Where to start....

My plan is to keep myself sane, up to date with our own plans, keep my friends informed, and hopefully end up helping someone else in the same life situation by writing this blog.


So after over one year of pondering over this move, planning, wondering where we want to go, we are finally settled on what we want, ALMOST, and things are starting to happen!


By the end of summer we will be living in the US! 
I started my visa process in the beginning of May. I was really stressed out to think that it will take several months, and I will need to keep traveling back and forth many times even after we have moved if I have to stay there without a visa. The regulations had changed since the last time I was looking into that stuff, and I wasn't aware of the fact that the papers needed to be sent to the US instead of the embassy in Helsinki, and that meant A LOT longer processing times. 
The first paper, Petition for an alien relative - or I-130, as any visa smart person will so affectionately call it - was supposed to take 5 months. I got it back approved in 10 days. I guess it paid to be super careful that all the papers were perfect! 
Now I'm waiting to get the visa information package which I should be getting by Midsummer, and after that I can start that process. It means that I will have to be coming back from the States to have a doctor's checkup and my visa interview at the consulate, and pick up my visa.


Another interesting factor to add to this is that my husband doesn't have a job yet. We should be having enough savings by the time we move that we can live there for about 6 months. So I'm counting on him finding a job by then... today he will be having some kind of an interview. Exciting!


So now we are in the middle of the confusion about whether we want to live in Colorado or San Diego,  what stuff to bring, how to get rid of stuff, where to get a job, how to get an apartment and where, and how to get our dog transported with us! Lots to think! Lots to do! 
I have not been sleeping properly in one whole year because of my work schedule, and that really is taking a toll on me. Add to that this stress, and you get a crying mess who can't do anything! Another reason why I wanted to write all of this down...


So, here we go!