The Troop Update and Other news...

Our group of Visa Journey group on Facebook has increased to 18 lovely ladies. I personally am loving having this “support group”. Since this process started, the distance has been a whole lot harder for us to deal with and both of our moods and patience have been tested on numerous occasions… BUT like always we pull through it and move along, which just shows how strong our relationship and love for each other is. So it has been great to be able to chat to others going through the same thing as us and for the encouragement we all give each other.

We all knew that when saying “YES” to our sweethearts when we were proposed to and choosing to start this Visa Journey wasn’t going to be an easy ride or very cheap for that matter. But if that is what it’s going to take to get to be with our loved ones forever, it is a small price to pay!

Our little support group of ladies on Facebook have had a few exciting “moments” the last few weeks with a few ladies receiving their NOA2’s (the approval of the petition, which then gets sent to their local embassy, where they then end up getting their interview dates) and two receiving their interview dates, being interviewed and then their visa approved.

Dex got his Visa approved on the 1^st December, and will be arriving in South San Fransisco on the 22nd December, - wonderful Christmas present for them both. :)

Spela received a phone call from her embassy on Monday (13^th December) and was given her interview date – the 14^th December. She let us know this morning that her interview went smoothly and her visa was approved! She is leaving for California in the morning of the 24th December and will arrive with her man in the evening of the same day! So excited and happy for you girl!! :)

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Onto other news, Dustin arrives here on the 20^th January, 2011. His second visit to S.A. I’m so excited AGAIN (obviously, LOL), but extra excited this time because he gets to meet Hayley! The only person in my immediate family that he hasn’t met yet, I can’t wait to see how he is around us, being identical twins and all! LOL (that could be quite funny… well I’m hoping it will be :))

We plan on going to the Drakensburg for a week – I love the mountains and thought that it would be a great place to show him, although there is not much to do / see there, it will be nice and relaxing! Its summer now so it is going to be a scorcher, but my man will be here and that’s all that counts :) 38 Days left today until he arrives :)

SURPRISE!!

On Friday (12th November, 2010), the family received a HUGE surprise! HAYLEY arrived home a week earlier than she told us she would be returning!!

She organized with her friend Sam's Mom (Vicky) to pick her up from the airport in Durban and bring her back to PMB. She also organized for my Mom's friend (Mrs Linvingston) from work to have my Mom go to her house to "help" her with something, so that Mom was in one place and couldn’t go out. A few minutes later Hayley was in Mrs Livingstons house, surprising my Mom and Melissa!! A very well planned and kept surprise by the three of them.

Like always I go home on a weekend, so on Friday I went home. Traffic was really bad so I only got home after 5:00pm. To be honest on Friday morning from the minute I woke up I had Hayley in my head and a feeling (I can't explain) that she was somewhere here, I’ve never had this feeling before so it was kind of weird. Anyways I went to work and the feeling soon faded away because I got busy at work etc. then Sam put on her Facebook status "happy happy my best friend / sister is back in South Africa! I've missed you like I can't explain!!!!!!" (or something close to that), which made me think "huh? who she talking bout, if it's Hayley she must have thought wrong because she is only back next week Friday, maybe she got the Fridays mixed up", that did however, put the thought back in my head that Hayley was in actual fact somewhere here, and because I had surprised her by needing to be picked up a day earlier when I got back from USA that she was doing the same. But that soon got brushed off again with work etc. When I was on my way home driving along College Road (those that live in PMB will know where this is), the feeling that Hayley just might be back became stronger. When I got home Hayleys room was still the same – no bags etc (much to my disappointment). So I went to my Moms room and said hello to her like usual, then started reading a magazine on her bed, looking for a gift for our company Secret Santa. Then I suddenly heard a very familiar "hello" and looked up and was in COMPLETE shock!! It was Hayley standing in front of me smiling! I was speechless (literally) for a while and just stared at her, I wasn't sure if I was seeing things, or if I was dreaming or what but GOSH it felt weird to see her standing there. LOL. Then she laughed and said “are you going to say anything?” then I jumped up and hugged her!! :)

So ya she kept it a secret for a while, and so did everyone involved! A very well kept secret that is!!

The family is VERY happy to have her back! Once again the family is complete with all the members, but also not for long again with me leaving next year! However, I will be back to visit as often as possible and a new member (Dustin) is being added to our family in the process :D so there is a positive!

WELCOME BACK HAYLEY!!

Hayley and Milo...