Ramadan Mubarak to all my sisters!

So, Ramadan is here! I'm sooooo exited, but the same time I feel quilty. I simply can't fast this year, and maybe the next few years will be like that too. The fasting hours this year are extremely long here, over 17 hours in the beginning.. last year i tried it for two days. after about 10 hours i start to shake, get cramps and feel like fainting. I have found out that my blood sugar level is too long, and even if i eat huge suhoor, it's not enough to cover the whole looooooong day. The doctors opinion is that i shouldn't fast anyway already because I have anemia, but I'm pretty sure these western doctors would tell almost anyone to not fast when the hours are this long, so I'm not sure if I can really trust their judgment in this thing.

I wanted to give it another try today.. Well, my back problem made the end of it.. I have a flat disc and infected area around si-joint. That gives me sciatica pain and I have been using medicine for it for over a year already. I took a pill before fajr, but already around 10 am I found walking almost impossible, so looks like no fasting for me this Ramadan..

This is so frustrating. I have never found fasting difficult, I don't mind hunger or thirst, and all the food tastes sooooo good after a day of fasting. I sooooo wish I could do it! The whole Ramadan doesn't feel the same, when you have to make it all up in the winter.

Anyway, I try to remember that Ramadan is not only for giving up food and drinks in the day time. It's also for praying more, reading and reciting quran and maybe memorizing new surah or two, being friendly and nice to others (well.. we should always be anyway), charity, spending time together with the family etc etc..

I'm planning to try to fast at least a few days in the weekends inshaAllah, when we don't have to wake up for school. My girls want to try too. the time is way too long for them, but they could fast at least until the afternoon or so, to get the feeling. We will also eat iftaar together in the right time, even if we're not fasting. Yeah.. seems like nobody in this house will.. dh has medicines he needs to take regularly so he can't either.

I also want to make some crafts for Ramadan with my kids. at least we will make a tasbeeh for them. they have plenty of beads, so why not to use them for something like this instead of some princess-necklaces like they usually do. We might even make some for gifts for other kids, if they just have patience enough.. The girls are really exited about it. They want to make dhikir and counting with fingers is difficult for them, especially -deena because she doesn't know bigger numbers yet.

Ok.. This became more like ranting that Ramadan wishes to my sisters.. Sorry for that.. Time to end this, with some hadiths.



Narrated Ibn Umar: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "When you see the crescent (of the month of Ramadan), start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwal), stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you can't see It) then regard the crescent (month) of Ramadan (as of 30 days)". Sahih Bukhari, Book #31, Hadith #124


Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." The Prophet added, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times." Sahih Bukhari, Book#31 Hadith #118


Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting".) Sahih Bukhari, Book #31, Hadith #127


Ramadan Kareem to all my sisters and their families!

So, tomorrow it starts! Deena's pre school! I have some mixed emotions.. My baby girl is growing up! Donjana will start the second grade tomorrow, so her holiday is over as well. Also it feels like the summer is over even if the weather is still very warm.

I was there this evening at a parents meeting. Kinda boring lol, because I've been there sooo many times, but it's important for Deena that I go lol.. It was nice to get to know her teachers better anyway. I have met them when I got Laila from the day care, but they haven't been teaching my kids before.

Deena's group seems to be multicultural.. At least 5 muslim kids, and the teachers have experience about muslims and our needs alhamdulilah. Still Iwrote my own wishes down though, just to be sure.

It was funny to see a mother of Nenna's best school friend from 7th grade there.. She also has a daughter Deena's age..

Also Laila is in the same group alhamdulilah. They have 18 pre'schoolers and 7 kids who are 5 this year and go to pre-school next year. Laila is one of those. So it's a big group. The pre-schoolers and the younger kids have some of the activities together, but the 'lessons' are always in smaller groups, usually half of the pre-schoolers at once, so 9 kids. They have lessons two days a week, but the rest of the days are educational as well.

I came out with a bunch of papers.. Lol I don't know if I'll ever read them all.. This is my fifth kid in the pre-school mashaAllah.. I don't know how much new stuff there can be for me .

Donjana is excited about going on the second grade. It's a big deal to not be one of the youngest in the school! She says she will study well and work hard this year, because she wants to have a good diploma. She needs it to go to the university some day, to become a doctor! I don't know from where she got that idea now.. Before she wanted to be a vet, a nurse, a horse-back-rider and I don't remember what else..

So from now and on it will be just me and Nader habibi in the day time. He is excited about that, but I'm pretty sure he'll be bored of my company soon .

InshaAllah my girls will have a lovely first day and a successful school year!

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!

Allahs perfect creations

I can't believe this: this is my second post already because ants got me thinking.. :O . They've attacked my house once again..

Dh has kept two kinds of candy (with paper wraps) on a shelf near our back door. A little over a week ago the ant attack started.. They came to the kitchen mostly, but I saw a few going to the direction of the candy.. I didn't think they'd really do anything there.. Those were hard bon bons, not some soft or sticky ones.. And the paper wraps were tight..

Well, yesterday dh's brother took one candy and there was ants inside it :O . Alhamdulilah he saw it before he put it in his mouth.. I wanted to check the rest of the candies, but had no time yesterday..So today I did.. I couldn's believe what I saw :O SubhanaAllah there was ants all over the candies, but they had been eating only of one from each kind :O . There was more than one kilo candy and all the ants chose to go and eat from the same two pieces! They kept the rest clean! And those were not the first ones on the top, but under almost everything..

You can't see it much from the black candy, but on the white one it shows how they dig a hole in it.

Think how Allah has made the ants! They clearly tell each other where is food.. They find their way between a bunch of candy to eat from the same one.. They find their way home and have their own highways.. through my living room but anyway..

It's so amazing how everything works in this world.. No human inventions come even near the perfection of Allah's creations! If you think of human body for example. How perfectly everything works, how everything is taken care of.. No engineer could ever invent anything like that!


He it is who has created for you all that is on earth, and has applied His design to the heavens and fashioned them into seven heavens; and He alone has full knowledge of everything.
Quran 2:29

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!

Life, just nice life.. Alhamdulilah!

It's hard to find the right headline for normal, lovely days.. It's just life. Nice life alhamdulilah!

So after Donjana left on the camp, the house has been somewhat more quiet.. Only my 'cat and dog', Deena and Nader, have been making some noise.. They seem to find reasons to make fuzz out of everything :P . Alhamdulilah no time to get bored!


On tuesday we went to the beach to swim and have picnic.. I took some hot dogs, bananas and juice with us. The weather was nice and sunny, but it was a bit windy, so the kids didn't swim much. I was kinda happy about it though.. There wasn't so many people around and I didn't have to worry that the kids will drown..Anyway, we had a really nice day! Deena was collecting shells and Nader was running around the beach playing football! :D it was hilarious to watch btw :P .

We got home in the evening, the kids were exhausted. So was I, but I had a job waiting for me.. High piles of clean clothes, ready and folded, waiting to be put away. And I did it! YAY me! I wish clean clothes had legs on their own though.. I never have a full laundry basked and I don't have a problem hanging clothes to dry or folding them after they're done. But putting them to closets.. Oh nooo.. :O I have no idea why it is so hard :P .

On Wednesday we went to my mother's summer house, just for the day. Nadia had been there over night with her kids, so all the kids got a chance to play together there for a while.. Or not all actually, Donjana is not here.. :'( .

We had some friends visiting there too. The day was wonderful! Lovely weather, some bbq, country side, good company.. And what did I do? Lol, most of the time I was laying in a hammock with my book :P . Ahhhhh summer!


It's weird to not have Donjana around. When I put food for the kids I always forget she is not here, and put three plates. :D In the morning I made them three sandwiches.. I'm pretty sure I will not learn to put only two before she is back already :P . I'm such a dork.. :D

Donjana has been enjoying herself on the camp! They've had a lot of activities and she is always exited about everything. On Tuesday night she was a bit home sick though, and she called me crying :'(. The older girl that shares room with her had gone to the shower and she was alone. Not nice on a bed time.. She is not used to sleep alone even here, she has Deena and Nader in the same room. Donjana relaxed after we spoke for a while alhamdulilah. Anyway, I had dh calling to her teacher the next day and tell him to make sure Donjana doesn't have to be alone in her room anymore after bed time, because that's the hardest moment for her in being away from home. Her teacher promised to take care of that alhamdulilah.

Yesterday Donjana's phone was closed so I couldn't call her good night. Today the phone was still closed, so I sent sms to the teacher to ask if her battery is empty or did she loose the whole phone.. The teacher called me back and told that it was empty and Donjana didn't know how to charge it. Poor her. I had told her though, but seems like she forgot.. Her teacher promised to help her alhamdulilah. And I spoke with Donjana too. She sounded exited again, and told me they had a party today! Alhamdulilah seems like she likes it there. She had been a bit home sick this morning as well, but after the breakfast she had forgotten all about it alhamdulilah! She is a big girl already mashaAllah!..


It's amazing how fast time goes and the kids grow mashaAllah! Today Nader went to a kids party to his friends' place, alone for the first time. They live in the next house from us, a few apartments away. I wasn't sure if he'd go alone - he knows the boys' mother well though. But yeah... He went, rang the doorbell, stepped in and didn't look back :D . mashaAllah he had a good time and didn't seem to miss me at all..

While Nader was at the party, I went with Deena to get Nadia's kids from the day care. Deena is going to the same place for pre-school in the autumn, so she is always exited to go there.. Laila and Ali spent the whole evening here, because Nadia and her husband both had an evening shift until 9 pm.



We spent most of the time outside, because the weather was nice.. I made dinner though, and while I was cooking the kids were watching a movie. After dinner we went back out. I cut the lawn and the kids were playing bowling :D . The evening was quite busy for me, but I still had a chance to sit back with my coffee cup out on the bench, while the kids were drawing with chalk on the asphalt next to me :P .

And now.. The house is quiet. Laila and Ali left home, my kids are sleeping, dishes are done (with the machine :P ), the laundry is done too.. (More clean piles developing again lol).. Time to lift my feet up and relaxxxxx! Oh life.. So ordinary and normal, with a lot of routines, but also full of pleasure. So many reasons for joy and happiness, if you just know where to find them! Alhamdulilah for everything!

Nader is fine and recovering

So on thursday I woke up Nader early in the morning and took him to the hospital. He was so sleepy, I was afraid he'll throw a fit, but I managed to get him out from the house without drama alhamdulilah. On the way we ended up queueing for a long time in some traffic lights, because they're renewing some asfalt on the highway. I wish I knew it, I would have taken another route. Alhamdulilah we managed to get to the hospital in time.



We signed in downstairs and were told to go to the 11th floor to the ENT outpatient ward. We were taken to the room and got some hospital clothes for Nader. There wasn't much stuff his size, the nurse found only one pair of pants and a t-shirt. They've had a lot of his age kids there lately, so everything was finished. Lol he was proud of his little t-shirt :D

There was still about one and half hours wait before Nader's turn. He watched some videos until it was time for him to be taken to the operation room. I went with them downstairs and said bye to Nader by the door of the operation ward. Then I headed up on the hill in the hospital garden with my book and a thermos full of coffee. Got to get my mind somewhere else so I wouldn't worry. I had over an hour to wait.

My little Nader's operation went well alhamdulilah. They got the palatine tonsils and adenoids both removed as planned, and put the tubes to his ears. I was told that there was a lot of secretion in his both ears. I was surprised because he didn't have any pain in his ears and even the specialist who checked him saw that only in one ear. Alhamdulilah it's taken care now before it affected to his hearing or balance.



He is recovering now. Eating and drinking seem to be a bit of a problem, but alhamdulilah he is trying so he gets at least something. it's heart breaking to see him craving for something and then when he tries, he can't have it. :(

I have tons of popsicles and ice cream at home, but he doesn't seem to be interested. He tried two kinds of ice cream and one kind of popsicle. Now they're in the freezer half eaten.



I can't make him drink as much as recommended, but he doesn't have any signs of dehydrating, so i think it's all good. And he surprised me yesterday! He ate a big plate on cold tagliatelle with plain creme sauce.. alhamdulilah. he's been eating chocolate pudding too. seems like it's easier to swallow than liquid stuff.

He hasn't had any bleeding alhamdulilah. InshaAllah he will continue recovering well!

Nader will be operated tomorrow

My little boy needs an operation :( . Nader has had his nose running or blocked almost since he was born. If he gets a flu, his nose will be running two months after the flu is gone. Usually it's been better in the summer. He has always been breathing hard while sleeping, and lately he has been snoring too.This spring he had an ear infection, and when we went to check out if it was healed after a few weeks, the infection was still there.



We had appointment with an ENT, and she checked Nader. She said that his ear is still not healed. It's not really infected either, so it doesn't need antibiotics.. It just has some liquid inside. They call it glue ear, because his adenoids are way too big so the ear air conditioning doesn't work.

His adenoids need to be removed and he needs ear tubes. His palatine tonsils are huge as well, and if they're not removed now, they will need to be removed sooner or later anyway. It's better everything is done at once so we don't have to think about it again and Nader don't have to go through the pain and stuff twice.


We were supposed to get a letter from the hospital about one week before the operation, but yesterday they called me and asked if we can go on thursday. We had a plan to go to Moomin world that day, so we had to change our plan. We left to Moomin world right away so the choldren wouldn't miss it. Nader can't go anywhere for a whole week after the operation, and 'sport' is forbidden two weeks, so we can't go to any action places any time soon.

It might be hard on Nader to take it easy for so long. I guess about 99% of his moves can be counted as sport, he is a really active kid mashaAllah. He is a strong boy and inshaAllah he'll recover quickly.





We bought tons of ice cream, ice lollies, chocolate puddings, spiced yogurts etc, because nader can eat only cold foods on the first days. He is exited.. For now. I'm afraid once he realizes why he needs to eat those, he may throw a fit and refuse to eat anything. I really don't know what to expect from him. He is usually not making problems when he is sick, but he throws fits for getting hurt and acts very dramatic sometimes, so his reaction can be pretty much anything. InshaAllah he will understand to not shout and eat his ice thingies nicely..

So, tomorrow morning at 8 am we need to check in the hospital. The operation will start about at 10 am. If everything goes well, we can go home about 4 hours after the operation, so it should be some time in the afternoon inshaAllah.



Hang in there Nader habibi! ♥ mama loves you! ♥


May Allah subhanahuwata'ala bless and protect my little boy and let the surgery go well! Ameen

Please sisters, keep him in yalls duas! ♥