Rete

Jim and I were married six years ago today. It is so hard for us to believe that it has only been six years. For those going through the processing, you can well understand what we mean. You count the days, weeks, months and years in terms of one immigration procedure after the other until all the days, weeks, months and years blur into one large lunar calendar. If someone asked about something that occurred in your life, you think about it and then respond by saying, "Yeah that was in June 2000 when Jim and I have the AOS interview".

For us the immigration processings have finally ended with Jim's naturalization last December. Thusly, we got to spend a wedding anniversary free of CIS thoughts for the first time since our wedding day.

We chose to visit the Bronx Zoo this morning. The temps were perfect and the sky a robin's egg blue with wispy cotton clouds. For those that have never had the opportunity to visit this vista in the County of the Bronx, in New York State, I urge you to do so if you are ever come to visit the Big Apple. It is truly a wonderous place.

It is a green oasis in the midst of skyscraper apartment buildings, tenements and slums and ringed by Parkways. The walkways are treelined and shaded and the exhibits are no longer concrete blocks housing a multitude of animals. The animals roam freely in habitats similar to where they would roam if free from poachers and hunters in some instances. For example there is a small Brazilian monkey which is close to extinction in the rainforest in Brazil. They are bred at the zoo and taught to fend for themselves and then released back into the Brazilian rainforest with the hopes that they will increase in number.

Tonight is dinner along the banks of the Hudson River. And so the Wilsons have enjoyed their sixth wedding anniversary together thanks to the wonderful people on this newsgroup who helped us overcome the obstacles of paperwork and snags along the way.

PS I also got three dozen long stem roses in shades of blood red, red, white, yellow and peach.

ironporer

Congrats Rete, and our wishes that you share many many more.
John and Cathy

SecretGarden

Congratulations to you and Jim, Rete! The spectre of USCIS is no longer with you and you both must feel as free as a bird. Sounds like your day is absolutely idyllic. Mr. P. and I enjoyed a thrown together lunch of cheese and crackers, chips and dips and a couple of nice cold beers out on the deck today under that same sky you described. It's in Illinois too!

It's hard to believe that he and I have been married almost eight months. We have a long way to go, but as you said, the knowlege and support of people who are going through the same thing is priceless.

Thank you for all you do around here, and enjoy the start of your seventh year as husband and wife.

~SecretGarden
~and Mr. Pink

meauxna

Bright best wishes for a wonderful year ahead and many more to come!
Alternately, congratulations on your achievement!
Warm thought to you both...
meauxna & her DAH

ian-mstm

Congratulations! Sheila and I had our 6th anniversary in May but since I didn't become naturalized until June, it'll be next year before we can truly celebrate sans USCIS.

Ian

Buendia

Congratulations to both of you!
And thank you so much for continuing your work on this NG even though you're free of immigration worries, to help the rest of us! You're an inspiration!

Dekka's Angel

Congratulations, Rete and Jim Hope your dinner was awesome!

(P.S. It was a beautiful day today indeed - I am here for a few days for family reasons, and spent much of this afternoon reacquainting myself with Brooklyn -- my original home -- and of course all the wonderful eclecticism that the Big Apple brings to the world).

USA & Pakistan

Congratulations and thank you for sticking around to help out. And also thank you for allowing us share in your celebration.

Marnee

HunterGreen

A day late and a dollar short. But still a warm congratulations to both you and Jim, Rete.
I hope the dinner was wonderful. And those roses sound awesome!

Elaine

tortoise

happy anniversary to mr & mrs rete :)

i hope you had a wonderful time celebrating *raises her cup of coffee*

Bob

Congrats....always nice to know that that long tunnel does have an end, eventually

janadeen

Congratulations!!!!!!

Rukhie

Congrats to both of you!!!

Bluegrass Lass

Scott and I are a bit late wishing you a happy anniversary, but better late than never!

Happy Anniversary Rete & Jim!!!

It would be a long and difficult road if we didn't have info from this newsgroup which you helped start. Thanks for all of your continuing hard work to make sure this place remains a valuable & dependable source of info for all of the beginners out there!

Cheers Rete & Jim!

Jamie & Scott

NKA418

I'm late as well, but I'm wishing you and Jim all the best!! My hubby and I have a long way to go before we are USCIS free, but hearing success stories makes it well worth it

You're continued effort on this NG is much appreciated!!

Na'imah