Our walimah

no, we havent done it
no, tickets arent booked

BUT Im very much looking forward to it all :)
The current plan is to leave the end of March and stay for the whole of April, much to my in-laws surprise, yes I will cope with the weather... anytime we go it will be hot, we have decided on the earliest month that is best for us so insha'Allah it will work out.
Im looking forward to meeting the rest of my husbands family, to see the little things people do that he tells me, to see the places he talks about and to experience things from his perspective (although obviously unfortunately not totally)
Im looking forward to not having to really think about a party ;) 2 planned weddings are definitely enough for me. So this one, I get to sit back and enjoy... especially seeing as most of the little things are nothing I know about but very important to A's family. I get to have another henna party, but this time its going to be completely filling my hands up to mid arms, and my feet.. and then Im just going to sit there and relax ;) hehee.. Im looking forward to clothes shopping for the party too, looking forward to buying things to bring back to the UK to remind me on my other family when we are home insha'Allah.. Im just really looking forward to it all... meeting new people and making new friends insha'Allah.

I cant wait to get our tickets eventually booked insha'Allah

Update

Its been way too long and for that I apologise, my excuse? erm.. does 'Ive been off' count? I cant even say hubby has been distracting me because he is back to full time hours now alhamdulillah. So its just plain me! I get so bored that I dont think of the things I could be catching up with.
I finished work last Wednesday, hubby was off Thursday and Friday so we spent a 'weekend' together, we went food shopping, we took a trip into Tooting and went out for lunch together (Chennai Dosa) which is something we havent done in a while (Eid lunch doesnt count) so it was fun masha'Allah

Dosa, much warmer and much nicer than the last place

Coconut rice... very nice!!

We just basically chilled for two days, no worrying about anything, no drifted or distracted thoughts and it felt so good alhamdulillah. He got a new phone contract which means he can actually use his phone, for texts and calls ;) Then Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday I have done nothing, oh sorry on Monday I took a bus ride into Kingston upon Thames for a little trip, I bought a few things and wanted to change some bank details which they wouldnt let me. So yesterday, which was a day off with hubby we stupidly braved the snow and went to the nearby shops, I changed my bank title to MRS :D and finally got rid of my interest savings account alhamdulillah.
Its now Wednesday, Im back at work tomorrow and I slept in late (just before 10am when I have been waking up just before 8am all these mornings) so Im thinking to do some stitching and maybe nap a little. Maybe make some coconut biscuits for hubby who took a load of gingerbread biscuits into work today :) I do love it when he actually likes the stuff I make for him, masha'Allah
Anyways, thats it from me girls.
Peace and salams
Ammena

Chats with mum

So I spoke with my mum last night, quite surprisingly it was over an hour and we had a good catch up alhamdulillah. I told her about hubby getting his visa, she congratulated and genuinely sounded pleased for us, she asked what difference this made to us and was pleased it would help in the future. She also put her two pennies worth in about what we HAVE to do now with our lives but thats just my mum. I mentioned that we were looking at flights now for Pakistan, I was not looking forward to mentioning this to her, she acknowledged but didnt go into detail with her questions. She doesnt want me to go, end of! I know that, but this isnt something she can dictate about.. this is my husbands family, hey.. this is my new family and I wont let her come between us. I mentioned to her that we are looking at coming over for about 3 weeks the end of next year so that give her something to talk about too, she asked what we would be doing and mentioned all these places that we 'had' to go bless her. I told her we would take a few days trip to Toronto, Niagara and of course the ski slopes that I used to frequent :) hubby wants to try snowboarding and Im all up for having someone to go with lol. She was very excited about this prospect but also upset that it means I wouldnt have seen her for 15 months (hubby pointed out to me later on that he hasnt seen his parents in about 28 months by the time we are looking at going over there) I told her I wasnt coming over to renew my health card in May because it was a waste of money and my time away from hubby if I went there. It was a nice conversation, minus her telling me things that I need to do but Allahu alim

On another note, Im getting very excited about the prospect of my walimah in Karachi :D Ive been asking hubby how things work over there, what I will wear for the henna party (oh yes Im having one!!) hopefully my cousin is looking at coming over for it too which would be amazing to have her there insha'Allah. Im looking forward to the clothes, the food but most of all the people. I asked A if his mum will cry when she meets us at the airport, he said probably.. I wonder if he will.

Well I started 12 hour shifts today, Ive got about 2 hours left and its not so bad. To be honest it isnt the 12 hours that kills me (I did my last working year in Canada on 12 hour shifts) its the 0230 start that does it. However, I work until Wednesday and then Im not working until the following Thursday, hubby is starting full time hours at the weekend (Saturday-Wednesday) which means that I will have 2 full days with him this thursday and friday which Im very much looking forward to. So far the only thing planned is a trip to Asda during the day when its quiet ;) so we are just going to relax together and go for salat ul-jummah insha'Allah.

Ok, let me try and look like Im actually working now
Peace and salams
Ammena xxx

Eid post

Sorry, I just realised I posted an Eid update on my private blog with photos and didnt write anything here.. so here goes
"yay.. Eid al-adha started, and its the first Eid me and hubby have actually spent the whole day together. Eid al-adha 2009 my mum was over and I was in Oxford helping her sort through my recently departed uncles possessions (this was when she first met hubby) Eid al-fitr 2010 I had just started my new job and couldnt take the day off :( 
so this was our first official Eid together and we had a brilliant day masha'Allah. We woke up early, got ready and headed off to the masjid together, prayed Eid salah and then walked back.. I really have to learn more about sunnahs to do at Eid, well both of us do really.. it took me awhile to convince hubby that we should walk a difference way home, even though it meant a direction where we would see noone. Anyways, we did ;) got home, took more photos and had tea and sheermal then decided to go out for breakfast and pick up a few groceries while we were out. We drove to the area we wanted to go to in search of Halwa Poori for the husband... alas we came away with none and decided to come back later on for dosa and dessert :D so we left the area and headed home for a little bit. Hubby spoke to family in Pakistan who arent celebrating until today :( which kind of sucks really, but then we decided to go out to eat sooner rather than later as we were walking there and back. So off we went.. and here are some photos for you

Dosa menu, well the menu but we went for dosa

tin 'glasses' I didnt dare ;)

he managed to get some meat bless him

My spicy potato masala dosa, was yummy!!

strange garlic bread

yup, thats how yummy!!!

 

just a few ice cream choices

dont even ask about cake choices, I zoomed in to take the picture but couldnt face the choices if I went any closer

News

We got the most amazing news yesterday.. after paying extra and not getting what we paid for and having to wait over a week we finally received hubbys spouse visa by recorded delivery alhamdulillah. We are so pleased to be over this for now and thank everyone who remembered us in their prayers masha'Allah. JazakAllah khair.

So now we are looking at flights to Pakistan and figuring out how much we need to save in order to have this next wedding for his family over there. I will get to meet my parent in laws which is both scary and exciting, but honestly.. I cant wait insha'Allah. We are looking at the end of February, so anyone who is in Karachi around that time, do feel free to drop by.. just tell me so I know to look out for you insha'Allah.

Again, many thanks
Peace and salams
Ammena

Finished Eid dishes

Ending of my dosa

alhamdulillah we had a great day, I pray you all did as well... here is a photo of my finished dish at the end of our Eid meal out alhamdulillah