Uncle Sam's Christmas Gift

It has taken nearly five months - the national average for K-1 fiance visas - for USCIS to finally approve J's visa.  When I tell everyone this, they smile and congratulate me because, to them, it seems like the end.  However, as J says, it's more like the end of the beginning.  Forms must still be filled out and submitted, criminal history checks completed, money paid, and an interview conducted in the UK.  However, it is at least an initial Yes.  It is an Approved.  It is Uncle Sam finally giving his (almost) blessing.

The hardest part was not just the waiting, but not knowing how long we might wait.  During that wait, we decided that J should come back in December. Perhaps for a visit.  Perhaps, if all had been wrapped up by then, for good.  Due to the painfully slow processing of everything involved in this visa venture, it seems that it will have to be a visit and he will return to the UK after a few weeks. However, we will spend the holidays together and Lucy will finally have someone to spoil her again.  I worry that he might be as happy to see the cat again as he is to see me!

Anyone who knows me would agree that patience is not one of my virtues.  I work at it more than anyone would probably be willing to believe.  I wish I could say this process has taught me patience.  Instead, I would have to say that it's mostly taught me how insidious loneliness can be.  And that's from someone who is pretty good at keeping myself occupied, being an only child.  It's taught me that it takes two (at least) to make a house (or, in our case an apartment) feel like a home. And, most importantly, it's taught me the value of commitment to purpose.  J has called it a soul destroying process and we both said, on more than one occasion, that we could see how mixed nationality couples (particularly those where one member is a US citizen and attempting to bring their intended to the US) would just say 'heck with this' and bow out.  However, we both persevered, despite distance, despite loneliness, despite the difficulties of living two lives in limbo, and are now looking forward to the payoff - stability, home-making, and togetherness.