I gots da' bumpity bump, camel hump!

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll. It would appear that I am going for that all-out, over-the-top hijab fashion/trend known as al-gambooa3a, the camel hump, 60's beehive hairdo under a scarf, look. HOWEVER it's not quiet that simple.

You see, I got a perm. A curly perm, to clarify. My eldest son asked, with a look of barely concealed horror, "You mean a straight perm or a curly perm?". Seems even 17 yr olds with no real knowledge of the 80s knows what the end result of a curly permanent can be.

Yes Virgina, I did get a permanent. And you know what? I like it. I really like it. Being a southerner (and growing up in the 80s) I do have an affinity for big hair. Bring on the Final Net and hair dryer, our hair is getting some wings! One of my friends used so much hairspray your feet would literally stick to the floor. One girl in high school (her name was Kara, really sweet shy girl) had what was enviably known as the "tallest hair in the 9th grade". We all loved her hair.

So it would seem I've brought back a version of the big hair. I don 't wear it high on the top but when I pull my hair back under my hijab it still makes a verrrry noticeable hump. I've never worn a hair flower (used to give the illusion of height under my hijab) because I do feel it isn't correct. I am NOT starting a debate, I don't judge those who do it, I just feel it's not correct.

But I do like the look my new 'do gives me. Hey, its just my hair, I can appreciate it! Anyway I would love to post some pics of my hair done up in the funky rollers (it took 2 girls 3 hours just to roll it!!!) but I still think that borders on haram/showing off what isn't apparent so I'll have to take an indefinite raincheck. ;-)

Alrighty insha'allah I'll get my vacay pics uploaded soon. I wanna show off my handsome sons!!!! We are having a cookout tonight (it's already chilly here in Mass especially at night) but a girl's gotta eat her halal burgers.

Ma salaama ya'll!

Still on vacation!

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll! I am kinda sorry I didn't bring my laptop because I could have been downloading and sharing photos as we go. Alhamdulillah, our other one is being repaired so I left it at home for A. Also I didn't really need yet another bag to keep up with, now did I?

I am having a great time but feel guilty being away from A. He got sick, Yousef the youngest got sick and Nurse Jeanna is nowhere around. Alhamdulillah. Insha'allah they are both on the mend and I guess this will make my market value raise even more, yeah? ;-)

My family celebrates Thanksgiving every year. I do attend as it isn't a religious gathering for my family, just about family and good food! So this year masha'allah they decided to have it in October so I could be present. We had it at my sister's soon to be opened restaurant, The Groovy Dawg Cafe. :-) It was great and so much fun masha'Allah. Zachary sang and played his guitar and Aaminah even joined in the fun. And yes, sisters, I know music is haram, I know stringed instruments are haram. My son isn't Muslim, he is a Christian, I just enjoyed spending time with him while he enjoyed himself.

My sons are huge masha'Allah! Such wonderful young men. I could really just go on and on about them. I love them so much and now it will be even harder to leave them. It's difficult because I love A so much and I love my sons and right now, those 2 things are in different places. Insha'allah it will all work out and please sisters make dua for us that Allah reunited us all soon amin!

OK I need to go. Just wanted to update, and thank my followers. Really I love knowing that people keep up with my life and that insha'Allah I have such a beautiful circle of sisters who love me for the sake of Allah swt as I love each and every one of you. We may not meet in person but we can pray for each other and beseech Allah to help and guide the others in times of distress and crisis.

May Allah bless us all amin!!!!

Leave of absence

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll. I'm leaving tomorrow to head back to K-town, Knoxvegas, Knoxville. Whatever you call it, that's where I'm going. I can't wait to see my family and friends again. I even planned my trip so I'd have 2 Fridays there so I could attend my old masjid for jumah prayer. I think I put that in a previous post but I'm too lazy to fact check. Just thought I'd add it again.

My baby (well my baby boy) Alex has a cross-country race on Tuesday evening. I am really excited I get to be a part of that and experience it with him. I am very proud of my sons; they are just awesome boys. They were very close to Aaminah before we moved and I am eager for all 3 of them to get reconnected too. My dream, my goal, is for my family to move back to Knoxville. I like Hudson; its very pretty here and nice weather although I don't know how I'll drive in the snow!!! But my heart is in East TN along with my sons.

It's about 10:30 pm here right now and I've been busy all day. Because I had been sick last week and in the hospital I had quite a bit of laundry to put away and then more to do. Clean the bathroom, make dinner for A and the kids for tomorrow; I really don't want him to have too many burdens from my trip. He's being great about it but I know it's a hardship for him to have to take care of his 3 while working, with me and Aaminah gone. Insha'allah I'll enjoy my trip but enjoy coming home as well!

I made this little "card" for him as well as some small sentiments. I gussied 'em up on Word and printed them out to hide in little places. One in his sock drawer, one in the shower, and one.... maybe in the mailbox. :-) Better put it in an envelope if I don't want the mailman reading. :-) Actually they are all in Arabic so obviously I was limited in what I said. I think I used "ya habib", and "my husband, my life" and "I love you, habib" or something like that. A found a neat website that lets you type arabic phonetically and it converts it to Arabiy. Masha'Allah nice and now I can leave little Arabic love letters around the house. Sweet....

Alrighty, I better go. I need to make sure I got all my last minute things packed. Please make du'a for me that my trip goes smoothly ( I have an rx for meclizine for motion sickness yes!!!) and that our visit is lovely and just long enough. :-)

Ma salaama.....

Random picture post

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll! I just uploaded several pics and, thanks to bloggers new (or new to me) feature of placing multiple photos easily, ya'll are getting' a treat. I can say that because as usual most of them are of Aaminah. :-P Enjoy!

Ouch! The ground was closer than I thought!

I kinda like the view from down here.

Swing glorious swing! By the way, I got her cute little outfit on clearance at Target for about $4.00 The "cutoff" jean shorts have little flower embroideries around the thigh and I bought the green t-shirt separate. Will insha'Allah fit her next year too!

Just doing what my mama says. I feel like a dork. :-) I wanted you all to see her farasha abaya my friend, Sr. Lisa made her. Sooo cute!!!

Lisa sent her a little hijab that used to belong to her daughter Aliyah before she got so big masha'allah! Doesn't Aaminah look like one of those cute little Indonesian girls now?

Aaminah came to me and said, "Look. I did henna!"

Showing off her "hand"-i-work :-D