Amidst all this craziness

I've gotten a possible job offer. It's not set in stone, but contingent on another person deciding to retire. The offer is from one of my website clients, who is a well-established local business. If it happens, it won't be until summer or fall. But I have a lot of things to think about. Pros and Cons. Pro---I could pay off my debts, increase savings, afford to buy all the things hubby needs to fix up this house without pressure on him, because honestly, until an immigrant boosts their language skills, it's hard for them to get hired, unless they speak Spanish, and that's one language my hubby doesn't know...yet. Con---well, it's not working from home, which I really really like. It's more work and maybe not even something I want to do. And it has the potential to screw up my health insurance with the state. The state I live in has a health insurance plan for low income individuals, based on income, and I buy into it. It's not free, but it's affordable. I can't be without insurance.

The job is sort of full time but not quite and he is open to making it flexible to fit in with my current job, which basically can be done any time during the day, and many days there is nothing to do, at all. One crazy thing about my current job, I'm sort of "on call" but I'm not paid to be on call. I'm "on-demand" tech support, shipping, webmaster and purchasing agent. All really kewl but I'm lucky to get 50 hours per month. So, anyway....lots to think about.

In other news, the phone number for the call center here in the USA for the Macedonia embassy is still just busy busy busy. But hubby called the Macedonia number and talked to someone. So I guess the appointment will be set through the Macedonia number.

I am rethinking.....

I am rethinking making an appointment before hubby receives the new papers. For one, I'm not sure how hard it is to reschedule. And....if the right people at the embassy don't get the message, they could just think he didn't show up. We just can't have any more omg what now moments. My hubby's interview took place exactly 465 days after the USCIS assigned his priority date. Another month to do things right means he can't go to the conference with me. I really wish that could happen. But this week the lawyer will prepare papers, then my daughter and I need to sign. Then they will be sent. Then hubby receives. Then I make an appointment. Then hope and pray he gets his visa, then he calls me and I book a one-way flight. I need about 2 to 5 days out to get a price I can afford. Lufthansa has the best deals, but they don't have the option to book a flight for the next day. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the best deals.

The waiting....the stress

All the papers are with the lawyer. She wasn't in today, so she will see them Monday.

The normal sequence would be:
Lawyer completes papers
Joint sponsor signs
Papers are sent to hubby
Hubby receives papers (in 10 days up to 4 weeks)
I make appointment with embassy
Hubby brings papers to embassy, gets visa
He flies here (maybe mid to late April?)

What I'm hoping for:
Monday I call embassy and try for an appointment the last week of March)
Lawyer completes papers
Joint sponsor signs
Papers are sent to hubby (via FedEx at the shocking price of $150)
Hubby receives papers in 5 to 8 days
Hubby brings papers to embassy, gets visa
He flies here (no later than the 1st week of April in time to come with me to the annual conference)

Am I freakin crazy? When I call the embassy, if there is no time-slot the last week of March then the plans are gone. Lawyer can mail the cheaper and more sane way via regular mail and I have my hubby home sometime after the very lonely and boring conference, to which I will need to fly, because I can't drive to Little Rock, but hubby can.

Done!!!!

Praise God we have a joint sponsor!!!!!

After much discussion....More delays

I have discussed matters with the lawyer and the only sure-fire way for my husband to receive his visa without further stink from the embassy is to find a joint sponsor. The embassy rejected my Affidavit of Support, even though I meet the requirements. "Give me your tired, your poor?" Hooey. Show us the money. You know, I understand the reason for that, but it burns me there are 11 million illegal immigrants in this nation who DON'T have a sponsor and they make it ALL SO MUCH HARDER for those of us doing it the legal way.

I need my Hubby here

All the paperwork is with the lawyer. Then somehow everything needs to be sent to my husband so that it actually ARRIVES in a timely manner. Thankfully the National Visa Center sent his appointment letter as a PDF file via email, because the hard copy arrived the DAY BEFORE HIS INTERVIEW - ONE MONTH LATE. So the papers will need to go FedEx. It will probably cost about $150. And then I need to call the embassy and make an appointment and hope its soon after the papers arrive. I need my hubby here no later than the first week of April. I have a conference to go to April 12-14. I need to work. I can't do it all alone. I really really need him here before the conference.

Visa pending more documents

My husband needs to show some documents which the lawyer will send. The embassy said he can have his visa in 3 hours after they are satisfied with the documents. Everyone, I repeat, everyone, is being turned away at the embassy in Macedonia. Some are approved on the second visit. Of course visitor visas are almost impossible to get, so those people come back 4 or 5 times, maybe they never get them.