I'm back! Apologies for not having posted anything for almost a month, the internet connection situation while at Mom's kept me from putting one together. However! I have updates.
1. And most Important....I have a Visa!!! The wonderful people at A Briggs, Passport and Visa Expeditors called me back quite quickly (why was I ever worried?) and let me know about my documents and what else I needed to supply them. I just needed one more item, which I got, thanks to my honey and his scanner. They sent out my application on Monday morning. By 4pm that same afternoon, there was an email in my box saying my Visa had been issued. WOW! A Briggs was so incredibly worth the money!
2. With the realization that I now had a Visa, I took the opportunity to create simple invites for friends and family in the states. It would be less costly and even though I know no one will be making it, I did want people to have it as a memento and to know that I would have liked to have them with me if they could.
3. Got to surprise Mom, see a bunch of friends I've really missed and got all my culinary goals done! Lombardi's Pizza - Check, Rice to Riches - Check, Spanish food about 100th street - Check, Tamarind or Ajonjoli drink - Check (Tamarind), Pecanbon - Check, Pax Salad - Check, Red Lobster - Check, Pulled Pork Sandwich at the Renaissance Faire - CHECK in a whole new way! Pumpkin Spice coffee - Check. Thai at Siam Grill - Check, Carrot Cake and Red Velvet Cake from the Little Pie Company - Checkety Check.
The Trip back home was a bit stressful since I had my wedding dress in my hands, but I figured out how to move with two large suitcases, a backpack and the dress and it got much easier. Ended up taking the National Express coaches back home and it was a comfortable, hassle free ride. Just took the Heathrow Express one stop to Terminal 3 (its free to use to transfer between terminals) and then followed the signs to the Heathrow Central Bus Terminal. Both my bags went underneath and my dress was carefully folded and put into the overhead. Then I just sat back until my switch in Nottingham, then my Mum-in-Law-to-be picked me up at the bus station at home.
And now I'm back with my honey and the kidlets. I'm thankful for my time back in the states, but this is home and where I want to be. I now look at my love and it seems like its a dream at times. A number of my own past self-doubts have gone away and what I am feeling is love and excitement for a future we are building. And I thank the Universe every day for it - in speech and thought and action.
