You're Still the One....

This weekend, I was finally able to spend some much needed face to face time with Jim. It had been 7 weeks since we had seen each other, and we were both excited to spend this time together. The purpose of the visit was to go to a wedding of a good friend's daughter. The wedding was fabulous!! The bride looked amazing (as did Caroline, the mother of the bride!) We had a great time and I always love an excuse to get all dressed up! Here we are at the wedding:

This weekend was also my nephew Matthew's piano recital. Coincidentally, Jim was down last year for Matthew's piano recital as well. We were both able to see the improvement he has made in a year. He is getting to be a great little musician! We were also able to spend some time visiting with my family Friday night.

Saturday pretty much consisted of getting ready for the wedding and attending the wedding. We were lucky that we got to sit with some great friends and we had a wonderful time! The food was fabulous and the atmosphere was great!

Today, we went to mass and afterward, we had a chance to meet with Fr. Rick who will be coming to Illinois to marry us. Father Rick is the Pastor at the parishes I work for, and has graciously agreed to come to Illinois to marry us. We are so happy that he is willing to do this. We were able to work out the details of the wedding with Father. We had our meeting over lunch so it was really relaxed and he was able to get to know Jim a bit better, which was nice.

After that, we headed to meet up with my friend Kortney and her boyfriend for a quick visit. Kortney is standing up in the wedding, and she has moved to Kitchener this past year so I don't get to see her as much as I used to. It just so happened that she and her boyfriend were going to be in town this weekend, so we managed to fit in a quick visit. It was lots of fun. After the visit, we headed to get a quick lesson on Natural Family Planning. One of the parishioners in my parish is a certified instructor so we were able to get a private lesson from her.

After that, we headed to Windsor to an Italian restaurant to celebrate! Not only is it 5 months until the wedding, but tomorrow will be one year that we have been officially dating. I say 'officially' because anyone who knows us knows that we have been 'sort of' dating for much longer than that. (If you are unsure of what I am talking about, feel free to look back in the blog to Jim's epic saga of the events of our relationship lol)

It is hard to believe that a year has gone by already. It seems like yesterday! This has truly been a magical year for both of us and we are so blessed by God to have been able to have all the events of this year take place. I pray that the next year (and those to come) will continue to  be as wonderful and grace-filled.

Come together....

In the past month, things have really been coming together with the wedding and visa planning. When it comes to the visa, I have my medical in Toronto on May 7th and my interview July 5th in Montreal. It is exciting to think that soon this will all be done, but I am still a bit nervous. I will feel much better once I get approved for the visa and it is in my hand!

As for the wedding plans, they are going great. In the past month, we have booked the hotel for our honeymoon. (Yes, it was the place that we were discussing in a previous blog). We are excited!
We have also booked transportation for the day of the wedding and received our invitations! Dare I say that all of the big stuff is done??

Now it is just all the little things that add up along with finalizing the logistics of my move to the USA. It is not cheap to move stuff from one country to another. Thankfully, when Jim and I were planning the expenses of the wedding, we remembered the amount of money we would have to add on for moving, and visa expenses. Along with the trips to Toronto and Montreal (which are not cheap!) filing for the adjustment of status (where I can actually apply for a green card) will be another 1000 bucks!  The United States government sure doesn't make it easy for one to move to their country on a fiance visa!

Next weekend, it will be 5 months to the wedding! I can't believe it! Also, next weekend, Jim will be coming down to visit. This is the first time I have seen him in 7 weeks! Even though we talk everyday on skype, it is not the same thing. It is a good alternative to being together, but we really have to work at our relationship and talk a lot because we aren't together all the time. This is one of the longest stretches we have gone without seeing each other. I am not going to lie and say it has been easy, because it hasn't. Long distance relationships are not for the faint of heart. I am so happy that soon we will be together all the time!

Loving You....

Seven years ago today, my dad died. I remember one of the first thoughts that went through my mind as I began to process things was, "He's not going to be here to walk me down the aisle one day." As the years passed and there didn't seem to be a groom to marry, I didn't think much more about that fact. I still missed my dad everyday but it was beginning to look like their wasn't going to be a marriage in the cards for me ever. Then I met Jim.

The realization that my dad won't be there physically on that special day is a hard one. I know that he will be there in spirit, but on that day his absence will be felt. My Godson/nephew Alex will be stepping in to fill the role of walking me down the aisle. My mom informed me long ago it would be too hard for her to do it.

They say that when you find the guy you are going to marry often times you end up marrying someone just like your dad. Jim is so much like my dad in so many ways. Not only is he kind, sweet, caring and loving but he goes out of his way to talk to people and make them feel special. He has a strong faith and loves God and his family with his whole heart. My dad was the same way.

I know that if my dad and Jim would have gotten to meet they would have loved each other. While my wedding day will be bittersweet without my dad there, I know that he will be looking down happy that I found someone who is perfect for me. Someone who is a good and honourable man. Someone like him.

Whoo Hoo!!!

So for the past month or so, I have been eligible to get an interview for my visa. At first, there was none available when I tried. Then for awhile they had 3 days available: April 23-25th. This was way to soon for me to even entertain the idea of taking it. I had a few very good reasons why I couldn't. First, I had to renew my passport since it was up for renewal in February 2013 and I need a passport valid for 6 months once I enter the US, which God-willing will be in September. Second, Jim's mom is having a shower for me (and Jim's brother's fiance) in May. Third, Jim's brother and his fiance will be getting married in mid-June and I really want to go.

So, everyday I had a routine to check the website several times a day to see if there were any interviews available. Today, once I got to work I quickly checked like I always do, and was shocked to see that there were many interviews available in May, June and July. I immediately called Jim at home and didn't get an answer. I called a few more times and go ahold of him. Then the task began to figure out which date would work best for us.

We finally settled on one: July 5th! We chose this date because it falls right after the American holiday and therefore Jim will have to take less time off. Also, we realized later, that on this date we have been together in person every year we have known each other! (Also, I think we went to the U2 show last year on this date so it has to be lucky right?)

I am so excited that it means that I will get to do everything I want to do before the interview and still have plenty of time to get the passport back with the visa on it. It generally takes 2 weeks or so to come back but very rarely it can take up to 2 months. Also, I went online to look at flights tonight and all flights on the two major Canadian airlines are 50% off if you book by tomorrow! I will be taking advantage of that for sure! What great timing! Also, it looks like Jim and I could actually travel together for once. We may take the same airline and both have connections in Toronto. That would mean from Toronto to Montreal we would fly together! :)

Getting an interview time means I can now book a medical which has to be done before the interview. I called at lunch and left my information  at the doctors office in Toronto who does medicals for the consulate. At around 3p.m. today they called me on my cell phone and when I told them I wanted a date in June the lady replied "JUNE? I don't even have the calendar ready for June! Can you call back in May please?" My first reaction was to think "Seriously lady? I didn't say December! June is only 2 months away!" But I guess I will call back in May and see when I can get into the medical.

I am so happy that everything looks like it is going to work out. Keep praying that everything goes well with the medical and the interview! :)