My family enjoyed seeing Sara IN PERSON for the first time. She warmed up to them pretty quickly and she just loved them. My family spent most of the afternoon with us and then the evening came. I found that the evening was when I missed Shakeel the most. I have no idea why, but I just did. We'd chat every evening on the net or I'd call him or vice versa. Our chats were always very hopeful in our situation and we knew eventually we'd have a final decision on if or when he was coming home. Home...it felt so good to say home with the thought of him being with us.
I'll never forget the day when he called me and told me that he got the visa! I'll never forget the sound of his voice and the feeling of relief that I could sense and I'm sure he could sense from me. I'd like to say that we never lost faith in that he would get the visa - but I know there were times when we did. We would try to stay so positive for the both of us, but when you waited as long as we did, went through everything that we did - you might as well.
Shakeel told me that he would start getting his things ready and start looking for a ticket to get home. Home....man that sounded good!!! Now I KNEW he was coming home and we were going to be a family...together in one place!
Shakeel decided that it would be almost 2 months before he'd get back. Afterall, he had pretty much started a new life back in Pakistan. He had been there for so long waiting he had to. He was working for an American company in Lahore, making his own living, etc. He had lots of thing to tie up before heading back to the US.
Those days of waiting for his arrival day came quicker than I thought. Afterall, this type of waiting was all together different - I knew he was coming and I was very excited!!
On the day Shakeel left Pakistan - I talked to him briefly before he headed to the airport in Lahore. I'm sure it must have been tough leaving his family again and tough on them seeing him leave once again and knowing that this time it was for good. Our life is here in the US and they knew it. They also knew it would be a while before we go back for visiting.
I could hear the excitement in Shakeel's voice on the phone and I was just so excited myself. I couldn't wait to see him and for him to see Sara again. When I left Pakistan Sara was 6 months old and she was now over 8 months old, crawling and doing so much more.
Throughout the day, I tracked Shakeel's flight on the internet. I can remember checking it for the last time to see if he was on time arriving into Dallas. My Mom went with Sara and I to the airport for his arrival. DFW airport has a new beautiful international terminal and it was a very comfortable waiting area. Sara was just sitting in her little infant carrier and I was sitting just so anxious to see him. Everytime there were people coming out the doors, I'd look up and see if I could see Shakeel.
I looked at the arrivals and noticed that Shakeel's plane had landed and it had been over an hour since it landed. Then I knew, he was in immigration. I knew it wouldn't be easy for him - Dallas was his port of entry and I knew they would check him out BIG TIME and they did for sure!
1 1/2 hours had just passed by and I decided to get Sara out of her carrier and walk over to where the passengers were coming out. I'm standing down towards the end of the area where they walk out and just waiting. I'm holding my Sara, talking to her and telling her that Daddy is coming. I look up and there he is coming out the doors. I could feel a tear come down my face and I ran over to him and gave him a big hug and kiss. He immediately snatched Sara out of my arms and she gave him this big look of, "who the heck are you??" But then after she heard his voice - it was wonderful. She got the biggest grin on her face and the look on Shakeel's face was priceless. We were a family again...together...where it all started back in 2003.
You know I look back on what all we went through with immigration and I have no regrets. I was given the opportunity to see, live and experience life in Pakistan. I think it really helped our relationship because Shakeel's family really got to know me in person. I learned so much while I was in Pakistan. I have co-workers who ask me about Pakistan and how I did it and you know...I did it because I love my husband and I was determined and I do mean DEEEEETERRRRMINED to get him back to the US and that is EXACTLY what I did. I love him so much and that is what got us through all of this.
Until later...
Bye for now.
