angie & abed

Afternoon everyone!

Betsy...congrats! May he have a safe and easy journey to your arms! Hope you feel better soon!

Hope you all have a fantastic rest of the day!

On Friday, Abed will have been here for a year. Amazing how fast it has gone by. I agree with what everyone else is saying, it has its ups and downs. We had (and still do sometimes) have communication problems, I misunderstand what he is saying and vice versa. In fact, the second week he was here, right after our daughter's 1st birthday, I told him I wanted to do his adjustment of status to get his 10 yr green card and then I wanted a divorce. I won't go into why, as that's private, but we worked through that and a few other "big ones" and I think we are stronger for it. Even though I have never been married before, I think all in all, our marriage isn't that different than any other marriage out there, except for some cultural differences. I have to remind him all the time I am his WIFE, not his mommy...apparently I am supposed to be superwoman like she was, thank God she will be here in 2 weeks (!!!) to set him straight. Seems lately most our differences involve how we are raising the girls. His fave argument is that they aren't American. I don't even want to get started on that one... But, through all of it, I am crazy in love with him and I know he is crazy in love with me ...we wouldn't have put up with each other otherwise!

Anyway, best advice I can give, COMMUNICATION is key, talk talk talk with each other! Oh, and like Astarte said, the sex life is pretty important too!

God bless all your marriages and may He keep them strong and happy!

Morning everyone....hope it's a great Wednesday for you all!

It's another Manic Monday....wish it were a Sunday, cuz that's my fun day. Cheesy? It's how I feel today though...

My MIL will be here in 22 days (WOOHOO!!!) I can't wait, I have missed her terribly!

And I have two little ones that aren't feeling good, it breaks my heart when they look at me with those little eyes and it's like they are asking me "please fix it mommy". *sigh* can't give anything to a 2 1/2 month old though except love and attention. I can drug up the 2 yo though (j/k, kinda ).

Good luck on your exam Amy!

....hope everyone has a great day!

I don't have but a minute, but I would like to say I am not outraged by anything. And I never said I was on "her side", I just think maybe she has been through enough without fellow women being nasty. Maybe I am, as my husband always tells me, too sensitive to others. I am old, fat and ugly and my hubby is Pali....but do I take offense to her posts, nope. Do I take offense to yours, nuh-uh, sure don't. I'm sorry I even said anything now. Anyhoo...I wanted to write something more profound, however I can't concentrate with a crying toddler and 2 month old.

God bless.

BTW....Astarte, you weren't really the person I had in mind when

I wrote my post, just so you know. Take care!

I agree with both of you guys about newer folks needing to understand that Kat is not an expert and perhaps her remarks are racist against Arabs, I honestly never thought of it that way, but I can see it now. I just think there are better ways to say some things then the way (off the top of my head) two particular people are saying them. Kat has been through a lot, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, and every time I see a post from her I say a prayer that one day God will heal her heart. I guess having a new baby, my hormones are a little outta whack and it really rubbed me the wrong way. But, quite frankly, Kat isn't the first person of late that they, in particular, have ganged up on and rallied against.

Anyway, thanks for not reaming me a new one, I just wish everyone could be happy and get along with one another! Amen!

BTW...Nawal, your twins are too adorable, I thank God everyday I didn't have twins. I don't know how you guys do it!

Happy Thursday everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful afternoon/evening! We are buying my MIL's ticket today...wish it was cheaper, we could really use the money for other stuff! BTW, thanks Nawal for your answer to my question the other day!

Take it easy!

I know this is going to put me on a sh!t list, and I'm not intending to be a b!tch, but I don't really care right now. Why don't we just leave Kat be...there's no reason to be nasty to her as some of you ladies have been in this post. If you don't want to read her posts, there are ignore buttons you can use....I know I do.

To the OP....sounds like you already made up your mind about this situation, so good luck to you!

Have a great day everyone!

Oh, I also have a question....I put this in another section, but maybe I can get an answer here as well....Here's the post:

My MIL has her B2 visa, it is good for 3 years, she will be coming for a visit in October and isn't sure how long she wants to stay. Between 4-6 months we are guessing. She will have an open ended ticket to return, but I am guessing she will need to have a return date on her ticket for the POE. In general, what is the expiration date for B2's I-94s? When the return ticket is booked for or the expiration of the visa? Hope that makes sense! Any help is appreciated!

Anyone know?

Thanks!

Afternoon everyone. Hope you are all having a great week! Ever get that feeling that you wanna go home and then realize dag gone it! you ARE home!!? I feel that way today.

My MIL has her B2 visa, it is good for 3 years, she will be coming for a visit in October and isn't sure how long she wants to stay. Between 4-6 months we are guessing. She will have an open ended ticket to return, but I am guessing she will need to have a return date on her ticket for the POE. In general, what is the expiration date for B2's I-94s? When the return ticket is booked for or the expiration of the visa? Hope that makes sense! Any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

Angie

I don't get on here as much as I used, but, yep, apparently a lot of ####### hit the fan....

From yesterday (or earlier today, can't remember ):

I think they should hand out valium to you when you join VJ. lol

Maybe we should start a thread to keep track of who is having pms and when.

Honestly, I think people need to take things a little less personally. And if you find VJ is not the place for you because there are MEAN people here, then by all means, stop reading and posting in the MENA section and stick to the other boards if you need help with the visa stuff.

The people here can only hurt you if you let them. B)

Also, taking a break never hurts. People do it often.

You know, Melly, MENA has actually become very tame compared to years past. I know that must seem crazy, but this place used to be off the chain when it came to some different topics. We had the Muslim Olympics (as Charles used to call it) at least once a week and people just knew how to tear you apart - it was scary. Now, it's all hug hug, kiss kiss.

Well I'm never giving advice anymore that's for sure. From now on I'm eatin' rainbows and poopin' butterflies like that cartoon movie. (i forget the name).

I watched Double Jeapordy today. Ashley Judd is such a good actress. I wish I had her figure!!!!!! Love it when she goes to buy the Armani dress and the shop owner guesses she's a size 4 and she gives her "the look" and says she's a size 2. I don't think I've ever utter the words, "I'm a size 2" in my flippin' life.

The cartoon movie is "Horton Hears a Who" and Katie says it.....lord help me for knowing that, I've only seen it 500 gazillion times! Thank God we have moved on to some other movies, but it is always the same 3-4.

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday and Happy Grandparents Day to any grandmas/pas!

Abed & I met online as well in a yahoo chat room. At first I thought he was just a young, stupid, drunk kid having fun (I am a whole 5 years and 4 days older than him). We met June 2006, right before the Lebanon/Israel war. I always rushed home from work to see if I had any messages from him to tell me he was OK, internet was sparse, needless to say. It finally dawned on me in August that I was already in love, he knew what I was thinking before I did and I worried about him horribly! It was a strong connection and still is. I talked to his sisters on the phone and promised I would come meet them in February 2007 and I did, stayed a month, got married and pregnant all in the same trip, but not in that particular order unfortunately. He finally arrived on US soil 10 days before our oldest daughter's first birthday. Life is challenging at times, he is a Leo, I am a Leo...he is Pali, I am of German descent...but he is the best thing that has ever happened to me, aside from my two babies of course . And I wouldn't trade him for the world. People I used to work with said he was only using me, and talked viciously behind my back, but I am the happiest I have ever been, and they can kiss my lilly white rear end! Some people will never understand how you can fall in love over the internet, but believe me, it is possible, though your feelings aren't completely validated until you are in each others arms.

Hopefully this made sense, I keep running back and forth between the living room and the computer room!

We agreed to teach our kids both religions, neither of us are very religious though, as long as they know God that is what's important to us. But, if asked, we do say they are Muslim.

Malak (our oldest daughter at 22 months), the little Muslim, Arab-American girl, loves to watch the local Christian channel where all the Southern Christian people get together and sing really badly and read her book "My Little Bible" she got at the Baptist hospital where her sister was born while wearing a blanket over her head like a hijab because that's how her favorite aunt looks....guess our kids are going to be very confused....

I dread when they get older and want to date....poor boys!

I also think cultural differences are a heck of a lot worse than the religious differences. It seems that my liberal-like husband is becoming a little more conservative and "typical Arab" each day....oh joy!

Happy Hump Day!

Congrats to the visas coming everyone! Great news!

((Betsy)) I am so sorry, I know how you feel, but hopefully he will receive his visa very soon. When Abed was placed in "AP" we didn't know it was happening, the embassy (in Beirut) told us they sometimes don't know if someone will be in AP until they put the person's name in to print the visa, he just so happened to have a common name and that may be the case with you too. Keep your chin up and keep the faith. God does things in His time, not in ours....that's what I tried to remember when I didn't think I could take it anymore. If you need someone to talk to, pm me, I have a couple good ears and shoulders and don't mind lending them out.

Have a great day everyone! Today I will be packing...yippee...I hate moving.

~Angie

Hi! I'm kinda new on FB...I will try to do some requests tonight (or sometime soon), or you can add me if you want angela.abouzeid@gmail.com!

Here are a couple pics of my MENA gurlz...

Princess #1

And Princess #2

Happy Tuesday everyone! I woke up with the baby at 4:30 this morning and was thinking it was the weekend Guess I am losing what little I had to begin with!

Tamara, so sorry to hear about your uncle, I sure hope your family gets some answers soon. You are in my prayers.

Anyone use the website thegrocerygame.com? Since I was laid off and we have the 2nd curtain climber now, I am trying to find some more ways to save some money (trying to save for my mother in law's plane ticket!, I am accepting donations if anyone wants to contribute...haha!) and if anyone already uses it, I would put you down as my referral and you get a free week or something like that....or if you are big into couponing and store sales...I'd really like some tips, I need all the help I can get!

Thanks and Have a great day!!!

Angie

Congrats on all the visas! Praying it continues for the ones to follow!

Hope you all have a great Sunday. We should be moved into our new house by this time next weekend...woohoo!

Good morning everyone, hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Amanda, I agree with Melly...I was only in Lebanon for 3 months (during the summer) and I was so freaking ready to come home at the end of the visit that I didn't care that I practically got strip searched in the terminal in Paris because I didn't know there was a lighter in the baby's diaper bag. Don't get me wrong, It was really nice being with him and his family, but being stuck in the house all day sucked. But then again I'm just a spoiled American woman...just think long and hard before you pack your bags, it isn't easy living in another country.

Ya Hayat Albi...so sorry about your cousin, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

ihavequestions...It's your fault now, it was your fault yesterday and it'll be your fault tomorrow....no matter if you were right to begin with and he didn't listen. Men are stupid. (NO offense guys )

It is storming here, Samar is sleeping, Mallie is at daycare and hubby is at work...think I'm going to curl up in bed and try to sleep for 15 minutes! Take it easy and have a wonderful day!

~Angie

May God keep you in His arms....you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Good afternoon everyone! Happy Monday! I am trying my hardest to not accomplish anything at all today...so far, so good!

HLM...my mother in law's visa was denied the first time because there was a lack of financial ties, that was the official reason anyway, the American male CO told my mother in law that coming to see her grandchildren wasn't a good enough reason to come to the US and denied her without looking at any other evidence (family ties, etc...). So....we applied again, in hopes of not having to spend $5000+ on a trip to Lebanon, and also had our congressman send a letter to the embassy, which may or may not have helped, or maybe the trip to Dubai to see my SIL right before the interview helped, who knows...but this time she got a female CO, who maybe was training because the supervisor was with her, and she was approved with no problem, she also asked my MIL if she had my 15 yr old BIL's passport with her, they were going to give him a visa too! I'm sure your mom will be out of the processing soon...I'm curious if they will put my MIL through AP...we will know Wednesday, as that is the day she is supposed to go pick up the visa.

Have a great day peeps!

Hi Amanda!

So sorry to hear of the situation at work with your hubby, that really is shameful on the company. I used to work in Raleigh at the Dept of Labor for 8 1/2 years before I moved here to KY, and NC is an employment at will state, which basically means an employer can run the business however they want, as long as there is no discimmination, which is based (as most everyone knows) on age, race, gender, national origin, color, disablity or pregnancy. In NC, if you feel you were discrimminated against, you need to contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, sadly, I have forgotten the number, but you can call 1-800-NC LABOR and the ladies (or one gentleman) will be able to give you the number. If the EEOC can't help you, and in all honesty, they probably won't, as all the burden of proof is on you, it would be best to consult an attorney.

Sadly, in today's times, people are very discimminatory and they can freakin' get away with it....even I was discrimminated against and I worked at DOL!! My manager (who is no longer there) was an #### and he had his faves that were always "telling" on me and my hispanic co-worker, such little children....what is it? 1st grade?

Anyway, I hope this helps a little, even though it isn't the greatest info, I always felt bad when I couldn't help someone I knew was getting kicked around....maybe it will be of some use to you.

Good luck with the new job hunt, hopefully you will get the other job. It sounds like this isn't a very nice place to work. Writing you up to protect other employees? Sounds like they are looking for an excuse to let you go.

God bless and you are in my thoughts and prayers!

~Angie

Happy Friday! Hope it's a great day for everyone.

My mother-in-law had her interview for the visitor's visa this morning, we got the call about 4:30am that she was denied again....my heart sunk, and then she started laughing and screaming that they approved her! Woo Friggin' Hoo!!!!

God works in mysterious ways...

Again....Happy Friday everyone!!!