The fasting month

In this holy month of Ramadhan, many Muslim expectant mothers are yet again faced with confusion whether should they fast or not. From my past experience (when pregnant with my first son), I did fast during the month of Ramadhan, but at that period, I was about 7-8 months pregnant. Though many showed concern about me fasting, I put on a deaf-ear and still continue to fast till the end. Alhamdulillah, my baby came out healthy.

The normal questions that we faced from the Non-Muslims are, ‘you can fast meh? (for pregnant woman)’. Sometimes I feel like taking the tape recorder and record my voice to avoid repeating my explanations. But can’t help it, some of them are genuine cases; seriously don’t know whether pregnant women can fast, while some are there to irritate us or for the sake of questioning our beliefs. The best part is, some of them showed that irked face when they knew that we fast. Funny rite? I simply don’t understand, we NEVER question their belief, but when it comes to us, they showed their outmost ‘concern’. While in actual fact, those pregnant women are definitely OLD and WISE enough to think if they can fast or not. I don’t think we need a third party (what’s more if the third party is a non-medical practitioner) to assist us in thinking about our actions.

Anyway the bottom line is, it’s up to the expectant mother. She will know or can feel whether she will have the strength or ability to fast. She can consult her gynae for that. If the gynae said the baby is malnutrition or whatsoever, then don’t fast lor! If not, just fast!

The true fact is, in Islam, it’s not an obligation for pregnant women to fast. Which means they can choose whether to fast or not. And if they didn’t fast (perhaps concern about the growth of the baby), the expectant mother need to fast on other days when she’s well + pay ‘fidyah’ when she’s well (got answers from a religious teacher)

From my personal point of view, hmm..ok let’s look at it this way. Somehow I didn’t manage to fast yesterday. Somehow, I felt like, as though I’m having menses (women with menses need not fast or pray, but need to fast on other days when she’s clean). I somehow felt as though I didn’t even need to pray. That is probably why I fast in the first place. It’s like in celebration of Ramadhan. Else it would be like the normal months.

I used to have this special feeling or excitement when Ramadhan is approaching or during Ramadhan itself, as we’re able to eat together and pray ‘terawih’ afterwards. But somehow, this feeling subside after I got married + having own kids. Why ? Oh Why? Yesterday I prayed to ALLAH, ‘Oh ALLAH~pls grant me the health, energy, strength and courage to perform ibadah and fast during this wonderful month of Ramadhan’. Hopefully I can buck up soon!

Tired tired tired

Those are the words I frequently blurt out nowadays. Sigh..but really, I'm tired. Waking up early in the morning seems to be a HUGE hurdle. If not for that someone that always "PUSHED" me, I don't think I could ever wake up.

Fasting month is nearing. I'm not sure if I can make it this time, but hopefully I will insya ALLAH.

Lessons of life

In life, make as many friends as possible. Though, at times, it touched a bit of our ego. But who cares. Less friends mean you have less people to depend on in times of need. More friends mean you have a better chance of having a 'shoulder to cry on'. I'm definitely not talking about financial help, but on other more important aspects of life.

The truth is, 'losing' some 'friends' doesn't mean you'll lose everything. In fact, it gives you a better picture what type of friends they were. And the best part is, you'll have a pool of other friends to look out for. You may never know, that pool of friends may make a better friend than some of the other friend. :-)

Eww

I totally freaked out yesterday. While sitting and waiting to do something, I suddenly out of no reason escalate my head 45 degrees, and I saw……….an animal! Uhhhh~~The good things is, that animal was sleeping. The bad thing is, I quickly freaked out in silence (mind you) and leave that place immediately. And another bad thing is, that is the only place there where I can perform my p*****. So what did I do? I still come back the second time, but not forgetting to ask a friend to tag along (just in case of emergency). Another another bad thing is, this friend of mine is also ‘shy’ of that animal! What a day to remember. Nevertheless we still come back the second time, and slowly peaked through the door. Uhhh~ There we saw the animal wide-awake! The next time we peaked, the animal was not in sight. For all that you know it was at the entrance of the door! Hahaha..we totally freaked out!

I seriously don’t understand why I’m so hmmm..I shall not use the word scared. But more of ‘geli’ because of the fur and that penetrating eyes they’ve got. My husband always said, ‘Nabi loves that animal you know’. Yaaaaaaa…I know….but but but….my fear of that animal is like how normal people would fear a lion or a tiger. My old schoolmate used to say, ‘Your body’s so big! You sit on the animal, it will die!’. Uhhh~ I don’t think I even dare to sit on the animal lah.

This happened last year I think. During the fasting month, there’s like 2 days the SAME animal would follow me, perhaps due to the food I’m carrying. Oh my my my~ I have never been stalked by a animal. But anyway how do I react? I called my hubby! Hoping that he would fly to save me. But nah~ I just quickly stamped my feet to scare that animal. But but but that animal…so power ranger, just didn’t want to budge! Anyway, it finally went off. The second day I crept like a thief while walking to my block. Not wanting to be stalked again! But hey hey hey~ something came RUNNING towards me. Fuyooo~I was soooooo freaking out. And again I did the same ‘ritual’ to scare that animal off.

As far as I can remember, I used to be in the same house as that animal. So…it basically means I was not scared of that animal when I was young. Hmmm…I wonder what really triggered me to fear it. Anyway yesterday I was thinking if I were to participate in Fear Factor, and to choose between being in a room with a whole bunch of that animal and jumping down a building. I think I would….

That short trip again

At last~~The most awaited trip as a family is accomplished. The journey was smooth, no jams (luckily) to and fro…until…we reached the highway to KL. Wow! There was a massive jam. Sigh!

And ya, since this our first time going there by land on ourselves, we’re indirectly indulged in the Amazing Race mode. But we managed to pull through despite some ‘debates’, which at times sparked a little anger among us. Haha…But never mind, we’re all humans. Upon reaching the hotel, we were all so drained out, that basically on the first day, we just managed to enjoy sleeping in our hotel. Hehe..

Since this is a very very short trip, we just managed to shop for one whole day. But that’s all it takes to make me really exhausted. Especially when we shop with the kids. Eyes need to be always on the lookout for them. And the train service there? Sigh..remind me of Bangkok’s. Need to take the staircase up and down. Luckily my hubby is strong enough to carry the ‘load’. :P

We dipped into the swimming pool after that 3hrs (I think) of shopping, while some took a short breather by taking a nap. Anyway the hotel’s baby pool seems to be quite d****. So we decided to all dip into the big pool, where the minimum height is 0.9m. Not that bad lah. How’s my son’s reaction? He practically clung on to me like how a koala bear would cling to a tree. It’s as though my son knew, the height of the pool did not suit him. But overall he enjoyed being in the pool! Splashing the water here n there. Fyi, we’re in the pool for less than half an hour. Don’t want the kids to catch cold!

Overall I got to say my son enjoyed himself there. One, he simply love to run at the hallway once we leave our hotel. Second, he loved to keep pressing the switch on and off buttons in the hotel room. Once he pressed a button, he will be on the lookout which light he just switched on and off. Smart boy!

So on the very last day there, we quickly drive our way back home. Don’t want to be stuck in jams. Anyway it was a very enriching and fun-filled (at times) event! An experience some would never forget, while others would seriously want to forget. ;-)

School ending soon

At last~ the semester will soon come close to an end. How time flies huh?
Exams are around the corner,and there is still one FINAL assignment to hand in. Fui~

Last week, I've just sit for my quiz. And I'm like soooo 'kanchong' as there are still many chapters not covered. Even if the chapters are covered, memory level for that knoweldge == 0 to 1%. As I read through the chapters, new knowledge gained, old knowledge (just read 5 mins ago) GONE! Sad~

I'm actually a type of person that prefers understanding to memorizing. My head's just not tuned for memorizing.

Dateline == deadline?

Each week == 1 dateline to meet.
I need to at least hand in one assignment per week. Gone were the days of handing up of homework at the last minute. I’m now the non-procrastinate addict. Do things while you’re in good health and mind, and most importantly time is precious! Being a study-mama means you have to manage time really wisely!

Think my other study-mates visualized this studios me, who always do things in advance. No last-minute! I doubt they knew that I’m married with a kid. Shall leave that as a secret for the moment. But once the cat is out of the bag, then they’ll realize why I work the way I am. I believe, in my lecture hall, there are only 2 of us that are married with kids. The rest seems to be the ever-joyful young adults. Some of them are still teenagers still I supposed.

Anyway how I manage to finish up my assignments? I always try to do it during the weekdays, after my son sleeps. If I can’t finish, then I need to push it to Saturday and Sunday, and I will do it, when my son takes his afternoon naps. But..at times, my husband need to help to look after the kid, IF I am too engrossed to finish it once and for all. Thanks a lot zauji habibi!

Just FYI, last week was our presentation day. It’s been a while that I present something in front of many onlookers. Anyway, I hate presentations! I’d rather work behind the scene, like what my job does now. But how did the presentation go? Ahhh~ It was ok lah. It’s just…. nerve wrecking! I can’t be bothered to even rehearse beforehand. Just go and talk and finish it once and for all!

Many more challenges lined up for me. But I’ll take it easy insya ALLAH, and hopefully cruise my way to the day I graduate insya ALLAH!