I just got home after a hectic day at my daughters house watching my grandson as his mother was in hospital having baby. While I was there my Iraqi friend Diva called home phone and cell phone….problem is my son had cell phone and since I had never set up voice mail retrieval I cannot listen to her message yet. Son is working on it now.
Anyway, she is here, in Arizona and alive.
So I still haven’t talked to her, but hope to very soon.
Now I await the arrival of grandbaby, sometime tonight.
I am relived on the one hand about Diva but still have all the waiting to do with grandbaby..
Just wanted to let you all know and I will keep you posted about Diva and baby as soon as I know more!
SHE DID IT!!!!!
(Update, baby matthew has arrived, 7lb. 10 oz)
I made the following as a comment down thread but thought I would copy and put here so you can read the update first.
Diva had quite a trip getting here, she went from Iraq to Jordan to Chicago O’Hare, which she said was bigger than Baghdad. Then missed her connection to Phoenix and had to overnight in C. She flew alone the whole way, apparently all the students fly alone and hope for the best. Some of course have lost their luggage and Diva did for a time but finally got it back..
There are some things I will write about another time like these things and then having them to pay for shuttle to Tuscon, no one to greet anywhere. If I had only known at least we could have had some bootribbers meet her in Chicago and Phoenix.
She will also have to pay to get from Kansas City to Lawrence Kansas so I am hoping someone in or near that city can pick her up at airport and transport her.
Do we have any bootribbers near there that can help.She wants to live off campus once in Lawrence, so she will need some help with walking her through the process and then hopefully tribbers can send some donations of household items, etc. to help her to get set up. Ghostdancer has offered to help out as he lives near Lawrence.
She is suffering culture shock in a big way, as I am sure you can imagine, and has been a little sad at some of the things so far, but she brightened up when I told her of the fabulous bootribbers, (like Mannee who will meet her tonight) and Ghostdancer.
Thanks everyone for all your kind words for both Diva and my new grandbaby, I will write more as time goes on and maybe ask for your help with Diva.
Double good news! I hope for a happy, healthy grandchild of either flavor for you. 🙂
I am so happy that someone made it out of Iraq alive! Especially your friend. Can’t wait to hear her impressions of America. . .hopefully they are better than mine at the moment.
As for the grandbaby. . .YeeeHawww! Hope she hurries up and is healthy and wonderful.
Let us know.
Hugs for the tough day you’ve had,
Shirl
WOW! A double good day! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
It’s a boy, 7# 10 oz, just born a few minutes ago.
And I talked to Diva on the phone and she has had quite an adventure getting here I should say to Tucson and I will write more about it tomorrow.
Right now I’m exhausted and must go rest.
HOT Damn!!!! I am so excited for you!!!!!
congratulations Diane!! What a day!!
.
Congratulations Grandma Diane! May next generation see a new dawn and a more peaceful world community.
Wow, I’m so happy Diva managed to stay alive while reaching the New World – America, the champion of freedom. Sorry Diane, but I learned this line some years ago during civic lessons. In reality, each generation has to fight for its freedom and try to survive. Any word on Diva’s family who headed for Syria?
Enjoy this beautiful day (night) and another reason to fight for a return of democracy in America.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
Hi Oui, thanks, for your kind words.
Diva’s mom has not left for Syria, due to the problems there with US and it may be dangerous for her there. I guess at this point she doesn’t know where to go and there are very strict limitations on that.
Congrats Diane on both Grandson and Diva arriving safe and sound.
What wonderful news! Congratulations to you and your family on both events!
Yay! Wonderful news, Diane. Thanks – I needed that.
Congratulations to all.
Great news!
That’s great news all around!
Oh what great news for a change! Congrats and cannot wait to hear about Diva. Hope Manny gets the chance to meet her.
her up this evening for dinner and plan to show her around the city abit. Contrary to popular belief there is alot to see outside of the UA campus. 😉
Give Diva a HUGE hug for me.
but I did tell her that there are alot of people very glad to hear that she made it safely to the U.S. to begin her program. She’s very grateful for the kindness that has been extended to her by total strangers, from the lady that helped her pay for the do-it-yourself luggage carts to the gentleman that helped get her very heavy carry-on bag into the overhead bin. She’s a very gracious and observant person. Again, great to meet her.
(((leezy))) There’s a hug from me 🙂
Man Eegee,
Thanks for your warm and open heart to provide Diva a look at the real American spirit. I know we all appreciate your willingness to reflect the warm and true nature of human kindness that has no international borders! Have a great evening!
I was nervous before our dinner (we both were apparently, which we shared over laughs after the ice was broken). We talked about how people are people no matter where you are in the world. She is learning a lot about American culture that is new to her. She had this idea of all Americans as the Boston/New York types from tv and let me just say that life is completely different down here in the Southwest. I was glad to meet her, and look forward to keeping in touch. Your words on human kindness being transcendent are spot on, and I was glad to share that mutual flow of it with her tonight. paz
COngratulations! and wonderful news about Diva!
Congrats on the new grand child, Diane.
I will be very interesting to hear all about the trip Diva made and her journeys of her life. I am anxiously awaiting for it to be wrote up and to enjoy the knowledge of things she and her eyes views of things will bring to us here.
I am glad she made it fine. I know she is too.
I am so happy for you and your daughter! And relieved for your friend. Woohoo!
Ditto to what everyone else said. May Matthew have a long and happy life and may Diva find a break from the horror’s of living in a war zone.
Diva had quite a trip getting here, she went from Iraq to Jordan to Chicago O’Hare, which she said was bigger than Baghdad. Then missed her connection to Phoenix and had to overnight in C. She flew alone the whole way, apparently all the students fly alone and hope for the best. Some of course have lost their luggage and Diva did for a time but finally got it back..
There are some things I will write about another time like these things and then having them to pay for shuttle to Tuscon, no one to greet anywhere. If I had only known at least we could have had some bootribbers meet her in Chicago and Phoenix.
She will also have to pay to get from Kansas City to Lawrence Kansas so I am hoping someone in or near that city can pick her up at airport and transport her.
Do we have any bootribbers near there that can help.
She wants to live off campus once in Lawrence, so she will need some help with walking her through the process and then hopefully tribbers can send some donations of household items, etc. to help her to get set up. Ghostdancer has offered to help out as he lives near Lawrence.
She is suffering culture shock in a big way, as I am sure you can imagine, and has been a little sad at some of the things so far, but she brightened up when I told her of the fabulous bootribbers, (like Mannee who will meet her tonight) and Ghostdancer.
Thanks everyone for all your kind words for both Diva and my new grandbaby, I will write more as time goes on and maybe ask for your help with Diva.
Congrats on both counts!
Hi diane-this is such wonderful news all around-hope Diva isn’t being overwhelmed too much from culture shock although I imagine that can’t be helped. Wonderful to hear too that Manny is going to be able to meet her and help her feel welcome-who says the Internet is just a bunch of angry bloggers in pj’s pounding their keyboards-this is what it’s all about, making friends and helping each other out.
Well Grama diane hope you’ve gotten some rest now that Matthew has arrived and that the new mom is getting some rest also.
Keep us posted on grandson and can’t wait to hear more about and from Diva. hey, tell Ghostdancer hello for me if you get the chance.
Hurray on both arrivals 🙂
Just got an email from Diva and she sounds excited about meeting manee tonight and I will call her later to get all the details, lol.
It is so cool to be able to send and receive an email from her on the same day or even in the same week or month as in the past. Will take a bit of getting used to.
Haven’t seen new baby matthew yet but am going tonight and will post a pic. Hopefully!
I can’t think of two better emisarries than Manny and Ghostdancer. Good, good people.
What am I forgetting? Hmmm…….
Oh yeah, congratulations on your Grandmotherhood Diane ;o)
Thanks super, and no I cannot think of any better emisarries than the mentioned and I told her so.
I am still floating over all of this!!!!!!
It was fantastic meeting Diva tonight. I picked her up at the University of Arizona where she’s staying and the first thing I noticed was the fact that she was dressed really nice. I had told her last night when I spoke to her that I would have to go home after work and change before going to pick her up. I dress in business attire so in my head, I was telling her that I was going home to dress down and get comfy. oOpz. So, we took a detour back to my apartment where I changed into some slacks and a nice dress shirt (I was wearing shorts, a polo and flip flops). Heh, gotta luv communication misfires. Damn you Mercury Retrograde!
We went to an Italian restaurant, she is fascinated with all things Italy and even taught herself the language a couple of years ago. We had great conversation and the meal was good although the marinara sauce was very spicy for her. Hopefully the wine helped to kill the fire in her mouth 🙂
We discussed alot of things about our backgrounds and the most obvious observation I have is that I am way more angry than she is about the actions of our government. She mentioned that it was the first time she heard the word ‘dangerous’ as a description of Bush when I used it. I told her how our government was broken, the checks and balances needed to moderate our actions have been effectively shut down. It was good conversation.
She has such an amazing story of life in Baghdad, through the changes of going from pre-Saddam to Saddam, to the first Gulf War, the embargo, to the current mess. I can tell that she loves her country but is also glad to be away from the danger. She’s obviously very homesick and misses her mother terribly, they are very close since they’re all they have in their family (long story, hopefully she’ll tell it herself someday, but I don’t want to intrude on her privacy too much).
Anywho, it was a great evening and we’re already planning to get together again before she leaves my city next week. Diane will have more to say later on the horrible disorganization of her program and the conditions they’ve left these students in. Suffice it to say that I am outraged on behalf of all of them, especially the Iraqi contingency whom are being unfairly treated. More later!
Oh Manny – thanks so much for posting this note as you both have been in my thoughts.
I can’t tell you how much it pleases me to have you be the one to meet Diva and dine with her.
Thank you so very much.
I felt like an ambassador, very weird emotions at first but after things settled down we were able to connect and laugh, talk about typical everyday things like tv shows and music. She’s a fan of CSI, Law and Order, Friends, and country music 🙂 (((tampopo)))
Very proud of you, my son. I had to laugh when Diane related how much we all think of you to Diva, so much that both Diane and I “adopted” you, Diva asked if that wasn’t too many mothers.
I say nope. We are very proud to know you and I could not think of anyone I would rather have as an ambassador to represent me and the real people of this country than you, Manny. I hope you both enjoy what time and places you have to share while she is in Arizona.
Thank you for being the great guy that you are.
Big Hugs,
Shirl