You think I’m joking, but I’m not. Despite all his wonderful qualities, in the eyes of the government of my homeland, the Hubs is my alien relative.
We’ve been in the process of sorting out that alien relative status for a couple of years now. I suppose it’s to be expected, really. Our family feels like a geography lesson. I’m from the USA, he’s from South Africa, we met in Scotland, he asked me to marry him in South Africa, our first born arrived on the scene in Edinburgh, and our second right here in SA {in 90 minutes or less!}. The Bear’s passport collection reminds me of Jason Bourne’s. Somebody was gonna have to get some government papers to get all this sorted out.
Tomorrow is a very important day for our little international family. Hero Hubs will be on his way to the Consulate in Johannesburg to get a spousal visa for the US. You know, in preparation for that transcontinental move I told you about. It would be nice if we returned to the US and he was able to stay legally for more than 90 days, and allowed to work, ya know, because we like to eat. And bake.
So I’d like to ask for your prayers for my alien relative of a Hero Hubs, if you’re the praying kind. {And even if you’re not and you want to try.} Please pray that everything will go smoothly with his flights and getting to the consulate, that he’ll have all the documents he needs and be granted the visa without a run-around, and that he’ll be able to pick up his visa the next day and head back down to Cape Town.
This is a reasonably trying time as our lives feel a bit like a balancing act at the moment. But God is meeting us around every corner, and I look forward to sharing more of that with you soon.
I’ll give you an update when I hear what happens! His interview is at noon tomorrow! Spanx for your encouragement, friends!
xCC
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Got those Sting lyrics in my head… “whoa-oh I’m an alien, I’m a legal alien…I’m a South African in Greenville” Ok, maybe Sting didn’t sing quite those words….
But praying all goes well for your international family in Jo’burg.
I TOTALLY missed your post about moving! Crazy that you will have lived together on three different continents in the short span of your marriage! I will be watching out for posts about reverse culture shock. Good luck with everything.
Prayers have started! Love you!
You know, when you said you and your family were moving to NC, I totally heard (in my head) moving BACK to NC. It never dawned on me that Mark wasn’t from here. Doh! (smacks forehead)
I totally understand your concern about the visa; there does seem to be an unwritten rule that the officers must give one the “run-around” for one reason or another. I hope this doesn’t happen, but if it does, I trust that God will pour out a heap of grace and patience on Mark and you. And I know that you know that He knows when the best time for your family’s departure/arrival.
Looking forward to seeing you, Mark, Bear and the new cub soon.
Hugs!