We got a cat, her name is Liza she is 5 years old and is a medium to long haired Tabby Cat. We went to the Animal shelter on Tuesday and unfortunately, Lilly was already adopted. However, Liza was there and she was so cute, I really fell in love with her. We went and held her in the Pet room, and she totally took to Clayton & me. Clayton was a bit unsure about getting a semi longhaired, because of his allergies but he's been okay so far. We had a good deal for her it costs $85 to adopt her, but you get all her injections they spay/neuter her as well as Microchip her also. She has a cute collar with ID tag an all. They gave us a 2lb bag of food that she's been eating. And a free vet check up with a local vet clinic.

I took a pic of her with the webcam, it's not that good but it's something.  

We shopped for kitty stuff at Target, and then picked her up on Wednesday Afternoon. She hasn't settled in fully yet she's still a little unsure about us. We think she must have been abused or something, because we were sitting on the sofa tonight with her on my lap, and Clayton went to stroke her. Clayton also had the remote for the TV in his hand, she totally freaked out growled and hissed at him. She also totally freaked out over my hairbrush this morning. Something really must have disturbed her to be scared of small things like that. We then took her to the Vets for the free checkup. Everything was fine. They clipped her claws, because they were a bit long. So she wasn't happy about that, but she's cooled down a lot now.

Our Plans for the weekend are: We are going to go out shopping for a Digital Camera, we probably won't get one tomorrow unless we see one on sale. But I just wanted to have a look and see what's on offer, I really miss my Digital Camera. Then Saturday night we are going to go and catch the new Shrek 2 Movie. It looks really funny. Funnily enough, Shrek 1 we went to see on our first meeting 2 years ago. Then on Sunday Clayton wants to take me to this 85 mile relay race which is called Ski to Sea. Interesting to read about it, it sounds like fun that is if the weather stays nice it looks like rain.

As for the Wedding plans, bad news on the Caterer side of things. Apparently, the couple at the Restaurant can't do the Wedding for us. They phoned the other day to say they could not do it. So now, we are looking for another Caterer. The Limos are all booked though, we had a very good deal with Kings Coaches Limo Service $40 per Limo per hour. Which is the best deal we found seeming all the others were charging like $80.

Well that's it for now, hope everyone has a good weekend.

Hey everyone, it's been a while since I last posted. Things have been really good my end. We ended up going for the photographer she's a really nice lady and her work is amazing. We've been looking into Limo services finding the best prices and comparing them. Haven't found a decent price yet, still looking. The other thing I've been looking into is flowers, I still can't make my mind up if I want Silk or Fresh flowers. Fresh flowers would be really nice for the day if the weather is really nice. Although with the Silk flowers I can keep forever. We've found a lovely lady to do the Fresh flowers and her prices are reasonable. She said her Bridesmaids would be $35 and her Bride Bouquets would be $75 which is really good. Her site is here for you to take a look at her bouquets.

Clayton's been busy starting up his Real estate so we've been back and forth to the office to sort out his license and stuff. Ooh Saturday I received my Washington State ID card through the Mail it looks really cool. I also opened a bank account at the local bank, I could only open a Savings account because I didn't have a Social Security number yet. I'll apply for that once we're married, and have sorted my permanent residency out. That's another thing I better start looking into is the visa paper work. I've got all the forms, I just need to fill them out. I want it about 99% done before the wedding so then I only have to get a copy of our Marriage certificate and send it off to Nebraska Service Center.

We've been kinda slacking with things the last couple of days, because Clayton's had a few days off work and the weather has been so amazing really hot up in the 80s. So we've taken the opportunity to go out for drives to parks and the beach to get a sun tan. It's been really good to get out and about, and spend sometime with each other. Last night we were up until 2am playing monopoly, it's just so fun to do things like that with each other again.

Some other good news, things have been going really well with my future parents in laws. Last weekend, Clayton's dad came round with a vase full of flowers for me. He said Maya (Clayton's Mom) thought you might like some color in the Cottage. She had hand picked them from the garden, she'd even put a purple bow around the vase. So that was very sweet of her. Then yesterday we were meant to go down his parents place for a BBQ for Clayton's Birthday. But his mom cancelled at the last minute saying his dad had a very bad cold, which was understandable.

His mom said she'd stop by our place to drop the Birthday Cake that she had ordered for Clayton. But somehow we ended up going down there anyway, just plans kinda led us to his parents place. We stayed there for about 4hrs, and his mom had put candles on the B-day Cake for him, it was sweet. We all talked for a while, and I have to say the icy atmosphere is slowly melting. As we were leaving his mom ended up giving us some groceries that they don't need. His Mom & Dad are on a strict diet and so the food that they don't eat they were giving to us. We came out with like 4 full bags, and a coffee maker. They had bought a new coffee maker, and so they had given us their old one. Which is actually really nice and in great condition. Just before we were about to leave his mom gave me some pink roses that she had picked from the garden, which again was really sweet. I then brought up that I still had her vase, and she told me to keep it. :) So things are really going great with that, I felt a lot more welcome.

Tomorrow we are going to the Whatcom Humane Society We are going to look at the resuce cat shelter. I really miss having a cat around the house, I have grown up with cats. And I just miss having one around the house, we live in the country side so it's very peaceful. And when Clayton's in work I get just a tad lonely. I mean back in the UK I always had my sisters around the house, and even the road noise was something. Out here it's nothing, only the noise of the nature, which is really nice, but sitll lonely. I've been looking at the cats on this website and found one I really liked called Lilly I've been thinking of getting a cat for my Birthday which is June 6th, Clayton did say he'd get me one for my Birthday so we'll see.

Well that's about it from my end, wow I've written so much. Hope everyone is doing good. I'll stop by ya'll soon.

Well the Wedding plans are going rather good. We are going to meet with Jeanne Hansen She's the photographer, I can't wait to see her work her site is really good. We are hoping to get the $850 package from her, which apparently Clayton's parents are paying for. It includes Bridal Preparations, formals of Bride & Groom, Wedding Party and family. Candids leading up too and including the ceremony. Up to 4hrs of Photography and 5 rolls of film. Approx 150 prints. So it's quite a good package and just what we need. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

We sorted the caterer out Clayton knew of a couple who owned a restaurant, so we went out to see them on the weekend. And believe it or not their restaurant is an English pub called the "Rhino Pub" I remember Clayton talking about it over the phone one night when we were apart. But I didn't realise how English it was until I got there. When Clayton was in the UK he bought them a Welsh Flag to put in the pub. So there was a Welsh, British, Scottish, Irish, Canadian, and American flag hanging up which was so cool. But unfortunately the Pub is closing at the end of the month, it's not doing so well.

It's Clayton's 23rd Birthday today, so we went out this morning for breakfast. And then went to the DMV to get my Washington State ID Card. That took about 45mins, it was a ticket service and I was like 319 so long wait. I thought they wouldn't issue me one until I was a resident, but I took my passport and Birth certificate and it was fine. It cost me $15 I had my photo taken, in which I smiled very nicely. I had like a temporary issued, the real one will be posted in the next 30 days.

After that we went to Keller Williams which is a local Real Estate Agency in which Clayton is being hired with. Today he became a fully qualified agent. He filled the paper work out today, and got his business cards printed up. So today has been a good day. I'm making a lovely Chicken Roast Dinner for us, and we are sitting down to watch Gothika tonight. I feel really content.

Oooh guess what everyone, we booked the Belle Chapel for the Wedding, July 6th. We went to see it Thursday night, and I completely fell in love with it. There were quite a few people looking at the place when we first turned up at 7pm. It must be a popular place for Weddings and such. It certainly is a beautiful place. I'm so glad July 6th was free, and Laura the Pastor is really nice. She'll be doing our ceremony, she's a non denomination which is really good. Seeming we will be writing our own Wedding Vows.

The Chapel is stunning, ooh and they also have a decoration room with all bows, ribbons, flowers and rose petals. And we are allowed to use them, it's inclusive with the price. So that will definitely help a lot. Down stairs we have a lovely reception room with dance floor, all decorated with fairy lights. Tables and chairs are included. As well as a 100 cd disc changer sound system, we can bring our own music and such. There is a spacious kitchen, with all utensils. It costs $350 for 2hrs, but we get a free hour with that, which is really good. So we have 3hrs, plus we've booked an extra hour for $175 just in case, if we don't use that hour we won't get charged. We are thinking of having the wedding at 3pm and then the reception will go on till about 6pm.

The Wedding planning is going pretty well, I sorted my hair appointment out this morning. Then we went Ring shopping for Clayton, I don't need a Wedding Band seeming I'm using my Great Grans Wedding ring, that my mum gave me before I left. We got Clayton's Ring from Kay's Jewelers It's a plain yellow gold Wedding band, with a light edging around the ouside. Like this one it's the first on the left. After that we went to the Mens Warehouse to sort Clayton's Tux out. He's hiring it for the day and it only cost $65 to hire which is pretty good. I managed to go to the Mens Warehouse website, and build up the Tux interactively so here is what Clayton's Tux looks like. He wasn't too keen on the lilac, but I think it looks lovely and it matches the bridesmaide dresses.

Well, the North Fork wasn't exactly what I expected. The place is very rustic and quite dark. The place wasn't really elegant although it has potienal, she said we can decorate with flowers and candles. I just don't think the place is me, and I didn't visualize having my wedding there really. The Minister was so nice, she was a lovely women. But I'm thinking we might pass on having the wedding there.

We are going down to The Belle Chapel tonight. It's about an hour and a half away. They have an open house between 7-8 and we thought we'd go down and take a look. I really fell in love with this place before while I was checking stuff online, but we kinda ruled it out being to far away. But I guess an hour and a half isn't that bad. You can also have the reception there, for 2hrs it costs $350 if you wanted more hours another $175 is added.

Clayton only works a short shift today, so I'm going down the Mall with him. To have a look around and do some shopping, it's his Birthday next week and it's the perfect chance for me to look around. Then after he finishes work we are going to have some dinner, and then head out to see the chapel. I'll keep you guys updated on everything.

Wow it's been a while since I last posted. Things are going well here, gotten over the Jet lag. Been cleaning the Cottage up a lot trying to get it more like home. We tried to get a wardrobe/closet, but no luck. Here's a UK/US cultural difference for ya, US houses have closets already build in. Where as UK houses don't, I thought it would be easy to find a Wardrobe but it's been really hard.

Because our Cottage is small we didn't have a closet build in although we do have like a clothes rail in the bathroom. But I don't want to hang all my clothes in the bathroom really. Well, we ended up finding a $50 storage cabinet at Wal-mart. It's a wood finish which will match our bedroom furniture, it's exactly like a Wardrobe just with shelves. So we are going to do a little bit of DIY and take the shelves out and fix a rod at the top.

Yesterday we went to Clayton's parents to wish his mum a happy mothers day. Clayton's mother gave me a hug, and welcomed me to the US. Which was a step in the right direction, Clayton's parents haven't exactly been very supportive of us and our relationship. So it was nice to feel a little bit welcomed.

Today Clayton is working till 6pm so I have all day to do more house work, and get the place the way I like it. It's really quiet out here, I tend to put my music on to get some sound in this place. Coming from a a full house to a small Cottage in the country is really strange and I'm not used to all the peace and quiet.

Tomorrow we are planning on driving up to the North Fork Wedding Chapel to see what it's like. And so the wedding plans begin :):)

Hey Guys,

Just to let everyone know I arrived safely in Seattle. It was a very emotional goodbye to my family & Friends. And then seeing Clayton again was very emotional for me also. But I made it safe & sound, and had a goodnight sleep. I just can't believe I'm here, it feels really surreal. Seeing Clayton again is really great, it was nice to hold each other again.

The flight was long, I traveled with SAS. I went from Birmingham UK to Copenhagen then from Copenhagen to Seattle. The Seattle flight was 10hrs, but we got in an hour ealier which was great.

Immigration was fine, they asked me a few questions about Clayton. How we met, etc etc. Then I had my right & left index fingers, fingerprinted. And I had a little digital web cam photo. Other than that, he stamped my visa and told me I had 90 days to get married. And wished me luck.

Thanks for all the best wishes. And thanks to Mel and Fiona for sending me lovely e cards. That was very sweet girls thank you. I logged online last night and was like wow 17 comments lol, I'm a popular girl. Sorry I haven't blogged sooner, the few days leading up to leaving I was saying goodbye to everyone. So I just didn't have a chance. Bet you all missed my posts huh ;)

Oh and my Cottage is a mess lol, I leave Clayton for 6mths and it becomes a total wreck. Men don't know the meaning of house cleaning lol. So guess what I'm doing when he's in work. It'll take me a while to make it like home again, but I'll get there I have loads to unpack. Plus Clayton's uncle is putting in a new shower for us, and it isn't finished yet. They were hoping it would be finished by the time I got here, but they ran into a few problems. Hopefully it'll be finished by the end of the week.

Right well, we are off out now to get a new Wardrobe/Closet for me. I have loads of clothes & shoes you wouldn't believe lol. I'll blog more soon, hope everyone is well.

~Hugs to everyone~