looking for MENA success stories

[PMartin37 161]

I have a half dead lemon tree! Gardening and black thumb chicks unite!

My hubbie sent me some seeds (from five years ago!!) from a bitter orange tree. I planted them and I'm waiting for them to pop up. Really curious to see if I can resurrect these little guys. It's been 4 days now and I'm waiting.

[Mithra 1,185]

Sadly I haven't planned on planting anything this year not even annuals. My little one won't even let me properly clean my house let alone garden. . I'm hoping next year my husband can remove the junky rock garden so I can plant a real garden. Maybe by then little miss will want to dig in the dirt with me.

Yes! Actually, Mithra, LaL, and Sandinista do some gardening too (or at least can be coerced to put up with hearing about it).

[Nasturtium 500]

Sadly I haven't planned on planting anything this year not even annuals. My little one won't even let me properly clean my house let alone garden. . I'm hoping next year my husband can remove the junky rock garden so I can plant a real garden. Maybe by then little miss will want to dig in the dirt with me.

That sounds fun-- do you have any plans for the area once the rock garden is taken out?

[Mithra 1,185]

Well rock garden is a nice way to describe the area on the side of my garage that is full of those ugly white sparkly rocks. I would like to plant a few varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans and peppers. Those are the veg we eat most in summer.

That sounds fun-- do you have any plans for the area once the rock garden is taken out?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I wish all the couples here all the happiness and success in their marriages.

The OP wanted to know if there were any "success stories" among the older woman/younger MENA male couples. I think the vets (and I'm sorry if anyone feels slighted by that term - I just mean people who have been here for 6 or 7 or 8 years and have observed literally hundreds of couples come through this forum) are just speaking from what we've seen. And most of us answered in a rather consistent fashion -

We all agreed that two or three years into a marriage is much too early to call it a "success story." (Personally, I think I'll be willing to talk about my marriage in terms of being "successful" when we get to the 15- or 20- or 30-year mark - but that's just me.)

But certainly, there are success stories among older women/younger MENA men couples - and by that I mean marriages that are still going well after the immigrant spouse's 10-year card and naturalization.

But among couples with 20-year age differences, we've only seen a few (like 3 or 4) out of the maybe dozens that have passed through here.

That's just the truth.

Again, I wish all the couples here a happy and successful marriage. I think everyone here joins me in hoping that the Class of Significantly Older Women/Younger MENA Men 2012 has a much better "stay-together" rate than the classes of 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and dare I say 2009.

[Nasturtium 500]

Well rock garden is a nice way to describe the area on the side of my garage that is full of those ugly white sparkly rocks. I would like to plant a few varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans and peppers. Those are the veg we eat most in summer.

Sounds awesome! I am excited about my strawberries. I'm hoping I get a few this year. Nasturtiums are up and running-- I plan to try to make nasturtium butter.

[Mithra 1,185]

This thread has turned into a catch all like the old daily threads. Miss the dailies, the monthly threads are pretty dead. The baby is asleep and instead of using this precious and valuable time to finish my laundry, I'm reading vj and fb. Grr. Husband will be home in about an hour and I have nothing to show for my bragging about being productive today.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Mithra

[zahrasalem 114]

feel free...i didn't post this thread to be belittled...sorry if you don't like the fact that some of us are happy. I posted it because I wanted to connect with people with similar stories...and if you were to read the whole thread u would see it isnt all about lollipops and rainbows...i feel for kat she is going through a rough time...i hope she finds peace and closure to her situation. we are all adults here. I appreciate everyone's advice and input, but the snide comments are uncalled for.

well said mimolicious and being newylyweds doesn't make us naive or unrealistic, either. Just because there have been tragic sad stories here, doesn't mean that each one of us is doomed to be another statistic. Some people just don't like it when other people are happy and positive.

[zahrasalem 114]

Loving my husband doesn't mean I lose my identity. If that is what anyone thinks, then they don't know one ounce of who I am. And I'm not surprised someone has tried to derail the positive flow

who said our husbands are the end all be all? not one person even intimated that. We all have lives and families and jobs and hobbies etc...why cause drama? seriously?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

[sandinista! 1,816]

Anything not printed on a candy conversation heart is not worth saying.

[Cathi 5,696]

Anything not printed on a candy conversation heart is not worth saying.

lol...but I love candy hearts

[Lisamarie 79]

I'm not sure what a "success story" is, but my husband and I are 11 years apart have been married for 2 1/2 years, and he's been here just under a year. We haven't had any problems to date and we communicate really well and talk to each other about everything. We haven't had any problems with our differences in age, and we don't even notice it. No one looks at us funny or strange, or asks questions, or anything, so maybe they don't notice the age difference either. He adjusted here without any problems, but I figured he would because he has a very easy-going personality and he "never" gets frustrated. Seriously....I have never known anyone that can be so positive all of the time. He's just a happy person and we are very happy together:) . The only thing he needs to and is working on is "time".....lol I'm sure you all know what I mean But he's working on it and getting better with it every day.

Just curious if anyone who has married a younger MENA man has a happy ending? All of the topics seem to only be about tragic relationships. I know it's good to be cautious, but like in any society or culture there are scum bags. In fact in the US there seems to be an over abundance of men who abuse, mistreat and cheat in their wives. I love my husband, and he loves me. I can't wait until the day he sets foot on American soil. I have been to Jordan to see him 3 times in the last 6 months, 3 months living with he and his family. And you can bet you bottom dollar I will be at that embassy in Amman by his side the day he has his interview!!!

Edited May 1, 2012 by Lisamarie

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

all this drama might have been worth finally reading more good stories in MENA!

I hope to post mine soon (story not drama)...but will have to admit he is always leaning towards me moving there. It is that easier life he has that is appealing to me...and I really understand about the time thing. It is Moroccan time.

[Lisamarie 79]

Yeah life is easier and more peaceful there, especially when you live in the L.A. area like us, where everything is so fast-paced. But he blended right in like he's lived here forever. He talks to his family a few times a week, sometimes on webcam, That helps a lot:)

all this drama might have been worth finally reading more good stories in MENA!

I hope to post mine soon (story not drama)...but will have to admit he is always leaning towards me moving there. It is that easier life he has that is appealing to me...and I really understand about the time thing. It is Moroccan time.