Merry Christmas 2011

Christmas has come and gone yet again.  Time seems to be awfully warpy these days because it felt like Christmas would never come and also as though it's flown by as fast as one of those funny drag-racing cars.  I woke up earlier on Christmas than I had expected to (as I stayed up rather late on Christmas Eve talking to Mom and Jeff and watching those dorky Christmas movies that come on every year after work) and made it to Sacrament meeting with Mom and Dad.  Which was very nice and short.  Yay.

After church, Mom said I could open my presents that weren't from Dad or Santa (aka Dad).  Which meant I got to open cards from Phil and Stephen and Marie, my future in-laws.  And a present from them as well.  The cards were sparkly and fun and I enjoyed the wrap I got with my name on it very much.  Dustin came out of his room and Mom and Dad told him he'd missed Christmas.  Which was pretty funny.  Afterwards, I made three delicious pumpkin cheesecakes to take to our yearly Christmas bash at Wes and Liz's place (a fairly new but awesome tradition).  While those were in the oven, I started working on my bouquet again.  Mom made a bouquet for me a few months back, but we both thought it needed a few more flowers.  Mom got glitter all over her pants from the ribbon she tied around the stems.  Isn't it pretty? 

Mom made cheesy potatoes (I helped), and I texted with Phil until we left at 4:40ish for Wes and Liz's. It was a blast, and Liz made a deliciously moist 27 pound turkey for us to share.  I overate but enjoyed every moment of it.  After dinner we opened presents in a very chaotic way that was lots of fun.  I didn't take many pictures (and left out Wes in pictures entirely), but Lydia was having a lot of fun with her new camera and taking tons.  I'm sure some of which will show up on Liz's blog. And as she now has a camera, she has let people start taking pictures of her.  Amazing!

Adelle was super excited to open more presents.  She especially loved the Barbies Mom gave her.

Jeff enjoying cheesy potatoes!  And Dustin too.

Andrea was our new addition to the celebration this year.  I love her new hair cut.  And Kyle's.  Dad looks happy.

Lexie and Devin are such a cute couple!  And I love Lexie's new Christmas shoes.

Jeff was getting a bit sick of all the flashes.  As you can tell.

It's Lydia!

And Liz!  She's such a good hostess.

That's a good smile Dustin has.

Violet adored the vegetables and fruit mom and I gave her for Christmas.  She spent most of the evening playing with it in the kitchen.

 Since Lydia and Liz weren't able to model their dresses for my wedding on Thanksgiving, I asked them to do so after Violet went to bed (because it didn't cross my mind until then).  I have a picture of Mom and Adelle in their dresses, but since I'm in the picture in mine, I can't put it on here.  Since Phil does read this.  Anyway, Lydia is going to be one of my bridesmaids, and her only rules for choosing her dress (and shoes) were that she had to feel beautiful in them.  And the dress had to be blue.  I think she made a fine choice (though hopefully she doesn't get too much taller).  She loves her heels.

Lydia's such a beautiful young woman!

 Mom and Dad also got a new blue dress for Liz.  I'm so excited for my wedding now.

And Liz looks very good in her new dress too.

Well, this is probably going to be the last blog post for a while (I'm saying that just in case), so I hope you all have a happy new year!

A Rant About K1 Visas

Phil finally has his interview date scheduled with the US embassy in London on January 5.  This process took a lot longer than expected (clearly, or we never would've hoped for a wedding in November) and has been frustrating because there really isn't much you can do when you get the ball going, figuratively speaking.  It isn't like it is in the movies where the guy from the foreign country comes and marries the girl of his dreams and they live happily ever after without anything more annoying than an interview to prove that their marriage isn't a fraud.  Not how it works.  Sadly.  If it were that easy, Phil would be here with me for Christmas.  But he isn't.

When Phil was here back in May/June, we decided we would do it the "proper" way and apply for a K1 visa instead of just getting married then and there and going the other route.  A CR-1 visa is what you use to bring your married spouse to the country.  (Don't even get me started on how same-sex couples have no way of bringing their significant other legally into the country.)  There are benefits and detriments to both type, and we went with a K1 because Phil would be able to work sooner (as he's the one who'll be making the money in our family as a pilot soonish).  Plus then we wouldn't have to be physically apart during part of the process after being married (as can happen with the CR-1 visa process).  A K1 visa generally takes less time, too.  Generally.  When we applied for his K1 visa, on average people were getting approved with the first step within 3ish months.  Which is why we thought November would work.

Ha.  How naive we were.

Actually it has taken us about as long as it normally takes (which is between 7-9 months), but when you're hoping that it won't take that long, it feels a lot longer.  Especially when your significant other can't afford to fly over and see you at all.  Or can't take time off work to do that.  Or whatever.  Spending most of your engagement unable to even poke each other in the arm for being mean is not fun.  I would not recommend it to anyone.

Anyway.  We mailed the paperwork in after filling it out to the best of our ability (though I wish we'd found visajourney.com earlier in the paperworky part in retrospect) and received our Notification of Action 1 (NOA1) on June 7 from the California Service Center (CSC--there are a lot of abbreviations).  Phil then left on the 13.  Which was terrible.  But at least things were moving along.

Excited for my upcoming nuptials, mom, Lexie, Tasha, and I attended a bridal fair at La Caille in July and I found my wedding dress afterward at David's Bridal.  Woot.  We started gathering stuff for the wedding that we were hoping to have in November (as December wouldn't be possible for me thanks to my job at the post office).  I hate planning weddings.  So hopefully mine turns out okay in February.  Everything is ridiculously priced for a wedding and as I'd rather use that money on living (and supporting my husband who won't be able to work for up to 90 days), I'm going for pretty simple.  But I digress.

Time was just ticking along.  Slowly.  Then I got hired as a career at the post office.  And had a 90 day probation I almost didn't pass because of one too many errors (I haven't had one since probation, funny enough.  Almost like the stress was what made me mess up or something).  There were some tears during that time.  Not only was I stressed out about possibly losing my job and having to get one at Discover that would make it impossible for Phil and I to get our own apartment (curse you stupid student loans!), but there was no word from the CSC.  And my fiance wasn't around to hold me when I felt like the world was plotting against me.  Not a good time.  Actually, it was a pretty awful time.  But I made it out of probation  at the end of October because I had a very nice supervisor.

And, fortunately, the CSC actually looked at our case on October 26.  (See, all these files just sit around for months and months until someone randomly decides to look at them when there's a bit of a spare moment.  K1 visas are technically non-immigrant visas and don't have as much priority.  Bit messed up...)  We got a Request for Evidence (RFE) because there wasn't quite enough proof that he had been here (we didn't send a scan of his boarding pass/passport/itinerary.  Or really take many pictures with both of us in it).  He had sent me scans just in case this happened all the way back in August.  Which meant I could send it off as soon as I got the paper copy of the RFE in the mail on the 31.

I was sick and tired of waiting to see Phil.  I'd just been through a very stressful 90 day probation and really wanted to see him face to face, so I told him that if we didn't hear from the CSC by November 11, I was going to buy him a train ticket and plane ticket to come see me.  Even if that meant he might be denied entry because they were afraid he would marry me on a visitor's visa.  He had stopped taking on new students and was out of a job, so it was going to be my Christmas present to me.  Even though I planned to send him back before Christmas.  I didn't like the idea of spending Thanksgiving and my birthday without him if the process was going to take forever still.

As the 11 was Veteran's day, I figured that we had not heard from them and was in the beginning stages of planning bringing him over on the 10 while I was out at a Korean restaurant with Devin, Lexie, and Jeff.
 The text came at 7:01 while I was texting Phil a week after they received the RFE.  As the CSC had been closed for an hour, I really didn't think we'd hear anything...but we did.  We got our NOA2.  Which meant the really long waiting game was over after 156 days.  I had been prepared to drag my congressman into the fray, but fortunately didn't need to.

Our case was forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC) and received on the 15.  Which was then passed on to the London embassy on the 18.  The embassy received it on the 23.  I still haven't gotten a letter from the NVC, but that's okay.  I'm just glad it didn't get stuck there waiting for administrative process.  The whole visa process is incredibly racist.  Those who come from certain countries or with certain names that sound "terroristy" (as I put it) have to wait longer than those who come from other countries.  Not the least bit fair.  Fortunately Phil has a very English name.  You'd think that Britons wishing to immigrate to the US would have an easier time of it as they've been such a good ally for so long...but bureaucracy doesn't think much...

Anyway, as Phil has had nothing better to do since his last lesson the last Monday in October, Phil was very much ready for this step.  And he's done it in record time for 2011, actually.  His medical was on December 1.  They make sure potential immigrants have all their shots.  And get a chest X-ray.  And are determined to be the gender they claim to be.  I'm very glad I didn't have to do this step.  His blood pressure was high (mine would have been, as you can be denied a visa if you don't pass the medical), but fortunately his doctor had been monitoring that for a while and after a followup visit with his own doctor (the medicals are done by special doctors who can charge a lot...), his medical and blood pressure history were sent to the embassy.

It was another waiting game after they got his information.  I had hoped to get news around my birthday as to when his interview date would be (because that would've been a spiffy birthday present), but no such luck.  I had to content myself with a cute bear he sent and a very nifty clock his mother sent over for my birthday.  He got an email and a letter from the embassy yesterday telling him his interview would be on the 5 of January.  I'm sure he'll pass.  And have a visa in hand in about a week.  And then he can come over!  Hooray!

Right.  Well, this is longer than I thought it would be..  I suppose the moral of the story is that you should expect a K1 visa to take a very long time so that you're pleasantly surprised when it doesn't if you're one of the lucky people.  All told, it will be 212 days between when we got the NOA1 and his interview.  And 206 days from when we last kissed and hugged.  But if all goes well, I'll be able to see him by this time next month no problem.  Which is good.  He still needs to get his suit for the wedding :P

Birthdays and Parties and Pictures, oh my!

Eek.  I'm now a quarter of a century old.  Which is very odd for me as I've seen myself as 24 for the past two years.  Why?  Well, in Korea I introduced myself as being 24 years old.  Which I was in Korean.  Children are considered a year old when they're born and they turn another year older at the beginning of the new year.  So I was 2 when I was 2 weeks old.  As was Violet, coincidentally.  Anyway, when I got back from Korea and was in Korean class at the U, I also said I was 24.  Which was true at the end of my first semester.  And now I can't say that anymore.  Sadness.

It's amazing how fast and how slow time can go depending on what you're pondering, isn't it?  When I was younger, December used to drag by so slowly I felt as though it would never end.  As did the months before, actually.  Now that I'm older, time seems to be paradoxically slipping and dragging away.  I blame the government.  No, Phil does not have his interview date yet even though the embassy has had his paperwork for like 20 days.  Grr.  This whole immigration thing is taking way too long.  No wonder so many people come in illegally.  Not that I'm suggesting people do it, but if it's this hard to get a visa to get married, it's got to be ten times harder to just immigrate.

Right.  That's my rant for this post.  I'm hoping that this rant will somehow encourage the embassy to make his appointment and tell him about it tomorrow.  As long as he's got an interview in January, we're planning to get married February 18, 2012.  Which isn't the November date we originally wanted...but you can't always get what you want and never in a timely manner from the US government.  Now I'm done ranting.  Honest.

Luckily for me, my birthday is a week before Christmas Eve (actually, I hated hearing Christmas music before my birthday as a child, but now I really don't care), so that means the annual Oates Christmas Party is near my birthday.  And on my birthday when my birthday is a Saturday.  Like it was this year.  Woot.  Tasha picked me up early on Saturday and we saw Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows before she treated me to pancakes at Ihop (I'd filled up on too much popcorn to eat more). I think I like the second more than the first Sherlock Holmes and am very appreciative to Robert Downey Jr. for putting out such a good movie for my birthday like he did for Tasha's with Iron Man 2.  Apparently he likes us, as I already know part of Tasha's present for next year as the Avengers comes out near her birthday :p  But I digress.  We played on the Kinect for a bit and then she had to go to a wedding.

I got to see both of my grandmothers this year on my birthday, which was a very sweet treat.  I was stupid and didn't take a picture of either, though. But I did take them of my adorable nieces!

Violet was in a very good mood during dinner.

She kept making adorable faces

My favorite is her new standard "smile" when you ask her to smile

Lydia actually let me take a few pictures without hiding her face!

Of course they were silly pictures...  Gotta love her

Adelle really enjoyed the toys that Aunt Sharon and Uncle Forrest handed out to all the great-grandchildren.  I love her new haircut.

I gave the camera to Adelle and ended up in a picture!  Aaah!

She got one of Liz too.

And doesn't Wes look great?  You can see Uncle Forrest sitting by the fireplace in the background.  This was during his fun game time.

Liz won another jar full of quarters!  I guessed way high.  For future reference, there was like 700 something in there.

Mom won the overall total for the jars of candy/quarters this year.  Go mom!

I had a great time and won some money to use to pay for my wedding cake. I'm having my cousin Shontelle design it and I'm super excited to see it.  I just wish I didn't have to keep waiting...

Anyway, on Sunday I got to sing with the ward choir.  Woot.  It was fun.  Especially since I didn't have to work (though as a result I get 6 days in a row this week...)  After church I had Adelle and Lydia over to play my Disneyland game for my Kinect.  I wish I'd taken pictures...but no luck.  Adelle and Lydia did a great job dancing like princesses.

I took them back at 4:30 and got to spend some time alone with the birthday girl before all the other people showed up.  Violet made cute faces for me again.  I got a few pictures.  Not many of her actual party, though, as I was taking video.  Which I've included for your viewing pleasure..And some pictures.

Lydia is a great older sister.  She was helping Violet see the ornaments better.

Isn't she just a cutie?

There's her cheesy smile!

Adelle was very cute too.  I like the ribbons in her hair.

Violet loves her grandpa and her grandpa loves her.

What a helpful daddy!

It was a fun party for everyone, especially since Violet clearly had so much fun with her presents.  She wouldn't get off the trike in order to eat her cupcake.  Little kids are so much fun on their birthdays!

Look for a new post sometime soon about Christmas.  And Merry Christmas to my handful of readers!

Happy Turkey Day 2011!

 Well, one of my most favorite holidays has come and passed again.  I love Thanksgiving.  It's a lot of fun spending time with my family before eating a massively large meal and pie.  I remember when I was younger I used to try and fast all day before eating so that I could manage to eat more of the delicious turkey Mom makes.  Yes, I know I was an odd child.

Anyway, this year I got to be the chef again.  Yay!  The last time that happened I was in China making experimental dishes so it was okay if I messed up.  I was a bit worried I'd mess up with the annual tradition here.  Fortunately, Mom was around to supervise and give me handy tips that kept the tradition alive.  And avoided going to a Denny's like Phil suggested in case I burned the turkey (thanks again for that suggestion).

The day before I went to see The Muppets with Tasha.  It was funny.  Afterward I made three delicious pumpkin cheesecakes (one of which I've eaten nearly half of, I swear).  Thanksgiving morning, Mom and I wrestled with our Quasimodo turkey (one side was bigger than the other and the legs were in the way of the lid on the roasting pan) and got him in the oven.  I got to peel potatoes and sweet potatoes (and have a pretty cool cuts from using my handy new Titan Peeler), make stuffing, open cans, put Cheese Whiz into celery, and the like.  It actually wasn't quite as hard as I thought it would be.  But lifting that huge turkey was exhausting.

Wes, Liz, Adelle, and Violet were the first to arrive.  Poor Violet had been battling a fever all day and melted down about fifteen minutes before the food was ready, sadly, but I did get to play with her and go on a walk around the house after she asked to go on one in a whisper.  She's a cutie.  Wes took a plate of food back to Liz for her to enjoy while helping soothe sick Violet.  Sadly they left before I got my camera out. So no pictures of them.  But I do have plenty of food!  Yay food!

We actually sat at the table!

Lots of yummy food.  You can see some of the pies off on mom's desk.  Lyndi and Lexie both brought some homemade and very yummy ones.

Here's the Quasimodo turkey after half of it was removed.  Mmm, tasty.

Adelle kept pointing out the wishbone to Dad.  And was very anxious to get eating.

She had the first plate.  Yum!  There are so many of us we have to set up a card table also.

Devin had a wonderfully pretty flower in his hair as we ate.

It's Veggie the lexitarian!  Ha.  Lexie looked really cute with her new hair color.

There's my aunt Lyndi

And Tyler, her very tall son.  Very tall.

I love Dad's very cheesy smile.  I only managed to get the back of Grandma's head...

Here's Jeff in a food coma!

The meal was good, but the company was better.  After dinner and before pie, Mom, Adelle, and I changed into our dresses for the wedding.  I'd post a picture, but then Phil would see so no picture.  Adelle didn't want to get out of her dress.  I did.  I ate too much and it felt a bit tight :P

In other news (since I'm a horrible blog poster), Phil's visa application was approved by USCIS on November 10.  Woo!  I am out of probation and still have a job!  Yay!  And sometime soon I'll actually be able to count down to my wedding day!

Labor Day 2011

As a career employee at the post office, I finally get paid holidays.  Which is great.  I got a three-day weekend even though I'm in probation and can't take any time off, yay!

As I've got this crazy wedding thing coming up, Mom decided it would be good to utilize my days off with some shopping.  Liz, Violet, and Lydia joined up with us and we went off in search of a dress for Liz.  Which we found.  I didn't get any pictures of it, sadly, but she looks fantastic in it.  I'm sure I'll be able to post some when I actually get married of her beautiful dress.

Violet did pretty well during the shopping excursion--Liz used a secret weapon.  Cookie Crisps apparently work magic on toddlers.  We weren't able to find her a pretty blue dress to wear as flower girl, sadly, though we did look.  We found a bunch of options for Adelle, but she was sick at home.

Mom had to go to work on Saturday.  And I got to do one of my favorite things--babysit my nieces.  Liz won concert tickets, so she and Wes left me in charge.  It was a lot of fun (even though Violet cried the entire time I gave her a bath) because those girls are so well behaved.  Adelle and Lydia showed me Little Big Planet and demonstrated I'm no good at playing a PS3.  It was fun, though, because my little character was dressed up in a wedding dress and veil.

I took a bunch of pictures babysitting--and Lydia took a few too.

Lydia is such a good older sister to Violet and Adelle.

I think Lydia became aware I was using my camera in this picture.

Lydia got this one of me.  It's really cute, isn't it?

Violet loves her Elmo doll.  It's really cute.  It blows kisses.

Adelle spent some of the afternoon reading.

I love the look on Lydia's face...  Violet decided to go after Cosette (the cat) and nearly landed on her sister.

Aww...Lydia got to be used as a pillow

For almost the entire movie :P

The rest of the weekend was boring. Adelle was sick on Monday again, so no shopping.  Mom was sick, too.  Sick enough she's missed work a few days so far, but fortunately she took herself to the doctor.  And is on medication and will probably go back to work tomorrow, lucky Mom.

Unlucky Erica  has to work 8 days in a row, though, as I've  been scheduled for this weekend.  Hopefully I'll get some good news today or tomorrow to make it more tolerable, though.