Naturally, a lot has happened the past lil bit. I still haven't posted my engagement story... haha I will don't worry ;)
I will give ya the deets on what has happened, just in this past week:
On Friday the 20th of January, I found out I could not enter Sweden once I had started the process of applying for my residence permit. And that permit takes 7-9 months.
I was planning on visiting Joel and actually MEETING his family sometime in April-ish, around spring break. But I had no idea I couldn't even enter the country. We were all heart broken. Joel and I were completely devastated. I told Joel we had a few options:
1) Get married in June like we had planned, go on our honeymoon. Then he would fly back to Sweden and I would come whenever my application could come (which a good guesstimate would be around... August-September)
2) Get married in August, kinda similar to plan 1. But this way the chance of me receiving my application would be higher, and we could see each other sooner after we were married. And I would fly over whenever it would come.
3) Get married in October... and my application would for sure be here and we could actually have a set date and plans.
You could say Friday the 13th came a week late for us ;)
My mom and I saw little or no hope of us getting married in June anymore. I felt as though everything had flown out the door and smashed into a billion little pieces.... we were back to square one. Again.
Yet Joel surprised me so much. He still felt incredibly good about getting married in June! I tried telling him the facts, and that's just how it was.
Our plan was to have his family fly over a week or two-ish early. Get married. Go on honeymoon. Fly me, Joel, and my family BACK over to Sweden and have a 2nd reception there. And not to mention plane tickets were averaging around $9,000 JUST for my family to fly over. You could say we were kinda stressed trying to wrap all of our brains around it!
I went to my first bridal fair on Saturday, and oh dear was it overwhelming! At the time I was still in the phase of not knowing when I was going to get married... the only word I could think of that whole experience is interesting. I just wish my future mother-in-"love" could have been there with my mom and I, but what can ya do with the whole long distance relationship-thing? People ask me all the time- how I can marry Joel without "officially" meeting his family? Does skype count? ;) It's crazy... but my relationship with Joel is so right. And I already love his family so much, I'm not worried about it at all. :) :)
This past Wednesday.... after all that had happened.... the real miracle happened. Joel's father was talking with his brother, and he mentioned to call the Swedish Immigration office. Well, they did! And they found out a way I can apply online instead of handing in a hard copy and having to mail it all over the place! And the online process takes *drum roll please*................ 3 months!!!!! Joel called me with all this information RIGHT was I was about to call the Swedish Embassy here in SLC (the one that would take 7-9 months...) and schedule an appointment to turn in my application. I mean, I pushed send and Joel was on the other line! So lucky. We are so incredibly blessed. I couldn't believe it, and still can't. I mean, in the beginning I was having a hard time realizing I couldn't see him until April- that I could barely handle. Then everything went kinda crazy... Now I feel so much better about this decision.
We are still planning on getting married in June, but a little differently. Reality hit us about the money situation- about doing 2 receptions and flying everyone everywhere. Right now I am to the point of wanting my whole family being able to travel to Sweden. I would rather get married there, only have one reception, and have my family come over than risk it. I mean, when will this opportunity happen again... where my whole family has time to come over?
If that doesn't work out, we would get married here I believe... and hopefully his family could come over. Either way we're still getting married in June and it will all work out for the best :)
I've heard of people not filling out their application the right way, and being banned from the country for a year. I believe I can wait an extra month to get married and do everything right, rather than getting married and not seeing each other for a whole year. THAT I could not handle.
I will have my application filled out by tomorrow, and I will be interviewed (hopefully within the next few weeks) to make sure this is legit. If you've seen The Proposal, you know what I mean ;) Hopefully I can pass....
There ya go! That has been my life this past little bit. It is getting crazier everyday, and I am still so thankful for everything. I know everyone says this, but I truly have thee best fiance in the world. He treats me incredibly well, I am the happiest I've ever been :)
This is my ultimate favorite song! It is in Swedish of course, but it describes my relationship with Joel to a T. Joel's dad is singing with the guitar, and is with his two brothers. Enjoy :) :)
Herrey's - Utan Någon Att Älska :)
LYRICS:
If I find the answers
to what’s going on
somewhere along the road.
When I have found that valley
where the sun goes down,
Then I will show it to you
before the evening.
If I looked beyond the sky,
beyond the glaze of the stars
I will show you the way there.
For there is no heaven worth having
without someone to love.
If I’m blinded by the light
from a shimmering sea
and the scents calm my senses.
When I breath the freedom
that the silence gave,
I want you here
by my side.
When I’ve found that place
where time stands still,
then I’ll show you the way.
and the scents calm my senses.
When I breath the freedom
that the silence gave,
I want you here
by my side.
When I’ve found that place
where time stands still,
then I’ll show you the way.
For there is no heaven worth having
without someone to love.
So much more, oh, so much more.
So much more of a live,
So much more.
If I win in life,
if I succeed sometime,
I shall take you along the way.
if I succeed sometime,
I shall take you along the way.
But I took you for granted
and the greif was hard,
can you forget then
and forgive?
If I find a heaven in our reality,
and the greif was hard,
can you forget then
and forgive?
If I find a heaven in our reality,
I will show you the way there.
For there is no heaven worth having
without someone to love.
