New beginnings - summer love

As-salaam all,

I ended the last post with Uthmaan’s school report, and I am starting it with his birthday. Happy birthday to my little prince. May Allah grant you all your dreams and duas, In Sha Allah Ameen.

After a very loooong holiday, we all started work and school this week except for Ahmed he is still on leave. All in all, it was a really good holiday, we spent time together with friends and family. We had loads and loads of laughter. At one point during the holidays we were 2 adults and 8 children all on an outing and we survived. We had lots of late nights and good food. Our kids got to play hide and seek at night (they had to play in my yard and driveway) but this was a new one for the kids.

Our home for the holidays was known as the Bawa resort (i.e. a place of fun for all). Ahmed joined in on the fun, the days he did not work he was either in the pool with the kids or he was braaiing.

With the amount of traffic my home had, I was very surprised that it remained fairly clean and tidy. This was possible because I struck a deal with my boys. If they help me for an hour every day tidy the house, I will play and take them out. For the most part it worked, unless they were really tired, and I would let it slide.

We spent lots of time outdoors doing things that I would have done as a child growing up, our kids swam, played tag and rode their bikes, painted on the walls in my yard (until Uthmaan decided he needed to paint himself and his cousins). We did a night market visit; we went to the Trout Farm for the day. Kids had an amazing time swimming in the river. We went to the Chocolate factory and went cheese tasting.

Looking back at our holiday I miss the freedom the kids had. All they had to worry about was what is the next game we going to play. #puresummerfun.

All good things must come to an end…. Or do they?

My resolution for this year. I want to be a better Muslim and lead by example. I am going to try and make my boys laugh every day. I want to teach them to respect themselves and others around them. I want them to learn and question everything (even if it drives me up the pole). Most importantly I want my boys, friends and family to know that I am here for you no matter what.

Bring it on 2020, I am ready for all the challenges.

As – salaam

Ayesha