Welcome to Texas! Part II
August 5, 2009 at 10:09 pm | In Desert life, Family, New Mexico, Siblings, Thoughts, Travel | Leave a Comment
The moment hubby revved up the engine and started driving after praying Fajr with the kids at th rest area which we had stopped at for the night, I sought a comfortable position and fell right asleep. Nothing like a moving vehicle to rock me to sleep. However, I soon woke up to find ourselves at another rest area. Hubby killed the engine and went to sleep. I turned around and saw the kids all still fast asleep. The sky was illuminated by the freshly risen sun, and to my right, I heard the flushing of toilets. Then a lady janitor came out. For a while I contemplated getting out of the van to go to the restroom, since all the toilets at the other rest area were too filthy. But I was too overcome with sleepiness that I continued sleeping (yes, despite the lack of movement) and after about an hour or more, hubby resumed driving.
When I did wake up, it was to a wonderful scenery. There were rolling hills to the right and left of us. Green. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. The first few times that I did open my eyes, I remember seeing the green backed up by the morning sky, but I had fallen right back to sleep. It was later on that I was able to stay awake and appreciate the green we were driving by. If I had had amnesia, I would have thought we were back in the midwest! It was very welcoming and beautiful. It was a nice change from the desert. It was what I have been craving all these months. It lifted my spirits. All my stress were strewn about in the desert back home. I guess I needed the rejuvenation from the greenery. And the cliffs, they were beautiful. The layers of sedimentary rock looked like cake layers to me. Subhanallah…
I asked the kids,
“What kind of rock is this?”
H was the one who answered. he didn’t exactly remember the term, but merely said something like,
“Semi something,”
We had calculated our arrival in Houston and expected to be there around 10 a.m., but we encountered some traffic as hubby followed Google map’s directions and recalculated our arrival to be around jumuah time. I was bothered by our state of cleanliness and badly wished we could take a shower. Lo and behold, subhanallah, Allah handed us the opportunity when we stopped for gas. It was a Chevron, a travel plaza. While hubby filled in the gas tank, I asked him,
“Do they have showers here?”
“I don’t know, try and ask.”
I went in the plaza and headed for the restroom where the girls were already brushing their teeth. I wanted to do more than brush my teeth!
“S, come with me. I want to see if they have showers here.”
Right across the hallway, indeed I saw a sign saying ‘Showers’, but as I tried each door, they were all locked. So I went up to the cashier and asked the lady if they were locked because they’re occupied or if it’s because we have to pay.
It turned out to be 5 dollars, so I went back to hubby and told him. he paid for it, got a towel, two small soaps and the huge key to the shower. Surprisingly, the shower stall was quite clean. All of us showered, including Baby Z. My spirits were further lifted as I put on a change of abaya and hijab, and socks. I was ready to meet my sisters in Houston.
Well, who would have known that we were to encounter another set of downpours as we went into Houston? We drove through sheets and sheets of rain as we neared Houston, and with that, came bad traffic. had trouble finding the hotel too, mostly because I gave hubby the wrong direction. So he missed the Friday prayer, but when we got there, I met a sister from C-Bus I did not expect to see at Ilmsummit.
It was a beautiful reunion, at least I think so. I felt completely at home somehow amidst all these sisters, some of whom I have known from before, and some of whom I don’t know. K, even got to introducing me to her roommate, our Taleem tafseer teacher, subhanallah! I sat in, with permission which K asked for, in one of the sessions. As we were leaving the hotel to go to Id’s place, who did we bump into other than Sh Yaser?
We were going down the steps, heading towards the van parked in the open parking lot, me and the kids first and hubby behind me. It was then that I noticed a car stopping by us, and I happened to look and saw Sh Yaser looking at hubby and waving at him. I stopped and told pointed Sh Yaser out to hubby, who probably already saw him anyway.
Sh Yaser stopped and talked to hubby while I waited with the girls. Baby Z was ready to go to the van, and so was H. I called out to H to go and shake Sh Yaser’s hand, and he hesitated. Sh Yaser then turned to look at him and said,
“Oh, come on!”
So H went, and then to my utmost surprise, little Baby Z started walking past me, towards Sh. Yaser. In no time, he was by Sh. Yaser’s side, just standing there and waiting.
When Sh Yaser realized he was there, he turned to Baby Z and took his hand and kissed it.This little toddler is so unpredictable. One moment he can be so reserved and shy, and another moment, he can be so bold as to walk up to the a person waiitng to shake his hand. Or maybe, he just recognized Sh Yaser from our weekly class in El Paso. Whatever it is, alhamdulillah!
“Welcome to Texas,” was what Sh Yaser said to us.
That was another highlight of our visit to Houston, I must say. Having Sh Yaser moved away from El Paso is such a devastation to me. I already miss him even thugh we don’t live in El Paso. El Paso is not the same without him there.
The next highlight of that trip is my reunion with my college friend whom I have not met for seven years. The last time I saw her, she had only one child, same age as my H, and we were both visiting Malaysia at the time. Since then, she had had more babies, and the three that I have have grown, with the addition of two more, one living. We stayed at Id’s house for the rest of the our stay in Houston. They had just moved back to Houston from Alaska and she has not finished unpacking her boxes. I felt bad staying at her house considering she is pregnant with the fifth child, the oldest being H’s age, and they had just moved in the house about one week ago. But as K told me at the hotel earlier, when I told her of my dilemma,
“Oh, don’t act like a guest. You just help her!”
That’s the Somali spirit! Mashaallah!
Saturday night's dinner - Mee Sop, and beautiful pitcher of Air Bandung
Our kids bonded, and our husbands looked alike, with different ‘progressions’(hubby’s word, not mine) in their male pattern baldness. It was a nice sitting with an old friend and chatting face to face after spending hours on the phone all these years, much to our husbands kind understanding.
Air Bandung. I just loved the color!
We met a couple other families, one of which was with us in Iowa, and also my high school senior. On Saturday, we went again to the Crowne Plaza and this time, I brought Id along. I was hoping to catch Sh Yaser’s session on fasting, but didn’t. However we did manage to sit in on the khatirah after Zuhr done by a sister, which was later critiqued by Sh Yaser. I was content. We left Ilmsummit.
Love the jug too!
I got to meet who I wanted to see and even more alhamdulillah. A little of my heartache in missing C-bus was soothed. To top it off, I even got my hands on Na’ima Roberts’ From My Sisters’ Lips on Friday. Good thing I got it that Friday, because on Saturday, when we scoured Darussalam’s booth, I coudln’t see it anymore. I got a couple more books though, Zaid Ibn Thabit and Uthman Ibn Affan.
I also got my hands on some Asian grocery stuff that I couldn’t find in Albuquerque; namely Kaya, lemongrass stalks, laksa, and gula jawa and serbuk kari Malaysia thanks to Id. That trip proved to be more than I expected, in a good way alhamdulillah. Baby Z had trouble sleeping the first night we were in Houston, because he wanted to sleep with S but S didn’t want him to sleep with her. Somewhow, while I was in the bathroom, Baby Z fell asleep with hubby in Iz’s room where hubby and I slept. The second night, S agreed to let baby Z sleep with her, so he slept with his big sister. All the kids played so nicely together alhamdulillah. It tickled me to see Baby Z playing with Baby Hz as they were about the same age.
My kids loved Hz, as they love babies, especially the girls. Once N said to me,
“Hz is smarter than Z, because he can speak and do some stuff.”
I laughed. Even though Baby Z is older by 4 months than Baby Hz, he is not talking yet, and N just switched to the other side, in favor of Baby Hz. I have never thought of how Baby Z’s lack of speech may have impacted the kids. I remember telling S way back, when I was still pregnant,
“Next year, when you are done with your test, the baby will already be walking and saying ‘Na na’”
Subhanallah, how great is Allah’s Wisdom and planning. I would have expected the baby (Baby Z) to be talking by now, but, Allah has other plans for him. That, is truly humbling.
Sunday morning, K T invited us over to her house for brunch. Subhanallah, Houston is truly filled with utter hospitality, from Qabeelat Hosna to the Malaysians living there. The last time we went to Houston, K T’s family showered us with their hospitality, and this time, even thuogh we didn’t stay at their house, they still managed to embrace us with their hospitality.
K R, my senior and fellow temporary Iowan residents, also did the same. We left Houston that Sunday, around 2 pm (later than we had planned) with home cooked food, packed lovingly by K T and K R. Last time, we also left Houston with K T’s food. May Allah reward them all with immense goodness. Ameen.
We drove back home without stopping to sleep, because hubby had to work the next day. I had expected to drive whie he slept part of the way, but when I asked, he said no. So, he drove all the way back, not without sleepiness though. We passed San Antonio, this time, on the highway. It was beautiful. As we passed it, hubby asked H,
“Do you think it’s Asr yet? How can you tell?”
It was time to practice what Sh Yaser had taught us. And H remembered it.
Double the shadow of the object, plus the excess length. We stopped for gas in a little town just as the sun was about to set, in time too, because the fuel tank indicator was almost at E. Hubby and the kids prayed at a parking lot behind the gas station.
The rest of the night was hard on hubby. Despite that, he still refuses to hand over the wheels to me. But then again, I’m not good behind the wheel at night anyway. It felt like ages before we even reached El Paso. Hubby kept saying,
“Where is the downtown? We’re not even there yet.”
On the way to Houston, we passed by the border patrol. Something new we learned is that you have to bring your passports with you when travelling in New Mexico and even Texas, because of the vicinity of the border to Mexico. Since it was pouring on the way to Houston, we were waved off at the checkpoint. On the way back to New Mexico, there were no checkpoints. I have to say that driving past El Paso at night, past the downtown is amazing! On the way to Houston, I couldn’t take my eyes off Mexico. Yes, you can see Mexico. There is just something about seeing the lights spread out. I have always loved air travel, and this is one reason why I love it; you get to see towns from above, especially at night.
We got home around 2 a.m. alhamdulillah. I felt a little sad that we were home, because Houston has such great people and a great environment minus the heat and humidity, but it actually also felt good to be sleeping in our bed after the long drive. The houseplants didn’t fare too well. Before we left, we had lined them up by the staircase and watered them a lot, but somehow, the water pooled. I guess the heat didn’t really evaporate the water as I thought it would. The chilli and bell pepper on the other hand, thrived inside. I had brought them into the sunroom, well protected from arduous sunlight, and they actually looked healthy. I had planned to leave the house spotless before we left for Houston, but Thursday was so hectic that I didn’t get to carry out all of my plans, plus, we were on the verge of not going to Houston that day. If hubby hadn’t insisted, I would have probably continued sleeping and giving up on the idea of going to Houston altogether. I’m glad he insisted. Thinking back, I would have been multiply depressed had we not gone.
Sy had told hubby,
“Move to Houston.”
Hubby and I discussed the possibility, but we concluded that the possibility is pretty slim since hubby would most probably be affiliated with universities, and Houston is a great job market for engineers and computer people, not necessarily academicians. Oh well, Allah, in His Wisdom, has put us in this town. We have made istikharah. I can’t say I regret it, but I have to admit it’s a real test for mer personally at least. I accept this as a personal test for me, and as long as Allah has decreed that we stay here, I will try my best to bear it. Who knows, I may even love it here such that when we move away, I might miss it as much as I miss the other towns we have lived in. Inshaallah…
Welcome to Texas! Part I
August 4, 2009 at 10:05 pm | In Community, Family, Kid Talk, Travel | Leave a CommentIt was hubby’s idea. Seriously. He was the one who brought it up.
“If you’re so pressed, we can go to Houston so you can see them.”
I never thought we would go to Houston just so I could see my dearest Columbus sisters who are attending Ilmsummit. Then, subhanallah, how Allah makes everything fall into place so beautifully, my dearest friend Id, who is basically one of the very few (and I’m not exagerating) Malay friends I closely keep in touch with through the phone, happened to move back to Houston from Alaska. We also had our last El Paso session of Divine Link with Sh Yaser the week before last, and the thought of going to Houston also brought up the possibility of seeing him there.
Then, a few weeks before this planned but not yet confirmed trip to Houston, the local masjid announced a camping trip that was to take place that very same weekend. I was crestfallen. To be completely honest, I didn’t want to go on that camping trip, especially after thinking and getting excited about seeing my dear sisters in Houston. I have missed my sisters so much. The environment of good company, the conversations revolving around ‘ilm and reflections, and not to mention the green that we encountered after passing the Chihuahuan desert on the drive to Houston. I miss all of that. Ever since we moved here, I haven’t had much of those types of conversations.
Back in the van, I asked the kids,
“So do you want to go camping or do you want to go see K, Az and Aa in Houston?”
Lately, the kids, especially S have been so against traveling. I had mentioned of traveling to Milwaukee. They groaned.
“We don’t want to go anywhere!” they exclaimed.
In my heart, I can’t help thinking,
How can they want to stay here in this desert? I would take any opportunity to travel out of this town!
Their answer really surprised me, and left me feeling as if I was embraced by the warmth of good sisterhood.
“We want to see K, Az and Aa!”
“All of you?” I asked.
“Yes!”
I couldn’t believe my ears, so I asked again,
“You don’t want to go camping?”
“No.”
“There’re too many people.”
“If we go camping, I want it to be just us, and maybe another family.”
Wow! I never thought they thought that way. But what mattered to me the most right then was that their choice made it even more likely that we would go to Houston!
And so it was that we planned to go to Houston on Friday morning. it would be a 12 hour drive, though hubby did bring up the idea of going there on Thursday so we would have more time in Houston.
Hubby had to go Milwaukee the week before, and only came back home on Tuesday morning at 2 a.m. The next day, Wednesday, he had an exam and had to go to work right after. However, when he was in Milwaukee, he said to me,
“I think we should go on Thursday instead. Since it’s quite a drive, we might as well, spend some time there and not have to rush.”
That Thursday, I had two appointments to attend. One appointment was for Baby Z’s allergy evaluation in the morning, and the other one was for his speech therapy results in the afternoon. It was going to be a hectic day. As we usually do, we had started packing days before, so by Thursday, all our clothes were packed. All that was left was Baby Z’s food and other stuff. Suffice it to say, we ended up staying at the doctor’s office from 10 am to 1 p.m. May I just say, I hate doctor’s offices. That left us scrambling to drop library books at the library and picking up the girls’ pottery pieces from the Art Museum. To add to that, I had to drop off the prescription for Baby Z’s epipen and albuterol at the pharmacy. May I say again, I hate doctor’s offices.
After everything, I got home at 4 pm and took a nap. Hubby came home and woke me up around 6 pm. 7 pm plus, we set out for Houston.
Near sunset as we were approaching El Paso
The trip to Houston itself is something to write about. To sum it up, we slept in the van at a rest area, drove through several downpours in the dark of the night, lit only by successive lightnings, woke up to sunrise in the Chihuahuan desert, drove through some wonderful lush green hills, stopped at a Travel Plaza and showered (5 bucks to get the key to the shower, two small soaps, and a towel) ,drove through heavy downpour as we entered Houston, and missed the Friday prayer, but got to meet who we wanted to meet. It was all worth it.
I had worried that Baby Z wouldn’t be able to sleep in the van (hubby’s idea, not mine) thus rendering us all sleepy zombies in the morning. But as it turned out, I was the one who couldn’t sleep. For 4-5 hours, I sat in the van, tried to get into a comfortable position to no avail, stepped out and went to the public restroom to wash my face, looked at the glass encased map of where we were (we were nowhere, or should I say, somewhere in Texas) only to have a huge bug creep under my hijab at the back of my head. It was frustrating to say the least. Nevertheless I thank Allah for giving me the tawfeeq to grab that opportunity to make dua and be patient. Too bad I couldn’t pray. When Fajr came, hubby woke up and they prayed fajr and hubby continued driving. I on the other hand, fell asleep right away. Still too sleepy, hubby stopped again at another rest area and slept. This time, I was able to continue sleeping as well, walhamdulillah.
That stop at Chevron where we showered was really a blessing. As the water trickled down my head and face, I couldn’t help thinking what a blessing it is to get to shower everyday. I felt rejuvenated and increasingly excited to meet my sisters in Houston.
Though one incident did somewhat mar the drive; we ran over a hare that night. The kids were asleep, and I was almost falling asleep. Suddenly, right in front of my eyes, a desert hare, a jackrabbit, I suppose started to hop across the road. It was as clear as day as our headlights shone on it. We were probably going at 70 miles per hour and before I knew it, we heard a small thump underneath us. I bolted upright, gasped in horror, and turned to hubby. He looked tired and merely raised his eyebrows. Good thing the kids were sleeping. For the rest of the night, (that was before I was struck with insomnia) I mourned the dead hare. My younger brothers would have whooped,
“Roadkill! Roadkill!”
To Be Continued…
Albuquerque, New Mexico
June 15, 2009 at 6:58 pm | In Family, Mothering, Travel | 2 Comments
Part of hubby’s job description is traveling. Hubby’s first traveling on the job was to Albuquerque. We tagged along, mainly to shop atthe Asian grocery store there, because the ones in El Paso don’t have what we were looking for. This was the week that truly stripped me of energy, as along with my Taleem class, I had to juggle preparing for this trip, and the trip to Tempe the day after, all while the kids were sick, with strep throat.
Right after my Taleem class on Wednesday evening, we drove off to Albuquerque, a 3-4 hour drive. Let me also mention that while it may have sounded simple (‘right after my taleem class on Wednesday evening), it was far from simple. I had to make sure the family had dinner, bags packed, and everything ready by the door, all while attending the 4 hour class. On the way to Albuquerque, both hubby and I were exhausted, since hubby had come home straight from work. We couldn’t see much except for the outline of the moutain ranges and the twinkling stars in the clear night sky. That for me was the highlight of the drive. The kids, N, particularly, said,
“There’s the big dipper!”
To be honest, I never could and still can’t see it, but am amazed by Allah’s twinkling creation nonetheless.
The drive felt like forever, especially because we were all tired, I think. Baby Z had been sick from a few days ago, and it always worries me when he’s sick, because his breathing always sounded like he’s wheezing.
That night, we got to the hotel, prayed maghrib and Isha and then went to bed. The next morning, hubby was to attend the meeting at 7 a.m. and would only be done around 2 p.m. Before we left, I had already surveyed the places we could go to in Albuquerque, and our focus was the Science or Natural History Museum, mostly because we are members and we would be able to enter for free. So hubby printed the map, and that Thursday morning, as hubby went off to his meeting, the kids and I drove off to the Museum. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I do not like driving to unfamiliar places.
So it’s really a wonder that I managed to gather up the courage and drive to a place I have never been to before, with no husband, and in a foreign place. Alhamdulillah though, the directions were pretty straightforward, and before long, we were where we wanted to be. However, S was feverish, N and H were not feeling too good either, so before we entered the Explora (the children Science Museum), each of them got a dose of Ibuprofen.
We really enjoyed our time in Explora, despite the sickness. What stood out to me the most was the teenagers. Apparently, the museum was filled with school children who were on a field trip, probably middle and high schoolers. I have never seen teenagers like such in the Midwest. They looked rather like teenagers from the 80s. The way they dressed, the way they styled their hairs, looked … ancient. When I told hubby this, we came to the conclusion that maybe it was due to the concentration of Catholicism in New Mexico. Interesting.
An incident happened while we were there though. N had been carrying her little handbag, in which she had her newly gifted digital camera from her Abi. This camera in itself, has a long story associated with it. It was supposed to be a surprise for her, hubby ordered it online and when it was supposed to arrive, hubby kept emailing me to anticipate its arrival. 
Ono that day though, the kids and I went out and when we got home, it was around 12 p.m. We never got the package, even though the delivery status on the website said it was already delivered on our front porch.
So we considered it lost, and when N found out how much her Abi had spent on it, she wrote a note to him saying that she would pay him the amount of money he spent for that purchase. That’s N for you.
Alhamdulillah though, the company sent us what was purchased for no cost, so N did get her camera at last. In the museum, I suddenly noticed that she didn’t have her handbag slung over her shoulder. I asked her where it was.
Her response was alarming. As is N, she didn’t know where she had left it. All I could think about was the camera in the bag, and the trouble hubby had to go through in getting it. I was not too happy about it, and I made that very clear to N as we retraced our steps and searched for it.
One thing I wanted to come out of this incident, was N learning responsibility. So after searching for it and not finding it, I told her,
“Keep looking for it, and ask the people if they have seen it. I’m not going to ask for you.”
It was a good thing the museum was not that big. We got to the front entrance and I told N to ask the man manning the registration counter. Sh hesitated. I repeatedly told her that I was not going to do it for her, and that she would have to do it herself.
While telling her this, I spotted her lost handbag at the man’s feet, under the counter. Alhamdulillah! You can’t believe the relief I felt at that very moment, but I didn’t show it to N. I told her that her bag was there, but that again, she was going to have to ask the man herself.
I walked away and left her to do what she needed to do.
That was really a leap of faith on my part, because in truth, I wasn’t sure if she would actually do it. But I left her anyway, hoping she would. I thought to myself,
If she doesn’t do it, it’s her loss.
I was reminded of the tips given in Parenting with Love and Logic, where you let the child suffer the natural consequences of her actions, without bailing her out each time. It was not easy for me to let it go, but I forced myself to, even if it meant she would not get he camera back.
Well, guess what? She did do it. I looked back as I walked away, and to my heart’s delight, I saw her standing in front of the registration counter, talking to the man. Before long, she caught up to me and said,
“I got it.”
I hugged her and commended her. 
That was a huge accomplishment for her, and I wanted her to feel it, not from my praise, which would be external, but from how good she felt, which would be more internal. So I didn’t shower her with praises, but just pointed out to her that she had done it herself, mashaallah.
The other two kids, aware of the incident as we were searching for it, and also aware that I wasn’t too happy with the loss, were busy creating something in the arts and crafts room, with Baby Z. They glanced our way, rather surreptitiously, to see if N had found it. They were too scared to ask N out loud, for fear I would berate them all for being irresposible. I acted normally and from the corner of my eyes, I could see them whispering to N, asking her where she found it.
That was the last of it though. I didn’t bring it up, except to hubby later on. I was happy things turned out as it did, mainly because I believe it taught N a lesson. Alhamdulillah for the happy ending, because it could very well have been a bad one, which I personally would have trouble dealing with, but would have been forced to bear.
Let's go...
We spent quite a lot of time at Explora, and it was only later on that I realized that the Natural History Museum was another building. I only relaied that when I happend to look at some brochures in Explora. I had thought that that was it, because COSi in Columbus was kind of like Explora and that that was it. So I told the kids,
“You guys wanna go to the Natural History Museum?”
Too bad we couldn't stay longer
A couple of times, the cellphone rang in my purse, but I didn’t realize it. Let’s just say that I am pretty ignorant when it comes to cellphones, and the one sitting in my purse was hubby’s (his first cellphone). Hubby had called and said that he would be over to the Museum in a few minutes, as it was on the way to someone’s office, so I didn’t have to go back to the hotel to pick him up.
Talin
We hurried to the Natural History Museum, but unfortunately, after just 5 minutes in there, hubby arrived. To beat traffic on the way home, he rushed us to the Asian grocery stores. Talin, as I learned, was a huge Asian supermarket, bigger than any Asian stores I have been in before in the United States. As we left the Natural History Museum, I gathered quite a few brochures, and thought to myself,
Albuquerque is a fine place to visit. We have to come here again just for vacation next time!
To this day I still have the brochures tucked safely in a basket next to this computer desk. I don’t know when we will be able to go, but inshaallah we will, for I long to go to that Natural History Museum again. Inshaallah.
We got home around 12 a.m. that night, and I ended up going to bed around 1-1:30 a.m. after putting the groceries away and cleaning the kitchen and the coolers we had put shrimps, fish and squids in. Suffice it to say, it was very exhausting, especially since the kids were sick, and we were to go to Arizona the next day. Subhanallah, it all ended rather nicely, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah.
Inshaallah, I hope there will soon be a need for a post on our visit to Albuquerque, for pure enjoyment. And if not, I hope inshaallah, there will be one on a visit for seeking knowledge.
The Day of the Final Move
April 3, 2009 at 4:44 pm | In Deen, Family, Kids, Mothering, Moving, Siblings, Thoughts, Travel | 8 Comments
View from my seat in the airplane. Still in Columbus.
Our flight was at 6 a.m, and considering we almost missed our flight the last time we went, we decided to wake up at 4 a.m. especially because this time around, we had the kids to gather up instead of just Baby Z.
Leaving our hotel room
The drive to the airport had a woebegone taste to it, at least to me. The highway was pretty desolate at that hour. We did run a little late because we woke up at 4:30 a.m. In all the rush, alhamdulillah I managed to squeeze in two rakaah, particularly I think, because we had all showered before going to bed, and so we didn’t have to bother showering that morning. Our hair were still somewhat damp when we woke up. That was our last Fajr in Columbus.
At 5 a.m. the airport was pretty crowded. You would have thought that it would be deserted at that hour, but no. People flying off to work and what not. The airport would be deserted around 10 a.m. We prayed fajr at the interfaith room near the baggage area. We have made many salahs there throughout the years, mostly when we were at the airport picking people up, or sending people off.
When hubby checked the baggage in, I told him to make sure Baby Z didn’t need his own boarding pass like last time. This time around, they actually double checked and assured us that he didn’t need it. Alhamdulillah no trouble occurred after that.
The Malaysian brothers and one sister came by to see us off. I wasn’t teary. I was actually worried about the 3,1,1 requirement of the TSA although I had abided by it in my packing.
My utmost concern with the flight has been food. What with the TSA requirements of 3,3,1 it has been made even more tedious, especially when it came to Baby Z’s food. I had to do a lot of preplanning and playing out ‘in case’ scenarios in order to accomodate space in our bags, and that was the most harrying thing for me throughout the move. This time around, at the airport, they actually opened up the Cetaphil tub, the food containers and all, so we spent quite some time there. As was last time, they also took me aside and patted me down. Alhamdulillah, this time we made it in time, though we did run, well I did, to the gate.
Just as we were about to go in, the cellphone Rq had loaned to us rang. It was Rq. She was on the way to the airport to see us off. But we had already went through the detector gates. Alas! I didn’t get to see her or K. It was very sweet of them to plan to see us off at that hour when I had already told them they didn’t have to.
I have to say that the take off was very emotional for me. When we flew to NM the first time, the take off was not as steep as this one. I was still able to see Columbus from above. This time around, there were clouds and before I knew it, we were too high up to see anything. I had wanted to see the last few glimpses of Columbus from high up, and coupled with the fact that it was the final move, I cried buckets. Literally. Hubby, Baby Z, and I sat together (Baby Z being a lap infant), while the kids all sat together in the seats across the aisle. Torrents of tears gushed down my face. My throat felt all choked up, and I didn’t turn my face away from the window or respond to hubby during take off and for a while after we assumed a horizontal position in the air. Hubby left me alone to my emotions. After all the tears were done with, I believe I was over it. I still miss Columbus, to this day, but I am no longer weepy over it. Once I was done crying, I turned my attention to the rest of the trip. Our next stage of life was beginning, and I just had to pay full attention. Columbus has then become one of the cities we have lived in in the United States. It will always have a special place in my heart, just like Athens, GA and Ames, IA did, particularly because of the people.
Transit in Atlanta
Our fist stop, Atlanta, GA. Ironic that we had moved to Columbus from Georgia, and now, on our way to our next city, we were stopping by this city we had come to to buy halal meat, even if just for a few hours.
The kids were the most excited. It was I guess pretty much their first air trip, to them at least. The last time they went on an airplane was when we went back to Malaysia in 2002. I don’t remember anymore, but I think it took 3 hours to fly from Columbus to Atlanta, or maybe less, and then 3 hours to Atlanta to El Paso. When we went the first time, we had to pray fajr in the airplane. This time around, we didn’t have to pray any prayer during the trip especially also because of the time difference.
When we went the first time, we had to take the train from one terminal to the other in Houston, and I had told the kids that they might get to go on one this time around.
Alas, the terminal was quite close to the terminal we needed to go to, so the kids didn’t get to go on a train. As for me, I scouted around for an electricl outlet so I could recharge the camera’s battery. And of course, feeding Baby Z. The food I had packed in my backpack was more than enough for Baby Z, so we ate of it too. Hubby did treat the kids to some ice cream though, which I missed out on because of Baby Z’s allergy.
It was on the flight to El Paso that exhaustion and sleepiness caught up with Baby Z, such that he basically threw a tantrum when I slightly nudged him in his sleep. Because he was a lap infant, He didn’t get a seat, so hubby and I laid him across our laps. We were about to descend when he woke up and started crying non stop. I was reminded of the flight back to Columbus from El Paso the week before. Subhanallah…I told hubby,
“Alhamdulillah we didn’t go back to Malaysia with him like this. a 24 + hour flight like this? Ughh…”
In the end, because Baby wouldn’t stop crying, hubby passed him to S, who was sitting by the window across the aisle. Before the flight took off, H was sitting there, and S was sitting next to me, by my window. She then changed her mind and opted to sit with her siblings even if that meant she wouldn’t get the window seat. When hubby came back from the WC after changing Baby Z’s diaper,
I told him and he made H move to the aisle seat so S can have her turn sitting at the window seat. On the flight from Columbus to Atlanta, H sat by the window too, next to a man. Hubby sat with me and Baby Z and N and S sat in front of us, with N at the window seat. So rightfully, it was S’s turn to sit at the window seat. The sizes of the airplanes from Columbus to Atlanta and Atlanta to El Paso were different, because El Paso onviously is a small city, so the airplanes flying there are usually smaller in size. For almost the whole trip to El Paso, H sulked in his aisle seat. Each of them had packed their own backpacks, filled with stuff that would occupy them during the trip and the time at the hotel. They took out their scrabble and books. Alhamdulillah they really enjoyed the trip.
Well, surprise, surprise. Baby Z actually stopped crying as soon as we passed him to S. We landed safely and he was a happy camper from there onwards. I asked S what she did to make him stop crying.
“I just said ‘whoa! whoa! when we were about to land”
I was actually scared the flight attendants would tell us that Baby Z could not sit on S’s lap because she herself was a child, but I guess, it all worked out, alhamdulillah. Otherwise, we would have had a screaming and wailing toddler flailing about in anger and frustration throughout the descent and landing. And two very embarrassed parents.
Alhamdulillah we landed safely at our destination, because during the flight, as hubby was reading the newspaper, I joined him and guess what was on it? A news article about the increase of air crashes in the United States recently.
Bismillahi lazdhee laa yadhurru ma’as mihi shay’un fil ardhi wa laa fi samaa wa huwa samiee’un ‘aleem
‘In the name of Allaah with those name nothing is harmed on earth nor in the heavens and He is The All-Seeing, The All-Knowing.’ (three times)
I’ve been saying this dhzikr every day ever since I learned it from the kids’ dua lessons after Fajr that hubby assigned them. I pondered upon it during the flight, especially after reading that news article, and it hit me. Most of the time we are on the ground, firm ground. The dhikr mentions earth and the heavens. At that moment, I was ‘fee assamaa” and boy, did I need Allah’s complete protection.
Recently, or maybe not so recently, as I was arranging stuff in the house, I put on Muhammad Alshareef’s Touched by An Angel on surah An Naas. He mentioned the hadith containing this du’a and the story behind it. During one of my Taleem Quran class, it was also said that one of the good things of doing these daily dhikr is that the remembrance of Allah is always in our hearts. Subhanallah, so true. I was telling the kids one day after Fajr,
“Did you notice that there is a dua for everything? When we go to the bathroom, when we eat, when we sleep, when we step out of the house, when we get in the car, after we eat, going in the house, putting on our clothes, looking in the mirror…”
And of course they started laughing, thinking it incredulous that I listed everything. But the fact is, as Muslims, we have been equipped with a manual to live life, and this is in the Quran and Sunnah. The remembrance of Allah is possible to us via these azdhkaar, if only we would utilize them. In every act that we do, the remembrance of Allah is injected via these adhkaar. Subhanalah walhamdulillah wallaahu akbar.
4-H, Carlsbad Caverns
March 23, 2009 at 6:10 pm | In 4-H, Al Huda Institute, Animals, Community, Desert life, Family, Homeschooling, New Mexico, Travel | Leave a CommentI had looked this up when we were in Columbus, but for some reason I wasn’t moved to enroll the kids in it. Here, hubby’s job deals indirectly with it, since he’s in extension, and 4-Hs around the country is part of the extension program, or at least handled somewhat by the extension. So huby was the one who brought it up.
Meanwhile, I had fished out potential programs, classes the kids could enroll in around here, and there seems to be an abundance of classes and programs, mashaallah! Alhamdulillah. I spent one whole morning filling out our google calendar with homeschooling activities and events. The Museum of Natural History is right in the mall which is about just a few minutes away from our house. There are lots of museums here that offer classes for kids and adults alike, mashaallah.
One thing I noticed here is that astronomy is a big thing. And I can see why. The skies are usually very clear. That is one thing I love about it here. You can see the moon, the stars, the planets and of course feel the sun because of the clear skies.
Desert animals. We were just enlightened by our new friends here about some desert animals that make their appearance in summer. Rattlesnakes is one of them. Tarantulas too. It is getting hot now, and it’s not even summer yet. Subhanallah.
Alhamdulillah though, our living room is all tidied up because we have bought bookcases. So now our books are not sitting on the living room floor anymore. The sunroom houses the kids’ books on our old white shelves and the living room houses my books on our 3 new 5 shelf bookcases.
Hubby had filled out the 4-H enrollment forms, and last night, the kids and I explored the available projects 4-H program offers. Even I went ga ga over the projects.
S wants to do the Horse Science I. N couldn’t make up her mind as to which one she wants because she’s interested in multiple projects, namely the Cat I: Purr-fect Pals, Ceramics, New Mexico Flavor, Baking I, Entomology Unit I, Ice Cream, and Wood & Tools I . As for H, his interest lies in Wood and Tools I, Basic Model Rocketry Unit I, and General Shooting Sports.
I have yet to speak to a county agent, as I have some questions about the program, that wasn’t addressed on the website. As of now I’m waiting for the agent to get back to me after the call I made this morning.
H and N are supposed to enroll in a class, Bike Rodeo, offered by the Las Cruces Railroad Museum tomorrow, but I failed to pre register them earlier and when I called this morning, they said that if I can get 3 kids, then they can add them on, but as of yet, I can’t find one more kid to enroll. S is too old for that particular class. H really wants to take this class, but alas..qadr Allah.
I have yet to get really up to date and organized with things. I have been playing catch up with my missed AlHuda classes, preparing for the Sunday school (which turned out quite ok for an experiment, alhamdulillah) and settling down in the house. The Sunday school class didn’t turn out as how I had planned, alhamdulillah ‘ala kulli haal. I managed to do letter pronunciation, after which I had one group do the diagram of heavy and light letters while I sit with another group and check their reading and recitation. I lost track of time and we didn’t get to do the tafseer after all. I had prepared to do tafseer from Tafseer Ibn Kathir for Surah al Haqqah ayat 1-12, and it has benefited me a lot alhamdulillah. Though of course with the Quran, you still feel like it’s not enough. It would be much much nicer if you can get a scholar right in front of you teaching you tafseer, as there is a lot to tafseer, as I also realized from my AlHuda classes so far. Even one word can give you many dimensions to ponder and reflect on subhanallah.
I may do istikharah on teaching tafseer, as I had received a warning about teaching it, alhamdulillah. May Allah guide me and all of us to the straight path. Ameen. Since it’s spring break, there will be no Sunday school next weekend, alhamdulillah.
Last night, our van broke down and hubby and H was sent back home by a brother. So we are now without transportation, alhamdulillah ‘ala kulli haal. EVen if I were to get a third child to enroll in the Bike Rodeo class, I most probably won’t be able to drive them to the class if the van is not fixed up by tonight.
Hubby told me that we are invited to go to Carlsbad Caverns by some brothers and one other family this coming Wednesday. Since I have Taleem Quran class and group conference call, I think I will pass and the kids can just go with hubby, except for Baby Z. I was about to email the class coordinator informing her I would be going out of town on Wednesday thus missingthe class, but I am already behind in the classes I have missed due to the move. I don’t think I can afford to miss more classes, and on top of that, miss the group conference call. More cathing will just ensue and I just want to get over with catching up as soon as possible.
Just a while ago, we looked at the efieldtrip, in which we learned about some formation in the cave, alhamdulillah. Hubby said he is able to get the day off, and will inshaallah go with the kids to Carlsbad Cavern. I told the kids to take pictures. One thing about travelling in New Mexico that we found out last night, is that it’s advisable to bring your passports along. Something about police checking up on people to make sure they’re not illegals. You do learn something new everyday. Subhanallah.
I wish I can go, but maybe inshaallah another time. I’m not too attracted to the idea of descending 750 feet underground anyway, but I would like to go either way. Regardless, the trip is more for the kids, so, alhamdulillah.
Where Are We Now?
March 11, 2009 at 2:30 am | In Al Huda Institute, Community, Family, Kids, Quran, Thoughts, Travel | 8 CommentsI keep having this feeling like I’m in Hawaii for some reason. It may be the abundance of palm trees, though Hawaii is littered with coconut trees, or it may be the sunny weather and constant breeze. Either way, when it hits me that I’m actually in New Mexico, I am enveloped in this feeling of loneliness. I feel so isolated from the rest of the United States.
Nevertheless, I love the constant view of the Organ mountains to the east, which is the backdrop on our way to our new home. Everytime I see those mountains, I can’t help but break into one of y “ooh!” and “aah!”. It has come to the point where the kids would go “Here we go again.” But, seriously, those mountains are just amazing. It certainly is a huge change from Columbus, and I treasure those mountains as constant reminders of Allah’s power and might, as well as His Mercy.
We are currently still in the process of settling down in our new home, which has a story of its own. The kids are loving our first house. We are now finally able to separate the girls from H in terms of bedroom, alhamdulillah! and best of all, we have ample rooms for homeschooling! Allahu Akbar!
Last weekend, I dragged the kids to the masjid’s Sunday school. H refused to join the kids, but te girls complied. I sat in with them when it was time for the Quran class, so I could make sure I was there to answer any questions the teacher may have about the girls’ level. From hubby’s observations, the surahs done with the kids at the masjid are short surahs. H as of now, doesn’t have a hifdh teacher as he had left AM in Columbus. The last night we were in Columbus, hubby found out that AM wanted to do an intensive hifdh with H to summer, but alas, we moved. Alhamdulillah though, hubby stumbled across a brother, who also memorized Quran, and he asked the brother if he could help H with his hifdh. We’re still waiting for him to give us his final decision.
Well, to make the story short, I was asked to teach the Quran class at the Sunday school, apparently because my girls’ recitations were ‘perfect’. At first, I laughed it off, but when she said,
“I’m serious,” to her first statement of “Their reading is perfect! Ok, you should teach Sunday school,”
I grew a little panicky, but soon saw it as a means of sadaqah jariah.
Right now, we are still trying to completely furnish the house, and most importantly, I have to catch up with missed classes, which by the way is a whole lot. Internet connection has been evading m, but I hope inshallah to catch up, somehow.
Our move to New Mexico went smoothly alhamdulillah. The kids enjoyed their ‘first’ flight, and I am just utterly grateful for the ease with which Allah has blessed our move. From the van and stuff shipping, to finding a house when there seemed to be none, we have really been blessed with help from Allah. Subhanallah. I have yet to finish reading Surah Al Baqarah for this house, but it feels more like home everyday alhamdulillah. May Allah bless it for our good in the dunya and akhirah. Aameen. Istikharah played a pretty important role in all of this move. Alhamdulillah.
So, while I may fantasize that I’m in Hawaii, the absence of beaches and sounds of waves crashing against the beach bring me back to reality. We are now in New Mexico, in the land of Enchantment, in desert region, a completely new experience for us, but a very welcome one.
Like I said to a sister I talked to to at the masjid recently,
“I see it as an adventure, meet new people, different cultures, a good experience especially for the kids.”
Our new temporary home: New Mexico.
Less than two weeks now…
February 13, 2009 at 8:42 pm | In Al Huda Institute, AlMaghrib, Family, Homeschooling, Kid Talk, Kids, Quran, Siblings, Thoughts, Travel | 10 CommentsThe house looks … forlorn. I am forlorn. It actually hurts to put/throw things away at this point, because it hit me: we’re actually leaving Columbus. I don’t think the kids are forlorn, or atleast they’re not showing it. At this point I believe they’re more excited about flying in airplane than moving to a new place. Makes me wish I’m a kid again. No adult worries/troubles. As they say, ignorance is bliss. When you’re a kid that is.
I would say that about 90% of our stuff are nicely packed and ready to go. This week was packing week, and next week will be cooking week. Due to Baby Z’s allergies, I have had to devise a meal plan for him, or rather, a menu that will cater to travelling conditions and situations. At one point, I was stumped, and had to email two of my friends for suggestions and of course, my mother. So far, I have decided to go with making serunding daging, nasi impit, chicken nuggets, preparing chickpeas, and I managed to scour the health food store for some snack items that Baby Z can tolerate. I just worried about his protein, as his iron was low.
ALhamdulilah, a few days ago, H had his nine year check up, during which Baby Z also was seen for his ‘late talking’. I brought up my concern over his low iron and they did some bloodwork. The next day, alhamdulillah, allahu akbar! His iron is normal! Alhamdulillah! As for his delay in talking, Doc said not to worry because he is understanding a lot, and uses sign language to express himself. I have been reading some stuff about late talkers and speech disorders, and I can’t help but worry just a tad about muscle weakness in his tongue or mouth or throat, that would require some form of therapy. I brought it up at the doctor’s office, but he said not to worry too much about articulation right now. Well, when we get a pediatrician in New Mexico, we’ll see what s/he says.
H though, has been having his own speech therapy sessions with his baby brother.
“Da!” he says, and Baby Z follows suit,
“Da!”
Funny how Baby Z doesn’t respond to me when I urge him to repeat something after me, but willingly repeats it after his siblings. I guess he considers it play. Maybe they should homeschool him then.
It’s particularly sweet when H would lead Baby Z in his ’sessions’ by using the stairs as a tool. Together, they would sit at the top of the stairs, and scoot down the next step. For each step, H would utter a consonant-vowel combo, which Baby Z would have to also utter after him. And that’s how they go down the stairs, butt by butt, sound by sound, all the way down. I believe H even managed to get Baby Z to say some sounds he wasn’t able to articulate before, mashaaallah!
Baby Z’s latest obsession now, is Hassan Abdullah Al Awad, the Yaseen boy. This was the boy whom I always watched when I was pregnant with Baby Z, and this was the Quran recitation, along with Saad AlGhamidi’s that I always listened to when I was pregnant with Baby Z. Baby Z would situate himself in front of the computer and watch Hassan recite the first few portions of Surah Yaseen intently. When it was over, he would hit thekey on the keyboard and play it again. And this is how he would sit for a long period of time, in front of the computer. Just like a kid glued to the TV screen.
The kids, now, when they want to distract Baby Z, they would just say,
“Z, Yaseen? Yaseen?” and Baby Z’s expression would change to one of haste, like one rushing to catch a favorite show on TV. As fast as his little legs could carry him, he would go to the nearest computer while uttering,
“Uh! uh!” and pointing to it.
Once, whilc chuckling at his eagerness, I fumbled with the headphones that had yet to be plugged in to the CPU. I had clicked play, so the Youtube video started, and while I fumbled, Baby Z uttered a panicky
“Uh!uh!” because he was missing out on the beginning of Hassan’s recitation. As soon as I plugged the headphones in, and he was able to listen to it, he completely blocked everything out and turned to the computer screen.
I wouldn’t be surprised when the moment comes for him to ‘talk’ if his first full word is ‘Yaseen…” Inshaaallah.
Hubby and H took Heavenly Hues, and as I was about to pack their Heavenly Hues binders in the box, together with the restof our AlMaghrib classes binders, I asked H, who was eating at the table at the time,
“H, can I put your book in the box?”
“No, I have an exam. I have to study!” he replied.
And there I was, thinking,
We’re going to move. How are you going to study??
Then I told him to call hubby and ask him if I can pack the binders.
He did, and barrelled down the stairs saying,
“Abi said don’t touch them!”
Well, I suppose those binders are coming with us then, and not shipped with the rest of our stuff.
After the class, H has been ’sharing’ Heavenly Hues with us, and for some time, I could hear his conversations with his sisters sounding like this,
“Yaser Birjas said…”
That boy loves Sheikh Yaser, and it’s interesting how we’re moving to a place that is just 45 minutes away from him. May the love of the people for Sheikh Yaser be a sign of Allah’s love for him. Ameen.
I keep recalling homeschoolers’ ‘wisdom’ in saying that moving in itself is a learning experience for children. I can see how it is. So far, the kids have been learning (informally, without my instructions) about New Mexico, the process of applying for a passport, the logistics of a move (which has a long list I am not about to expound on), and basically what needs to be done prior, during, and after a move. Meanwhile, hubby couldn’t hold himself back, and ladens math homework on the kids, whether I like it or not, whether the kids like it or not.
As for me, I have taken it upon myself to ’study’ the US Mexican wars, in order to know the history of that part of the United States. History. I didn’t like it much in school. I find it fascinating now. I find it essential now. Very much so.
We have less than two weeks till we fly to New Mexico. Next weekend, hubby, Baby Z and I are flying there to look at some houses, while the kids stay with Rh. That same weekend, after we fly back here, we have to empty the apartment, clean it, and have our things and van shipped to New Mexico.
All of this, and I have Taleem Quran starting next week. For the next 3 and 1/2 years of my life, inshaaallah, my Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and early evenings will be spent studying the book of Allah. I told the kids,
“For the next 3 and a half years, you have to help me out. It’s just two days a week, but every week.”
They groaned, but, inshaaalah, Allah will make it easy in some ways. Ameen. I just have to figure out how I’m doing to do it. From 3:30 – 7:30 p.m. every Wednesdays and Thursdays, I have to make sure dinner is prepared ahead of time and anything else that is bound to occur during that time frame is prepared ahead of time. It won’t be easy, but, if a mother of multiple children can pursue worldly knowledge everyday, surely I can pursue the study of the book of Allah just two days a week, can’t I? It’s not a matter of ‘if I can do it’, but as one very wise sister said once, with regards to homeschooling, but can also be applied to this situation,
“It’s HOW you’re going to do it.”
I feel blessed to have crossed paths with wonderful people who have in their own little ways, guided me closer to Allah through their actions, speech and kind hearts. Alhamdulillah!
Less than two weeks now…I can already feel the tears welling up, ready to go, just like our packed boxes.
A BIG Thanks is in order
January 16, 2008 at 7:21 pm | In Kids, Kitchen, Mothering, Quran, Travel | Leave a Comment
“I hate dodgeball!”
Everytime we would ask her how her day was, she would respond with either a scowl or a slight smile.
Scowl = bad day
Slight smile = it wasn’t too bad
It turned out, the only thing she really didn’t like was dodgeball. There was a time when I was walking her and Baby Z to the KidZone, while hubby dropped N and H off at their age groups room respectively. Baby Z was crying, and I had to rush off to the lectures, so we asked her if she could stay with Baby Z in Baby Z’s babysitting room and put him to sleep. She nodded eagerly. However, as we paced the hallways, Baby Z fell asleep in his stroller.Knowing how she hated dodgeball, I asked her, as we approached Baby Z’s babysitting room,
“Do you wanna go to MIST Jr, or do you want to stay with Baby Z?”
She didn’t answer right away, but indicated from her body language that she would prefer to go to MIST Jr. So off to MIST Jr. she went, while I wheeled Baby Z to his babysitting room.
On one of those days, she told me that they were making a big THANKS exhibit for the parents, and that each of them had to make a card for each parent, thanking each parent for one particular thing.
“I made one for Abi and one for you,” she said, a shy smile peeking through.
“So what’d you thank me for?” I teased her, cajoling her into runing the surprise.
“I’m not telling,” her smile grew.
“How about Abi?” I asked again.
“I’m not telling,” she persisted.
“Abi’s has a heart on it,” she suddenly offered.
“Oh, and mine doesn’t?!” I pretended to be hurt.
“Come on, S, what’d you thank me for?”
“You’ll have to look for it,”she said.
“But how will I find it if I don’t know what it is?” I reasoned.
“You”ll have to find it,” she said yet again, becoming more and more indignant at keeping the surprise intact.
So on the day the THANKS was finally put up, I went her and Baby Z. They had put it up on the main lobby of the convention floor. I looked through all of the cards trying to find hers. We giggled through some, for some kids had written,
“Thank you for the shorts and shirts.” And we marveled at some, for some kids had done really beautiful artwork on their card. And then I pounced on hers.
Guess which one’s for whom? And why do I feel like I got the less better one?
Texas Dawah Convention 2007
January 2, 2008 at 6:51 pm | In Travel | 8 CommentsFive star hotels don’t have microwaves and refrigerators in the rooms.
Considering we are not actually financially qualified to stay in five star hotels, that came as a big surprise to us, as we wanted to save on food expenditures. We requested a fridge, and used our rice cooker and steamer to heat up our food.
Like I said in the previous post, the beds are our yusra. Alhamdulillah. Hubby, Baby Z and I grabbed our much needed sleep that Friday morning, while S,N, and H explored the hotel room, and tested the bed’s spring. I think they rated the spring as being in very good condition.
Knowing I would fall asleep and never wake up for the rest of the day, I took to washing by hand in the bathtub, all of our dirty clothes. After 14 years of leaving boarding school, in which we scrubbed our own dirty laundry by hand each weekend, I realized that I had forgotten how back-breaking it could be. From then on, I told the kids to wash their own clothes as they shower. I washed mine, hubby’s and Baby Z’s.
The arduous planning and preparation I had gone through prior to the trip was fruitful, except for one thing. I forgot to bring cooking oil, which probably is a good thing too anyway.
We ate white rice with sardines, spaghetti and its sauce, and white rice with some chicken bought from the food court downstairs. It was hard work for me having to prepare the food each morning especially since the steamer took so long to heat up can of tomato-flavored sardines, and I suffered sleep deprivation, again.
To top it off, Baby Z caught a cold and couldn’t sleep one particular night due to coughing. he was miserable at the babysitting too, though he didn’t exactly cry. The babysitters said he just kept pouting whenever he seemed to remember that I had left him to go to the lectures.
S never failed to put a scowl on her face whenever we sent her to the MIST Jr.
“I don’t like dodge ball!” she complained.
AFfer the second day though, she began to smile a little, and told me about some games they played that she participated in. As I had told Baby Z’s babysitter to call on S whenever Baby Z is unconsolable, they did call her several times, which probably gave her some respite from the dreaded MIST Jr. dodgeballs.
H made some friends in his age group, and seemed to be having fun.
N enjoyed the Kidzone so much that she refused to be picked up on the very last day, such that hubby had to physically pick her up. She didn’t look too happy. The tears were proof. It was bittersweet. I felt sentimental on the last day too. if I were her age, I would probably cry too.
All in all, the convention was an experience to savor. I still miss it. It was hecti for me, considering I had to prepare the food, tend to Baby Z, dash from the lecture hall to the Kidzone and nurse Baby Z back and forth each time, pick up each kid at the specified time from different rooms, and keep up with doing the dishes in the bathroom, and also the laundry, along with the task or organizing and packing stuff so we wouldn’t be rummaging endlessly in the van. It was mentally and physically draining, and I am still recovering, but it was really worth it! Alhamdulillah.
Baby Z’s eczema surprisingly got better, much much better down there in Houston. When we got back to Ohio, it got worse.
On Monday, we went to see the pediatrician, and when we told him of the eczema, he said,
“Either that, or you will all have to move to Houston.”
Hubby even said the day before,
“I have to find ajob in Houston?”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because Z’s eczema is better there.”
It must be the humidity.
The experience at the convention is just too rich to be written about in one post. Nevertheless, I don’t think I have the luxury of time to write about it extensively even though I want to.
Let’s just say, for now at least, that I am really really glad we went.
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