no veil

Well, Gail, we WERE going to get married in Louisiana, but last week the Torts prof mentioned that Louisiana is one of the few states left whose marriage laws include crap about husband's dominion over wife and all that (he's a real enlightened guy, so we were joking about it). So we might have to fly to Vegas for a weekend or something and get married there - someplace that doesn't consider me to be chattel, but maybe an actual adult in a relationship of equals. I know that's a crazy notion.

I'm trying to fax the forms to Dayton today, but he was just at a wedding and now he's trying to get the correct fax number there before the UPS store near here closes today. ARGH! Otherwise, I'll try on Monday in that 1/2 hour break I have all day long.

Next will be for him to check forms, then I fax him official ones and he'll sign them and mail them, with some other documents, to me. Then I double check all my forms and combine with his (I think I'll Virg-ify it - I'll put it in a binder with colored tabs for each section), and check my list twice, and mail the forms off to Mesquite Texas.

Now, that sounds a little ominous - the name of that place. BUT, Mesquite trees are in the family of my favorite trees (acacia), so it seems to bode well.

Then we wait. And wait. I have a good feeling about February-March. Then they send notice and he has to go to the embassy and get information and then get a huge packet of crap together - medical forms, police certificates, passport, birth certificate, etc. etc. He gets it all together and then makes an appointment for an interview where he proclaims undying love for me and his absence of intention to be a criminal in this country. Then, hopefully, the visa is quick from there (I've heard even next day can happen). Then we make plane reservations and he comes here. yay! Then we get married right away (Justice of the Peace, I'm thinking) and we apply for a change in his status so he can apply for green card and a temporary work permit (throughout this time he learns to drive and acculturates), then he gets a job; and everything's running on MY timeframe, we get the girls here during the summer to start school at the beginning of the year. After two years, we apply for another change in status, and hopefully the green card comes soon after that. After five years, he can apply to be a permanent resident or think about if he wants to be a citizen.

Overwhelming? Just a little.