green card success

my husband is now an official permanent resident of the united states of america.

never mind that we live in the united kingdom still, he is considered to be an official resident. his green card should arrive at my parents in 3 to 4 months. clearly the embassy appointment last friday was a success. after nearly 5 hours of waiting, and 3 separate trips to windows, counters and interview areas, we were given the great news that our application was approved and rhys was given his residency status. it even involved him raising his right hand and saying a little oath. even crazier is that we were given 2 envelopes. one with a chest x-ray and medical information and the other is sealed and tapped shut. we have no idea what is in it. and we are not allowed to open it. we were instructed to carry both envelopes in our carry on to the US. when we get to customs and the officer asks "how long will you be staying in america" we are to tell him that i am a citizen and my husband is immigrating. then hand over the sealed envelope. the officer will then take said envelope, and us, to a side room for another interview. the envelope will finally be opened and rhys will receive the official resident stamp in his passport. weird.

and we have until 19 May to leave the UK or the visa become invalid and we have to start the process over again. it took us 9 and half months and cost nearly £3,000 ($5,000) for this green card. we are not doing it again. we will be out of the UK by the 19th of May. fact.

i finally have a time line.

i am overjoyed at the prospect of having our own place. even if that place is just a rented flat in arkansas. i can not begin to describe how excited i am that we will soon have a home that we can call ours and not be mooching off of someone else, living by someone elses rules. seriously, i can not wait. but it also means that we are leaving europe. i am very sad about that. i love so many aspects of european life that when i look at my time frame, i am sad that we only have a few months left. mainly i am sad that we only have a few months left to cram in as many cheap holidays to continental europe as possible.

it has been over a year since rhys and i first began discussing moving to america. we carefully and prayerfully considered all of our options and really felt like a move to america was the best choice for our little family. and from the time we made the decision to move until last friday i have had absolutely no say in what happens in my life. every major choice has been left up to the governments of our respective countries. visa times, citizen applications, tests, fees, and waiting. we have been left waiting on other people's time for so long now that i am a bit unsure what to do with the new found knowledge that we actually are moving. and soon. and that leaves me with so many questions about what it will be like. leaving here and going there.

one of the reasons we are waiting for me to get british citizenship is so that we have the option to move back. over the weekend rhys and i discussed the possibility that we may get to the states and decide that it is not for us. not for us? really? my own country not for me anymore? i am not sure how i will fare back in the states, but it is nice to have options.

and i suppose it is nice to have a time frame. i am pleased to finally have an end in sight. i am pleased that now we can plan out our time more appropriately. and i am pleased that my husband is now legally allowed to live in america. all in all it was a very successful weekend.