yassmine2878

Update for us please:

Card production ordered on 12/28, card rcv'd 1/3.

I was surprised (and pleased) to note that they sent it priority mail. Everything else we've ever gotten came normal post.

Biometrics 10/20/10

Here's our update. NOA1 9-15-10

There is a potential for all kinds of name checks. We went through AOS hell. We had to deal with ICE and multiple name checks. Did your hubby register with NSEERS?

If it's stamped certified, yes they will take it. I didnt fork over my fancy original either.

Fishing through the USCIS website is becoming increasingly futile, but without having their definition of "domestic violence" handy, this is what I would do:

I would answer 'no' to the question and include an explanation with your petition. List it on your table of contents, make a separate page with the appropriate identifying information, reference the section and question on the I-129F, and quote much of the same information about the incident you have provided here.

Hi All,

We just got our interview notice today!! Whohoo

But, there's a problem. It says that we have to bring the USC's birth certificate with us. My husband is checking with his parents but as far as he knows they do not have one and he was born in a very small town in Poland. He does not even remember the name of the town and the hospital he was born in does not exist anymore. I don't know how we would even go about trying to get one at this point. He has his Certificate of Naturalization and Passport. Is that enough? Has anyone had problems with not bringing the USC birth certificate to the interview before?

S

Was there anyone that can attest to the birth? A notarized statement from a witness to the birth may be enough with his passport.

I would like to include the snail mails and chats as proofs of our relationship. My concern is there are some parts of the chats/mails that sounds too personal (i.e. kinky). Please do not think I am a freak or something LOL. But what if there are some parts of the mail/chats we don't want them to read, what should I do about it? Thanks a lot.

I would suggest a neat line through it with a Sharpie. I, too, did not want our personal conversations (or anything that could be misconstrued) under review. Just showing the dates and the names was sufficient. I just printed out the most suitable chat conversations with timestamps and marked out anything I didnt want shared with strangers.

I also included most of our snail mail envelopes, but not all the contents. I felt like some of the cards and letters were too private. And really, the envelopes with names and postmarks were good enough to establish that aspect of the relationship.

Best of luck on your visa!

California Service Center (2 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

MR.G...............08/30/10..........09/01/10.......--/--/10........--/--/--....

THIRDSJEN..........09/08/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/--....

YASSMINE2878 ......09/09/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/--....

Vermont Service Center (4 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

PRASHP1............08/30/10..........09/01/10.......--/--/10........--/--/--....

VIVABAÑOS..........08/30/10..........09/02/10.......--/--/10........--/--/--....

FILIRICANS.........09/03/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/--....

ADONIS1............09/03/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/--....

I remember learning about the long days and that it has something to do with us being on a polar north point. Hubby has said that he's unsure how he's going to handle the Ramadan hours just yet. I think the longer days is a problem for most of the practicing Muslims in this region. He mentioned staying up until 3 am and sleeping until 10 am which may help somewhat with the long days.

I understand that homesickness you have from leaving Texas. I had it for at least the first 3 years after I left. It wasn't until the 5th year when I went back for 6 months that I realized I had changed while everyone who remained stayed the same and so it wasn't the same for me anymore.

I'm going to have to try your cold wash rag on her gums and hope it sooths her. Her parents mentioned orajel but I have yet to see any and my days are hell. Well last week was anyways. I was supposed to be done with this temporary situation by now and I really wanted to avoid her teething but I didn't get out of it. I once worked in the baby unit in North Richland Hills, Texas for the summer and having 8 babies to take care of all of them teething at once was enough for me to never want to work in the baby unit again. Even just one baby teething is enough.

I had no idea a few degrees higher in latitude make such a big difference. Its really hard to get decent sleep with the sunlight getting up hours before me and staying up after we need to be in bed. Ive never been this sensitive to sunlight before. I must invest in some blackout curtains. Im told the winter is going to be conversely darker. I guess I was too busy with everything else because I didnt notice a huge difference this last season. Im concerned about hubster's fasting this year. Its going to be so taxing on him.

I spent over 30 years in Texas, so its always going to be home. I try to be logical and remember how difficult it was in Texas with no jobs, no money, no home of our own, and no prospects for bettering our situation. Up here we've got good jobs with better wages, a really nice home, a much bigger religious and cultural support system, better state benefits, better daycare, on and on and on. But it still pulls at my heartstrings when I meet someone who is from Texas. Or married to someone from Texas. Or has even been to Texas in the last 5 years LOL.

The baby orajel can really save the day. Its not very expensive, depending on where you buy it. In fact, if you've got a Dollar General in your area, thats a fantastic place to buy all sorts of baby goods. Mehdi seemed to do pretty well with a hit of Baby Tylenol and a dab of orajel. While you're waiting for the tylenol to kick in, the orajel will temporarily take away the pain and allow baby to get some rest (which is a great way to relieve pain for iddy biddies). Be forewarned, she may not like the taste and get mad when you put it on her gums. She'll pipe down quick though when she realizes the soreness is gone. The cold wet rag may help soothe her gums and also help ease the tooth through. Even rubbing them with your finger can help. My heart goes out to you, teething is no fun for anyone involved.

Okay, so I lost my net connection yesterday, so I gotta carry quotes over today.

of course we remember you, we're not senile!

now where are my glasses.

I ran out of shuffleboard pucks and had to borrow your specs instead. At least now I can beat you at bingo.

Yes you've been missed. You've been busy with a new baby, immigration craziness, and moving across the country. I hope your ROC goes well!

I am almost dreading ROC. After all the trouble we had with AOS, I cannot imagine what sort of horrors USCIS has up their sleeve now. I expect snowball effect.

Still trying to get used to the West Coast. Im getting used to the crazy highway system. Im tolerating the lack of air conditioning. But how do people live with such long days? OMG! The sun comes up between 430 and 5 (no joke!) and doesnt set until after 930. Ramadan is going to be REALLY HARD this year. Even though the economy was really sucky in Texas, we're still homesick.

Sadly it's Sunday and the last day off for my weekend. I still have 3 weeks left of watching my baby niece and she started teething.

I don't know if I can go back to taking the constant crying for another 3 weeks.

I hope she's better this week.

Have you tried a cold wet washrag? Rub it on her gums or let her chew on it. Mehdi was pretty picky about teether toys too. Once in awhile he would take a vibrating teether. Baby Orajel and Baby Tylenol or Motrin also work wonders if her parents allow it.

Have I been missed? I see so many new faces, Im surprised anyone remembers me. I gotta get back in the groove, we're up for ROC. I gots me some homework to do.

*zip*

*plop*

*peep*

*poof*

*peep*

*poof*

Im leavin' on a jet plane. Dont know when Ill be back again....

Bye Bye Texas!

Pack pack pack packity pack!

In 24 hours I will be on a plane to my new home in Washington!

Mabrook!

well i'm up because nobody in this house remembered that it was saturday and FORGOT to turn their alarm clocks off!! the dog is jumping around cause she has to go outside and go potty, so i let her out, then the cats are meowing cause it's breakfast time and they won't shut up until they get their tuna fish. Then the turtles see me and they are swimming around in circles waiting to be fed. So here it is at 6 o'clock in the morning and I'm the only sucker up doing the chores. I can't go back to sleep now. I think after I'm done drinking my coffee, I will go vacuum and disturb everybody else All I can say is that I hope this day gets better.

LMAO! Go get 'em!

Happy Saturday, MENA!

Only 10 more go-to-sleeps and it's time to go HOME.

Yassmine, I totally understand the packing thing. I haven't begun to tackle that yet. I know there's a bunch of stuff I'll just leave here, some of it because I just can't wear it outside of Egypt, some of it because I really want to shop up some Moroccan abayas before I go ... for gifts and for me ... and I have only so much suit case room.

Decisions, decisions....

Hey thanks for reminding me! I gotta pack my djellabas!

Ugh. Up late packing. Trying to figure out what I just haaaaave to take on the plane and what can wait to ship later. And here I thought I was reducing my workload by giving away a bunch of our stuff. Wrong!

Name: Gabrielle

Where you're from: Originally DFW (Texas), temporarily transplanted to West Texas mountains, moving to Seattle area in a little under 2 weeks.

SO's name: Ahmed

Where they are from in Morocco: Rabat

Anything else you want to add: Hubby has been here about 2.75 years, we're about 6 months away from out 3 year wedding anniversary, and we have one son Mehdi who is 18 months old

Have you been to morocco?: Twice while visa in process, but not since hubby has come to the US

Happy Thursday all.

Life is going great, a busy week. Tuesday I celebrated 12 years with no alcohol or drugs. I am taking it one day at a time and life is awesome. God is an awesome God and seems knows how to meet all my needs. Thanks be to God.

Pray everyone has a blessed day!

Amen! Congratulations on reaching this goal. I will keep you in my prayers.

Countdown continues! 13 days to moving day! Ive been anticipating this forever, but now it seems like Ive got 1,000 things to do and Ill never get it all done in time.

All of that stuff ON TOP OF THE FACT that we are requesting u and the bebbeh's presence at our Houston event next weekend...

Yeah, Im sorry guys I cant make it. Even if I werent moving, I probably couldnt make it anyway. Houston is a 7-hour drive (if you dont stop) from where I live. I dont think I could afford the trip. But maybe ya'll can make it up to Seattle again sometime soon. We're always having a party there, it seems.

Countdown continues! 13 days to moving day! Ive been anticipating this forever, but now it seems like Ive got 1,000 things to do and Ill never get it all done in time.

Q: What is a packet 3.5?

A: A packet 4 that didnt make it all the way

Sorry, I just couldnt help myself when I saw the title. Im not familiar with the doings of this consulate. But I send sincere wishes for a speedy approval and visa in hand

Morning, am running late today! I woke up in the middle of the night to some horrendus noise, so Tinker ran to the front room window and started barking and all of a sudden I knew what it was. A skunk started crossing the road, and must have gotton into a fight almost right outside my bedroom window and it sprayed! EWWWWWWW! Needless to say, the next few hours trying to sleep was he]]! Anyway have a good day!

Oh no! Did he get you or any of your stuff?

I think it was Maureen's dog who got sprayed eons ago and she asked us all what to do. In the end the poor dog got washed in (I think) Dawn soap, tomato juice, and citrus mouthwash.

Hump Day is here, have no fear! And its starts the two-week countdown to my move to Seattle. w000000000t!

amal wheres your honorary mena bebbeh?

Dont forget! Amirah is already promised to Mehdi I expect at least one sheep in the dowry!

at this rate he's going to be like twice her size by age 4 - they'll be like the mena pebbles and bam bam!

LMFAO! Pebbles and Bam Bam. He's already a Bam Bam, banging around on everything in sight. I wonder what "Bam Bam" translates to in Darija.

We took him for his 18 month checkup last week. He's 31 inches tall and 32 pounds. So I guess everytime he grows an inch he gains a pound.