It's Finally Here! Earth Hour 2010!

Like I've said many times before about Earth Hour, it seems small and fruitless, but it really isn't. It's about raising awareness and doing something that may seem useless to some but is actually the first step of action on a larger scale for many. I know for myself, it's done quite a bit and it has allowed me to really open my eyes to what's happening to this beautiful world of ours. As Muslims especially, we were supposed to do this a real long time ago.

It's a duty of ours as vicegerents on this world to protect and save the environment that we live in. We all know it's against Islam to waste all the resources that we have been blessed with. Whether it's water, food, electricity, money, etc we will be questioned by our Creator for all that we've used, consumed and wasted. The Scholars say that to show gratitude to Allah (swt) for His blessings is not just by saying shukr, but it is by using those blessings in the correct manner and not wasting it.

Turning off our lights for one hour today isn't what we as Muslims or even as human beings should only be doing, or doing it just for fun. Rather, it's the first step to taking more action to do what we should have been doing ages ago. InshaAllah with the right intention this will be a great means of reward for us and a time to reflect on our role as khalifahs (vicegerents). It can be a time of doing shukr to Allah (swt), reflecting on His marvelous creation, and even spending some quality time with our families.

Members of our families are sometimes too busy either watching T.V, sitting on the computer, cooking in the kitchen and being on the phone (texting included) with someone these days that they consider doing all that under one roof to be as spending time 'together'. Come on, we can do better then that and it can start today!

So let's get our candles out everyone!

Alhamdulillah- The 1st Trimester Over

Alhamdulillah I’m done my 1st trimester! Just knowing that is so exciting =D. Also, my nausea is starting to fade away (Alhamdulillah to that one!!) and I think I’m starting to finally show now. Well, it’s not much really but it’s something like a little bump! You know, even through all the unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy I still secretly enjoy them in a way...ok that may not make sense. Let me give you an example. Initially, I never felt the slightest bit of nausea, so I worried about it secretly then once I started too, it was like a relief! lol it sounds crazy but after I read that having nausea is something normal and actually good for the baby because of the hormonal changes that are happening in order to protect the baby, I thought, ‘Oh no!’ So, you can understand that when I did start feeling it in the mornings it was a sucky feeling but definitely a big relief!

There are still so many things going on right now, some symptoms are going away some increasing and some new ones! I guess it’s because this is where the baby really starts growing. The uterus expands, baby gets more meat on, ooh and I’ll start to feel some movement in a few weeks inshaAllah! Also, next month should be around the time when the ruh will be blown into the baby soo that will be something.. I heard that when that happens the baby will give a big kick to let its moma know that it’s alive now. Hmmm I’ll have to wait and see but it would be incredible to feel that and know that the ruh was just blown into the baby while it being inside of me!! SubhanAllah again.

Soon it will also be able to hear and react to sounds, I tried researching to find out when babies in the womb can actually start hearing but I got mixed information. Some say 20 weeks and some say from 15 weeks but basically scientists are not exactly sure when they are able to hear and also be able to remember those sounds. It’s just something I’m really curious about because as Muslims we’re encouraged to recite Qur’an and do dhikr as often as possible but it’s even more essential to do so during pregnancy. If today there is research proving to some extent that sounds that that baby hears in the womb actually do affect the baby and it’s development, it’s something to really think about. They suggest playing classical music like Mozart but what is the best sound in the world? It’s the recitation of the Words of Allah (swt), our Creator. Nothing can beat that now can it? SubhanAllah.

I think that’s enough for now, I’m still reading up on what happens at 14 weeks and generally what to expect in the 2nd trimester inshaAllah. With that said, please continue to remember my family and I in your du’as!

made of earth

Allah Almighty says:

“And verily we did create man from a product of (chosen) clay. Thereafter we placed him (as a drop of sperm) in a place of rest, firmly fixed. Then we made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood. Then of that clot we made a (foetus) lump. Then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh. Then we developed out of it another creature (by breathing life into it). So Blessed be Allah, the Best of all creators” (Surah al-Mu’minoon 23: 12-14).

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said:

“The seed of one of you remains in the womb of the mother for forty days in the form of a Nutfa (sperm). Then it remains like a clot for another forty days, and then for a same number of days like a lump of flesh (when the formation of the limbs and the growth of the bones begin) (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim).

Reading these and knowing that it's happened/happening/will happen inside myself is beyond explanation. SubhanAllah. Just reading about the changes that my body is experiencing and how the baby is developing makes the entire experience of pregnancy so exciting to learn about and I just can't believe it's happening!! More then anything though, it just puts so much awe in the heart and mind for our Creator, Allah the Almighty and Glorious. SubhanAllah, it's so amazing and beyond anything man can ever create. At random times I just stop and think about how there's life growing inside me and it's so overwhelming, it's unbelievable! Allah (swt) is indeed 'Ahsanul Khaliqeen', the Best of all creators.

So finding out in January was one of the biggest joys of my life and for my husband as well. For us to go through this together is such a blessing in every way possible, alhamdulillah and mashaAllah. Our families are obviously thrilled, especially my family because I'm the eldest and therefore the first having a baby. My sisters are already planning on doing every type of spoiling they possibly can...so to my dear sisters, there will be rules laid down :p haha

I've nearly finished my first trimester and I can say that having nausea all day is definitely not fun. It's like having the stomach flu everyday! Oh and feeling very tired is an understatement, the tired feeling is like you've haven't slept for days and days and all you want to do is sleep more and more. These are just 2 of the symptoms of early pregnancy, 2 of very many I must add. But alhamdulillah it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, it went much better then I expected! Like they say, every pregnancy if different.

Anyways I'm starting to get some heart burn (another perk of pregnancy!) so I'll end it here for now. I just want to ask for everyone's du'as that Allah (swt) protects the baby and keeps it and myself healthy throughout this whole process inshaAllah. And that the child be born healthy, strong, beautiful physically, mentally and spiritually with Iman and Taqwa making him/her a salih child inshaAllah!

I know, I know..but I have some good NEWS

Okay, I said I was going to be posting more this year and now it's March and there hasn't been any postings. Hehe can I be forgiven? I have a perfectly good excuse though! It's because of it I've been sort of unable to sit and make posts for the blog but now I'm at the stage where I think I can be up to it again. I missed the blog a lot and I miss posting too.

So what's the big excuse then? Actually, before we get to that, let me say that I wasn't going to say it on this blog. I was thinking of making another blog for it. But then I thought of the name of the blog and I realized, hey, this is the blog to talk about it! I'm sure you've guessed it by now :)

If you haven't, I'll let you keep guessing!

Now I'm super excited to blog about this whole new experience (Alhamdulillah, MashaAllah) and all the ups and downs that go with it inshaAllah. Don't worry, I'll still post other things and I still haven't forgotten about the Marriage Series ;) I know people are still waiting for the 3rd part in that one.

Any guesses??

I'll wait for someone to comment and then I'll begin the posting inshaAllah!

Take care for now, and remember me in your du'as!