I have always introduced my wife as my wife since 2002. But technically, we were not really married yet since there were several legal matters that needed to get ironed out then. And during this period, I left for the US in 2004 since my work in the Philippines was not really supporting my family well. And I was away from my family for long periods and would go home every 6 months or so to be with them again in the Philippines. Getting vacations in my jobs are usually not permitted within certain time frames but I used to go back during certain IT events where I am invited and I go on vacation without pay. Although plane tickets are quite expensive, and considering that I even get no salary for two weeks work, I am way broke and sometimes with over due bills after my vacation but nothing beats being with them again. 6 months was too long, even 1 week was too long and some of my friends just seem so puzzled asking me how do I do it? I myself don’t know how I did but I just kept myself preoccupied with work so I don’t feel the loneliness.

Now today, 3 years has passed and my wife and daughters are here in the US as I brought them here with a Fiancee Visa where she is required to marry me within 90 days of her stay in the US and I will then work on converting that into a immigrant status since she is my spouse already.

Now everyday seems to be hard as ever, 8 hour job on weekdays, but running a 24×7 small business when I get home. Currently my wife is unemployed and my daughters are not yet in school. But before everything else, I need to get their permanent resident status all fixed up first. Then work on getting them some driver licenses and probably their own cars as well. Help them look for a job and get kids in school.

With a business with 500+ clients, customer support and even simple project management is already starting to get harder by the day, but doing this full time and not depending on my job would still be way premature of a move to do. I am still dependent on my monthly salary. But I enjoy my job anyway so it does not really feel like one.

But full-time work + full-time business = less time for family may not work well for my family which is something I will be fixing up in the next few months. Right now I just got tons of deliverables to finish and I need to work on my planning system. 2007 is all dedicated to systems to get things done more efficiently. And lets see how everything goes.

Today marks my wedding day and this is just the start of more challenges. Which I am more than willing to face head on. I know the next few months will be a bit tough, but I think 2008 will be good. Let’s get it on.