News about my homecoming to news

I'm back. Yes, it's been a very long hiatus. But here I am again, mostly because of Dalal Kanan, who has always genuinely and lovingly encouraged my blogging. So this is for you, Dalal. And for me too.  I want to know if I remember how to write or use the English language. Or if my brain has really turned to mush. You'll tell me then?

I have some news: I've started working! Don't worry friends, I am not going to change my blog title (again). Because although my employment status has changed, my status as a Stay at Home Superhero has not. And I am very grateful for that.

For months I have been perusing job listings and media websites, hoping for the perfect part time or stay at home position. For the record, neither exist in my field. I considered freelancing, but being at the whim and mercy of the broadcast news machine does not pair well with two young kids.

I applied to countless 9-5 jobs, all the while knowing that I would go crazy if I had to spend all that time out of the house. I hoped if I was applying to jobs outside of television, I could maybe come home at a decent time. But is coming home at six'o clock really good enough? Would the one or two hours before bedtime with the girls make up for an entire day away from them? It was a sacrifice I did not want to make. But I submitted my resume anyways, knowing that if it was meant to be then Allah would push the door open for me.

It does not happen very often that one is fortunate enough to have something perfect, something you couldn't even imagine would be such a great fit, fall right into your lap. For me, Allah guided me in the best of ways back home, to NBC, where I started my career many years ago.

When I tell someone that I go to work in the middle of the night, they look at me like I'm crazy. But you know what? It just fits me and my family. It's different, and different feels good. When I get out of work, I have my entire day ahead of me. As I walk through Manhattan in the early morning, while most of the residents and tourists are still sleeping in I.OWN.THE.CITY.

All praise is due to Allah for this opportunity.

For a Proper Prayer, Lock the Kids Up

Don't worry, I'm just kidding. Could I be the only one who has not had a proper prayer, full of reverence and connection to God, since the birth of my first daughter?

Obviously we all know kids are distracting. When it was just my now two year old, I would try to pray while she napped, or sat with someone else. But now she is napping less, and often wants to be around me, interacting and playing. So my prayer has become hurried, and I usually do not have time for extra prayers, or anything beyond the basic requirements. Even though she has developed an interest in praying with us, it's not so easy to concentrate with her standing next to me, reciting her makeshift Arabic supplications.

But that's not my only problem now.  Since her sister came into our lives 7 months ago, prayer has become more of an exercise. One moment, I am stretching my arm as far as possible to snatch something out of her mouth that should not be eaten.  Another moment, I am kicking out a leg to block her from a pile of wires to the left of me or trying to uncurl her hands from a swatch of her sister's hair. All while trying to maintain my position in prayer.

Last night, our evening prayer was an absolute circus. While the two year loves to model us, don a scarf and lay her prayer mat down next to us, her sister has her own plans. Those plans include trying to eat the prayer mat, going after our heads in prostration, and generally chasing her down as her sister as she tried to get away from her.  My husband and I were on the verge of laughter the entire prayer, and broke out laughing as soon as it was over.

It made for a fun evening, but now I wonder, did we miss out on that prayer?

Please share your advice be on how to pray with kids around.  I look forward to hearing it.

Mothers and Ramadan

So I tried to partake in Ramadan a few days ago. The hubby went to pray the first half of the night pray at the masjid, and then came home to stay with the sleeping kids while I went to the masjid.

It was not so successful. Rather than feeling a spiritual rush for being in a masjid packed with people praying, I had to fight hard to keep myself awake during the prayer. At first it was hard to keep my mind from wandering with a million different thoughts. So I closed my eyes, and instead I felt as if I would fall asleep standing in that moment. So I open my eyes. Mind wanders again. Close my eyes. I feel a sudden urge to lay down in the middle of the row I was praying in.

There have been a few articles out recently regarding mothers and ramadan, reassuring us that we would be rewarded as much, although we may be missing out on fasting or extra prayers. Thank you, but your words were unneccesary. In fact, it almost felt as if I was being patronized, with male authors telling us how much reward there is in motherhood.

No kidding! Motherhood is hard and rewarding? Tell me more I about something I have been going through for over two years.  Allah will reward us for raising our children? Was there even any doubt of His generosity and mercy, especially towards mothers, the stewards of the Ummah?

And I know a lot of men say with their words how hard motherhood is and how grateful they are to mothers. Well, words do not mean enough. In fact mothers have something kin to a 30 hour workday, while a husband may come home from an 8 hour workday. So stop sympathizing with your words alone, and help out. Pick up a load of laundry, cook a meal, or change a diaper. By the way, this is not a criticism to my own husband, he has been wonderful, despite being in law school. But there's always room for improvement ;)

And one more important fact. When you do that load of laundry, or change a smelly diaper, do it without being asked. Without me dropping a fairly obvious hint. Or even a subtle one, though subtlety has never been my strong point.  Without any mention of it. That will bump you up from 1 point to 100 points for the same act.