Hi, after checking out the site on and off for nearly 4 years and finally getting close to applying for visas - thought I should actually check in and say hi and thanks! I'm british and female - with a filippino husband since May this year.
We met in 2000 when I worked for 6 months in his village...and came home pregnant.... I went back to Uni, he went to college and we tried to pretend that there was nothing more to our relationship then sharing a daughter - although sharing is an over ambitious idea as actually i was single parenting and on 'government funds'! Of course I couldn't stay away, and managed to secure a 'hardship fund' out of college in 2003 -he met his daughter for the first time and we re-established a relationship, which after 6 months back in the UK seemed ridiculous again - in practical terms of distance, no cash, single parenting etc, but I still made it back in 2006 - couldn't stay away and realised what the heart feels can overrule what the head says!
We decided we needed to make a go of it, but he had no chance of getting here on a toursit visa and I wasn't ready to take the marriage plunge over what my head still told me was a mere few happy holiday months over the space of 6 years but eventually I quit my job, pulled our daughter out of school and went over to the philippines in may 2008. I was VERY fortunate to get part-time work and we stayed until July 2009 - it happily went very well (why didn't I listen to my heart sooner - ah the wisdom of hindsight), we are now married and our daughter is happy at home in either country.....but of course now theres the visa issue - i have a job since august and am saving all the documents - in line with all advice from this forum we will wait 6 months to 'gather' before applying..
but I guess that truly this is only the beginning of nail biting worry and of course his adjustment if (or should i say when) he makes it over here!
so 'hi' and 'thanks'!!!