Esalaam, Hello and Salut everyone



Thursday is here... a sarcastic YEA

Well did not have the big talk with the husband yet, as we got invited to a tarawee prayer in Alger, Bab El Oued... and also had a slightly unplesant disagreements on the way back.

Rahma: did you post how the tarawee prayer was, that you went to...

The one I want to in this very old old masjid in the capital of Alger was like nothing I had ever experienced. Totally different then any I had attended in the USA or even here in Kolea...

The majid was huge, even the womens section are huge. Here we stood shoulder to should, feet to feet (unlike in Kolea, where the women start fighting if someone is too close) no one fought, no on was gossiping, really even talking...All the women were properly veiled.I did not feel like I was in a fashion show. I kept looking around so amazed how we all were the in unison. Then the prayer began... the first reciter began. I literally got chills down my spine and by the second rakaat I began to cry.I really do not know where that came from, as I would like to think I am not the type to just cry on a dime, but as I closed my eyes, in the silence there... I could concentrate really myself... I felt the words recited seeping into my mind, into my veins... my mind did not wonder, as it has attending the tarawee prayers in Kolea, where it is hard to concentrate when women around you are gossiping. After a while, I opened my eyes, came out of my deepness and saw others were really crying.

I donnow maybe I am werid, but imaan really needed this boost. Inchallah I will go back tonight to the same masjid.

Today exactly is 3O days until I have to leave Algerie and back to States... I really want time to stop ... but I do have things to get back in the US.

My husband has offically put this home on the market and started to look for home yesterday. We will see how that turns out...

I have to go to the market today, but it is raining... and starting to get a bit cold. But elhamdullah after a month of 9Ö and above weather, the cold is welcomed.

Thursday starts off the weekend here in Algerie, but my husband works Thursdays and has Friday and Saturday off instead. I cannot wait until tomorrow when he will be here all day inchallah. I want to ask him to take me to Ain Benian to that huge bazaar.

Anyway... I wonder how Said, Noura's Said's interview went? Hmmm we are waiting Noura!!!!! You are in my prayers !

Anyone else have some VISA news ?

Hugs from Algerie

Blessed day to everyone

What a lovely and deeply spiritual moment for you. I'm sure you will never forget it. That is the sweetest feeling on heaven and earth. You remind me of a day when I was with Moh and there was a "funeral" at the mosque acrossed the street. A huge tent like affair had been set up across the entire width of the street and chairs set up for people. They began broadcasting quran from the speaker all day, but the man's voice just touched my soul. His family were watching tv but I couldn't pull mind from that sound. I felt that deep movement in myself that you spoke of so I went off to our room to be alone with it. He followed me and sat next to me. Those tears came to me and I remember him putting his arms around me and pulling me close. We just sat there listening and feeling and he whispered to me "this is why I love you." We didn't speak for a long time after that. Just sat and listened together.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Henia.

Wow Jean, Subhan'Allah!

I asked my husband if he was crying too... he just looked at me all strange.. "noooo"... Also we took my husband's aunt and she was just looking around and at me during the prayer, probably thinking "isane people"... hmmm ... I guess it touched me more then them.

Mohammed and I are so much alike in the way we experience things. Sharing those types of quiet subtle moments is something always very special. We used to go to Alexandria to blow the day once in a while and made sure we lingered long enough to sit on the beach and watch the sun go down no matter how hot or cold it was. We would just sit in silence watching the colors shift and deepen. Then he would draw a deep breath and say, "wow." I would reply, "yeahhhh." Then back to silence until it was dark. lol

Henia you're a soft-hearted and sensitive person. Those words go straight to your heart and don't even waste their time on your ears. They don't need to. Consider it a gift.

Ewwww... time for my drive to work in the sea of idiots.

THIS IS A HAPPY THURSDAY INDEED! Henia, I got tears in my eyes reading of your experience (& Jean's too). I just returned from having pancakes at IHOP and will try to sleep a little more before I have to go to work.... I'm am on cloud 9!!!! I hope Casa keeps this good thing going - we have several more interviews in the next couple of weeks.
Noura

Ye I guess I am sensitive... Hmm I had noticed that here in Algerie.

Dannelle (libragodess) I hope you get that call today ... keep us posted!

I am so so happy for you Noura! Soon Said will be there with you! Hmmm IHOP... I want some waffles

mmmm... i had the harvest grain pancakes - yummy!

my hubby loveddddddddddd them when we went to ihop!!!! mmmmmmmmm i miss ihop lol
congrats on the success!!!!!!! way to go!

Happy Thursday! I am sooooooooooooooo tired. I don't usually stay up til 1am, but really, I did have fun last night in chat.

Who's interview is next?

Jackie
(JP----352 hours til your man's interview!)

O snaaaaps counting the hours? JP must want it bad! Good Luck to JP at the interview!

Well I am exhausted! I can barely keep my eyes open and I am not feeling all to well either. My stomach hurts and I think I have heartburn from oatmeal. Oh well. I think at lunch I am going to pass out on the couch in the break room. Well nothing new is going on with me. Still waiting to hear from USCIS about our petition. I hope everyone has a good day.

ETA: Does anyone know how often USCIS updates their processing dates?

I believe its every 1.7 million years, but that's not taking into account daylight savings time.

that's what I figured. I hope they do it soon so I have something better to tell my husband about when he can look for a much better job.

jean, you are so funny!

Speaking of "something better to tell your husband"... gawwwwwwwd. Every night Mohammed calls me and asks "have you heard anything". I cringe. He knows the answer. If I HAD heard something, it would have been the first thing out of my mouth. But he's fairing far worse with his emotions lately then I am. The inevitable answer just sends him into this black cloud of gloom, doom and despair. I don't know what to do to bolster his spirits (or mine) anymore. Last night he kind of avoided the subject but I could tell it was making him nutsy. Finally he asked. Conversation:

"So... honey... did you hear anything?'

"Pfft."

"Hmmm... When are they going to stop playing with me?"

"They're not playing with you. It's processing."

"Just processing?"

*tapping the receiver impatiently against my forehead harder and harder, then deep breath*

"Yes. Just processing."

"Do you think I'll get the visa?"

*sigh*

"Yes. I do."

"OK."

*long silence*

"I saw a movie today. I hate tv. I'm bored."

*EXHALE*

Every night. I don't know what more to say to him. I've tried different variations like "Do pigs fly?" but then I spend a lot of time explaining what the means so its all the same. Dammit. (That was an attempt at humor... I think it fell kinda flat. Pooh.)

Well my husband asked me one day why I go and check my e-mail and the USCIS web site everyday. I told him that I had a secret lover who worked for the USCIS and he sends me messages on the site. About a week later he asked me why I haven't been checking on my secret lover as much. I told him that I realized it was a one-sided relationship!

I just went to take a nap on my lunch break and couldn't sleep. Now I am wide awake and in a very strange mood. I found out that my husband will be home early today and I will be home early too so maybe I'll get a nap in this afternoon.

Have a good day everyone! Tomorrow is Friday and the start of a three day weekend! Yay for Chirstopher Columbus!

Well I just checked and noticed that Charlesandnessa got their visa and will be flying back to the states on the 9th. Should we add them to our thread of those who got visas?

Thanks Jackie!!! I would share that with the pissy bata but he is not in a good mood.




I think we should add them! Charles is our new MENA sister. Congrats CharlesandNessa!!!!