Lovely three days! Sooooo happy!

We've spent three wonderful days with Amira's new family. First we had a wonderful henna party at my mom's summer house in the country side. Then the wedding party on Saturday. This evening we met at the adventure park and enjoyed the wedding left overs and good company. MashaAllah it feels like we get along really well..

Hennaaaaaaa...

Most of you might not have heard the whole story of Amira and her dh, but I can tell you it wasn't obvious that her dh's family will accept someone who is not 'one of them'. It has been a long, sometimes rocky road for Amira and her dh, but Alhamdulilah it was worth it. I know she has a good husband who loves her, will take care of her and whose family already loves her too. I couldn't be happier! Alhamdulilah for everything!

When we were on the way home we saw a rainbow in the sun set.. it was amazing!

Many sisters have asked me what our finnish families and friends thought of Amira's wedding, so here's some of the best comments:


Amira's grandmother from dad's side (who said she was a wrong person in a wrong place in the henna party) did Debka for one hour and then said: I could have made some more, this is nothing yet


Amira's dad, who is not very fond of foreigners (to his mom, nette's grandmother): After this finnish weddings will feel like nothing . He did Dekba too, btw..

The groom's family went to get Amira from her dad's place and then drove across the town to the wedding hall.. So much noise :D

Amira's dad's wife: This is much better than Finnish wedding! People really know how to have fun! (Some of yall might guess, how Finnish people usually have fun and what it needs..)

My aunt: Turkish girls are so beautiful! Those colourful dresses and head scarves make them look much fancier that someone with a mini..

And the same aunt: This is awesome! Women just dance, and men serve tables and do all the work! This is not the way i thought Muslim men act..

The grooms ex-teacher: I feel like I was abroad! My friends have told me about Turkish and Arabic weddings they saw when they traveled, but now I've seen it myself and it's so much more than the stories I've heard!

The grooms mother who passed away a couple of years ago bought these glasses to be used in her son's wedding..

My parents have got used to our stuff already so they were not as surprised as the others, but they liked it a lot too. Mom gave extra points for table service - in Finnish weddings there's always buffet and people need to stand in queue to get their food! And the same goes with the cakes! She was very happy and said this is much better and faster way!

The wonderful wedding cake!

Everyone who I spoke with liked everything! I heard only positive comments! I guess that party changed some attitudes! mashaAllah!

SHE IS GETTING MARRIED - and just yesterday she was a little baby..

♥ I can't believe it.. My little Amira is getting married! Feels like she was born yesterday and now she will have her own family inshaAllah! ♥

Here she is about three months old ♥


♥ She was such a busy baby always.. When she was 4 months she started to roll over.. And over.. and over.. And traveled all across the house almost 24/7.♥


Here she is half year♥


♥ She learned to go 'four wheels' and stand up when she was half year.. Man she made me run.. Especially after she learned to walk at 8 months and one week :O ♥



About 8 months..♥

♥ She was a happy baby mashaAllah and she never made too much problems when she grew up. She has given me many reasons to be proud of.♥

Amira 4 years and Samuli 2 years ♥


♥ Her henna party is on Friday and on Saturday is the wedding.. ♥


about 5 years♥

♥ May Allah bless her marriage and give her and her husband a happy, long life together and a big family ;P Ameen ♥

Now I have more net time? :D

Football World Cup is over, so maybe now I will have more time online, when my evenings are free again :D . Congratulations for Spain. They were better this time.. I feel sorry for Holland though, My long time favorite.

What else is new? Lol.. It's still been hot in Finland, today it was +31○C (88○F), which is unusual. Alhamdulilah I got two shalwar kameez-suits from a sweet pakistani sister, they're so comfy in this weather and I don't feel too hot!

One of the shalwar kameez-suits I got from my dear friend.

This weekend my grandkids Laila and Ali were here, because their parents were working on both days and the day care is closed for weekends. Yesterday we went to the adventure park again, and today we were just chillin' here.. I put the small pool for the kids in the back yard and they played with water for more than two hours. The rest of the day they played football! I don't know how they can run in this heat! I love hot days, but I wouldn't want to do any sport! I prefer to sit under my tree having a good book and a cold drink in my hands :P .


The river Aura in the center of my town.

Ohhhh.. I forgot to tell about the medieval Marked in my last post! It's an annual festival here in my town, they make it by the river. People dress up old style, and they sell a lot of medieval time-related stuff. There's some shows too, like jousting, which my kids love! And they show how many things were done years ago, when there was no electricity or machines, for example turning wood, making soap, brewing beer, spinning wool to yarn and colouring it etc.

Jousting show.

They also have old style wooden toys, like big domino's, a huge horse with wheels, a carrousel where the kids sit in four big baskets and someone's spinning it from the middle... There was also a leather football (it was kinda triangle shape :D )which was filled with dry peas. Nader loved it lol! And the kids printed pictures there with real ink and then coloured them with water colours!


Medieval 'court'

They also show what they used to do to criminals like thiefs lol.. they put their heads and arms in this wooden thingy.. My kids got to try one.. Hehe, would be cool to have one on my back yard for naughty kids :P . My kids love that festival. It's different from other festivals here.. The only one that does not include people getting drunk..


The kids and I picked up these flowers ♥. I love summer!

Ok.. Enough for today. Tomorrow my dh is taking Nader with him on an over night trip to the archipelago, to visit his cousins in-laws. The girls and I will have some girly fun. Lol.. If the weather is like this it will mean going to the beach I think. :P InshaAllah!

Some little action these days

We had a little action the last few days. MashaAllah fun, different and not stressful.

Yesterday we visited the navy base next to our home (1km away actually). They had an open doors day, including tour in the military harbor in a bus (I've been there by walk ages ago, but now they let people only with a bus). There was also a cool military police action show, special fire unit show, some different army vehicles and other 'big boys' tools, and the kids got to try some boat simulator which reminded me of a computer game, it was just more real looking.

I don't like war or weapons, but it was kind of interesting. Alhamdulilah we live in a safe, peaceful country, so the army only gets to practice and they don't have any real situations. The vecicle in the picture is the special fire unit (puts OFF fire, not make it :P ) It shoots water bombs and sprays water with high pressure. the kids got to go in it and try some stuff. they were so exited.

The most hilarious moment was when Nader went to the mariners, who were showing their recoilless riffles and telling about their part in defending the country. Nader told them straight off that he wants to join the navy, the boats are more cool than riffles lol.. the mariners looked quite disappointed :P .

And I must say that as a hijabi I got treated really nicely by everyone. I wasn't so sure about it.

The other day Donjana went to a kids party to a really cool place. It's an Indoor playground, a really large one! In the picture it shows maybe one quater of it, or less. I took Deena and nader to have some burgers while Donjana was there, but they got a chance to try the playground action a bit afterwards.


Today we went to the city library. Can you see how my kids run fast to get there? Lol.. They love books and so do I! The new library here is such a cool place, they have a lot of stuff for kids, toy exhibitions etc.. And a toy corner too. And plenty of comfy chairs and sofas to sit, read and relax.



I read detective stories mostly. I should read something more serious more often too, but I have also learned a lot just from these stories that I read. Alhamdulilah most writers these days try to find out real information about things they write, not just pick up stuff from their heads. The last book that I read 'happened' on Shetland Islands. It sounds really interesting.

This evening we went to pick up lilies of the valleys. Btw, doesn't that simple flower have any more simple name? I love them anyway, and now the house smells sooooo good! mashaAllah!



Tonight about 11 pm I went to take the rubbish bag out and I saw the sky looking really weird.. All the clouds were straight lines, starting from one spot like rays.. I've never seen such mashaAllah. The sunset colours were not yet showing, because sun set only 15 minutes before this (it takes a long time to get dark here after the sun set, about 2 hours). The colours were brighter later, but then the clouds were already gone so it didn't look special anymore.

It looks like the wind up in the sky has been really strong to make these lines like that mashaAllah!

Awwwwwwww ... - Breakfast in bed ♥

Awww.. I got breakfast in bed this morning. The kids even managed to do it without waking me up.. Almost.. I wouldn't wake up unless Deena was shouting in the toilet wanting me to clean her up..

The breakfast was tasty.. I got salad, which had too much spring onions lol.. It was good and with the right food it would have been so perfect. Then I got a slice of toast - not toasted btw - and it had chocolate spread on it. Donjana had made it. There was also cookies with chocolate spread. Later i heard they were because everyone wanted to make something, and because Donjana made the toast, Nader and Deena wanted to make the cookies. Alhamdulilah they all didn't make toast, it would have been too much.. I got everything eaten alhamdulilah.


I also got a fridge magnet, a butterfly that Donjana had made in school. There was a card too, a white anemone card. inside it was a poem, which goes like this:

I pick up flowers,
I carry flowers,
the prettiest ones
I give to mama

It rhymes in finnish. it's a very old poem, I knew it since I was little so I think it's older than me. She has picked it up from the few options her teacher gave. It was written so cutely, with the spelling mistakes and all ♥.


I wanted to take a pic of us all.. It took like ten tries before we managed to get one photo that everyone's happy with.. Mostly because miss Deena was disturbed hehe.. Awww I love my little crew. Alhamdulilah for every day I get to spend with them!

Hear the silence!

Have you ever heard the silence? Does it even exist? I think the saying 'sound of silence' is so true.. Because even silence has a sound.

It was raining today. My kids wanted so much to go out, so after the rain stopped I took them for a while. We went for a walk into the forest. It's next to our home, but yet like a different world.

The cars voice doesn't come there, you can hear only the sounds of nature. I told the kids to listen. First they were all confused, they were wondering how they can listen to silence.. They thought the only voices there were ours. They never stop talking, so they have no idea :D

So, for a while they really closed their little mouths. First they heard nothing. Then they started to hear things. Water dropping from the trees on the dry leaves on the ground.. Great tits were singing. It sounded like there was two of them, talking to each other.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Parus_major.ogg

Click on the link and you'll hear them :)
Sound and bird picture from Wikipedia



We heard the wind. An old tree was about to break and it was creaking.. Somewhere barked a dog. It must have been far away, because we didn't hear any foot steps but our own.

There was no silent moment. But so peaceful it was. The forest always feels more peaceful after the rain. The children were amazed of the different voices that they usually don't hear (because they talk :P).

We picked up some flowers. Then we started to hear more water dropping.. It wasn't only from the trees, it started to rain. We didn't wear rain coats so it was time to go home. It was a really nice walk mashaAllah.

Bubbling fun day

We had a bubbling, relaxing, fun day mashaAllah! We didn't do anything special, just enjoyed the moment. Nice, little things in life.

I think it's important to learn to enjoy little things. In modern world we forget that too often.

People are busy, they run after money, success, property, beauty, fame.. And none of that actually counts in the end.

So, look around you. Forget the things you're not happy with, and the things you don't have. Be thankful for what you have. Say alhamdulilah!

Allah subhanahuwata'ala and His messinger sallallahualeihiwasallam command us to be humble. And what else can you be when you see Allah's creations, all the beauty around you!

Behold, those who attain to faith
and do righteous deeds
and humble themselves before their Sustainer
- they are destined for paradise,
and there shall they abide.
(Asad) 11:23

PS. you'll never believe, how challenging it is
to take pictures of soap bubbles on a windy day :D ..
but we're supposed to have sabr, right? :P

Children are such a blessing!

I love all my children so much! It's amazing how there will always be enough love to share, no matter how many kids there is! I have 6 of them, so I should know.

The older three already live life on their own, so they're not around every day. Nadia has a family on her own. Amira is getting married this summer, and Samuli.. He just doesn't feel like hanging around with his mom anymore. .But the younger three! They are hanging on my leg.. 24/7! And I don't know what I would do without them! Who would I be?


MashaAllah Donjana is the first child i had together with dh, so in a way iI started from the beginning when i had her. Samuli was already 8 that time, so they had a big age difference too. Before i got pregnant with her i had a miscarriage, so me and dh were feeling so blessed when we had that lovely little baby girl!

I enjoyed Donjana's baby time sooooo much.. My older kids were helping me a lot so I could spend hours alone with her, feeding her, playing with her, telling her stories or singing to her. . I think that's why we've always been so close. She learned pretty soon that she is special, I think she took everything out of being the baby of the family.. And I'm happy that she did. After all, she was the youngest one only for 2 years and 2 months.

Donjana has a hot temper, but she was never too difficult alhamdulilah. Now she is already at school, on the first grade. MashaAllah she is a good student. Often she tells me when some other pupil has been disturbing the class or kids have been teasing someone or such, and then she says: but mom, I was just nicely sitting by my desk, I don't do those things. And she loves her Arabic and Islamic lessons. Alhamdulilah they have them at school. She loves reading too, and often reads her 'Children book of Islam'. MashaAllah mashaAllah she is a lovely girl.

So, then came Deena. Already the pregnancy caused more problems to me than my other pregnancies, so I was expecting her to be all FIRE! And she is. MashaAllah she is hot tempered, but she calms down easily too. This was quite clear to the whole family since Deena was born.


That night when she was born I was quite weak. I had lost some blood and they told me to stay in bed. I had Deena next to me. It was a private room, so there was no other company. Not that I needed that anyway! And something amazing happened. She gave me a biiiig smile, just like that! I tell you sisters, it wasn't just her face movements from pain in stomach, like many people have said. She smiled! I know it! Even her eyes were smiling! For a moment I thought she wants to say something. She looked like she knows so much more than me! MashaAllah my beautiful little girl!

Her temper was so funny.. When normally baby wakes up in the night, she first makes some smaller noises and later cries. But Deena.. She woke up screaming! No warnings beforehand. Hehe.. It was cute, but sometimes not so much fun.. The whole house was easily disturbed if her bottle wasn't ready!

She truly is my sunshine mashaAllah! And it's quite easy to notice that she is the middle child. The syndrome is so clear.. She needs attention. After that some more attention. When she got that, she asks for a little attention. Etc. She needs to have more than others from everything! Alhamdulilah she is not that kind who keeps repeating about the same thing, once she sees no result she gives up.

She doesn't like dolls, she prefers soft toys. And she loves drawing so much! And she loves to help her mother, f that doesn't include cleaning up her own mess in her room! I can't believe that she is already going to pre-school in the autumn! MashaAllah she is really a sweetheart.

Deena was only one year and 3 months and barely learned to walk before Nader was born. It was kind of hectic time in my life. My older kids were not much helping me anymore. Nadia had her own family and Laila, my granddaughter, was born already, and Amira was busy with school. Samuli spent all his time skateboarding.. I had my hands ful with laundry, cooking, cleaning.. Three small kids and teenagers.. SubhanaAllah I survived!

Nader was quite an easy baby. He didn't even co-sleep like the others, he learned to be in his own bed since he was little. I thought he will be a very easy toddler too, but little did I know..


I think first he followed Deena's behavior, but then he realized he can start something on his own. Before Nader I must say I didn't have much experience of tantrums. Almost all the kids have one sometimes, but none of my kids had had a real problem with it. But this boy.. SubhanaAllah he was only 7 months old when he showed it the first time! He was sitting in his high chair and I was feeding him. He wanted a spoon and when he didn't get it, he threw himself backwards almost out of the chair.. He shouted maybe 20 minutes.. That's when I knew I was in trouble..

Nader has got tantrums everywhere we go, and he still does it sometimes. Nothing helps. I've tried shouting, ignoring, taking his attention somewhere else, blackmailing, corruption, taking toy away, some charts and stuff.. Nothing helps. So I let him shout and show him he can't get his way, then after a while I ask if he wants a hug. If he does it's usually over, but if he doesn't I try again later. He is 4 years old now, he should be over it soon inshaAllah, isn't it?

Well.. Nader is not only a trouble maker. He is a very sweet boy, who loves hugs and kisses. He loves running games, action, and all kinds of sticks.. and Ninja Trutles, Spiderman and Batman. Often I spend time with him when the girls are busy with their own stuff. He seems to love his mom very much mashaAllah.

I told earlier that he was easy to put down to his own bed.. Well yeah.. He was - before he learned how to climb out of his crib when he was 1 year old. Since then he was practically co-sleeping and he would still like to be. I put him to his bed every night, but he is always next to me when i wake up. It's a bit annoying, but I know I will miss that some day.. Seems like he will be my last baby. I'd take one more though inshaAllah.

We're often busy with house work, cooking, cleaning, or some of our own stuff, but we should always remember that the kids are small for only a while. Little laundry, dishes or dust balls don't run away if we make them wait. They stay forever, but the kids don't. It's so easy to tell the child: ''I don't have time now''. I must admit I do it too often. My kids ask a lot, so sometimes i just have to. But I really try not to. Some day they may stop asking, or go ask someone or somewhere else.. I still remember the feeling when I was young myself, and tried to explain something important to my parents and they didn't listen.

That's why I try to give my kids as much time as possible. I love to do all kinds of things with them! Taking them out to play, long walks in the nature, taking them to different playgrounds etc.. It's fun to do some crafts with the kids, or play board games, or just be together doing nothing special! I hope they remember that some day and do the same to their own kids. And inshaAllah when we're old they will remember us and give us some of their time.

Children are such a blessing! MashaAllah!