We gained an Angel!

Twenty one short years ago today, Imad and I sent an Angel home to the Lord. Twenty One Years ago today was the toughest day Imad and I would live through! Twenty One years ago today our lives were changed as we knew them forever…..

Although we were not able to raise her and watch her grow we knew our Heavenly Father had bestowed on us a blessing that would forever change the way we thought about life here on this earth. The Lord loved me and trusted my faith enough to bless me with her life, to have the eternal blessing of giving her a body for her soul to come home too at the day of resurrection. The lord loved me so much that I was able to feel her vibrant life and share it with my husband and son. The Lord loved me so much that he helped me through the hardest time in my life by helping me to understand that he had a different plan Brianna Imad Jaber. That Brianna would have the blessing of being an angel and doing work for the Lord from Heaven above! I learned so many lessons from that sweet angel… I stopped saying to Ali “Mommy loves you more than life”, instead I said, “Mommy loves you as much as life”! I learned so much about myself and my inner strength. I learned so much about my amazing husband and the true love he had for me and our family! I learned to live each day to its fullest never knowing what tomorrow will bring. I decided at that time not knowing if we would be able to have more children (due to complications delivering Brianna, as you know we were blessed with the miracle of Jasmine) that my home would be open to ALL children that if I helped in the life of just one child it would all be worth it. We have had many children come through our door, many of who we have helped and I am forever grateful that I was blessed with each of them, without Brianna I may have never felt that way…. So I miss her everyday, I love her more everyday, some days are harder than others, today being one of them, for no other reason than I miss her. I will enjoy everyday on this earth with the love of my life, Imad and our two amazing children Ali and Jasmine and when I am blessed to hold our Brianna in my arms again I will rejoice in heaven(assuming I will make it to heaven)!!!



The man I married :) aka The best Daddy!

I thank God and my mother and father in-law for the man I married everyday of my life. I am sure many women  don't think of thanking their in-laws especially their mother in-law, but I do!  She raised a good man, a family man!  My children and and I are blessed with the hard work and teachings she gave him growing up and I will be forever grateful.  We love him! 

I love this man!

This son of ours has grown into such an amazing man!  I feel blessed everyday to call him son!  Thank you Ali Jaber for being you!  For all of your love and support that you bring to our family!  He can make me laugh, and feel comforted when no-one else can.  I love my Gentle Giant!!!

Make every Day Count!

"Don't count the days, Make the Days Count!"  Just a couple of months back a special young man used that phrase when talking to his girlfriend of his upcoming deployment.  She was having a hard time right after he deployed missing him and I wanted to help any way I could.  So I emailed and requested advice on what to say or do.  Again he said, Tell her, "Don't count the days, Make the Days Count!" 

These two have taught me so much in two months!  I couldn't love them more or be prouder!  They both try very hard to make every day count.  They let each other know that there is no sacrifice to great.  They will do anything they need to everyday making sure that talk everyday.  It may just be a few words reminding each other who is #1 in their life and what matters most to them.  More people should take a lesson from them.  If we all can do what they do and keep our priorities in place we can obtain all of our dreams.  Everything is possible with 100% dedication!  

Never be afraid to focus on what is important to you.  Never be afraid to take chances.  If you don't you will never know what the end result may be...      

So I guess I am an angel , or at least that is what the sweet elderly woman informed me of when I met her at the gas station……..

Last week when I went to fill up my tank the gas station in town there was quite a long line. Everyone waited a good fifteen minutes to fill-up. There was a very cute elderly woman at the station. She got out of her car and walked a bit while we waited. I noticed her and the difficulty she had in walking. She was very patient though and waited her turn. After a very long wait I pulled up to the pump and started to pump my gas. She was across from me so me being a people person started to observe her and her cuteness! Finally it was her turn to pull up to the pump as well. Just as she started to pull forward someone from the street pulled in from the other end to use the pump next to the elderly woman’s. She pulled as close to her as she possibly could without observing that the poor little lady was trying to get close enough to the pump. She got out of her car smiled at the elderly woman and pumped her gas, never giving thought on what she has just done! Everyone that had just waited at the station to pump gas was appalled! The elderly woman was able to inch up as close to the car in front of her as possible. She then got out of her car and walked over to me. She said, “I am 87 years old, I just got out of the hospital, I am not supposed to be out and my daughter doesn’t know I am out or she would be very upset with me!” I asked, “Why were you in the hospital?” Her response was, “I was very sick and there for 6 days!” She then asked, “Can you help me?”, “Of Course”, I replied. I said, “I had planned on just that. Can I please complete my fill-up and I will come right over to help you and make sure the hose reaches?” “Thank you”, she said.

I went over to help her, the hose did reach and I was able to fill her tank. I felt so bad for her I told her to go sit in her car and I would go in to get her change. After giving her change she said, “WAIT I have to give you something for your kindness!” I told her no thank you just please go home safely and rest. She would not take no for an answer and continued to search her car for something to give me. She finally came out with a dollar that she forced at me. I thanked her and gave it back telling her to donate it to someone for me. She teared up, and said, “You are an Angel, You will go to heaven.” I thanked her and said “Please go home safely!” She left and I began to cry. I honestly don’t know exactly why. She touched my heart that day.

As I look back at that day a few things come to mind. After observing the woman that blocked the pump, I pray that I have taught my children compassion. That neither of them would ever treat someone like that especially an elderly person! I also pray that I have taught them the gift of serving your fellow man. No matter how small the task may be it will not go unappreciated. I also pray that my mom and dad know how much I love them, and if they were sick I hope they know they can call me and I will be happy to go get their gas or anything else they may need! I also pray that no-one will ever treat my mom or dad the way that sweet lady was treated that day! She was special and I pray she was right, that I am going to heaven! :)

Finally...........

He finally gets it….. Every day after work I go straight home, take the dogs out, change my clothes, take off my rings, wash my hands and start dinner. For quite some time it was not like that. I would go home take the dogs out, change my clothes, take off my rings, CLEAN THE KITCHEN, and wash my hands and then start dinner. After much talking to my two adult children, one of the two of them decided that it was not much fun starting every evening off with mom complaining and in an instant bad mood because the kitchen was a mess from them making lunch and having snacks, etc. They decided it was not a good way to start of an evening! So Mr. Ali has taken it upon himself to make sure the kitchen is spotless on a daily basis when I get home from work. I have thanked him in the past but last night I said, “Ali, I just want to tell you once again thank you for doing such a good job taking care of the lunch/snack mess. I cannot tell you how happy it makes me, and how much easier it makes my life every evening!” His response to me was so genuine, “Mom your welcome, it is the least I can do.” Wow, the least he can do, I thought…..Oh my, he finally gets it! He appreciates his mom and dad! It may sound like something so small but to me it was HUGE! 

I guess he is all grown up!

Long Time!

So it has been a long time and I apologize! So much going on and I haven't taken the time to blog. Sad because I really enjoy it! Here are a few updates....

Our trip to Lebanon to see our family and check in on my mother in law was long overdue, stressful due to the reasons at hand however, very enjoyable at the same time!!! My husband was raised by amazing people and his siblings are amazing as well. We enjoy every minute together and they are a true example of what family is. When you have love and support miracles can and do happen. As you know my mother in-law had a major stroke. We were afraid that she may not pull through. I will never forget the day we arrived as it is etched in my soul! She wanted to see Imad more than anything! No matter what they tried with her before we arrived they ALL knew the only one that would make her happy was her oldest son, that she missed so much and needed to see. His love, comfort, support and patience would definitely fuel her desire to work hard at her rehabilitation! Imad was a bit nervous to see her as he had no idea how bad she would look or if she would be able to respond to him. He walked into his mothers room where she laid comfortably in bed. His younger brother, Ayad put his are around Imad and said, "Look mom he is here, its really him" "All you wanted was him and he is here!" The tears flowed and the smile was as close as ear to ear as she could get! The joy in her face was something that will stay with me forever! I do believe he may be her best medicine!

She being the woman she is was showing improvement daily and working at something whether it be moving her hand or trying to talk every waking moment. She is determined to fight for her life back! There is nothing more she wants now than to see her grandchildren so we promised her that we will be back this summer with Ali and Jasmine. It will be a long overdue trip for the kids.

Our hearts were broken to watch my father in-law and the worry he carries on his shoulders every waking moment! He has been married to his beautiful bride for 55 years and adores her. He worships the ground she can't walk on right now, and prays she will walk again someday. He is an wonderful husband, father and grandfather we are so grateful that he is ours! I miss him!



We enjoyed every minute we could with them. The summer cannot come soon enough, it will be a Jaber reunion!

We had to get right in the swing of things when we got back. Planning for Thanksgiving, we have the whole Stall clan at our home. It is an annual tradition for everyone to come to our house and I am happy with that because I love entertaining! The hustle and bustle of the holidays is fun!

The princess went to her last Victory Dance. She looked beautiful and had a great time!



It is so hard to believe that our baby is graduating this year! Its a year of endings that are sometimes hard to get through and thankfully a year of new beginnings which we look forward too!

Ali is doing well. I love this picture of him. He went ice fishing for the first time this year. His buddy Rob and his dad took him. He caught a fish. He was afraid to touch the fish. If you look closely you can see him holding the fish with a paper towel! It made me laugh! It brought back memories of when he was twelve, he walked down to the lake and took his new fishing pool and tackle box with him. He said he wanted to go fishing. He went. He caught a fish. He called me, he needed me to come to the lake now! I got there to find my son with his fish still on the hook. He felt bad so he made sure his line was long and let the fish swim till I got there attached to the hook and line! He was afraid to touch it to get it off the hook! Well I don't like them either I said! I had to get my brother to come down and release the poor fish! I think that poor little guy had to be on that hook for at least an hour!



I know it has been a long time and I apologize. I have set a goal to Blog at least semi-monthly! Wish me luck!

Em Imad (Mother of Imad)

My sweet mother in-law is the kindest woman I have ever known. She has the purist heart and a true faith in good. She puts all her faith in God and he is put before anything and everything. After God is her family.

HER FAMILY!

I think back to the time I had the pleasure of meeting my in-laws. I had been married almost five years before I met them. We had sent letters and gifts back and forth but I had never been able to speak to them or sit in the same room as them. Jasmine was 9 days old when we got the call from Imad's brother Ayad. He called to let us know that my in-laws were coming for a visit and we needed to pick them up. He gave us a 4 day notice. I had just delivered a baby by C-section and now I had company coming from another country, I had never met them and needed to give a great first impression! My house was not up to par as my sweet hubby was the responsible party at that time because I was still quite sore! I remember being excited, nervous and frustrated all at once!

They Arrived, oh what a blessing. Jasmine was now 13 days old and Ali was 3. It was such a blessing to have them here with me! They stayed with us for one full year! My home became her home. I am a firm believer that there can only be one queen per castle. I stepped down for that year and let her wear the crown, I was OK with being the princess! She needed that. She needed to do everything she could for her son since it had been 10 years since the last time she had seen him. I am secure in my relationship with Imad so to let him be a mommy's boy for a year did not bother me it was actually entertaining to watch!

I was a stay at home mom during that time. I am so grateful that I was blessed to stay home and get to know her and my father in-law! We did everything together. She taught me more in that year than I ever expected. The most exciting for me then and still is now~She taught me to speak Arabic. I wanted to learn so badly just so I could communicate with them. I now speak almost fluent Arabic. She became my best friend, I adore her! I thank God everyday for her and my father in-law! I am so grateful for the beautiful man I married and I have them to thank for that. My children have amazing grandparent's and have experienced a love like no other! There are so many things I admire in her and strive to be like. She is a kind, sweet, stubborn, frugal, Strong, smart, God loving, BIG HEARTED woman that we all are blessed to have in our lives.

This beautiful woman has suffered a stroke. She is not doing well. She has lost her speech. She has a major blockage in her Carotid artery and will also require stints. I pray for her. I pray that she heals, that we can sit with her once again. We all need to see her and her us. It has been four long years since we went to Lebanon for many different reason and right now none of them seem justified! I pray that the strength I admire in her pulls her through this!

Please pray for her and our family......

I love my mother in-law, my best friend!!!

Jasmine Class of 2011

Jasmine has started her Senior year officially today! It seems a bit bitter sweet! I thought that I was okay with all of this. Until, until I took her LAST, first day of school picture this morning. It made me look back for a moment and recollect the past and all of her first days of school. How she has grown from a little girl into a beautiful young woman.

I am looking forward to sharing this amazing year with her, but I can say for now I hope it goes really slow! Happy Senior Year Jasmine ~ I Love You

Jasmine's Birthday

So the princess is having a Birthday! Jasmine Marie Imad Jaber is turning 17!




She was a surprise and a blessing! We had lost our first daughter a year and two months before she was born. I was thrilled to be pregnant with her but I was so scared! We had suffered so much pain already and as optimistic as I wanted to be in the back of my mind I had fear……On August 14, 1993 we were blessed! We were given a gift~ Our Jasmine! Oh the joy we felt on that day and every day since! She is full of life and vigor! Jasmine is a sweet kind hearted young woman and my best friend!

We are so Proud of the young woman she is growing into. She is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside!

Jazzy will be starting her Senior year in the fall. We are looking at colleges and all that goes with what hopefully will be the best fit for her. She is still cheering for her All-Star gym and this is her last season which will definitely be a major adjustment as it is something she loves and I must say one of her greatest pleasures! Cheering has been good to her and for her! This next year will be filled with memories and fun and we look forward to sharing it all with her.





~Happy Birthday, Jasmine~

Happy Birthday Ali

On July 24, 1990 Ali Thomas Imad Jaber was born. It was one of the wonderful days of my life! There is nothing I cherish more than my family and he was the beginning of a wonderful adventure ~ Life as a Mom :) It is by far my favorite, and it is not a job it is a Lifelong Adventure. A journey with Hills and Valley's and I would not have wished to miss one of them! This Saturday, July 24th will be his 20th birthday...He is leaving his teenage years and I could not be prouder of him. I look at him and know that he is a good man! I thought I would put a few photos to recollect~








































I am so proud to call him son!

Happy Birthday, Ali!!!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

How Many Lives Do You Touch?

Last night we were at our second Wake in less than a week. Our very dear friend that lost his son last week, lost his uncle this week. Imad and I knew his uncle, Imad knew him much better than I did though.

We paid our respects to the family and sat down to reflect and pray. As I sat in the pew I thought first about the guest book that we had signed. Would his children know who we were when they saw our name? Probably not...But what they would know, was that he touched our lives. That he meant something to us and that we had come to show our respect for him to them. Which then made me think how many lives do I touch? Some day I shall pass too. My Headstone would have my name, the date I was born and the date I died. In between those dates there will be a dash symbol. My birth and death are not nearly as important as my dash. That is my life and how I lived it. My beginning, middle and end.

Never take life for granted it is a true gift. Enjoy everyday you have doing something you enjoy. It doesn't have to be a major trip it could be something small. It could be a call to your mother to catch up, a trip to the mall or sitting at the lake for lunch. I used to say to my son "I Love You More Than Life", after we lost our daughter, it made me re-think that statement. I now say "I Love You as Much as Life!"
Live, Laugh and Love!!!

Live, Laugh, Love...A LOT!!!

My Family

First let me say I love them all so much! My family is my world,so saying that means things in my life can sometimes be complicated, exhausting, stressful and yet at the end of the day I wouldn't want anyone else to be my family!

I married the most amazing man anyone could wish for and I am so blessed to have him. He is the love of my life my soul mate. I have often spoke of the my mother and father in-law and the wonderful people they are. I will never be able to thank them enough for raising this amazing man I married. I will be forever indebted to them. They took me into their family and loved me like I was their daughter never making me feel anything less! I adore them :) Yesterday we made our usual Semi-monthly call to them. I was so excited to be calling as Ali was home and not working which would make their day because they would finally get to talk to him! Just to hear the kids voices brings both of them such joy. My mother in-law did get to talk to both Ali and Jasmine and it did brighten her day. However, when Imad asked to speak to his dad she had to tell us he cannot talk. He is very sick, there is a bad infection in his lungs that he is fighting. What made me the most worried was when i asked what was wrong she said, "he's tired, he tired"... That made me worry more than anything to know my father in-law the little pistol is to know he doesn't get tired! He is always on the go! In the past couple of years we have actually had to worry about him because he accepts no limits! He got stung by a scorpion while drying wheat on the roof of a house and he has fallen out of a tree TWICE picking olives! He doesn't get tired!!! I am very worried.....I pray he heals and we get to see him again sooner than later, my husband needs that! So for now we wait for information praying that we get much needed good news!

God Does Not Make Mistakes

On Friday of last week we went to a funeral. It was one of the hardest things I have done in a long time. Some very dear friends of ours were mourning the loss of their very sweet son. He was a beautiful young man that adored his family. He was born with Downs Syndrome but I don't think it was a handicapp in many ways. Obviously he was delayed in most areas of his life but the most important things in life he was ahead of most! Family, friends, doctors, nurses and classmates all were in attendance. It was a true testament to the life he lived and shared with everyone that came in touch with him. He brought out the best in everyone that knew him! He taught love and laughter :)



The Minister was giving the Eulogy and spoke of the handicapp that this young man was born with. He reminded us that God does not make mistakes! That we all have a mission on this earth. It made me think of our Briana. How perfect she was, there was absolutely nothing wrong with her. Listening to him reassured me that she was chosen. No mistakes happened the day she died. NONE!!! I believe God knew how much we loved her and that we were chosen to give our precious angel her wings.(I know mom it's a figure of speach she does not have wings, no angel does, lol!) Without the gift of life, body and spirit being united she could not be resurrected. She could not serve the Lord. I will forever miss her but I will be FOREVER Grateful to our Heavenly Father for loving me and trusting me with one of his special Angels!



In listening to him I also thought of my brother. I thought of the sweet heart he has and how much I love and miss him. It reminded me how things could be so much worse than they are right now. He is a good man that made some bad decisions. Everyone deserves forgivness. I will wait patiently for the day he is home. I pray that he has the strength to go the distance one step at a time. I know this is the beginning of a long journey with him and his family. I will walk with them one step at a time. My brother has made some mistakes along the way but he is not a mistake! GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES!!!