S.I.M.P.L.E

Well gosh, just realized it's been months since I "blogged." And soooooooo much has gone on since Feb5th... so I'll just do a quick catch up! On the 27th WE GOT HITCHED. It was beautiful.. though VA was pumping out snow like it was NY a couple days prior, on "MY BIG DAY" we had clear blue skies walking out of the Washington D.C. Temple.

It went by so fast compared

to the year of waiting. The whole legal process seemed to carry on for a decade... and then suddenly on February 27th we were married in 10 min! But it was the BEST 1o MINUTES of our lives!

We had a very simple reception at a family friends house. I had always thought I'd have a big wedding, with a live band, dancing, outside, in the spring. But as the Rolling Stones taught us "You can't always get what you want." Esteban has taught me the benefits of simplicity and I'm actually glad I didn't do the big, white, EXPENSIVE wedding!

We had some Uruguayan flare, we danced the tango and had the food catered from an Argentine cafe! Our cakes were beautiful! And I looked like a movie star from the 50's, so I've been told!

We flew off to Florida the next morning! We did service to have a free day at Disney World, and Esteban really wanted to go to Animal Kingdom. So we hit that up, did the Safari like 3 times! We also made a road trip to Miami and found an Uruguayan restaurant :)

We got home on the 5th and finished up all his legal documents to become a permanent resident and then I started my Supervisor Leadership Program @ GEICO!

So I'm working full-time and now he's just waiting for all the papers to come through... which is taking forever since it's the GOVERNMENT! I can't believe I even complained about the fiance visa now that we're facing all this permanent

resident mumbo jumbo!

But we wont go into that. I'm just so glad he's

here and we're finally married! Life is grand!

He's Here!

So much has happened in these last 2 months.. well 3 months now! The interview actually didn't happen on the 22nd like we thought... I giant snow storm came and raped the east coast so I was stuck in Washington D.C. Which was dreadful because I bought a full fare ticket on TACA but I ended up still feeling like a standby passenger.... never sure of when I was actually going to get to my destination. So Esteban had to call the embassy and they graciously granted us an appointment a week later.

I finally got there 2 days later on the 23rd of December. Spent Christmas in Uruguay which w

as RAD. It's summer time, there's fireworks, I loved it! Hi

s family is so sweet too we had the greatest time watching his little niece rip open all her presents and clap and jump up and down with excitement.

Then on the 28th... the day came... to finally face our fears of the United States Embassy. I had so many mixed feelings that day... but all I knew is that we HAD TO GET THIS VISA or the plans would have to change again. Esteban and I expected to sit down, in a private office with an embassy employee... Tell them about our amazing love story and prove to the

m that this relationship was legit. BUT remember the saying never assume or you make an a** out of you and me.

Here's the truth folks... that stupid movie... The Proposal with Sandra Bullock... no no no.. it got it all wrong. It was like we were at the Bank of America talking to a te

ller. They called our name once we made it through some security and we walked up and talked to this woman behind the glass and presented to her some paperwork we had lacked. She then informed Esteban that he would have to sign up with the selective service upon entering the USA incase of a draft. If he failed to do so he would be fined and imprisoned. The USA don't mess around.

She then allowed us to take a seat. But before we could even open up TIME magazine our names were called again to go and talk to the last "teller." Behind this window stood the

woman who had our destiny in the palm of her hand... she was the interviewer.

Esteban and I grabbed hands, smiled, and walked with purpose to her window. She got right to business. "When did you meet?" When we served our missions in New Jersey. " Do you have proof of this.... pictures, letters, etc?" Yes... we shot back as we pushed our kodak moments and notes through the opening in the glass... "Have you met his family? How many brothers and sisters does he have? And her, how many siblings does she have?" This went on for a few minutes and all of the sudden she said... "Ok, you've convinced me!"

Our jaws dropped to the floor when those words came out of her month. They granted Esteban the visa and right a way we got to planning when he would come.

After much convincing from my mother Esteban flew to Buenos Aires where he met Mo at the airport. They were trying to leave B.A. at peak traveling season. They ended up staying there for 3 days stuck, unable to get out on any flights. Finally we reunited with each other on American soil on the Island of Oahu.

Esteban, Rob (Mo's BF), and Mo all shared my graduation experince. It was so great to have the love of my life with me on that day. And now... to think ... we've chatted every day for a year... made long distance calls..wrote letters... sent pictures... and now we get to spend every single waking moment together, forever! What a blessing. This couldn't have happened with out the support of our families.

We are now making all the preparations for our Temple marriage on February 27, 2010 at 2pm. And our honeymoon in Orlando,Florida Cheeewhoooo!! We're going to Disney World baby! Don't worry I'll be back to write alllllllll about that! I might leave out a few details.. if you know what I mean ;)

THE Interview

I woke up and read quite the email this morning. The embassy in Montevideo FINALLY has given us an interview date! Drum roll please.....December 22, 2009 we WILL know if we have the visa to get married in the D.C. Temple!! I feel pretty relieved and pretty nervous at the same time. BUT I'm pretty stoked that I can actually start planning a wedding now. Wow I can actually set a wedding date....

And of course the embassy couldn't let it be that easy. Because I'm a poor college student I knew I wouldn't be able to prove that I could support Nenan financially. So my Uncle Grant willingly signed his life over to be our sponsor. But the embassy insisted that I must be the sponsor and Grant be the co-sponsor. Sooooo now I'm running around getting bank statements and letters from my bosses to make sure everything is legit.

Wish us luck and say lots of prayers.

As the visa process continues

Well, we've officially made it to step 3! Which means that Esteban is filling out more papers and then he'll send it back to the Embassy in Montevideo and we'll finally have the official INTERVIEW!!!

They'll ask him personal questions and look at our proof (pictures, letters, emails, plane tickets, etc) to make sure we have a "bonafide" relationship! I'm not nervous because we do have a legit relationship! So I'm hoping Mr. Nenan will be here by December!

If you all could keep us in your prayers :)

We should have an official date in December! So I'll keep you all posted.

The Ultimate Gift

I just finished watching the Ultimate Gift and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a feel good movie that also pulled at your little heart strings. I wont go over the synopsis because I think that's cheap and you should just go watch it yourself... BUT I will say it really makes you look at your life in a new perspective.... Same questions you might ponder...

Do I have my heart set on worldly things (money) or godly things (family, my own spirituality)??

Do I have a good relationship with my family?

Do I have true friends or just a lot of acquaintances??

Do I take advantage of life lessons I can learn from others?

Those are some of the questions/themes that stood out to me. Life is all about our relationships with others, like God, our family, our peers. And I'm stoked that I get the privilege of marrying such an awesome guy! I know that sort of came out of no where... BUT HEY! You'll get over it!

A new beginning

Well the truth is, I didn't want to get on this blogging wagon... BUT with this fiance visa adventure and a wedding to plan I came to the conclusion that it'll probably be quite therapeutic for me!

For the last 5 months Esteban, my very lovely fiance, and I have been contemplating where to get married. We even filled out all the forms for the fiance visa but we decided to get married in South America on February 5th, 2010. Then we realized that there was a possibility if we ever wanted to get back to the states, I might have to leave him and petition for him... Yeah.. we didn't want to do that....

So my Aunt and Uncle, who are totally debt free and have a good amount of assets said they would sponsor us! (I'll be graduating in January and he'll be graduating in September, so we aren't millionaires! We're POOR! But totally in love!!) In about 2 days we gathered everything we needed for the fiance visa and shipped it via FED EX last friday!!

I'm getting so antsy to know! But we still have possibly 8 long months of waiting to go! I know we'll get it, as the government says we have a bonafide relationship! How can they deny us?? I just hope these 8 months go fast or ... possibly it will only take 4 months! Now that would be beautiful!