Life Lately: April 2018

Hellloooo! I hope everyone had a great Easter!

I’ve wanted to add these ‘Life Lately’ posts to my blog for a while, so I thought now would be the perfect time to do so as I have some AMAZING news to share with you…

MY VISA HAS BEEN APPROVED!!!🙈😬🇺🇸

Finally, after what seems like a lifetime, I am able to move to NY to be with my fiancé! I am so excited that we will be able to officially move in together and start the next chapter of our lives!❤️

Since getting engaged last May and filing the petition for my visa, it’s felt like forever that we’ve been waiting for this news!

To be perfectly honest, I can’t complain too much as many people wait so much longer than Sean and I had to. The process for the fiancé visa has taken us 10 months in total. It doesn’t seem like so long when I’m saying that but it felt like YEARS! Waiting patiently is not my strong suit!

We eventually heard from the embassy here in the UK and I arranged both my medical exam and visa interview within the space of just three weeks.

I am not in any way an anxious person, but in the run up to my interview date I had the most anxious and nervous feeling I have ever felt in my life. I had gotten myself into a little trouble when I was out in Vegas with the girls last year and I have been so worried that it would effect my visa being approved!

So, on the day of my interview, after less than three hours of sleep I headed to Vauxhall tube station, grabbed a Starbucks and took a stroll over to the US Embassy.

The interview was not what I expected at all! I was only there for around an hour in total. I had taken photos and evidence of mine and Sean’s relationship with me but the only thing I was asked about our relationship was how we met! It was not scary at all. Well, that was until the trouble that I had gotten in whilst in Vegas had been brought to the immigration officers attention. Then it became very scary! They were unable to give me an answer as to whether my visa would be approved. The officer told me I’d hear back from them within one to two weeks. So… where I was hoping that I would come out of the interview with this anxious feeling lifted off of me, I was left with this feeling for another one to two weeks!

And what a loooooong two weeks it was! They made me wait pretty much the WHOLE two weeks so you can imagine how nervous I was feeling. I am usually a relaxed person and have a ‘what’s meant to be will be’ type of attitude. But after reading that most people get told on the day of the interview if their visa has been approved, I convinced myself it was going to be bad news!

But first thing last Monday morning I logged on to the visa status check page and saw this delightful image…

I cannot explain the relief I felt in this moment!

Of course, being the government, I still had to wait ‘up to 10 working days’ before my passport and visa would be sent to me. But I luckily received an email on Wednesday morning (just two days after my visa had been approved!) to say my documents would arrive within two days. And it did… the next day!

I must admit the past nine months have been quite difficult. As I haven’t been working, I have felt very dependent on Sean and my family and I’m really not used to feeling like that. I am so excited to finally be able to make my own money again and to feel like I have my independence back! Sean and I will also be able to start really planning our wedding now that all of this is almost over, which I am soooooo excited about!👰🏼 let’s see how quickly I turn into Bridezilla!🤣

The past few weeks have really just consisted of me waiting around (very anxiously) for some news on my visa. I can’t say I’ve been too productive with my time while I’ve been back in Wales, but I (finally) got my butt back into the gym and I’m at the stage where I’m actually enjoying it again, which is great! I’ve lost around 10lbs since leaving NY and I’ve toned up a lot! Now that I will be living over there I REALLY need to not let myself indulge as much as I do when I’m on ‘holiday’ out there… the food is just SO good though!

Anyway… I booked my flight back to NY for next Monday. Sean and I are then heading to Vegas on Wednesday for a couple of days before taking a road trip to Coachella! That’s two things off of my ‘Before I turn 30’ bucket list right there😜 (if you haven’t read that post yet you can read it here!) Now I will be spending the next week preparing everything I want to take over to my new home and picking outfits for Coachella, of course!

Unfortunately, it was quite difficult to be excited about receiving my visa on Thursday as our family cat had to be rushed to the vets as she was having trouble breathing. We had to make the extremely difficult decision to have Ava put down. She was only one years old and this was totally unexpected so my family are so heartbroken! Our house feels empty without her here. She was the sweetest, nicest, funniest and cutest cat and she will be missed so much💔

Oh, and one last thing to share… I hit the goal I set myself at the beginning of the month and my first blogger milestone… 100 followers! Woo! Thank you to everyone reading and following!

Well that’s all from me for my first ‘Life Lately’… I better start packing! I will keep you updated on how I’m settling in 💖

J x

P.S. Anyone that is going through the same visa process and would like someone to talk to/ask questions, please feel free to message me! It can be really daunting so I would be happy to help anyone!💖