Well Happy Friday MENA!

Anybody going away for the long weekend? Special plans?

Jackie
yes i am up at 1:40am

Im here with you jakie! I have no life I know. I just cant sleep these days. I think USCIS is driveing my self insane day by day. I have thought about going to the beach so well see about that. I will be going to seethe spanish rock band MANA this Sat, at least that will take my mind off things. Or who knows maybe I wont enjoy it as my mind will be else where. Are you exited about your upcoming concert?

I personally am going to take a break away from reality. Disappear. Go into hiding. Vanish. Missing in Action. From everything and everybody......See Ya

I feel the same as you Tammy!! I want my husband with me now!! I'm sick of this waiting game! It seems now that nothing is cheering me up, there were times when someone would give me a pep talk and it would make me feel better but now I have gone beyond that and nothing will make me happy until I see my husband getting off of the plane to me and our sons.

YES it's happy friday today!!! i have to be at work two hours earlier this morning (that part sucks!) We probably will be closing the pool over the weekend. I hate that part, it is a constant reminder that winter will be coming. I hope everybody has a great labor day weekend!!

Sports laden weekend for me. My 9 yr old is playing fall baseball and football so we will live at the ball field this weekend for practices. On a happy note it rained yesterday and their was def fall in the air...I cant wait for winter!!!Then I can come out of the house!!!! Hope ya'll have a great holiday weekend!

I have a full day of fun on my day off. Yesterday was the last day of work on my old job and I had many surprises. The gals had got in touch with a lot of the drug reps and I had goodies coming in for me all day! Starting out with coffee and bagels, then I got a dozen roses, lunch brought in from Red Lobster (for the whole office) and ended in a few tears. I kinda felt bi-polar because I was happy and sad all at the same time! I start my new job on Tuesday so I have a mini vacation before I start.

Tammy & Melissa.....Hugs to you both. I know how hard it can be.

Have a great Friday everyone!

Its the beginning of a four-day weekend

That sounds awesome!!!! What a testament to show what a great person and a great employee you have been! Good luck on your new job!!!! Keep us posted on how it goes.

I bet ya'll can't guess what I'll be doing this weekend..... ......yes....more yardwork!!!!!

I've got some playground stuff set up for our son so at least he can play while I'm working and I don't have to find someone to babysit.

I think we'll hit the pool at the Y tomorrow and Monday since they will be closing for the summer after Monday.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

You are going to see MANA? Como dueles en los labios............. Have a great time and pm me with a concert review!

Tammy, you can't hide from reality. You can mask it, run from it, medicate it, curse it, but it will still be there. You have friends here. PM me.

Jas, it's not payday, but I'll take it!

Amylu---send a drug rep over my way.

Jackie

Sounds like a great send off, Amy - I'm jealous!

I just decided to go ahead and take Tuesday off, so I've got a nice 4-day weekend. Wadi is off, too, since his new job doesn't start until next week, so hopefully we'll just be able to chill and enjoy the last days of summer. I can't believe that Ramadan is almost here already!

Happy Friday everyone!! Thank god it's a three day weekend.

Does anyone know what the change of address form is for permanent residents?? I can't seem to find it... it's funny, after all those months of immigration we went through i thought i would never forget this stuff... now i'm completely lost

It's called the AR-11. Don't forget that you have to do a I-865 to change address for a sponsor (you) too!

I beleive that in a 3 day weekend I will be able to fit in a few more naps than my usual weekend
that and I VOW I am going to wash/fold/put away all the dirty laundry in the house. I want just one day when everything is clean!

and we are going to gather up all our things to file for lifting of conditions so we can mail it next week.....

Happy Friday everyone

I hope you'll come back and tell us about YOUR concert. Did you find just the right thing to wear? Hope you have lots of fun Jackie!

I know what Malarie is wearing Oh I bought these awesome black shoes with a chunky, oh probably 3 inch heel (think goth) ....so the shirt will center around the shoes.

Jackie

Happy 3 day weekend everyone. I'm spending my weekend cleaning the house and getting ready for my trip to Morocco on Wednesday.

Im going to clean my filthy aparment good and proper. I bought Everything to make it sparkle! Oven cleaner to toilet tablets, Im prepared. I wonder if my husband will sleep through it all.

My weekend dont start till 10 pm saturday night. But after work im going to the campground and trying to finish the screening on my deck. It also has wireless internet so I will be chating with my hubby. And I will just relax around the fire at night with my vodka and pink lemonaid Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Which rep would you like?

THANKS!!!!

Me too! I have a to do list. Finish cleaning the apartment. Sketch two story boards one for a video I'm directing on Tuesday and another for a music video to a 3 and half min song. Then watch five movies I have sitting around needing watching from the video store. And build a website for my computer class. Now I can get to the fun school homework!

Somewhere in there I have to start working on a 4 and half page paper that compares and contrast various media sources surrounding 9/11 coverage.

Yeah 9/11 anniversary is coming up so the profs are having us pay attention to the media coming out on it in case there is something new.

Friday! We get the keys to move in tomorrow!

I agree with u Jackie, there is no true escape from reality. I try to fight it every day. I wanna go home
I can't wait to hear alllll about the concert. I'm soooooooo excited for you (not to mention insanely jealous)



Ugg, we have to start that dang process in 2 weeks. We are soooooooooooooooooo unprepared. I just want that to be over!!!!!!


Don't be surprised if you receive your change of address approval wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy before ur SO gets his. We changed our addresses around a month and 1/2 ago. We got my approval but still haven't received hubsters. They have to be send to 2 different addresses and there are a lot more immigrants than sponsors changing their addresses.


Mabrookulations!!!!!!!! That is always exciting!


Nothing new to report. No time to sleep, do house work, cook, etc etc so I'm bushed. Can't wait until tomorrow afternoon coz I'll finally have a day off!!!
amal(F)

Im feeling sorry for myself I just want my love... I am happy for the weekend and hope to get out to the ocean and for a hike. but everything feels gloomy

We never received confirmation for the AR-11, only for the I-865. The way I understand it, they don't send receipt notices for the AR-11. You have to actually call USCIS to confirm that the update was processed.

yeah we never received anything on the AR-11 either but diligently filed it

cool...thanks for that tid bit of info. I was not aware of that.

This is good to know. I got my receipt a couple weeks ago and have been wondering where my hubbys is.

i'm having a crappy day. i hate fixing plumbing in the house

Hubby comes home tonight from being away workin all week out of town. I was hopin to spend the weekend with him, but he has other plans, ..............more work!!!!

So i guess its the weekend in front of the tv, with my feet up again

Wow, it is a wonderful Friday but it's about 100 degrees in my computer room

feet up in the air?

i wish!! not until i get clearance from me surgeon......4 weeks and counting

nah charles, get your dirty mind out of the gutter

Feet up on the couch, with me pyjamas on ,watchin tv silly relaxin weekend

Oh come now, who doesnt enjoy playing toilet.

Today was great I did not go to work =0) ok going to take a shower then back to bed.

I really don't think I'm going to survive AR. I'm no good at this stuff.


I found out my test results and apparently I'm fertile myrtle but now I really really really want him here and I'm soooo frustrated that they haven't even sent our case to DOS yet after over a whole freakin' month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats on being a fertile myrtile! Don't keep stressing over AP, I know how you feel doodle I went through 5.5 months of it. I know its hard but think of it in another light. Its your last moments of freedom you last moments to spend with your kids alone. Instead of focusing on the things you wish you could do with him, focus on the things you won't be able to do when he gets here. In hindsight I wish I had that outlook. In hindsight everything makes sense.

Stay strong

I was feeling sad, too, because I am still alone, not having seen my habibi for 8 months and just starting the visa process. I work so that will help. I find the days off harder and winter coming does not brighten my spirits as I am a summer person. How do the rest of you deal with the aloneness? We just cannot communicate as much as we would like because of costs and job schedules.

I sent my fiance a vonage phone while he was in Jordan. It's a phone that conencts over the PC and and has a US phone number so we were able to talk as much as we wanted for only $25 a month. If anyone has a fiance that has their own computer with DSL at home, this a great option and will save both of you a ton of money!

[/quote]I know its hard but think of it in another light. Its your last moments of freedom you last moments to spend with your kids alone. Instead of focusing on the things you wish you could do with him, focus on the things you won't be able to do when he gets here. In hindsight I wish I had that outlook. In hindsight everything makes sense.

[/quote]


This is good advice. BTW, what does "touched" mean and how do i find out when they touch our case?

Thanks for Vonage suggestion, but he does not have computer at home. I'll keep it in mind. What carrier do you use to send things to Morocco? (the phone)

Anytime the USCIS does something with your case, you get a touch. It's a good thing because it lets you know they are doing something. You can check the status of your case online at www.uscis.gov and you can create and account and keep track of your case. They will send you emails when they take action on your case but not for routine touches.




Well my fiance was living in Jordan and I just used FedEx. It was expensive to ship but the payoff was completely worth it. The money we were spending every month on calls was insane.

Go here and click on Create/Edit customer profile account. Follow the directions and enter your case number that is on your NOA1 form. Once you've registered you can check online and see when they've "touched" your case. The first listing will be when they gave you your NOA1 so you'll want to look for dates after that.

My fertility actually shocked me! I'm on a message board with women who are my age and their numbers all look so dreary so I really was expecting the same!

yeah i know about the freedom part but like you said hindsight is a wonderful thing. It doesn't get to me too too often but like today I took my youngest to an amusement park and it would have been cool if he could have been there, and this weekend is a long weekend and it would have been nice for him to experience a real American cookout. Things like that. I KNOW Halloween is gonna royally suck if he's not here 'cause I really really wanted him to see it when the kids are still young enough to go out. I totally think this is my youngest's last year trick or treating so I guess that's that.

Just on the ole pity pot today I guess.

Ok let me break up your pity party and put a different spin on it. Labor day will always be around and so will cookouts so he is missing this years cookout but its your LAST cookout with the kids alone. Make it a fun day they won't forget. You never know if they are going to feel jealous or neglected because they have to share you with somoene else. The amusement park will always be around, so you can take him anytime but whats cool is that you can still do all this stuff with your kids and these are moments you should cherish because they are going to disappear fast.

Even if he misses your youngests last year trick or treating, you still have plenty of eggs so think of the joy he will get watching his own child go trick or treating the first time.

Finally there is one very important thing you will not be able to do when he comes. Veggin out all day on the couch eating chocolate for breakfast lunch and dinner and watching movies like Beaches, Steel Magnoilias, and any other movie that requires a box of tissue. I know its hard but just try to see the positive side of it. The embassy is gonna give him the visa when they want to give it to him and there is nothing anyone can do to change it. There is no point in wasting time in your life moping like I did. I lost 5.5 months of life during AR, and for what purpose? It didnt change a damn thing in the case and it only made the time go by slower for me. Remember that old saying? A watched pot never boils? I think you need to go to Panera and get some coffee and wickedly sinful pastry and have one for me too bcz all I can have is damn cabbage soup. LOL

I think this is GREAT advice for everyone going through AP and AR, well the whole immigration process in general. We get so caught up in what we are missing and how the government is keeping us from getting on with our lives but the truth is we can and should be living every day to the fullest and enjoying it for what it is. Beleive me, when your SO gets here everything is gonna change, hopefully mostly for the best but there are always some hard times and every single one of us is going to have a day, or days, or weeks, when we look back at the life 'before' with just a little bit of fondness and nostalgia

I was just reading a bit through the Citizenship & Immigration Ombudsman Annual Report for June 2007 and guess what........my case problem was used as an example on p.82 of the report.......I had written 2 very thoughtful letters to the Ombudsman back in January and then again in February to see if they could help.......they didn't of course.........but they did use my case as an example in their annual report............figures.

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/CISOMB_...Report_2007.pdf

thanks guys




you all are the best!!!



I'm gonna go have some more of those oatmeal crisps from ikea now.