The whole day was almost a bust for me, lol.
I got up, got all of my clothes ironed, changed my jewelry over to the gold because I couldn't find a silver scarf to go with the intended clothes for that day so that I could wear my silver "everything". I wear silver, not gold, as I am the purchaser of my jewelry and that's what I can afford and I have actually come to prefer it.
I guess I'm still a little obsessed with my weight since this picture of me really is upsetting. I'm only 5'4" @ 135lbs and I look HUGE! Ok, I've gotten that out of my system, I'm better. It really Galls me though. I've worked really hard to lose the weight from quitting cigarettes and I've even lost more than I'd originally gained. Anywayyyyy
In the top picture are quite a few of the Elyeman girls. If any of you girls read this and I've spelled your names wrong, just post corrections below, lol.
So beginning from the left is Bayinah, Nazia (not Eleyeman), Jihad - better known as Jiji, Selsabeel, and finally Miss Ala. In the bottom is their Mother, my dear friend, Alice.
Salsa was returning to college the next day and the day after that, today, Ala left for the rest of her college up north. I will miss them both. I don't get to see them very often any more with them all growing up and going off to college and my working so much these days, but when we do, I get the BEST hugs, but Jiji has the best hugs of all, lol.
It seems like it's been so long since I was blessed to be invited into their family, but it really hasn't. My Daughter was only "just" pregnant with her now 2.5 yr old son at the time, so I guess that only adds up to about 3 yrs, Wow, it feels so much longer.
At any rate the day was almost a bust because my Daughter has been quit smoking for I think 6 days, as of today. The effects are really and literally making her very ill. I was heading toward the Masjid for the first morning prayer on Eid when she called and asked if I would take her to the clinic because she was feeling pretty bad.
I made and about face and by the time I'd gotten back to where my apartment was the poor baby called me back and told me not to come because she'd just realized what day it was and didn't want me to miss the festivities. I made it to the Masjid just as everyone was exiting the building after the second prayer. I was bummed! I did get to see quite a few people that I don't most of the time, but missed seeing someone I was supposed to meet. I'm not sure how that will turn out, but probably for the best. Dua's are a pretty good thing :D (Thank you Sr. Tasneem)
As it turned out, I didn't have to work for the week. Everyone had people at their homes or their whole families were home so I've been spending a lot of time with my daughter and her son. It has been very nice. I work on Friday, then go to Lowery Park, hopefully, with Erica and the baby, Tiylor. She has passes so I can get in for free :-D
I think the last time I was there my Daughter was quite young, less than the first grade and I know that was the time because we went with a friend and her daughter. On that visit, we thought my friend's daughter had been "taken" because she just disappeared! It scared us all pretty bad. She turned out to be at the "Lost and Found". The child in question later said that a strange woman took her there.
My girl friend always teased me saying I was so mean because I wouldn't let my daughter get away from me, as in my not holding her hand. I swear, I know I got an extra group of gray hairs that day, it was very bad for me, because I'd just been lecturing her in return about all of the children that disappear yearly, Wa Allah! it was so terrible for those few moments, but as you can see, 20 years later, the memory is still very clear.
At any rate Eid of 2011 will go down in my book as a bust, but a good one.
I remember my Mother always saying that on New Years day try to be either doing what you want to be doing in the year to come or something that will enable that end.
Well it is superstitious, but I figure if you are worshiping in the way that is best for your soul and surrounded by people who love you and whom you love, what better way to spend the coming year. You see for Muslims, this is the beginning of the new year so I'm spending time with family and people who are dear to me.
