Jan 1, 2015

2014 - another memorable year, ahlan 2015

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim...

2014 almost ended in an hour here in Nashville (I have yet to update my life though).

I would probably make a short summary of 2014 knowing this is going to be very hard to continue if I stop writing.

2014...
End of 2013 was a new beginning to me as a mother, thus the big challenge really came this year. Juggling time between handling house, a child, and tarbiyyah is really a BIG challenge.

Tarbiyyah
Going to usrahs is not that bad, but when other events came.. Subhanallah, sometimes I will be in dilemma whether I should go or not. Making sure all the facilities are infant-friendly, others are comfortable having infants at the event, and the list goes on and on. But, Allah is the Most Merciful, He guided me, provided me the best husband to motivate and never slip to miss his responsibility as a husband and a father.


Now that I am studying, it drives me crazy a lot more in addition to that I have to work as a teaching assistant as well. Only Allah and my husband know how my first semester looks like.

And hey, Allah won't give things that you can't handle, right? :)

Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah... I manage to get busy as before, though a bit limited, but my time is mostly occupied. I now miss my Gombak & IIUM, for they have built my strength and always keep me motivated whenever I feel down and challenges came by.

Allahu akbar!

The daughter
Our beautiful daughter grows well, mashaAllah.... From not being able to do anything other than crying out loud (and smiles and giggles sometimes), Aufa is now able to wear a winter cap by herself, and help to put her toys in the box.

Subhanallah, she's a grown up. A year old, she can do a lot more than I can ever imagine. Really, human beings are the best creation as Allah said.

And I am eager now to wait until she can walk well, and able to talk. She surely make me cry when she's able to do that. *I believe my mother must be excited when I was very small back then :')*

The future
I finally have the courage to apply for graduate school again. My long-term plan to have a doctorate degree, I thought I should pursue it very soon. And so I did, only to a school. And I got the offer, alhamdulillah. Allah made it easy.

The hard part was the money to fly. I have the teaching assistantship that covers only tuition fee, insurance, and monthly allowance. But Allah guided us through all the challenges. It's true, when we do things with good intention, Allah will guide and help inshaAllah.

Trust Him. :)


And here I am back in Nashville, Tennessee, but now with the best husband and daughter, for more or less 4 years I guess.

More challenges, more fun I guess. hehe.

Deciding to take a PhD is not an easy decision. It will take your 4-5 years of life stuck in the class and piles of journal papers. You will not have a good salary as other experienced employees like your friends do. And time with your children (but those who work face the same thing though.. :D)

But Allah knows best. My intention to pursue this is to become a professional in my field. Personal reasons and wider missions inshaALlah!

The family
My youngest sister finally graduated from high school last few weeks. Subhanallah, time flies so fast, I might still treating her like a baby sis (Nazirah, you now have a child! duh~). My parents are busy looking for her post-school plans, inshaAllah the best will come. More US grads? haha.

My only brother finally done with his undergraduate last week, and so his commencement will be on May inshaAllah... Congratulations brother! Now I have an EE gang in the house hehe.

And Angah, of course, making money now. :p

Subhanallah, all have grown up. I don't know how Mak and Ayah is feeling right now, probably happy with the achievements of their children (alhamdulillah). In the other side, they might feel sad when everyone will have their own life to go on, if not now, will be soon.

For my dear Mak and Ayah, we will always be your children and both of you will always be our Mak and Ayah. Nothing will replace that until even we enter Jannah inshaALlah. :') O Allah, forgive our parents and love them as they have love us since we are born. Ameeen...

As for my in-law side, my sister-in-law got married early 2014. And Aufa now have 2 cousins, alhamdulillah! Welcome Samir Salahuddin and 'Iffah! We will meet if Allah permits for sure, Aufa is surely eager to meet her cousins. :)


And of course, we have entered our third year being together. I thanked Allah for giving me this ni'mah - a husband who is very patient, caring, and loving for who I am. We are still learning towards a blissful marriage and building a great baitul muslim, may Allah guide us. Ameen...

2015.... What's coming up?
I rarely succeed in achieving my annual goals, usually maybe around 20-30 percent. But, one thing for sure, I don't want to give up giving hopes to myself. Allah has never close the door of taubah to us, why would I give up now?

One of the video that I listened just tonight, gave me motivation to do this continuously. My dream to memorize the whole Qur'an since I was in school - I shall never give up. InshaAllah :)


(focus on the 6:25 onwards)


Here we go, new chapter of life. Never never never stop praying for Allah guidance towards a blessed life.

Allahumma ameen.

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