Got my Visa!

Interview was May 27. I made sure I was ultra ready with all my documents. Unfortunately for me, my criminal record check did not mention my maiden name, so I had to call the police department and luckily they fixed it the same day. I had to go back to the consulate after my meeting in order to complete the process, but I was approved!
Anyone going to their interview...save time at the consulate...take every possible non essential item and put it in your trunk or leave it with someone, because it makes the wait time to get in so much longer! They don't allow USB  memory sticks, cell phones, scissors, knives, or large packs of any kind.
The wait in the office feels like forever, because, unlike almost everyone else there, you are waiting for a K1 or K1 and K2 approval. They will call you by name, not by number like everyone else. We waited almost an hour for our name to be called. The questions were brief but easy to answer.
I can't believe it's done! They took our passports and told me I'd be getting a email from loomis to pick up our package in a few days.
Sure enough the email came, but wasn't clear that when checking the status, you only need to wait for the words "In facility" instead of 'ready for pickup', so I waited needlessly for four extra days.

My best to all you waiting!
So from Dec. 21 when we mailed it, it took just a few days under 6 months to get approval. Not bad.

Next step!

The USCIS sent us our uncashed cheque back after finding it...but by then we had reapplied. Dec. 21 we resubmitted the package.
Jan.31 they sent us a letter of approval.
Now it is March 8, and my fiance got a letter saying that our paperwork has been forwarded to the Vancouver Consulate, and gave me a link to fill out form ds-160.
Exciting to finally be this far!

Applied again...but!

Dec. 1 we reapplied, in FULL this time. Wow, the envelope was heavy! Photos, records of emails, texts, phone calls, flights...you name it.
2 weeks later, we get it returned, minus our passport photos, personal photos and money order.
They said we did not enclose payment. WHAT????

Wow we were mad.
My fiance called them and told them that the money was IN the envelope and someone lost it, along with our photos.
We were not impressed, but who do you strangle?

So we canceled the money order and sent a new application in on Dec. 21.

Yesterday we got back the photos, uncashed money order and no explanation or apology. Wow.

So now we wait again.