a major milestone!!!

On Friday, 7 January 2011 we received the most beautiful email in our inbox. It stated:

Dear Applicant, 

Your application has reached the final stage of processing. So that your Permanent Resident visa(s) can be issued, you must now submit the documents below...

Woo-hoooo!!! YAY! Yippeeeee! Hooray!

When I saw the email my first thought was: 'No, it can't be. Don't get your hopes up, just read the email and see.'

I read the email as calmly as I could and then I started giggling and crying all at the same time. I emailed Mr Fluff and almost immediately the phone rang. I knew it would be Mr Fluff on the phone and I didn't want to answer it because I couldn't speak properly. I was too emotional. I picked up the phone and the shortest conversation in history ensued:

"Why are you crying? Are you upset or are you happy?"

"I don't know. Happy. I just can't believe it" sniff sniff gulp

"I know. I don't know if I'm excited or terrified. Are we insane? What the hell are we thinking!? Are we really going to Canada?"

"I guess so. Faaaahk!"

Both of us were a bit shell shocked to say the least .We've been waiting for this for so long and stressing every day that it won't arrive before our rental contract ends. We were a bit dumbstruck when it finally came.

I guess that means we're going to Canada. Calgary. And soon.

Our contract runs out at the end of March and we did not want to sign into another 12 month lease, so this email from Canada Immigration arrived just in the nick of time.

What happens now?

Mr Fluff will be taking our passports, photos and Updated Information chart to the High Commission in London in person on Thursday (the only day available to hand it in personally), and two Thursdays later our passports will be ready for collection, proudly displaying our shiny and new permanent residency visas. Wooo-hoo!!!

Meanwhile, I'm arranging for movers to come around for valuations. We hope to get everything packed up at the end of February and to fly out with the pets early March.

The pets are sorted. Tests and shots all done. I just need to arrange with the pet transport company to book their flights, get their kennels ordered and book their space on a flight, so that we can book seats on the same plane.

Then there is about a million other things that I will have to sort out - stuff to sell, stuff to give to charity, stuff to take to the dump, stuff to clean (camping gear, tools, bikes and and and), stuff to cancel, people to inform, people to see, accommodation, car, etc. and so on and so forth. So much to do, so little time! 

We are so pleased that we can finally get the ball rolling. Wish us good luck, and don't worry, I will keep you all updated along our final (hopefully!) inter-continental journey. 

Buy the ticket, take the ride!