ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Middle East and North AfricaTUESDAY in MENA!!
QUOTE (Nawal @ Jun 2 2009, 04:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (yassmine2878 @ Jun 2 2009, 02:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
*peep*


Hey babes!! :0)


I see lots of new faces
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-06-02 16:21:00
Middle East and North AfricaTUESDAY in MENA!!
*peep*
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-06-02 16:12:00
Middle East and North AfricaI lost my husband today
Id also like to add my heartfelt sympathy. I pray that God will bring you solace and peace. I know that no amount of kind thoughts and words will ever make life whole again for you, but I hope we are all helping to cushion your broken heart. Hearing about your plight makes me very humble and I count my blessings, no matter how irritated I may become with my DH.

Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayer and I hope I can help lift your spirits very soon rose.gif
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2008-08-22 23:32:00
Middle East and North AfricaHappy Wednesday!!
QUOTE (tammy sue kay @ Aug 12 2009, 11:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Anyone have any idea how to pack up a 4bedroom, 2 sheds and 2 car garage worth of stuff into a 2 bedroom mobile home? I am being challenged with this task.
Other than that, Good Luck with the interviews! May God shed his grace on all of you who are waiting.


Magic. I barely managed to cram a 2-bedroom apartment into a 5th wheel RV.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-12 11:31:00
Middle East and North AfricaHappy Wednesday!!
My goodness we're generous with the warm fuzzies today. Nice to see old peeps and new (BTW welcome welcome welcome yasmina). We are proof positive that USCIS is never going to come up with enough ####### to keep us from our hunny-bunnies. Although I may have to ransom a field officer to cover the next set of fees.

Havent been here much since we're in between processes, but Im always over on facebook so anyone is welcome to add me there.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-12 10:10:00
Middle East and North AfricaHappy Wednesday!!
QUOTE (~Flower~ @ Aug 11 2009, 11:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
happy.gif Gabby! I'm so happy to see you! Look at baby Mehdi! He's soooooo cute! wub.gif


He's still the Moroccan Butterball. Weighing in at 32 pounds now. I need to put up a more recent picture, but those are so darn lovable.

You know we will be closer to you, come this fall..........
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-11 23:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaHappy Wednesday!!
And here I thought I'd get the jump on the Hump Day thread. Havent started one in ages. But look what happens when Im away, all new faces!

Livvy- sending you vibety-voo
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-11 23:05:00
Middle East and North AfricaI can haz Friday?
QUOTE (Meriem_setif @ Aug 14 2009, 10:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm a bad mommy and even more a bad nurse. crying.gif My 16 year old came home about 3 weeks ago complaining that he had hurt his hand at the base of his thumb. I waited to see if it would get better. After 3 weeks he said it still hurt really bad and I took him to the Doc. It was xrayed and was broke. They sent us to the orthopedic Dr and thought he would just get a cast, but nooo, he has to have surgery on Monday. He has hurt his self so much since he is a goalkeeper on the soccer team and never has broken anything. I just kinda ignored him this time. I feel so bad now.

Meriem rose.gif


Dont feel too bad, we all make mom mistakes. Mehdi fell backwards off the bed about a month ago and wailed his little head off. I thought maybe he just had a bruise or pulled a muscle. Turns out he broke his clavicle! I was wary about taking him to the ER because I didnt want to make him suffer through hours of wait for nothing, but now Im glad I took him. I felt like such a horrible mom for making him wait even five minutes to get fixed up.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-14 11:06:00
Middle East and North AfricaI can haz Friday?
QUOTE (LaL @ Aug 13 2009, 11:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
who eated yur thurzday thred chickie??


Aliens. Aliens who live in tastefully decorated white houses with french blue toile tiebacks on their window curtains.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-14 00:09:00
Middle East and North AfricaI can haz Friday?
Let's try this again! My Thursday thread got all ate up!
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-13 23:44:00
Middle East and North AfricaMonday
QUOTE (charles! @ Aug 24 2009, 06:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (yassmine2878 @ Aug 24 2009, 05:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (LaL @ Aug 24 2009, 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (yassmine2878 @ Aug 24 2009, 05:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (charles! @ Aug 24 2009, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Jenn! @ Aug 24 2009, 02:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I remember a time when the OT folk were intimidated by the MENA girls! tongue.gif

yeah, those were the good ol days.....when mena girls were mena girls and all of vj trembled when they showed up en masse.



Some folks still tremble. It all depends on which mena girl it is ;)


rawwwwwrrrrr rawwwwrrr pregasaurus rex rawwwwwwwwwwwwr


Thats right! RAAAWWWWWRRRRR. Fear my eye lasers!

and them super human powers!


I carry them around in the paper sack I stole from you. How very ninja of me.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-24 20:35:00
Middle East and North AfricaMonday
QUOTE (LaL @ Aug 24 2009, 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (yassmine2878 @ Aug 24 2009, 05:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (charles! @ Aug 24 2009, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Jenn! @ Aug 24 2009, 02:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I remember a time when the OT folk were intimidated by the MENA girls! tongue.gif

yeah, those were the good ol days.....when mena girls were mena girls and all of vj trembled when they showed up en masse.



Some folks still tremble. It all depends on which mena girl it is ;)


rawwwwwrrrrr rawwwwrrr pregasaurus rex rawwwwwwwwwwwwr


Thats right! RAAAWWWWWRRRRR. Fear my eye lasers!
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-24 17:37:00
Middle East and North AfricaMonday
QUOTE (charles! @ Aug 24 2009, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Jenn! @ Aug 24 2009, 02:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I remember a time when the OT folk were intimidated by the MENA girls! tongue.gif

yeah, those were the good ol days.....when mena girls were mena girls and all of vj trembled when they showed up en masse.



Some folks still tremble. It all depends on which mena girl it is ;)
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-24 17:27:00
Middle East and North AfricaWednesday
QUOTE (Turia @ Aug 26 2009, 08:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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!
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-26 10:04:00
Middle East and North AfricaA game to pass our waiting...
What a cute idea! Ill have to give this a try later.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-25 21:38:00
Middle East and North AfricaWHAT is PACKET 3.5 ? (K3 VISA)
Q: What is a packet 3.5?
A: A packet 4 that didnt make it all the way tongue.gif

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 rose.gif
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-27 10:05:00
Middle East and North AfricaCaturday!
QUOTE (*Maureen* @ Aug 29 2009, 05:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
well i'm up because nobody in this house remembered that it was saturday and FORGOT to turn their alarm clocks off!! mad.gif mad.gif 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 devil.gif All I can say is that I hope this day gets better.


LMAO! Go get 'em!

QUOTE (Ihavequestions @ Aug 29 2009, 10:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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!

yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-29 10:57:00
Middle East and North AfricaCaturday!
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!
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-29 00:37:00
Middle East and North AfricaThursday!
QUOTE (a1angied @ Aug 27 2009, 09:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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.

QUOTE (amal @ Aug 27 2009, 10:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (yassmine2878 @ Aug 27 2009, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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... whistling.gif devil.gif


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.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-27 20:14:00
Middle East and North AfricaThursday!
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.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-27 10:10:00
Middle East and North AfricaMENA diet/exercise thread
QUOTE (OlivianWaleed @ Jan 2 2008, 08:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yeah dinner is asparagus and ice water!



OMG, and I thought cabbage farts were bad laughing.gif. Im glad you and I sleep in separate houses honey tongue.gif

yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2008-01-03 00:44:00
Middle East and North AfricaIts here!
Mabrook!
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-29 11:02:00
Middle East and North AfricaTuesday!
Pack pack pack packity pack!

In 24 hours I will be on a plane to my new home in Washington!
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-09-08 15:21:00
Middle East and North AfricaVJ's MENAweed thread
QUOTE (sara535 @ Aug 25 2009, 10:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
amal wheres your honorary mena bebbeh?

QUOTE (yassmine2878 @ Aug 25 2009, 07:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Dont forget! Amirah is already promised to Mehdi tongue.gif 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.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-26 09:50:00
Middle East and North AfricaVJ's MENAweed thread
QUOTE (Meriem_DZ @ Aug 25 2009, 12:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Sandrila @ Aug 25 2009, 01:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
can anyone walk me thru how you are posting your pix?
are you inserting image or link?
If you do that, that means you have to have the pix posted online in order to get the http, no?

I would like to be able to do this simple task and it is bugging the crapola out of me blush.gif


Hi Sandrila, I use www.photobucket.com. You download the pics to this site. It will give you an image code for the picture, then you copy and paste it here in your reply. Let me know if you need any more help.

Meriem rose.gif


I also use photobucket, its much easier IMO

QUOTE (sara535 @ Aug 25 2009, 03:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
good heavens there are some beautiful children on these pages!


Dont forget! Amirah is already promised to Mehdi tongue.gif I expect at least one sheep in the dowry!
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-25 21:18:00
Middle East and North AfricaVJ's MENAweed thread

yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-25 10:04:00
Middle East and North AfricaHappy Wednesday
Im leavin' on a jet plane. Dont know when Ill be back again....

Bye Bye Texas!
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-09-09 09:59:00
Middle East and North AfricaAttention Facebook Users
Im on FB way more than I am here, so Im up for it if folks want to add me yassmine2878@yahoo.com Just please include a little message that you are from VJ.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-25 21:23:00
Middle East and North AfricaIntroduction
*sticks foot in door* Before another troll turns this into a train wreck, lemme get my tuchis in here.

Im an old crusty VJ'er and I dont hit the boards as often as I used to. But if someone needs me, go look for me on FB. Im all too addicted to that place.

My name is Gabrielle, my husband's name is Ahmed, and we have an 18 month old son named Mehdi. Hubster is from Rabat, Maroc and arrived here on a K-1 in February 2007. We met online through chat in February 2005 and filed for K-1 in February 2006 (yeah, we like that month. Baby was born in February too). We're filed for AOS through the DORA program (before it was optional) in Dallas. I advise everyone to avoid that place (or at least that program) like the plague. We're up for ROC in August of 2010 or citizenship in March 2010. In the meantime we're enjoying not having to deal with USCIS for awhile. We're also preparing to move to Seattle next month. If you're a newbie and in the Seattle area, give a holler. Ive been up there twice now for VJ shindigs and we do it up right.

For the newbies, good to see you, welcome to VJ, and ignore the trolls. Trolls are not worth your time or trouble.

Oh and bring on the baby pix. MENA babies rock!
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-24 18:09:00
Middle East and North AfricaFriday
*peep*


*poof*
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2010-07-09 23:13:00
Middle East and North AfricaWhat? No Caturday Thread?
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.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2010-07-10 13:22:00
Middle East and North AfricaWhat? No Caturday Thread?
*zip*

*plop*

*peep*

*poof*
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2010-07-10 11:51:00
Middle East and North AfricaSunday

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. Posted Image


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.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2010-07-11 20:25:00
Middle East and North AfricaSunday
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. :unsure:



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. :yes: 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.

Posted Image

Sadly it's Sunday and the last day off for my weekend. Posted Image 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. Posted Image Posted Image

I hope she's better this week. Posted Image


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.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2010-07-11 18:50:00
Middle East and North AfricaAOS Interview Question
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?
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2010-09-09 21:52:00
Middle East and North AfricaBaby names
We picked out names early on. Mehdi for a boy (still working on that middle name) and Violeta Safae for a girl. We also wanted to name a daughter after both our mothers, Aleta Mimouna :luv:
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2006-10-25 21:31:00
Middle East and North Africaarabic baby names
Ahmed and like the name Mehdi for a boy and Safae for a girl :)
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2007-02-14 20:27:00
Middle East and North AfricaMENA nicknames
Wife of Turkey
bb
Queen of Prepar
MLP
Na-am Mrati :lol:
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2007-02-15 20:44:00
Middle East and North AfricaMoroccan MENA members!!!
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 sad.gif
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2009-08-28 10:45:00
Middle East and North AfricaReturning Petitions to the United States via 221g
By the by... add me to the list. Im all for it! Anything we can do to raise awareness of the problem in Casablanca and, hopefully, prevent it from happening in the future.
yassmine2878FemaleMorocco2006-03-23 20:35:00