It'll all happen insha'allah

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll. Just wanted ya'll to know I really enjoy putting down my random thoughts and I liked that graphic. :-) Soooo... Aaminah will be going to childcare for 3 days a week. I am a little leery about her going but allahu alim. It's a really nice center, great recommendations, the staff has been really nice everytime I've called/stopped by. I don't really feel ready but she does. She keeps harassing asking me, "When I go to school?". It's really cute; she wants to be like the bigger kids and go to school masha'Allah. Now if only Mama was as excited. :-)

I had an epiphany of sorts today. Actually, I'm pretty sure I've had that same epiphany before, which makes it a bit less "epiphany-ish" but I like that word and it's been so long since I had this thought, I think it still qualifies! lol

Anyway, Aaminah fell asleep today while I was coming home from some errands. I decided to forgo all the long walk to the other end of the parking garage, the wait for the elevator, the ride, and then basically walking back the same distance to our end of the building. Instead I opted for the 2 flights of stairs and significantly less walking.

Wow. That's all I can say. W O W. It was crazy how heavy she was. She is 30 lbs. Hmmm, 30 lbs. My how she's grown. My baby. Ya Allah she's heavy, how can I make it to the top???

During this inner monologue, I realized (epiphany time!) that I am about 2.5 Aaminahs overweight. :-) That's insane. It was soooo hard climbing the steps with her (yes in my arms, not distributed more or less over my body) but still. It got me a'thinkin'. How light would I feel if I dropped even a few pounds? Let's be conservative and say 20. Alright, 20 lbs. No one ever died (theoretically) from cutting back/moving more to the tune of losing the equivalent of 4 gallons of milk. Hmmm....

So I am gonna (here comes the "public commitment" part) reallllly try to drop 20. Not, "drop and give me 20" but lose 20 lbs. Well I've gone and done it now I guess (that's a southern-ism by the way!). It's out here for all the www to see, or at least the 37 people who follow my blog. lol

Next question, should I set a timeline for myself? Probably so. I think if I say that by Nov. 12 (that's my 38 birthday-not that we celebrate, just a matter of fact) that would be a good amount. Maybe even give me the time to beat the deadline and feel like a real winner.  Of course my (secret) plan is to keep doing 20 at a time, if I find this successful.

Note: This will never be a weight loss blog but if I do manage (insha'Allah) to reach my goal or even continue to strive, I'll be posting it here. Just no "before and after" in  revealing clothes. I'll do a before and after in my knee length khimar. LOL That'll get me on a Jenny Craig/WW/Slimfast commercial for sure! :-)

Okey dokey, alrighty tighty... one more thing to update on. I don't think I'll be doing any more "interfaith dialogue" here again. I just don't like it. It's my blog, I defended my religion and fellow Muslims right to build a masjid and to worship how and where we choose. I don't feel the need to validate my religion or "prove" anything. The fact the world exists and I am here and there is any goodness in this world is testament that Allah swt is the supreme Creator. The fact I am a Muslim is a testament to the mercy of Allah.

In my previous blog, I only tried to show (exactly the same way LFOG did) that my religion's holy book doesn't condone unmerited violence and that there is indeed violence perpetuated in his/her holy book the Bible. I received many more comments from LFOG but decided against posting them bec: a) it's my blog :-P b) I don't like debating c) I had my say and that's that. I allowed them to post their opinion once and then I defended my stance.

There is nothing to be gained by continous back-and-forth. I have my beliefs, they have theirs and alhamdulillah for it all. I do not hate Christians; almost all of my family identify as such. I don't hate the Jewish people; I don't hate Hindus, or Buddhists or any of the million and one ways people try to make sense of their life.

I do however believe that Islam is the straight path and I do believe there is only ONE God and He is supreme and infallible and has never been on this earth in the form of someone who, like myself or the basest criminal, has the pains of hunger or the need to defecate, who feels annoyance or desires the feel of human skin against His own, astaghfirallah.

Alright, I am pretty sure that clears up my stance; if anyone is thick enough to not understand, feel free to ask for a clarification. :-)

Ma salaama ya'll!!!!!!!

Busy, oh so busy

*Ain't she just the purtiest little thang you ever did see?*

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll! I've been meaning to do a post for while but you know, life gets in the way. :-) First I'll update everyone on my famiy, then get to the meat of the posting!

I finally had my i.v. pulled. Alhamdulillah! It was in for SIX WEEKS this time subhanallah. I pray the infection is gone but Allahu alim, time will tell. I have an appointment with a uro-gynecologist to have a little look-see (southernism!) at my hoo-haa (immature word for my "you know whats".) Wait, that's immature too! lol ANYWAY glad to be infection-free insha'allah. Uh, infection in my urinary tract for those of you thinking otherwise. :-)

I always like to keep up with the other sisters out there in the virtual world. Some make me smile, some make me think, others make me think, "what the..." lol. But I enjoy them all. I was reading on this Muslim Mama's blog the other day (she had a little rant) and really some of it was just too funny. Especially the part about personal hygiene. Sis, wanna hear my "dirty" secret? Once a friend and  I had a VH1's "Behind the Music" fest and did nothing but watch it the entire weekend. I mean we didn't change out of our pajamas, we didn't cook, and no, we didn't shower. Nice. Oh, and that has never been repeated again btw. :-)

I am still not feeling my new masjid. I know I could do more to feel a part. I think it's kinda like when your dog dies and you feel guilty petting the new puppy. I miss my old masjid and sisters there so much I can't feel too good at the new one. And, yeah, it's realllly different here. At least this Jumah I got 3 salaams. Woo-hoo! ;-) New record. In my previous masjid, which I still think of as MY masjid, I went out of my way to be involved, volunteer, work for the masjid and school, etc. Now I have no time for volunteering. I know and believe my place is in the home, that I should care for my husband, family, and home first. I firmly believe this but I do miss being involved in my local community. Insha'allah as the kids grow a bit (really meaning Aaminah!) I can do so again.

Ohhhhhhh I gotta share this with you all! My brother is currently a mandatory guest at one of the state of Tennessee's finer establishments. Um, prison, yeah. Not a violent crime but repeat offeneder. ANYWHO... I got a letter from him. Nice, telling me how he is working on his education, has gained 30 lbs (good for him, he is small), blah blah blah. Nice no talk about dropped soap and near misses. LOL Alhamdulillah.

However, before I could even read the letter, as I drew it out from the envelope, my eyes fell on his p.s. which was written on the back page. All it said was this:

"P.S. Is there any ladies who would like to correspond? Please have them write."

WTHeck? Are you serious? My brother, and let's forget even the fact I am Muslim and don't do anything like that nor do my friends, but my elder brother asking me to be his pimp. Authubillah! Toooooo funny and really just set the tone for me to read the rest of his letter. I didn't even mention it in my return reply; I'll put in a few pamphlets on Islam though and insha'allah he might read them.

OK this has been a crazy, all-over-the-place kinda post. I'll end it here now before my brain just goes completely out.

Ya'll have a great weekend! Ma salaama.....

Southern-isms

A'salaamu alaikum ya'll! This could be a new southernism but only for southern US Muslims, obviously. :-) I wanted to post this photo of Aaminah and when I looked at it, so many southern sayings popped into my mind I knew I needed to share. :-)

1. I could just eat you up! Translation: You are most probably the sweetest thing I have ever seen. :-) This is what I thought when I saw this pic of Aaminah.

2. Look at that sh*t eatin' grin. Translation: You look mischievious. Yes, this is a real bona-fide southern saying.

3. Oh bless her heart! Translation: How I pity you and/or revel in your distress but in order to appear sweet and genteel I can't say so. lol

4. Well I'd rather do ______ than get a kick in the head. Translation: Self-explanatory.

5. I ain't seen you in a month of Sundays. (Pronounced: I ain't seen you in uh month uh Sundees.) Translation: Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since we spoke last!

6. Why, he's mean as a striped snake. (Pronounced: Why, he's mean as a stripe-ed snake.) Translation: Don't mess with that guy. lol

7. Well, they! Translation: You must be kidding me!

8. You're as useless as tits on a bull. Translation: Uh, you're useless. :-D

Here's an impromptu vocab lesson: "layg" and "ayg" are leg and egg and "flair" is both flour and flower.

Please remember when saying these (if you were to ever want to do so!) that you must draw out all vowel sounds. Otherwise you will just sound crazy. :-)

I know there are many more but I think I'm losing my southern-ness. :-( Now Aaminah says "Hi" and "Bye" instead of "Haiiii" and "Bahhh". My baby is gonna have a northern accent. Nooooooooooooooooo!

Ma salaama...