Eid fun!

Ocho exploring the eid lights :)

Salaam ya'll! We've had so many days of eid fun, I've lost track! Alhamdulillah for all our blessings! As ya'll probably know we are not wealthy people. We have most of what we need but things like car repairs and holiday presents are a big drain on our tiiiight budget. This year Aaminah is in KG at our local Islamic school and they just started a Beta Club there. Like a service organization for good students is the best explanation I can come up with. :)

Anyway they decided to take a collection for a few students to buy them eid gifts and it was such a blessing to us! They sent home a note and asked for a list of 3 things Aaminah would like as well as clothes and shoe size. She received so many gifts from them and it was just humbling and amazing. She got 2 DVDs (The Little Mermaid and a Princess Sofia), 2 dolls (Little Mermaid and a Princess Sofia) and she also got a Princess Sofia messenger bag that you decorate yourself. It was so sweet and so much more than I had hoped for. :)

I did take her to Target and let her pick out one eid gift from me; she got a pretend cash register. Every kid loves to play with those! It has fake coins and beeps and the drawer opens and shuts. :) She and her friend Jayanah played with it for hours.

I also bought her a few very cheap surprises; I got her some flarp (ooey gooey slimey stuff), a bag of her favorite chocolates, some lipgloss, a new watercolor set (the cheap stuff lol) and I blew up 17 balloons! I bought purple, pink and pink and black zebra striped. I set up some colored lights I had in my closet (from where? I don't know! lol) and when she woke up on eid morning she was so surprised! It was really fun.

The eid card Aaminah made for me, mA :)

After that we went to eid breakfast at our local Islamic school. I couldn't make it to eid prayer because of the parking situation; it's just too far for me to walk in my condition.

Outside our Islamic school BEFORE the celebrants arrived! :) Gorgeous mA!

Oh speaking of, I have good "bad" news. Bad news is I am sicker but the good news is I can finally get treatment! ;) If you are anemic due to kidney failure you have to reach a certain level before insurance will pay. I was right on the cusp for the whole past year. :( You can take injections of a synthetic erythropoetin (called Procrit or Epogen) subcutaneously (in the fat!) and it will help your body make more red blood cells.

I had to prove I had no iron depletion issues (none) and no Vitamin B-12 deficiencies (nope) and finally I hit below the level to start treatment. I am looking forward to feeling stronger and iA it will really improve my quality of life! Now if I do too much besides being horribly tired and out of breath (with even the smallest exertion) my muscles hurt. A deep, deep burning pain that doesn't go away for about a day. I'll be paying tomorrow for taking Aaminah to the eid picnic but so be it! :)

Oh we also did a few more things for eid! We went to see Monster University at our local "dollar" movies, you know, the theatre you go to see older films. After their first run they go to the cheaper theatre. For only $12.25 we got 2 admissions, 2 drinks and a popcorn. I thought it was a great deal. :) Then we also went rollerskating with some sisters. Aaminah loved it but it was really hard on me. I can't skate due to my transplant (and fear of bruising my kidney) but even just my anemia and kidney failure prevents me. However, Aaminah needed to be held the entire time; I had to hold her hand and walk or, more often, grab her under the arm to help steady her. Shew, it wore me out!

Her little stocking feet, glowing in the blue light :)

Then today was the annual Siddiqui Family Eid Picnic and masha'Allah they do an amazing job! A picnic for up to 1,000 people, Muslims and our neighbors and friends. :) The grown daughter does most of the organization and it was amazing! They had 4 bounce houses, 100s of goodie bags, food food and more food!, free sno-cones, free balloons animals and organized games. Masha'Allah, may He bless this family! And they are all so humble, giving all the praise to Allah swt. :) Here are some pics from today:

One of the bounce houses

Some of the food: Tandoori chicken, falafel, salad, and gyros mA, to just name a few!

They always have a balloon archway so pretty!

A far-away view of some action!

Anyway it was amazing and we had a great time. :) At the end, my friend and I took our girls down to the lake and let them play in the sand and the edge of the water:

Cute and totally accidental it was blog "proof" :)

Insha'Allah your eid was beautiful and wonderful and spent with family and friends. Praying Cap'n and H are here to celebrate with us next year!