Saturday night my friend Mariam (the turkish translator, in the middle) invited me and Marietta (the computer designer) from the same TV station where we all worked together before I came to USA, to her place for some fun time and dessert.
On the way to her place I stopped at a store to get some sweets for Mariam and I saw my former teacher and colleague. She invited me to a big party for all the graduates of the high school where my siblings and I went to school. For the first time they are doing a high school reunion for all the graduates on September 30th. I think it will be fun to go and see my classmates and teachers.
I called and talked to Jim before I got to Mariam's place at around 7PM. She had made some bakhlava, cheese sticks and she had grapes and chocolate. Marietta brought hot chocolate mix with her for us.
We talked and laughed and remembered our good old days in the studio together.
While there I got a phone call from our other friend from the studio invited me to their place for dinner the next day, on Sunday. Their place is quite aways from my city, and I don't get excited to go to the village in marshutkas (vans as a public transportation) without Jim. I told themI would think about it.
I got home at 9:20PM Saturday night. I had a good time with my friends.
As I started thinking about going to the village the next day by myself, I didn't feel good about it. As it was too late to call and cancel the invitation that night, I waited till morning. In the morning I called and told them that I wouldn't be able to go.
Then I got ready for church which starts at 11AM. Then my sister called and told me she got sick and was in bed, and apologized that she couldn't come with me to church. So I asked my Mom to join me, and she agreed.
My brother drove us to church and he left.
The sacrament meeting went way better that I feared to expect. The speakers were well prepared and the first counselor (sp) bore his testimony which was very strong and beautiful. Then I discovered that his parents who were the very first members of the branch in my city and the father has been the branch president several times already, have won a green card lottery and at the end of October they are moving to SLC, UT.
I am kind of sad to see them go as they are the strongest members of the branch but I am very excited for them!
At church I saw a girl who went inactive for a few years. She came to church for the first time again this Sunday. She was so excited to see me, so was I. We gave big hugs and talked for a few minutes. She promised to continue coming to church.
Everybody who knew me came up to me and gave hugs and kisses, and lots of them asked me if it was my sister with me. I said no, that's my Mom! They said my Mom looked very young.
After church my Mom and I walked home (about half-hour walk). Then I felt strongly to call my sister-in-law and arrange to meet her and finally finish the discussion about my nephew and his future. The problem is that my brother and his wife got separated couple weeks ago, and the wife took the baby and left. She lives with her Mom.
I called Armine (my sister-in-law) with their home phone number but nobody answered. I called Armine's Mom and learned that Armine has left for the capital city with the boy for 10 days, as a vacation. As I told Armine's Mom that I wanted to talk to them both seriously, she said she had been wanting to talk to me for a while now. So we decided to meet at her workplace right away.
I went to her store where she sells needles and threads, etc, and we went into a private office and talked for an hour. I won't go into much details but I'll tell that the conversation was very unpleasant and that she and her daughter are not willing to let me take Armen to USA with me, by no means, as they fear that my brother will never get together again with the wife and the child will end up with me!!
I was so disappointed to have such a conversation with a person who doesn't have much class an doesn't even care about the boy's future. She thinks this all was planned to give me a ready child.
That made me terribly sad! So, I had to yield and tell her that I was leaving everything to God to decide who is right. I was trying to save a child from becoming a bum, a smart child who could have a great future...
I felt I had nothing else to do with this woman who doesn't understand about the selfless love and care! I did my best to try to save an innocent child, now I can't do anything else, I am afraid!
As I was leaving, I told her that her daughter needs to bring the child to see us as she is our child as much as it is theirs! We'll see!
After leaving Armine's Mom, I was so heavy-hearted that I didn't want to go home. I wondered on the streets for a few minutes then went home. I will keep on praying for the baby's sake!
Later my Mom and I went to my sister's place to see how my sister was feeling. She was a little better. My nephew was having a hard time doing his Russian homework. So I sat with him and we did the homework together. Then my brother came and took us home in Getk around 10PM.
Overall I had a spiritual at the same time sad and stressful day!
P.S. For those who don't know much about this story about my nephew, have been judging me for wanting to bring Armen to USA with me. So, I decided to mention here that my Mom has been the baby's Mom from day 1, and she has been taking care of the boy, and now I am bringing my Mom to America with me, permanently. Thus, the boy will stay without his "Mom". The real Mom doesn't care about the boy, and she didn't even want to have the baby! There are lots of other things I could add here but I'd better not to get there...!
Jim liked the juicer the hosts had and he volunteered to make some freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.
Terrie took my Mom and me to a European/Armenian store where we got some stuff for dinner. We made Armenian dolma.
