Prospective marriage Visa help 529

We are getting ready to apply for my partner to come to Australia on a prospective marriage visa from the US.

We have filled in all the paperwork, got 8 (maybe this was over doing it!) friends and family to do stat decs for us, and organised anything we could thing of that showed we have had a normal relationship while he has been here.

I have a few questions -

1. The application asks for proof of contact while we have been separated. We sent HEAPS of emails, chatted online a lot and wrote the occasional snail mail letter. Do we actually have to send in the copies of these (so they read the mushy stuff we write to each other) or can I just print off the inbox pages of our emails to prove there were emails sent to and fro? and make copies of the envelopes the mail came in, and include details of our online chats in a stat dec??

2. If we submit the application with out the medical and police checks will that mean that nothing will be done on it until we send them in? He won't be back in the States until the end of the month to submit the application and get the checks done. We are afraid that this will hold off on our application being processed at all.

3. We have only been in contact for 6 months, he has been in Australia for 8 weeks now (and leaves in 2) but we are SURE that this is it. We are meant to be together. Will the time frame be looked on negatively given its such a short time?

4. Lastly, I was engaged for a year and half to an Australian guy 5 years ago. The engagement fell through because he was an awful awful man. Will this affect our chances at all?

5. Does any one know how long Prospective marriage visas from the US are taking at the moment??

We will be devastated if we don't get the Visa. :( ANY other help or advice you might be able to give is MUCH MUCH appreciated.

Thanks

Mez and Joe :D