The Craft of Living

This is a quote i found on "Alley Wonderland's" blog. I really liked it and thought i would share: A girl's heart should be so close to God, that a guy has no other choice but to seek Him in order to find her."

Disappointment isnt a nice feeling. I mean its temporary and eventually fades... But it is bad! Its annoying when you anticipate something then it doesnt happen. Then you tell yourself... be alittle later. Then later comes and goes... and nothing happens. So you tell yourself maybe even later.... and again... later comes and goes... still nothing. Its even worse when you are a little angry. Angry and disappointed.... the mix together is kinda suffocating to me. Or is it that im just fasting and hungry!? Above all, however, is being disappointed with yourself. Either disappointed in expecting too much... or anticipating at all. Or maybe not saying whats on your mind for lack of better words! Or sometimes saying something that you know will open a conversation that is important... but you are just too lazy to fight or argue now so you let it pass... which then gets you disappointed! :) Im just annoyed i guess... and a little angry... and a bit hungry too! So thats enough said! :) Happy b...

This morning while i was on my bus to work i heard this radio show called "bareed al islam" or islamic post. Thats a show where people send letters to take the islamic fatwa about a problem they have. Some of the questions and answers really give you info you dont know. Today there was a question from a husband of an almost 80 year old woman. He says she has many illnesses one of which is alzehiemers. An example of how bad it is was that she prays 10 times a day coz she cant remember what she prayed... apart from the fact that she can repeat prayers coz she cant remember how many rak3as she performed. SHe also has a small fortune of money. His question was this: Is it ok if we distribute her financial fortune now between her children as per the shar3? (i wonder if this woman was half concious of what her husbands question was... how would she feel?) The answer to the question was firstly that this woman will not be a sinner if she doesnt pray since " laysa 3ala al 2a3ma ...

Last Friday while my husband was at work... he went for the Friday prayers in the mosque inside his workplace. And after he was done... he found out that someone stole his shoes. Obviously the person who stole his shoes was one of the workers in the same place coz he left his shoes behind (and they were horrible). Anyway my husband was very upset ofcourse. He left work early coz he wasnt about to sit at work with his socks only. What gets to me is... why on earth is this guy praying!! Honestly, is he really praying in the first place or just standing in line so he would spot the shoes of the people praying. And what kind of personality or soul or mentality would allow a muslim STEAL from his brother WHILE praying. Not just anytime of the day... NO.. While praying. Is there no soul whatsoever that would make him feel ashamed that while you were supposed to meet your God... you disobey him GREATLY?? It just mesmerizes me how such a person would be living his everyday life. Do you think h...

I have decided to create a new blog just for Leens updates. Maybe it will be like a memory book for me or her someday. I have copied all my old posts about leen updates to the new blog and from now on any new posts about her are going to be written there. The blog is called : New Leen on the Block and the link is: http://leenmakhlouf.blogspot.com/

Leen started saying Adaaan everytime she hears it. She also SAYS lots of her body parts. She used to point when we ask but now she says them more often. She likes watching playhouse disney. And she says "Ktools" for mouse c'tools in mickey mouse playhouse. She also kinda follows the steps to the song from imagination movers... "Jump up.... Get down.... STand up.... Turn around, Turn around ,Turn around" She understands wheni tell her to go throw something in the garbage basket. It's really fun to watch her understand everything bit by bit. I can wait till she makes me tea and brings me lunch! :)

YEsterday Leen had all her toys on the ground out of her toy basket. She likes playing alone and with me ofcourse. However, her favorite part of the day is her bath time since her dad fills the tub and she can play and splash in there for quite a while. So if we say the word "Dosh" or shower she forgets about everything and runs to the bathroom door. Yesterday though when we asked her if she wanted to shower she said yes (nodding) and when her dad told her ok go to the bathroom she didnt. Instead, she started picking up her toys and putting them back in her basket. WHen she was done she said "Ba7" meaning finished. and then started heading tot he bathroom. Now i know this is so nice and i should be happy... and i am... But i was thinking... i did teach her to pick up her toys when she is done but i dont recall i stressed on it THAT much. IS this normal for a child though? She usually tends to put anything in its place if she is not playing with it anymore. Not every...

Leen can now imitate a bee. She moves her finger around saying ZZZZZZ And when i ask her to give someone a kiss and she does i usually say "Allaaaah" Now she does that too. When she wants to change her diaper and hopefully use the potty, she pats her pampered behind!! :) ADORABLE Oh forgot to tell you that she says Moon when i point to the picture of the moon and tun when i point to picture of the sun! :) SHe also finishes my music verse which i cant write down coz its mostly vocals!! :) Thats the latest update i have for leen's behaviour. She is really growing up quickly! :)

My nose is runny.. my throat hurts, i have a cough and my voice is slowly fading away. It also seems like my concentration is slowly getting worse and worse.. i keep getting every name wrong... and every timing wrong and every email wrong. I still have two more working days to attend this week before the weeken arrives!! Will i be able to handle this? i have no idea!! Worst part is... my colleague is off on her vacation from today and she has 3 weeks off!! Im so in Luck!!! Any suggestions or home remedies that you can share to help me feel better sooner than later?

Leen can now drink from a glass holding it on her own with both hands. She can even drink slowly sometimes when the cup is full. She understands what "shebsheb" means and she can bring it to me when i ask. But she calls it "bebesh" (it means slipper). She also carried the rice spoon and the bread basket to the dining table and knows it is called "tarabeiza" (ie table) She is sick.. the poor thing. We went to the doctor yesterday and her dad kept explaining on the way what is expected to happen at the docs office and told her not to cry and scream. Well she didnt exactly do so.. but she was calmer than usual. No kicking or struggling while the doc was checking her... but she cried. She is feverish and ha a sour throat. She is getting it too much. Hasn't been more than a month since she got it last.We are back on antibiotic and antihistamine for her runny nose and light cough. Ive been with her since last Thursday... All these days off from work. Don...

They probably wont use this wording... but they might..if they have enough sense of humour. BOth the couple and their families to be honest. Here goes... tell me what you think people: i am Mohie marrying Mennah doing so to go to "Jannah" If you know her you will tell She's the bride i got from hell. Please come join us, watch me fry share my fear, hear my cry Tell her to be kind to me I'll be good, you shall see. We'll be waiting on 11 July else someone will probably die Will you join us or will you not We will serve "you" fresh and hot! At 19:30 to be exact Pyramisa hotel is where its at Oh did i tell you who you'll see The devil will welcome you..that is me! >:oD

This day is not ending... Im so bored and there is nothing to do at work at all today. I have completed all my tasks at 10am!!! And everytime i look at the clock... five or ten minutes have passed! Unbelievable!! KHAAAALAAAAAAAAAAAAAS! ENough! I wanna LEEEEEEEEEAVE 30 minutes to go.. Ya rub! ALmost there!!! .......... .......... .......... 28 minutes...... See what i mean!? OK enough complaining. BYE

My fortune for today... "Good news will come to you from far away" I'm waiting.....

dwich = sandwich dsh= dosh (shower) La2 = no (but in a more comprehensible and determined way) 2ooy = bye 3ayza= want hayty= hatty... give me 2obba= carry me heeh heeh = cheers :) Ana= me ( Usually when i ask who's mommys baby... i get the ANAAAA) :) FUNNY! wohosh = we7sha (bad) zus= juice :) she understands and points to her nose, eye, mouth, ear, leg, and hand. She fluently knows what a cat, dog, and lion sound like. She understand when i ask her if she wants to sleep in bed. She brings me the mobile when i ask her to.

Last week, I was alone in the office with 2 managers and a full department. My colleague was off for some fun time. There was so much to do and so much pressure and stuff but weird enough, i kinda welcomed the extra work. I realized that sometimes its good to be under pressure. You tend to find your real potential with multi-tasking. Turns out im not half bad! :) Phewww... She's back today! :)

i remember when i was in my 8th month of pregnancy (and to be honest i wasnt a huge lady) so i went to the hospital and took permission from my doctor to look around the hospital, the rooms and the incubators just to feel at peace with the hospital i chose to have my baby at. So I went to the incubator hall. It had a closed glass door. So i knocked. And there comes a little short tiny nurse asking "yes how can i help you?" So i explained that i want to see the incubator room. And she said " Why?... who said you can" So i told her that im a patient with doctor so and so and he told me i can come up and look at it. So she said.. " why do you wanna see it now... when you get pregnant you can come and see it" So my jaw dropped and said..."But i AM pregnant" placing my hand on my belly trying to grab her attention. And she said "Oh... ok but why do you wanna see it so early on... Youre still in the very beginning of your term" And i said wit...

At 1 year and 3 months, Leen's list of words are: 1. Ta3ty = beta3ty 2. KHkhkh = Kheyara 3. Boo = Drink 4. Mum = Food 5. Ba7 = enough/ stop 6. A-A= Ana 7. Hat = Hat 8. Na3am 9. Eye = Eye 10. Nine = but she doesnt know what it means 11. Dah = This 12. Mamma = Mom 13. Nanna = grandma 14. Dadda = Dad 15. Kkh = Kekh 16. 3ayza 17. Ayyyy = OUch 18. La2 She understands: 1. Nose 2. Baby = Doll 3. Koura = Ball and Peas 4. Ard = Floor 5. 3arabeya 6. Bousa = Kiss 7. 7odn = Hug 8. Mobile 9. Remote 10. Sereer 11. Korsy

Rest in Peace Uncle Abdelwahab. No words can describe how i feel. im speechless. Allah yer7amak.

I was listening to two friends talking today and they were talking to each other by their nicknames. Now question is why do we use them? I mean is it too hard to say the actual name? or is it out of love and friendliness (which i dont see the relevance to giving a different name to the person for) or what exactly. Sometimes the nickname isnt shorter or nicer for that matter. Like my friends' name is Sarah and her nickname can be very often "Sarsour". Isnt that a lot longer than her actual name? Let alone if you look too closely to it.. it could mean "cockroach" in some dialects! Thank God not ours. And other names like Karim can be "Kiko"! I mean personally to me and some other moms this refers to "poop" when talking to your children on this side of earth. There are so many names. Like my name...the amount of nicknames i have. My name is a 4 lettered name "heba" and yet my nickname can range from "habhooba" or "hooby...

Here is something that i keep wondering about. Are people allowed to change? What do i mean you ask? Well, when i was young, my father always told me... if there is something you dont like about the man you are about to marry and think that when you get married you will be able to change his habits... you are dead wrong! Honestly... i didnt believe him... but being a man who is usually right... i kept it in mind. Luckily i didnt have to change too much about my husband... but ive been watching people around me. Now the problem is not just with women wanting to change men or vice versa. The problem is if some outside factors change in your life... you tend to have a changed personality. For example if a woman got married and never worked a day in her life and her husband actually made it a point before marriage that he doesnt want her to work and she agreed simply because she hasnt done it before anyway and she isnt giving up anything. Then at some point in their life she decides that s...