Books and Accents

Reading is how I relax. For me, there isn't much better than curling up with a good book in a quiet house. Sometimes you come across a gem of a book where you can't put it down, first thing in the morning and last thing at night, you're reading it. And then occasionally you come across books that aren't amazing but keep you reading because you want to know how they end. When it comes to books I'm all about persevering, I've only come across a handful of books that I never finished. Last year I had two; Love and Summer by William Trevor and The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. I think my mistake with Philip Pullman is that I brought the trilogy in one and after awhile there was only so much I could take. I'm certain that at some point I'll pull it off my bookshelf and finish reading but I will never read another book by William Trevor...how uncultured of me. I got half way through and just didn't want to...couldn't...read anymore.

Yesterday I just finished reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It kicked my butt at some parts but the story alone had me engaged enough to want to continue. Of course, I did a couple quick internet searches and Wikipedia told me plenty but I wanted to hear the real story. The story according to Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. 

For some it might be a rather macabre choice of bedtime reading but I love reading true crime novels. To look into the reasons why some people kill and the complete detachment that some people experience. I once read a true crime story where a husband called his ex wife and let her listen whilst he shot their two daughters. How can someone go from being a functioning husband who this woman believes she knows deeply to someone who kills his own children?

I've also been following the Casey Anthony trial. I remember when the story first came to light about this little girls missing and the mother not caring or wondering where she was. I remember it was very quickly decided by the press and public that she was guilty. Never mind the concept of innocent until proven guilty. I know that there has been a very straightforward story painted by the prosecution but I honestly feel that there is more to the story and that her parents are keeping secrets. It is also puzzling to me that they have been unable to determine a cause of death. I suppose we should see how the trial plays out. I doubt very much that she will walk away free but I hope at the very least she walks away with her life.

Yesterday, Adam and I had a rather heated conversation about "the Southern accent" and my negative opinion of it. I've always said that I don't want my children to have an American accent. It really all goes back to a plane journey I had to the US. There were about three kids sitting behind me and they just had the moaniest accents I've ever heard. Now, I know that in the US where you live will determine how you talk about I also don't like the US word "mom". It is just far too foreign for me to feel comfortable with and I shall try my best to have my children call me "mum". Well, Adam asked me why I wouldn't want our kids to sound like the boys from Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby.  

Now, as much as I love this movie. I just think that the southern accent sounds unintelligent. That is not to say that I think people from the south are unintelligent, I just think that having strong regional accents can hold people back. You don't find news readers speaking in a strong accent because you want people across the country to understand what you're saying. Of course, Adam being from the south, he took great offence. Which was never my intention, it really was just my opinion. Wrong or right. I don't actually think he has a southern accent, sure he can put it on when he wants to but in every day speech he just sounds American. Well, it took lots of explaining and finally an apology on my part to get him to let it go but when he told his mom about our conversation, she agreed 100% with me! lol!


Right, off to get ready for work. I'll try and remember to post tomorrow for Fathers Day. I don't believe I have any men who read my blog. Never had. But I would certainly like to wish your husbands a Happy Fathers Day.

My Insanity!

A couple posts back I mentioned that I'd avoided getting my new passport because of the charges but my wonderful husband paid for it so that I could order my police certificate. My old passport had an awful picture in it which I'd taken last minute so that I could get it back in time to go on a class trip to Atlanta, GA. As promised, I've got a picture of my embarrassing passport picture. Every time I show it to someone they always laugh. Adam says I look like Sideshow Bob from the Simpsons in criminal get up. I'm surprised that it didn't give me more trouble every time I flew to the US but as the man pre-checking my passport says, the cheeks are the same!

 

I know that my blog is going to start to sound like a broken record of me constantly complaining about the slow process that is US immigration. I get frustrated at every twist and turn simply because I don't know where I stand, what is happening. When we started this process in Jan we were told to expect the whole thing to take about 6 months. Up until about March is was, then suddenly an update on the website says that we should expect it to take up to 10 months! Next we learn that our petition is not being processed in London but has been sent to Rome so that it can be processed in a "more timely manner". And now we discover that despite the website saying petitions are adjudicated in the order they are received, people who filed after us (in Feb) have received their approvals.

I am about ready to scream! Lol! It is slightly crazy of me but I just hate living in Limbo. And having Adam visit for a few days really set me back in how well I was dealing with the distance and getting on with my life. I'm hoping that I hear something soon. Next week is five months since we applied and also my birthday! I'm going to be 26...ouch! 

I am excited. Last year was the best birthday I'd had in a long time...maybe ever and I doubt it'll top it but I'm looking forward to going out to eat with some girlfriends. Of course, I'm moving on to the "wrong" side of 25, ever closer to 30 but I'm coming to terms with the fact that I don't have to have it all together right now. I have time. Adam and I will be creating our life together and I'm looking forward to that. I've been working on my "30 before 30" list, once it's complete I'll post it.

Adam has been moved to second shift at work so right now he works from about 4pm until 3:45am. Means we have to change our schedule of when we talk, it is strange for me to go to bed without him being the last person I speak to. He's adjusting to it and since we're apart he doesn't seem to mind too much but once I move he doesn't want to still be working such hours. Anyway, off to call the husband. 

You Call This An Update!?!

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When I got married I honestly thought I would never have to be apart from my husband again. We'd already spent five long years doing the long distance relationship and frankly, we'd both reached our limit. The thing I'm discovering about life is that your plans don't matter. Unexpected bumps are around every corner, I suppose it's all about how you handle though bumps. Putting Adam on the plane back in January was horrible and it took me a long time to recover from the heartbreak. If I'm frank, I was actually mad at him for not being as distraught as I was and being able to make a life in TN without me. Which, I know, was the reason why he left. But for the first few months I found it incredibly difficult to be without him. Needless to say that I was over the moon when he came back. We had less than a week together and the time seemed to fly by much faster than I would have liked but it felt like he never left.

Drinks with the friends...you can see my work in the background.

My Family

The husbandly one and I.

We met with some friends for drinks and had a nice catch up. I've forgotten how much more fun I have when I go out with the husband. We went to play pool and Adam is "serious" about pool. Sometimes, when we play he'll let me get away with not calling my shots and sometimes gives me an extra go if I really play lousy. But not always, most of the time he upholds the rules and he didn't like the "sneaky" way us girls were playing.

Last weekend my niece celebrated her 6th birthday with a bbq bash which Adam was able to attend. Its funny because all the kids were really excited to see him again, especially my nephew who got very upset when it came time to say goodbye to him. Nathan and Adam had their ups and downs in the beginning but they really are peas in a pod. They both love watching Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel and are generally interested in the same things.

My Two Beautiful Nieces; Chanae 4 and Syan 6

The Birthday Girl trying out her new present.

Birthday Beauty with her parents and grandmas.

The Troublesome Two. Nathan 6 and Chanae 4

Nathan LOVES Bop-It. He is obsessed with beating my high score...he's pretty good though.

 

Chanae decided that she wanted Grandma to put some beads in her hair for the party.

The time I spent with Adam here was great and it just makes me long for the day when I'm approved to move to the US and we won't have to worry about being apart. Of course that day is still way off in the future. This immigration journey is taking a lot more out of me than I thought it would. Emotionally, it is incredibly draining. On my birthday it will be five months since we filed an I-130 petition with the USCIS in London. We found out last week that our petition had been forwarded to Rome for processing so we are still waiting to hear the outcome. This is only the first step in the journey. I will still have to apply for the actual visa and have a medical and interview before we find out if America will accept me. 

I'm going to try and update properly later in the week, for now I just wanted to share some pictures. And of course I have lots of blogs to catch up on.

The Husband is here...guess I'll update properly later. Right now, trying to make the most of the short time we have together!!!