A moment two years in the making

After months and months of waiting for (and wading through) the immigration process, Shane and I had become accustomed to dealing with ever-shifting deadlines and delays.  We had finally adjusted to being stuck in a desert of paperwork and bureaucracy - with the end in sight, yes, but never moving closer, merely glittering mirage-like in the distance.  Thus, when I posted that we expected to receive our visas in December, I truly believed that was the earliest it would happen.

Not two weeks later, our immigration approval came flying through.  (When Shane called to tell me at work, I alternated between the phrases “You’re shitting me” and “Shut the fuck up” for at least three minutes.  It was not one of my more eloquent moments.)

Suddenly we were facing the prospect of getting our visas in October.  We were stunned by the unexpectedness of it all.  For once, something had happened AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.  And the possibilities for moving had therefore expanded; we flirted with the idea of submitting our rent notice that week and packing up to leave at the end of November.  I mean, wouldn’t that be amazing?  For us to live there in a few, short months?  In the end, however, it didn’t feel right to rush into this, our first major life decision (since that ceremony with the rings) (and that one time, at the Toyota dealership).  We decided to still focus on the January-June timeframe.

We made a wise choice.  Because when our passports came back (with shiny new visas enclosed), we found that our CPR (Confirmation of Permanent Residence) forms – the other crucial piece of paperwork for crossing the border – were missing our updated marital status.  Thus began several weeks of hassling our lawyer’s office to correct the problem, resulting in the Consulate eventually (thankfully) admitting it had made a mistake.  So we've now mailed the passports and CPRs back for changes and should receive the corrected materials sometime next week.

Which is all to say: Canadian immigration is giving us the Official Green Light.  As of November, we will be free to move whenever we’re ready.  So it is with a mixture of emotions I won't even try to put names to that I would like to make the following announcement.

Shane and I plan to move to Vancouver at the end of March 2008. 

Let the countdown begin.