esmatsgirl

I am extremely happy to announce that Esmat's visa was approved!!!!!!!!!

His interview time was 8:00 a.m. I talked with him before I went to sleep at 12:30 a.m. my time. I figured I would hear from him around 4-5 a.m. My alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. and he still had not called....I called his cell phone which was still turned off.....then called his brother's phone that I know was waiting for him and just as I called his brother Esmat was returning to the car from the embassy!!! He was in there for 5 and half hours waiting...for an interview that took no more than 15 minutes.

Esmat said when the interview started he gave the consulate officer everything he had brought. The man quickly glanced at it. He asked Esmat:

Why did you get married to Debra?

Where does Debra work?

Do you know about Debra's 2 children and what do you think of them?

Do you have pictures of you and Debra together?

The man asked about the pictures but he did not look at any of them.

The visa was approved and overall Esmat was very satisfied with his interview at the Amman Embassy...except for the extremely long wait.

And now I can't believe my sweet husband will be here soon!!! I have missed him so much our whole first year of marriage.

Thanks to all for your support, laughs and the comfort you all provide just by being there for me and each other. I know our experience would have been a lot harder if it weren't for this site and all of the advice and things I learned from reading through the forums and talking to others here. You guys are great!! I am not going anywhere, by the way!

Have a great day!

Deb

This overtime work I am doing is busy stuff so its keeping my mind off of it, somewhat. I called to say good night to Esmat a little after 6pm and he was already in a deep sleep. He doesn't seem to be nervous at all about his interview so thats good. However, I cannot say the same....work provides us with dinner since we are working overtime and I cannot even think about eating any of the cheese ravioli I ordered hahaha....good maybe I will lose a little weight finally.

I will be sticking my head in tonight as much as possible...although I know a round of document changes is coming up soon for me here at work...I will come in when I can.

OMG I can't believe its Interview EVE!!!

Deb

Hey Debbie..how you doin up on the ceiling? I am sure by now you have climbed the walls.

See you in chat later.

jJ

Happy Tuesday!!

I had gallbladder issues back in 2000...it was such an excruciating pain, I will never forget it. I stayed up night after night rocking back and forth and was told I had indigestion by my doctor at first...only to take prilosec and still suffer with attacks....one night I was up all night and the next morning I showed up at my doctors office and demanded an ultrasound immediately. Sure enough..bigger than marble sized gallstones...3 of them was in there.

I scheduled the surgery 2 weeks out...found my surgeon- "interviewed" 3 of them and found a great one...and...oh gosh...he was the picture perfect man....so handsome, friendly and talented too!!! Thats not why I chose him...it was strictly based on merit but how lucky could I get!!! It was nice to go to sleep and wake up to his face smiling at me...haha...and I couldn't wait until my follow up visit 2 weeks later!!!! He did an excellent job...and took some pics of my gallbladder after it was out - they sliced it open and shot some pictures to show me the gallstones.

Adjusting to foods wasn't bad afterwards...I read all kinds of things on the internet how I might have problems digesting certain types of foods, etc...and that did not happen to me. I don't think my body ever noticed it missing.

I do know its one of the worst pains I have ever felt...a heating pad (on high) on my stomach and/or back helped a lot when I was having attacks. I hope those of you with gallbladders aching get some relief soon!!!

Deb

Feeling like I am living in a dream today....knowing that within a couple weeks I will finally be able to start having a normal life with my husband...one I intended on starting one year ago!!!!

For this past year I have been living on the fly...eating unhealthy....staying up late playing bookworm on the laptop....long, empty, lonely nights...hahaha!!! That will all come to an end soon....and I will be so much better!! Will I miss bookworm marathons? hahaha...I don't think so.

To answer your question...I am still bouncing off the walls, Jackie.....and I know thats not going to end until sometime in the middle of the night when I get the call from Esmat and at that point I will go from bouncing off the walls to slamming off the walls....haha...my adrenaline will kick up about 20 notches and I will go into a cleaning and losing weight frenzy until he gets here!! And then....once he is here....a definite extreme ball of nervous excitement at the airport.....all the way home....and then finally...once he is home I think I will let my hair down and get reallllllllyy relaxed!!! haha

I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <screaming>

Deb

Good Morning....

OK...can you believe this??!!! I just found out I have to work overtime tonight...til like 11pm!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be attempting to come into the party as much as I can...I will have frequent little breaks...here at work its time to finish the 10Q document for the 3rd quarter close...I work in Accounting...booo!!!!! I completely forgot...and its the only 2 days (today and tomorrow) I have to work overtime in three months and it has to be tonight...the night of my party

I am still looking forward to the party tonight even if I have to come in and out with work and can't concentrate on anything today knowing that tonight my time at 1am Esmat will be arriving at the embassy for his interview. Last night we spent a lot of time online reviewing all of the documents....making sure he had all the pages and he had them organized properly. Gave him his last "pop quiz" of interview questions...which he passed with flying colors....he is ready to go!!! hehe...I have fun playing embassy consulate officer with him!!

I am wondering how long it will take him....and what time in the middle of the night I will get the phone call when he is finished.....God please let this go perfectly smooth and easy for him....so we can be together asap!!!

I will be here a lot today because my concentration level is down the tubes!!

I hope everyone has a great day!!

Deb

Good Morning!!!

I hope you are all feeling more chipper than I am!!! Did a round of cleaning this weekend...boooooo!!! Now its on to boring admin work at the utility company..yippee...

I am however very excited about Esmat's interview Wednesday....haha...that makes everything else fall away and all my focus is on that....I hope I have him well prepared for it.....was reading some posts this weekend and decided to also give him a scan of my social security card with my married name on it to show I changed my name....just in case they want a little more evidence other than the pics we have and a letter I sent to him.

It took forever to get here.... YES..but honestly I can't believe how fast it came around once it was scheduled. Time really does fly...thank GOD!!!!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Deb

Perfect!!! I need Kelz's advice on cooking rice also!!!!!

haha

I am looking forward to it!!

Deb

Thank you!! This is the version I was looking for...and how Esmat explained it. I think I will try this tonight.

Deb

My Recipe.

Boil boneless skinless chicken breasts in all spice salt and pepper til cooked. (Save juice)

Fry sliced potatoes (i make em in circles and fry til their 3/4 of the way cooked)

Fry Cauliflower Pieces til their semi soft (dont want em too brown)

*some put eggplant in it too, which you would just fry til brown

once all this is done. sprinkle some uncooked rice on the bottom of a pot. then layer chicken, then potatoes, eggplant, then cauliflower. dump rice over all of it. then add the juices from the chicken. i dont use measurements, i eyeball everything so my best advice is to pour the juices to cover the top of the rice by about 1/2 inch.

once its all in the pot. put it on the stove and bring it to a boil. once its boiling turn it on low and cover. You just steam could it the same way you would cook regular rice. Once all the juices are gone and rice is tender flip it onto a tray and voila. You have the easiest version of maqlooba ive ever seen.

note * some people fry the chicken, imo it makes it waaay too dry. also, you can sprinkle some pretty green stuff on it, almonds, whatever youd like...

Haha....I have Philly cheesesteaks here and there when I am in Philadelphia, its only 30 minutes from where I live...they are awesome!!!!

Nawal - I would like to see the chicken recipe if you would please send that one to me. Thanks for the first one...I am going to try it. Esmat gave me step by step instructions via cam tonight.....for his mom's recipe and I got it down now....she makes it with just onions, rice and chicken and the spice I think...from how he explained it. They had 12 kids so this was (and still is) a good thing for his mom to make that will feed everyone and is not expensive. She usually fixes a giant salad with it and bread along with hummus, olives, etc. Yummm, I miss her food!!!!

I want an honest-to-God Philly Cheesesteak with Cheezewhiz. OMG!!!! I'm aching for one.

YESSSS!! Would you please PM me the recipe you have?

I am dying to have it again...I tried to make it without a recipe...hahahaha I did not bother trying again! I looked through the thread on recipes and didn't see one for magluba.

Thank you!!!

Deb

I am looking for the recipe for magluba.....my mother-in-law in Jordan makes it and it is so delicous....but I did not write down the ingredients when I was in Jordan.....

Does anyone have a good recipe for magluba???

Thank you!

Have you checked out Sultans Kitchen tab? If not, I can PM you one!

You took the words right out of my mouth....

No way I could deal with this kind of guy....

Yes, things calm down....but there's still gotta be some love there....this guy sounds like all he cares about is everyone else's feelings and not yours!!!

Prepare yourself and follow your instincts...it sounds like you know what they are telling you.

Deb

I take a different stand as I don't think any of that is 'normal'.... and I was married and very much in love with my first husband for 20 years. Sure, things change but hopefully for the better... my love grows...not diminishes. Of course, my life has taught me to take nothing for granted...so I don't.

It's a problem when your spouse/partner doesn't care how you feel or listen to what you're saying. True, some people just like to complain and nag..and that can be a bit much, but that doesn't sound like what you're doing. Is it? Is that what's turning him off the important discussions you're wanting to have?

If you dont do anything it will continue to build up in you (hence your posting under a different name for advice ) and it will get even worse and you'll be deeper into it.

You deserve to be happy, you deserve to be loved. You deserve to get back what you give to this relationship. We're not there and we're only hearing one side but it sounds like only one of you is fighting for this.

People want different things from life. Some people are content with just a few words or a peck on the cheek here and there. No real communication or care... just someone to share their life and the bills with. Very much like you, I want to crawl into the arms of the man I love at the end of the day and for everything else to just be ok. Like you, I want that one person I know I can depend on any time.. no matter what. I wouldn't settle for less because I know how important that is.... sounds like you feel the same.

Anyway, I have no real advice except to say that if he doesn't listen to you now... well, thats not going to change just because you want it to. Don't let him take from you what you know you want and deserve for your life.

mbk

I am looking for the recipe for magluba.....my mother-in-law in Jordan makes it and it is so delicous....but I did not write down the ingredients when I was in Jordan.....

Does anyone have a good recipe for magluba???

Thank you!

Congratulations!!! That is great news...

I hope you get your interview date really fast!

Best Wishes,

Deb

I got an RFE for this because we left it blank!!!!!!!

When I sent it back I put the date I was sending it back as the "To" date.....and it was accepted fine.

Deb

She is absolutely beautiful!!!!

Thank you for sharing!

Deb

Haha...Linda I am going through the same thing with my closets!!!! This weekend I have major drawer and closet reorganizing to do....I have been hogging up all the space in my room...and there is a lot of it...for many years now...and I now have to learn to share. Which of course is not a problem at all....I will share everything with my wasiim zawji.

Brrrr...ice on the window of your car??? I thought it was cold here last week (Delaware) but not like that..it was a little chilly and this week I think we are having "indian summer" cause it warmed back up some.

Keep Warm!!

Deb

Happy Friday everyone!!!

I think if I had to work one more day this week it would put me over the edge....

I am feeling a little nesting coming on. I have to get serious about making room for a husband, and now that we have an interview date, I am looking at my closets with new eyes

That apple cider sounds perfect! I love the way it makes the houe smell when you are cooking it....We are getting snow in the little areas outside of my city, and I will be scraping ice off my car this morning to go to work

I hope everyone has a great day!

I would go to JFK and meet my honey in a heartbeat!!! Hahaha...JFK is less than 2 hours away from me...and is where I will be meeting Esmat when he comes...hopefully by the end of this month.

I think it would be nice for you to meet him there and fly back to Chicago together. I probably would not be much into site seeing after being apart for so long....I plan to take Esmat straight home!

Go for it!!!!

Deb

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend to all!!!!

Hmm...Maureen....pumpkin patch sounds like fun for this weekend....I think I will take my granddaughter out there tomorrow and take a hay ride and pick out a pumpkin...maybe get some apple cider donuts...ohhh those things are dangerous!!

I hope everyone has a great day and weekend!!

Deb

p.s. Zaid is absolutely one of the cutest baby boys I have ever seen!! His pictures always brighten my day when I see them!

I am so sorry to hear this negative outcome.

I would be up all night calling the embassy until you get through...do not rest until you get an engish speaking person on the phone and get an explanation of what happened exactly. It is your case and you have the right to know.

Fight them on this with everything you have....and don't stop!!

Deb

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is wonderful news!

Best Wishes for Oct. 30 to get here really fast and the interview to go smoothly!!

Deb

Congratulations!!!!!!!

Nov 2 will be here before you know it!!

Deb

Happy Thursday everyone.

I have an interview date finally... Nov. 2nd

Did you ask the doctor about this? It sounds like from the description that its not really important (waiver). I wouldn't worry about it too much. The doctor would let you know if you cannot be cleared for medical reasons...and he would have given you all of the shots you needed.

However, with that being said, my husband went last week...and they gave him 3 shots on his first visit and asked him to come back for 2 more shots the following week. So...if they only gave you one and then said you were incomplete...maybe you have the important ones....

I would call the doctor's office and ask them to be sure.

Deb

I don't like wheat thins either....too bland for me. I like some of the kashi crackers that have veggies in them...they are great!

Happy Thursday everyone!!

I went to the cafeteria here at work to get oatmeal cookies for breakfast...hehe..but they didn't have any. So I ended up with real oatmeal loaded with raisins, brown sugar and slivered almonds...not bad..I guess I ended up eating healthier than the oatmeal cookies....

Hope you all have a wonderful day!!

Deb

Our case was complete June 26 and we just got our interview date for Oct. 15...

Deb

This should be a joyful time for you both....please don't cloud your happiness by worry about this too much until you know for sure what the deal is.....be happy!!! Come on!!!!

I hope you found the little EAD hiding in his passport.....

Even with the work authorization it may take him some time to find a job...it seems to be the norm with immigrants..it takes a while for them to find the right niche.

Congratulations on your reunion and upcoming wedding!!

Deb