On my birthday we got the news that we are now permanent residents!
Finally! It took 2.5 years and ~6K paid to lawyers to review and prepare documents (there went the replacement of my car - ergo I am still driving a 1996 Geo Metro aka 'the death trap' by my friends). But it was worth it!
Plus when I told my boss, since he knows we want to stay in Seattle for a couple of years and I have been a postdoc for a looong time an would like a more permanent position, he suggested I talk to the right people to become a lecturer with the department and, if I want to, continue to do research in his lab!!
Not bad for birthday present, uh?