Well, it's been a while since I've talked about me and Phil. To be honest, I've been rather busy with the whole process of getting my Fiance Visa. Now that I've filed, it's a huge load off my mind.
It's not an easy thing, moving to the UK. They aren't exactly standing there when you get off the airplane saying "Welcome! Stay as long as you like!" I've visited Phil 3 times now and we've gone to France and Italy and Egypt and Greece during my visits, so I've had to go through the UK customs line several times. Some of the people working there don't have very good social skills. There were a couple of times where the person who checked me through made things very uncomfortable. I got the impression they thought I was a conniving American woman who had used my wiles on an unsuspecting Brit with a good job. I guess they were partly right...he makes a comfortable living. As for me using my wiles on him though...I doubt that I have any. Besides, he's much to smart for that sort of thing. It's pretty simple really. I love him and he knows it.
So, he wants me to move over there and marry him. Was a complete shock and surprise to me...and even now, months later, I still have my moments of disbelief. It's like a fairytale dream come true. Not only do I get to move to England and live among all that history and culture...I get to do so with the most amazing man I have ever known. It's probably impossible to convey how amazing Phil is (I know there are probably things I love about him that some people wouldn't) but I'll try. He's brilliantly intelligent, honest (sometimes bluntly), generous, accepting of people just the way they are, responsible and he's not controlling. There's no one I like talking to more than him. He says the feeling is mutual. Pretty amazing, huh?
Moving over there and marrying Phil isn't exactly an easy (or quick) process though. Not cheap either! The fiance visa application cost $1404 to file. Took me a while to save up for that. It's all done now though. It was actually easier than I thought it would be. They've made some changes recently and it's quite different than the previous forms I printed out. Those were a nightmare! The online application was loads easier. It was so easy I thought for sure I was missing something...LOL.
I still had to have lots of documents though. Phil had to provide a lot of info as well. He had to copy and print out every page of his passport, send a copy of his divorce decree, supply his tax info for the last couple of years and his check stubs for the last few months. I had to send my divorce decree, print out a copy of the visa application, send in the printed email for the biometrics info (signed and dated by the person who completed my scanning), more passport photos, photos of me and Phil together, and my actual passport. I also had to include a postage paid envelope for them to send my info back to me. You'd think if I was paying that sort of money, they could at least afford to send my stuff back to me!
Anyway, that's all done. Now I'm waiting. I got an email today that my information has arrived in Sheffield, UK. I wasn't aware that it would go there. The info that I received on my application said to send it to New York...so I did. My return envelope had postage paid for a return trip from inside the US. I'm not sure how that all will work. I'm hoping they'll send it back to NY and then to me. Actually, I don't care how they do it...as long as it gets back to me. Soon. Very soon, I hope.
I'm very excited to start my new life. I'm nervous too. It's a big change. Phil is making things as easy for me as he can though. He's been very understanding. He's even doing some remodeling before I get there. No, it's not just because of me, he had things he wanted to do anyway, but he's going to try and get them done before I get there....a shower stall installed in the bathroom, new mattresses on all the beds, the back room redecorated to be more space efficient, and the one thing that's probably more for me than anything else....a new stove! See how amazing he is?
I still think it's all a beautiful dream sometimes. What did I do to deserve this? I'm a very lucky woman.
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