Not having a bad day, try having a bad half year! And it keeps getting worse and worse! And I'm talking about good kids (no drugs, good grades)! When they are separate - they're fine, but together - i don't know what to do with them and how to deal with them! It's like talking to my foot - I bet it'll hear me and understand much better!

I'm just not used to having 2 teenagers at the same time - one used to live with the ex, but decided for whatever reason to be with us. Without a man in the house and no father figure around.... I'm just glad they're not girls! I imagine at the ages we're at it would be even worse!

Do they see their dad at all throughout the week? If not why don't you set up a schedule? I count on every other weekend off to have "me time" and to regroup. Raising two kids alone is hard work and harder when you have a fulltime job on top of it all. You need a mental health day off every so often or you will start telling people that "kids suck".

I'm sure you don't mean it and are just having a hard day. See if someone can take them for a weekend so you can have a break.

Happy Weds and Valentine's day all. My Omar arrived 25 min early (no disappointment on MY part!). Thought he'd be ready for bed, but no, wanted to show me the gifts he bought first...I was sure ready to sleep!! Never got my afternoon nap from the week-long cleaning frenzy. today we made breakfast together, went to visit my daughter at her job, got our marriage license (wooohooooo ) and then to my work for a brief meeting, lunch, short drive and back to really work. He is out walking around now, but wil come back to meet some patients and get ready for dinner.

First glance was just like you all described...magical and unforgettable. We danced in the airprot!!

Thanks to all who walked me through yesterday. Oh and POE was 10 min at the window, a few questions including when were we going to marry, my name and address, finger print and pic, work auth and into America he stepped.

Woooohooooooooooooooooo, Maggie!!!

It's wonderful that all went well, Maggie! I love a happy ending!

congrats, Maggie & Omar... sounds like it was easy as (american) pie! Enjoy your time together!!! It'll last a lifetime now.

Well... Happy Valentine's Day to me. What a day. My husband found a new and much better job. Yippee. They also started him training on the spot. He won't be home until after midnight. Then he goes on days. However, I also lost my co sponsor today. She waited until AFTER I spent the money mailing her the paperwork to tell me she didn't think she could do it. She's been telling me this whole time to not worry, then boom. I think I'm ok on the 125% above poverty on my 2006 tax return. I had a bought of unemployment but exceeded the cutoff. My current position is paying well over and above and I have a letter from my employer verifying my salary. But the tax return for 2005 was tiny because I only worked part time part of the year and I was in Egypt the year before so none at all for 2004. Do you think I need a co sponsor for the I-864? I'd appreciate a few opinions. The clock is ticking. I need to get these AOS papers mailed off.

YIPPEE! Congratulations to you both. I'm glad all went smoothly, but I'm not surprised. Happy dancing for you.

Hey Jean, you're right... cheezits are the shizznit! Hope you get the co-sponsor stuff worked out...

Jean, if your 2006 tax return shows over the 125% poverty line and you have a current job with current paystubs showing you're over the minimum, you'll be fine. Three years' worth of tax returns are no longer required.

Congrats on the new job for Mohammed!

I had an OK day, but none of the patients braved the snow and sleet to come to the office, so kind of slow. I got home at like 5PM though, but one of my prenatal patients was having chest pain so I visited her at one hospital, then another of my patients got admitted at a different hospital, so I was shuttling around a lot tonight.

I hope the snow melts for tomorrow

Thanks for the info. I was reading the rule changes and discovered this tonight. My father is also considering co sponsoring him although I really hate to put that responsibility on him. I'm definitely way over 125% of the poverty line now (although it doesn't always feel that way... ha ha). I can't help but shake my head. When Moh and I first started out, my parents were anything but accepting of him. They wouldn't even speak of him. Now they absolutely adore him. I think my father is enjoying rediscovering this country through his eyes.

Now if I could just STOP fretting about how that darlin is going to get home from work tonight. He refuses to let me come and get him. He says he'll "find a way". Stubborn. So instead of driving in the middle of the night to get him, I'll just be staring at the ceiling worrying. LOL

Hope everyone is having a great night.

Maggie, when you come up for air next.........................tell me what his first thoughts are of the United States. Actually.....I think I'll make a new thread. lol.

No, doodle. They don't see him very often - they hate him now. And it's not because of me, I don't tell them that he's bad or anything. He complains about me, said 'she's dead to me' and still talks crap about me all the time! That's one of the reasons my oldest got back to us and doesn't want to stay with ex.

The ex cares about our kids so much, he owed a Christmas and a B-day present from 2005 to my son up until recently. And what did he do? Instead of getting him an I-pod or something cool, he gets him a cheap a... clock for maybe $10!!!

So, they're both discusted with my ex and don't want to have to do anything with him. I keep telling them that he's their father. I know I missed mine when he left!

Ok, let me re-frase what I said be4: "TEENAGERS SUCK!" not kids. They were pretty sweet and nice when they were kids. And you're right, I need some alone time, when I get home it feels like a war zone - they argue or do something noisy all the time. Maybe, I'm just tired of everything, don't know.

And now this 'snow day' is catching up with me - i have to work extra time on top of 50 hour week!