, sort out social security stuff and pack a few boxes--as long as I get there before the 30th, it's his daughters birthday and she really wants me there. If I'm not, the ECOs better watch out for the wrath of a 9 year old girl

Thanks for the well wishes btw, he's off work the rest of this week so he'll be able to sort out his jetlag and spend time with his kids before heading back to the salt mines

I hope you get your stuff sorted out soon, it's a pain in the bum to wait around like that, I hate that feeling 

Congrats on being married KF and good luck with the app process!  It seems like it was so long before the wedding and now here you are, doing your visa app and biometrics...how exciting!

This give me hope that the next 6 months (our wedding in in November) will go quickly. 

I just got back from seeing Gaelic Storm tonight, and they were awesome.  I highly recommend going to see them if they come near you.  They probably would've been even more fun had I been tipsy/drunk like everyone else seemed to be (including the band ), but such is the life of a teetotaler.

I did meet a cool Irish guy with a neat accent, but of course, he was about 20 years too old for me and was there with his wife of 17 years.  Sigh.

Congrats on being married KF and good luck with the app process!  It seems like it was so long before the wedding and now here you are, doing your visa app and biometrics...how exciting!

This give me hope that the next 6 months (our wedding in in November) will go quickly. 

Cheers And the 6 months will fly by for you I think, the last 4 between my last UK visit and getting married was surprisingly fast--just keep busy and focused but try to find time to relax as well so you can enjoy the time when it comes

Holy cow...I haven't been here in FOREVER.  I had pages and pages to catch up on (because any lurking I did I just glanced).

Glad to hear that lots of you ladies have had visits with your SOs.

And congrats, KF, on the marriage!  Welcome to married life.  

Cella, the 6 months WILL fly by.  My husband and I didn't get to see each other for about 6 months before we got married, and with all the planning and everything it actually went surprisingly fast. 

All righty, ladies, just wanted to check in real fast.  My sister in law is arriving here shortly (even though she's an hour late now!) so I best be on my toes so we can go out straight away.

I just got back from seeing Gaelic Storm tonight, and they were awesome.  I highly recommend going to see them if they come near you.  They probably would've been even more fun had I been tipsy/drunk like everyone else seemed to be (including the band ), but such is the life of a teetotaler.

OMGosh! GS!  They were one of the surprise bands on Ships and Dip (the BNL cruise I was on) the first year that really gathered so many fans, they were on S&D III, too!  Patrick is so adorable.

Yes, Patrick was very adorable.  They asked if anyone had been on the music cruises, and seemed pretty bummed that only 2 people said yes.  (Granted, it was a Wednesday night, and the place was pretty packed, so I'm not sure that they really get to complain much.)

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing them again.  I don't usually go to live concerts (usually because I don't realize someone's coming to town until the weekend of/after), but this was a very well-spent $13.50.

Oh, and super awesome news today...I got the letter from the embassy saying they'd sent my app off to London!!!!!  Wooo!  Granted, the letter said many times that it's taking at least 6 months to process and not to bug them until 6 months have passed, but hopefully that's a CYA thing.  (Though I suppose since my boys can't travel for 6 months either, it's not so bad...but I'll still need to get a passport after I get citizenship, which will add time.)

Speaking of passports, my "bad" news is that apparently the embassy lost its mind (or completely lost its ability to read) and didn't process my mom's passport renewal app when they finished photocopying her passport for my app.  They were nice enough to send me back her documents and her check, but they insisted that her app wasn't in the paperwork (and yet I confirmed that it was at least twice before mailing).  Oh well, I think she's going back to plan A and will just go in person to the embassy in DC (they claimed that was unnecessary/overkill, but I guess not if they won't actually recognize the app when they see it).

But yay...6 month (hopefully less) countdown begins!

[My credit card still doesn't show any charges, which is kind of random.]

KF and CKG, Thanks...I hope it will fly by as you say.  There are a few milestones before then to look forward to that will make it go by faster for sure.  DF will be here in over a week and then he comes back at the end of July for engagement photos and DD's 4th birthday!  I think that will be the last trip, but DF has mentioned me coming to the UK in September with DD.  If things aren't too hectic I may consider.
I also have bridal portratis in October that I am looking forward to.  I have most of the wedding planning done...I am just down to the small details now.

Equest, that's exciting news about your app...hope you find out something soon.

Thanks, me too!  Looking back at the thread of other peoples' citizenship app experiences, it looks like it should be about 4-8 weeks (possibly with another 1-2 weeks for sending stuff across the pond).  So I am hopeful that I and my pets could be ready to move at the same time.

I've been looking into what I'll need to do to successfully market/sell my house, and wow, the list is so incredibly long.  Thankfully the house itself doesn't need much work (new paint, new sealant on the deck, minor repairs), but just the sheer job of cleaning it all, de-cluttering, selling all my stuff (while still keeping enough to make the house look "lived in"), etc....oy.

On the plus side, I did hear from Tim again...turns out he had eye surgery on Tuesday, so I think that's a fair enough reason not to respond.  (Still doesn't answer the interested/not interested debate, though, of course...sigh...)  Though he did apparently see horses in London and think of me/remember to tell me about it, so I guess that's a good thing?

On the plus side, I did hear from Tim again...turns out he had eye surgery on Tuesday, so I think that's a fair enough reason not to respond.  (Still doesn't answer the interested/not interested debate, though, of course...sigh...)  Though he did apparently see horses in London and think of me/remember to tell me about it, so I guess that's a good thing?

Yay!  I think if he's thinking of you, he just might be interested , but probably still best to take it slow.

Speaking of Tims....Tim didn't talk to me at all yesterday and I got one of those "bad feelings" like there was something wrong with him (when usually I really don't get upset about skipped days). So I was freaking out and set my alarm for 5AM DST so I could call him this morning before he headed off for work (he's on 2-10 today). Turns out he was so wiped out from his long weekend and then two days of earlies he went upstairs almost immediately after getting home yesterday (at 2pm!), and relaxed and slept on and off from about 4PM unitl 8AM.  He felt bad about not talking to me, but at the same time, hearing how happy he was that I called him really made my day.

So we managed 2 hours this morning before he needed to get ready for work.

Yay!  I think if he's thinking of you, he just might be interested , but probably still best to take it slow.

Yes, at the moment I have no "goals" except friendship, if for no other reason than there's a massive ocean between us, we haven't met in person and could have no chemistry/irritate the crap out of each other, etc.  However, I was looking forward to the possibility of meeting up this summer if he's here in the states on business, so we'll see if that's still an option.

Glad to hear nothing had happened to your Tim, and you got in some nice quality time!

Equest, it looks like you and I may be heading over to the UK to live close to the same time...I gett married in Nov and then plan to move within a couple months of that.  Have you thought about possibly renting out your home.  This is what I've decided to do.  I foudn a leasing management company that will do it for $100 a month and was surprised at the level of service they provide, such as finding tenants (within 24 days is their record), doing background checks, monitoring the home, handling repairs, etc...It was just too good to be true and now I can keep my home as an investment.

Becca, that's so great that you got to talk to Tim for so long...well overdue, I'm sure!  

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!