Our dramatic 'Almost Deported' story...

Well, this will be a boring blog, as there are no pictures. I am all about the visual, so sorry to those who are like me and don't like a lot of words with nothing to break them up, because this post will be just that. :)



If you truly can't stand reading lots of words with no pictures, then just skip this post, and know that it has a happy ending :)



Anyway, while we were on vacation, at the summer house, they had these little boat guys come to deliver newspapers to keep those who were vacationing updated on the world's events, as well as Norway's. Kinda cute. Like the Ice Cream man but only with newspapers.



Soooo, Preben was reading an article in one of the newspapers that this little newspaper boat boy dropped off, and it turns out that there was a couple from Kristiansand just like us, married; from different countries, girl was from Ukraine, and the boy was from Norway.



Turns out, the article talked about how she, just like me was staying over with her husband, while they were getting all the proper documents in order (marriage licence, visa to live here, visa to work, etc.) Well, while they were waiting for these papers, as we are (were) she over extended her stay of 90 days here in Norway, and she was told to go home. -I guess this does not seem to be that big of deal (she DID overstay) but because she over stayed, she was told she could not come back, not even to visit.
-Seems like they are pretty strict with all their rules...



The Norwegian husband was totally willing to move to Ukraine, however he has split custody of his kids from a previous marriage and could not leave them behind. So, they are in such a sad situation, they have just talked about getting divorced because it is too hard to live apart from each other. -obviously being married and living in different countries would be pretty challenging.



Anyway, we are QUITE certain that God put this story right in our faces at the time. (2 weeks ago). This caused us to do more research on why she was told she had to go home and could not come back.



We have been under the impression all along, that one was allowed to stay in this part of Europe for 90 days, then fly to London, or somewhere outside the EU, and after you sort of landed there, that would kind of reset your count of 90 days, and then when you go back, the count starts over again.



Well, we were wrong! It used to be like that, however they have changed it so that you are allowed to be in this area for 90 days OUT OF 180 days. And after that, you are not allowed to return to this part of Europe for 90 more days!



soooo, we knew that I made a trip over in February, so we went back and looked at all my plane tickets to find out exactly how many days I have been here within the last 180 days. Turns out I had been here for 83! YIKES!!



Meanwhile, we are not even technically married yet in the states, and our marriage certificate had not been processed yet because the wrong date was written on the form. Seems like a small enough problem, but for some reason, it has been nearly impossible to get that date changed so that the process could continue so we could have our marriage certificate, and then finally register that here, to start the process for me in Norway.



So, recap:

*Aren't technically married in the states

*Must have the marriage certificate in Norway to apply for a visa to live here

*If I don't apply, I am just a tourist and must leave in less than a week, and if I don't, I can never return

*Can't apply because we don't have the certificate

(Mom's advice was to bring wedding pictures to the police station to prove we are married)

I love you mom!

So we are freaking out at this point. What do I do???

Call my mom of course! They are always there for emergencies such as these. :)

My mom totally went above and beyond her call of duty as a mom.

She went down to Atlanta to figure things out. Well, we all know how happy and cheery those people are who work in those government buildings and how willing they are to help one out in a time of need...but after much thanking and sucking up, she was able to get our marriage certificate in her hand.

Then the lady tells her that for one who is moving abroad, there is this international marriage seal one must have to make it recognizable for those around the world, to prove they are married. And that in order to get that, she had to go to another place and get a special stamp and blah blah blah.

So Mom does that, because she is amazing. Then, after spending the ENTIRE day in downtown Atlanta, talking these people into letting her have our marriage certificate, she goes to UPS and overnights all our important documents, marriage certificate, (complete with official seal), and we get it 3 days later, with one day to spare before I am deported.

PHEW!!!!

Long story short...(ha ha),

We now have applied for this visa, and I am 'safe' and don't have to worry about the 90 days.

We also know know that one can only be in this part of Europe for 90 days out of 180 days.

We Also know that just because you overnight something across the ocean, it still takes 3 days to arrive.

We ALSO know that Moms always save the day no matter how old you are.

So, I am safe and do not have to go home for 3 months! Yay!

Anyway, that was our week last week. Pretty dramatic, but funny now that it has all worked out.

We also found out, that if the pastor had not written the wrong date on the form in the first place, Mom never would have gone down there and found out about that international official marriage seal, in which case we never would have gotten it.

Then, I might have had to go home anyway because it would not have been official!

So God has everything worked out in His plan and is in total control of everything.

That is our dramatic story...

Thanks for reading!