News Flash!

As I write about this time now, I so wish that I had done this while all this was going on. Like kept journal or even blogged on here on a daily basis! UGH! But oh well. I know I was scatterbrained and sitting down to collect my thoughts and write was not in my plans then. Anyway, the first few days were filled with friends and family contacting us and bringing us food, helping in the house, helping with the kids, and taking them places. I am so thankful for the many wonderful friends, I cannot express.

We called the news media this time as our lawyer suggested, and Lari from FOX news, Casey from Channel   8, and even the CBS Channel 11 team came by our home to interview us. (please someone remind me of the wonderful reporter who helped us as I lost her card and cannot remember her name). They were all so very nice and helpful, I was amazed. We even got an interview for the Dallas Morning News paper, and metro columnist, Jacquielynn Floyd did a very compelling story on us as well.  The funny thing about this was that I was contacted via Facebook by a Serbian reporter who wanted to use the story he had read in the Dallas paper in Serbia. I said okay and gave him some more information as well, and he wrote a very nice story about us in Serbia also! It was amazing.

The only thing was, even though Lari had warned me about paying no attention to comments, I started reading the comments anyway, from people who wrote under the articles about us online.  There was a lot of hate from people saying we should go home and be deported, but there was a lot of nice caring comments as well. The one that got me the most was under the Serbian article.  When the picture was taken at my sister's home for the Dallas Morning News, the photographer said to look sternly into the camera and not to smile, and so we listened and did as we were asked.  In this picture, I look very much Middle Eastern, and apparently the Serbian readers did not want me to come back to Serbia either! I was floored. The comments were derogatory and again - telling me to stay here in the States and not be let back into Serbia, because I was "cigani." (I think a racial slur for Gypsies from Romania, Turkey, India, etc.).  More reason for rejection, but by now, I was done with that. Now I remember my mom warning me to never let go of her hand when we were walking through town when I was younger because I was darker complected and could be easily mistaken for a Gypsy and if kidnapped by them, no one would suspect a thing. Childhood memories... really.

Anyway, We tried to stay clear of reading comments after that and concentrated on listening to the media personnel.  The FOX team was incredible, even having us in the studio and on evening prime time at the station to get our story out. Everyone was eager to help and I began to understand how much I loved America and the people. The hatred and bitterness I had was not geared towards people but enemies I could not see. I also saw that computer glitches, paperwork mishandling, improper training and all of that played a big part as well.   During this time, our lawyer kept trying to get a hold of the chief council in San Antonio who dismissed our case and denied us.  We were all hoping he would see the news or he would get word about it!

I had my ankle monitor on still, which I was told I needed to keep on me until I was deported. It was somewhat of a large computer plug with a box attached to it, that whenever my light began to blink yellow, I had to find a plug nearby and plug in to recharge. In the video clips available on the Facebook page you can see what it looked like.http://www.facebook.com/groups/164355385075/  I had to keep it on green and not let it get to red or it would alert the authorities. Here's a funny story:


A few days later, we were contacted by my friend's boyfriend Joe, who worked for a news station in Austin, where we grew up, that wanted to do our story. As time was critical and we needed to get as much publicity in hopes it would reach the decision makers who would reverse our case, we jumped at any opportunity that presented itself. Austin is closer to San Antonio so - yes please! We prayed only the beneficial requests would actually make it through to us, and this is exactly the way it was. So we packed up to drive to Austin, and if I remember right, I okay-ed it with the surveillance representative in charge of me - but if not - I did not think much of it because I was told I could not leave the state. Anyway, I can't remember, but I know we would not have gone if I had any belief that it would harm our case or if it was against the surveliiance rules.  So we packed up to go to my mom's in Austin and midway on I35 my monitor starts beeping. I'm flipping out because we just passed some towns and there is not another gas station until Waco or something. Dan's going ninety miles an hour to get me somewhere where I can plug in, and finally pulls into a gas station that looked like a Mosque replica where we get out and I bring my charger. So, I walk in with a monitor around my ankle and a charger for it in my hand and I know I'm freaking they guy out behind the register. Dan walks in with the kids too who had to go to the restroom, so it's a whole pack of us. I go in WI-FI sitting area that's almost like a room for professionals and their electronic devices in the middle of nowhere in a gas station! A lady is there on her lap-top as we walk in and Dan helps me plug in, and the kids sit around me like it's no big deal for mom to plug in her ankle monitor at all. She looks at us, looks at my monitor, and "oh look at the time," leaves very quickly after.  It was hilarious. So I get all charged up but as we're walking out, I'm still beeping, and the dude behind the register is still not happy about all of this.  We get in the van, and the monitor wont stop beeping. Then the beeping gets more frequent and I think develops a new tone, so Dan flips out and turns around, as we're thinking a chopper's going to land around us anytime now and the swat team that gets out will drop us all to the ground! We start driving back and wonder if we are not suppose to go to interview in Austin after all? But I called my surveillance rep as I had her card, and she told me that the beeping occurs to alert the authorities when I have gone near an airport, train or bus station - which I didn't know - and apparently the gas station we stopped at was a truck stop/bus station!  Really? So she reset my monitor and we headed back to Austin. It was neat that my oldest daughter was praying this whole time in the Spirit and prophesying to us about all kinds of stuff.  One of the things she said was that our story will not get viral media attention until it is all over with. I was a bit disappointed because we were told that was our only chance, but God wanted us to rely on Him and not the media. I got it finally and it took my 13 year old to make it clear! Go figure!


Thanks to Joe who supported us and worked on our behalf, we had two interviews in Austin with Channel 8 TWC, and NBC KXAN also CW Austin, and came back to more recaps and follow up interviews in Fort Worth. We became known as the "sisters" and the support never stopped from all ends of the earth.  I loved the special notes and messages that I am so upset are gone from the FB page now! I read over them every day for inspiration and encouragement.  While we were in Austin we got to see our friends we grew up with which are so dear to me, because they have meant so much to Dan and I throughout the years!  Sean, Amy and family, Dave, Christine, Camille, Scott, Kerry, Alicia, and Dana. The rest of the crew, most of which is scattered now, like Mel and the LA bunch, Chris and Justin in San Fran area, we kept in touch with over phone, Facebook and e-mail. It was the people during this time that helped make the cause worth fighting for.