ِHere we go
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
It turned out that the break was a much needed one. I slept and slept for all the times I couldn't sleep long during college, and it was better than expected, I got out of the house three times!
The break ended this Sunday and we spent most of the week receiving the exam papers and contemplating our mistakes. There weren't any unpleasant surprises and I am quite satisfied with my marks. In Electromagnetic however, I was hoping for a much higher mark because I understood the subject very well and was desperate to prove myself but the exam questions were really long and my brain just stopped responding. I got 80% but the prof unexpectedly canceled two questions which carried the lowest marks for every student making my mark 90%. It's unfortunate however, and for me only, because another student who had 58% originally now has 88%, only 2% lower than mine instead of the original 22%. I am still waiting for my marks in 4 subjects but I'm expecting them to be high (though not full marks, I was assured by 2 professors of this fact!!) except in Human Rights, I was inventing a bit :D
I have some big news that I have been intending to break for a while now, about 8 months! Aya and Ayman are expected to have a new brother some time really soon! No comment on the subject from my side, mom went crazy, my sister hiding from my mom's remarks, Aya excited, and my love, Ayman still doesn't know what this might mean!
The other day as an American patrol was passing in front of our house, shooting started, and there was a little explosion so they came into the house for cover.
They searched through the house too just for people not for weapons, and they didn't mess it up. They felt comfortable when they saw that we could all speak English. Some sat in the kitchen with dad around the kitchen table and asked him questions for about half an hour.
They finally said that "You guys are cool", apologized for coming in like that and left after a visit that lasted about an hour.
Many neighborhoods have been searched in the last month, and we heard stories of arrests and cruel treatment. At one neighborhood they got the residents out of their houses, entered with their dogs to search for weapons and such, and kept the people outside for hours in the cold (one time they even got the men to undress except for their underwear). In the news they said that two new-born twin babies died in the cold outside.
My cousin was awaken one day by a soldier with his weapon directed at him, he was too sleepy and waved the gun away until he realized the situation he was in.
Mom has been trying to get us ready, "they might come from the roof, so don't be scared if you see them at your room in the middle of the night", I start whining and tell her to stop but she keeps reminding me that it can happen and I have to be ready. That visit was on-the-go, not part of the plan, we're still promised a serious one.
Now if my sister decides to have a baby in the middle of the night, what shall we do?
Conversations like this went on and on between my mother and my aunt as I and my cousins sat trying to imagine a better future!
God shows me his love in so many ways.. And I trust that there will be a way out one day, one very happy day... I just can't see it yet!
The break ended this Sunday and we spent most of the week receiving the exam papers and contemplating our mistakes. There weren't any unpleasant surprises and I am quite satisfied with my marks. In Electromagnetic however, I was hoping for a much higher mark because I understood the subject very well and was desperate to prove myself but the exam questions were really long and my brain just stopped responding. I got 80% but the prof unexpectedly canceled two questions which carried the lowest marks for every student making my mark 90%. It's unfortunate however, and for me only, because another student who had 58% originally now has 88%, only 2% lower than mine instead of the original 22%. I am still waiting for my marks in 4 subjects but I'm expecting them to be high (though not full marks, I was assured by 2 professors of this fact!!) except in Human Rights, I was inventing a bit :D
I have some big news that I have been intending to break for a while now, about 8 months! Aya and Ayman are expected to have a new brother some time really soon! No comment on the subject from my side, mom went crazy, my sister hiding from my mom's remarks, Aya excited, and my love, Ayman still doesn't know what this might mean!
The other day as an American patrol was passing in front of our house, shooting started, and there was a little explosion so they came into the house for cover.
They searched through the house too just for people not for weapons, and they didn't mess it up. They felt comfortable when they saw that we could all speak English. Some sat in the kitchen with dad around the kitchen table and asked him questions for about half an hour.
They finally said that "You guys are cool", apologized for coming in like that and left after a visit that lasted about an hour.
Many neighborhoods have been searched in the last month, and we heard stories of arrests and cruel treatment. At one neighborhood they got the residents out of their houses, entered with their dogs to search for weapons and such, and kept the people outside for hours in the cold (one time they even got the men to undress except for their underwear). In the news they said that two new-born twin babies died in the cold outside.
My cousin was awaken one day by a soldier with his weapon directed at him, he was too sleepy and waved the gun away until he realized the situation he was in.
Mom has been trying to get us ready, "they might come from the roof, so don't be scared if you see them at your room in the middle of the night", I start whining and tell her to stop but she keeps reminding me that it can happen and I have to be ready. That visit was on-the-go, not part of the plan, we're still promised a serious one.
Now if my sister decides to have a baby in the middle of the night, what shall we do?
Conversations like this went on and on between my mother and my aunt as I and my cousins sat trying to imagine a better future!
God shows me his love in so many ways.. And I trust that there will be a way out one day, one very happy day... I just can't see it yet!
posted by Najma at 6:06 PM, | 
10 Comments:
Congratulations on going to be a Aunt again. I hope all goes well. If the Solders are going to drive the terrorist out of Mosul they will have to do a house to house search since they don't know who lives in each house. I just hope innocent people aren't hurt.
Blessings on you and your family and on the baby on the way. I am sorry your family had to suffer a search but at least the soldiers treated your family well. Remember even though soldiers are armed to the teeth, they are still pretty scared too. I pray all this ends and you get a better life.
Hope is the most wonderful thing in the whole world and provides the only reason to pursue a dream in the bleakest hours.
My best wishes to the unborn.
My best wishes to the unborn.
Congrats for the new nephew Najma... and dont lose hope on that brilliant day... it is on the way... will arrive at your place sometime soon, and make your life a better place to live in :-)
And when everything else dies, hope still keeps us alive!
And when everything else dies, hope still keeps us alive!
Congratulations on the new little one! Glad you got to sleep - sometimes a lot of sleep really does help.
I am glad you had a chance to interact with the US military in their home search, and glad the fighting outside did not hurt your family. Personally, I don't think the home searches will do any good. The people fighting the Americans have likely moved away for now. I think they will go away for good when the US military is out of Iraq.
I am glad you had a chance to interact with the US military in their home search, and glad the fighting outside did not hurt your family. Personally, I don't think the home searches will do any good. The people fighting the Americans have likely moved away for now. I think they will go away for good when the US military is out of Iraq.
Hello. I've done a few house to house searches myself, and I would have to agree with Dancewater. Its almost pointless. Never have we found anything substantial in all the searches we have done. Unless we already recieved a tip from an informant, most of the finds are small weapons. As for the soldiers, a lot of them are scared and or angry. A smile will usually remind them of showing some civility. Also, not speaking loudly. Something about loud voices gets us excited. You don't want men with guns getting excited in your home. I hope all your dreams come true. Sooner rather then later.
Well, he's right about you being cool. Your family is one of the coolest in the world. ______Let's hope the story about the frozen babies isn't true. Many things on news broadcasts and in newspapers turn out to be untrue or greatly exaggerated.
Congratulations to your sister on her expected baby. I'm glad that being an aunt has brought so much joy into your life. :)
Its good to hear that the American patrol was respectful while in your house. I think that most American soldiers are good people. One of my oldest friends served in Iraq last year and he tried really hard to make a positive difference there. But, I know that many Iraqi people have not been shown the same respect. Your stories of the house searches from last month don't give me a lot of confidence that American troops are behaving in their best professional manner. If the story of the new-born twins is true, then I feel terribly sorry. That is a crime that should never have happened!
I can't imagine waking up at night to a gun pointed at my face. I am certain that most Americans have no idea what is really happening to Iraqi people.
Truly Najma, I hope there will be a way out too!
Its good to hear that the American patrol was respectful while in your house. I think that most American soldiers are good people. One of my oldest friends served in Iraq last year and he tried really hard to make a positive difference there. But, I know that many Iraqi people have not been shown the same respect. Your stories of the house searches from last month don't give me a lot of confidence that American troops are behaving in their best professional manner. If the story of the new-born twins is true, then I feel terribly sorry. That is a crime that should never have happened!
I can't imagine waking up at night to a gun pointed at my face. I am certain that most Americans have no idea what is really happening to Iraqi people.
Truly Najma, I hope there will be a way out too!
希望大家都會非常非常幸福~
「朵朵小語‧優美的眷戀在這個世界上，最重要的一件事，就是好好愛自己。好好愛自己，你的眼睛才能看見天空的美麗，耳朵才能聽見山水的清音。好好愛自己，你才能體會所有美好的東西，所有的文字與音符才能像清泉一樣注入你的心靈。好好愛自己，你才有愛人的能力，也才有讓別人愛上你的魅力。而愛自己的第一步，就是切斷讓自己覺得黏膩的過去，以無沾無滯的輕快心情，大步走向前去。愛自己的第二步，則是隨時保持孩子般的好奇，願意接受未知的指引；也隨時可以拋卻不再需要的行囊，一路雲淡風輕。親愛的，你是天地之間獨一無二的旅人，在陽光與月光的交替之中瀟灑獨行.............................................................................................................
有時，你覺得痛。胃痛的時候，接受它，承認這個疼痛是你的身體的一部份，與它和平共處。心痛的時候，接受它，承認這個經驗是你的生命的一部份，與它和平共處。抗拒痛的存在，只會讓它更要證明它的存在，於是你就更痛。所以，.無論你有多麼不喜歡痛的感覺，還是要接納這個痛的事實。與你的痛站在同一邊，不逃避，不閃躲，不再與你的痛爭執，如此，你的痛才會漸漸不再胡鬧，才會乖乖平息下去。.................
「朵朵小語‧優美的眷戀在這個世界上，最重要的一件事，就是好好愛自己。好好愛自己，你的眼睛才能看見天空的美麗，耳朵才能聽見山水的清音。好好愛自己，你才能體會所有美好的東西，所有的文字與音符才能像清泉一樣注入你的心靈。好好愛自己，你才有愛人的能力，也才有讓別人愛上你的魅力。而愛自己的第一步，就是切斷讓自己覺得黏膩的過去，以無沾無滯的輕快心情，大步走向前去。愛自己的第二步，則是隨時保持孩子般的好奇，願意接受未知的指引；也隨時可以拋卻不再需要的行囊，一路雲淡風輕。親愛的，你是天地之間獨一無二的旅人，在陽光與月光的交替之中瀟灑獨行.............................................................................................................
有時，你覺得痛。胃痛的時候，接受它，承認這個疼痛是你的身體的一部份，與它和平共處。心痛的時候，接受它，承認這個經驗是你的生命的一部份，與它和平共處。抗拒痛的存在，只會讓它更要證明它的存在，於是你就更痛。所以，.無論你有多麼不喜歡痛的感覺，還是要接納這個痛的事實。與你的痛站在同一邊，不逃避，不閃躲，不再與你的痛爭執，如此，你的痛才會漸漸不再胡鬧，才會乖乖平息下去。.................
I am so very sorry to hear about the babies that died during that search. I realize that "sorry" doesn't really mean very much at all, but it's all I can say.