Mary Poppins, Julia Child, Mrs. Smith. Put together.

“Mommy. Mommy. Mommy.”

Three children buzzing in that suburban house. Each has their own needs, quirks, and wants. And when do they want it? Now. Mamabear is a master juggler. She's a zen master, fearless in her moves, caring, giving, knowing, and elegantly sloppy. At 29, Jeanine surfs life with zest, faith, and laughs.

The family left Lebanon over a year ago and settled in North Carolina. Coffee in hand around her kitchen table, she spoke to me. With three vivacious children, she was constantly interrupted and still managed.

The eldest of four

Jeanine's father worked abroad. When her mother would travel to spend time with him, their aunts would send them home-cooked meals. At an early age, she decided to give her aunts a break. She acquired the art of cooking to feed herself and her three siblings. She's good. I know. I tasted. She tells me that her mom is the master chef, and her moujadara is still the tastiest.

At 16, she asked her dad to teach her to drive. One road was of importance to her. Home to the hospital — in case her mom needed emergency transportation. She speaks fondly of when her mom would leave them to visit with her dad. She took charge of the household and liked it.

Born responsible.

The kids would wait for their mother to come back with gifts and, most importantly, stories. Jeanine told me about the surprises her father pulled for her mother and the fun and crazy things they did together.

Her uncontrollable reflective grin was saying that they lived apart, yet they lived together.

The most significant gift was when Papa walked through the front door with Mama.

It takes a beach compound to raise a child

She grew up in a closed community north of Beirut, and it shaped her. She swam and trained in winter and summer. She competed and got top awards. She did 10 years of ballet. She was no stranger to playing tennis regularly. Her days were full. Neighbors took care of neighbors. Children would retire to their apartments late evening and crash until the following day to do it all over again. Ex-pat families would spend the summers at this complex. Jeanine developed close friendships with other children who lived in America, Australia, and England, among other countries.

Can you hear the crashing waves and the basketball dribbles, feel the summer heat, smell the pool chlorine, and taste that bubble gum ice cream?

Hotel management

During her first semester studying hotel management, the most prominent hotel in Lebanon came to recruit. In 2009, at 18, her CV had nothing except for the high school diploma she got the year before and her experience with the Model United Nations program. So, she added her picture on it as a filler. They called her for an interview.

Panicked, Jeanine called up her professor and asked him to train her. She practiced, learned to answer typical questions, and how to conduct herself. CV in hand, she interviewed and got a call the following day to meet with the front desk manager. What she started that Monday morning went on for a few years in the guest relations department. Working at the Phoenicia Hotel was a school by itself. She was exposed to all nationalities and experienced the intoxicating vibes of a fully-booked hotel.

Her daughter interrupts and asks in English. She responds in Lebanese. It's all good. Everyone understands each other. She does it to keep the three languages going at home.

She resigned after she got into a car accident due to exhaustion. She thinks that her father was relieved. He encouraged her to do her own business. Jeanine left with fondness. She learned a lot, loved it, and struggled to remove a few habits.

She kept opening up the door for people and ushering them first for a couple years after. The elevator? Same thing.

The day she met him

Jeanine wanted a break. With her mom, she signed up to go on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. She needed the space, the quiet, the peace, the praying time, and the opportunity to reflect.

Little did she know that she would meet her love and the father of her three children on that plane bound for Medjugorje.

Wherever he was, he filled the space. Her first impressions of him were loud, camera in hand, and trigger-happy. She told her mom she couldn't stand him and dreaded that he would be with them for the whole trip. Her mom liked him because she knew him from TV shows and movies.

The trip ended on June 6. She bonded with her mother. Survived him. Still, he was able to take her number and one picture.

And the day after

June 20: Mass. Mar Elias Antelias's church is fully packed. Of all the churches in Lebanon, she unknowingly walks in and sits in front of him. Two older people asked for his seat. He nudged the young lady in front of him deep into prayer and asked if he could sit by her. Surprised to see him, Jeanine slid on the polished wooden bench and made room.

She remembers that he spilled hot wax on her blue jeans. After mass and in the parking lot, their cars were parked door to door. They talked for a while. The gentleman insisted on following her by car to ensure she got home alright. He called her again and continued talking.

Interrupted: “Mama. Habibti, I’m talking to 3ammo (uncle).”

On the 22nd, they visited Anaya for the monthly St. Charbel procession and prayer. Everyone saw them as a couple.

And one more time: “Mom, it’s enough.”

Their conversations continued, their spirits got closer, and the deal was sealed when they prayed the rosary together at St. Charbel's tomb.

“I did not want the rosary to end.”

They spoke about it later and realized that it was the most beautiful rosary she's ever prayed. That event was pivotal in their lives. Samer, "The man who lives at Center Cross," knew the woman would be his wife. He won her heart, and they got engaged three months later. Her family took the time to vet him the Lebanese way: official records, dinners, cooking, drinking, laughing, joking, and serious discussions. The process took two years :-)!

Instant family

Preparing for their marriage was a nice period. She had children instantly — two out of three unplanned. Haha! She read and researched about child-rearing. She told her mother that she wanted to raise her children on her own. Her own way. She wanted to feed them, bathe them, and wake up at night for them.

“My babies. My deal.”

When she was running her parents' family-owned fish restaurant, she made sure that whatever she was working on, she was home by 3 pm. The children always take priority. When she ran her own events management company, she made sure that she always left work at 3 pm.

“I think I missed my twenties. No regrets. I’m 29 with three children (6, 5, 3). I’ve had professional experience prior to starting a family.”

The most significant advantage of having kids in her twenties is the abundance of energy that she enjoys.

Life in North Carolina

Jeanine and her husband are pulling the impossible. Similar to many families during the COVID era. Three children at home who are also taking classes and have playing needs.

Mama also started her own business. Building on her hotel management studies, her Phoenicia Hotel experience, her mom's cooking, and her culinary skills, she launched her own cafe in a business center in North Carolina.

She works, teaches, cooks, and entertains her children and others. She caters to "mommy, mommy, mommy" and her work! Their challenges have become the new norm—the new life for many families. She keeps an eye on the children while they're on their laptops. She also supports the teacher across the screen to keep the children engaged and learning.

After "school" time, they "commute" to the dinner table and then return to the same desk to study. Mother helps them with their homework. The cycle repeats the next day. It's too much. Parents get exhausted. This is new to everybody, except maybe the home-schooled families.

Lockdown is by itself a challenge. Initially, it was difficult to explain why they were not going to school, couldn't touch other people, and could not play with other friends. Put on masks, sanitize, wash hands — It looks like children will accommodate much quicker than adults.

Parents try their best to fill the gaps. 90% of their lives is how much dad and mom love them and dedicate time for them. You're shaping their lives. That's a big, fantastic, and rewarding job when they become the best version of themselves.

“If you give them all the love they need, that’s enough.”

Today

She deals with backache. He deals with tennis elbow. She is faithful at face value. He believes and is knowledgeable in the scriptures. She is close to God, hates no one, envies no one, and is delighted to live in her own world — a world full of people to entertain. They both make 9612 Center Cross a much warmer neighborhood to live in.

Jeanine’s LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

At Starbucks, she likes double-shot tall unsweetened almond milk latte.