A Journey That Spanned Nearly Two Decades
What began as a honeymoon trip to Las Vegas and a family visit to Utah eventually became the foundation for one of the biggest life transitions our family would ever make.
This timeline captures the major milestones along our journey, from marriage, raising children, and career development in Aotearoa New Zealand, through to the long-running Green Card process, immigration approvals, and eventually rebuilding our lives in the United States.
Each milestone below links to a deeper chapter of our story, documenting not just the immigration process itself, but the life that continued around it.
Because immigration wasn’t the only thing happening.
There were careers being built.
Children growing up.
Family milestones.
Global events.
Delays.
Setbacks.
And moments of progress that slowly shaped the future we eventually stepped into.
Year 2005
>>> Our Nuptials
2005 was one of the busiest and most defining years for Reed and I.
I was completing the final year of my Bachelor’s degree while working 20-hour weekends with Kāinga Ora, raising three young sons, and preparing for a wedding, all within the same year.
After already being together for ten years, Reed and I married on December 10, 2005, surrounded by family during a rare reunion that included my brother Pata visiting Aotearoa New Zealand with his partner and my niece.
At the same time, I also began a full-time role with Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, marking a major professional milestone alongside significant family changes.
<<<>>> Read Full Chapter: 2005 – An Eventful Year
Year 2006
>>> Vegas, Utah, and the Beginning of the Green Card Journey
In December 2006, Reed and I traveled to Las Vegas for our honeymoon.
What began as a celebration became something more meaningful when we’d traveled onward by Greyhound bus to Utah, where Reed met my father and sisters for the first time.
That visit quietly planted the foundation for what would later become our family’s immigration journey.
In 2007, my father and I initiated the Immigrant Visa Petition through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services using Form I-130.
At the time, it felt less like an immediate plan and more like opening a possibility for the future.
<<<>>> Read Full Chapter: Vegas, Utah, and the Vision for the Future
Year 2007+
>>> Life Continued While the Petition Waited
One of the realities of family-based immigration is that the process often unfolds over many years.
During that time, life doesn’t pause.
Reed and I continued raising our children while balancing careers, school routines, financial responsibilities, and everyday family life in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Franklin, Kit, and Logan progressed from kindergarten through intermediate and secondary school while the immigration petition quietly remained active in the background.
The future remained uncertain, but the possibility of one day living in the United States never fully disappeared.
<<<>>> Read Full Chapter: The Years In Between
Year 2017
>>> A New Addition and a Major Immigration Milestone
2017 became another significant year for our family.
Reed and I welcomed another son, Johnny, into the family, beginning a completely new chapter while raising children already moving into their teenage years.
At the same time, we also received confirmation approval connected to our U.S. immigration petitions.
After years of waiting, the process had finally moved forward.
What had once felt distant was beginning to feel real.
<<<>>> Read Full Chapter: Approval After Years of Waiting
Year 2019
>>> The Pandemic Years and Delayed Momentum
Just as the immigration process appeared to be progressing, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted systems globally.
Lockdowns, border restrictions, and international uncertainty slowed immigration processing significantly and made future plans feel difficult to predict.
At times, the process felt out of reach again.
And yet, life continued.
The family celebrated birthdays, milestones, achievements, and everyday moments together while the world adjusted to an entirely new reality.
<<<>>> Read Full Chapter: Waiting Through a Global Pandemic
Year 2023-2024
>>> Civil Documents, Medicals, and Interview Preparation
After years of waiting, the immigration process was making traction again.
In September 2023, our family submitted civil documentation for all six applicants through the National Visa Center stage.
This required:
- birth certificates
- passports
- police clearances
- medical exams
- financial sponsorship documentation
- extensive verification paperwork
By August 2024, medical examinations had been scheduled for September, followed by immigrant visa interviews across October 2024 and January 2025.
The process had now shifted from possibility into preparation.
<<<>>> Read Full Chapter: Documentation, Interviews, and Preparing to Leave
Year 2025
>>> The Big Move
On March 23, 2025, our family officially entered the United States on immigrant visas.
After nearly two decades from the initial petition discussions, the journey had finally reached the moment where possibility became reality.
Within weeks, Green Cards arrived in the mail.
But immigration approval was only the beginning.
The next stage involved:
- rebuilding life from scratch
- navigating U.S. systems
- securing employment
- obtaining identification
- finding housing
- and creating stability again in a completely new environment
<<<>>> Read Full Chapter: Arriving in America and Starting Over
Coming Up Next
In the introduction:
<<<>>> Full-time study
<<<>>> Part-time work
<<<>>> Parenting three young children
<<<>>> Wedding planner
<<<>>> Career development