SEVEN ELEVEN

7th 11 2008 (Fri)-First thing I did this morning, whispered to abg his birthday wish. Yes, he is 32 years today. This year, no more surprise party as the next day (8th Nov) I had my final exam. For me, I always want to be the first in doing things for abg, and for our family. My concern is more to our family attachment. If possible I want to have a secure attached family as it will affect the way our kids will grow up and the direction of our family.

When talk about this, it rekindled my memories on my Life Span class when we were discussing on Levinson Cycle of life theory. At the age of 30-33 people tend to have a syndrome of grass is green. Meaning to say..the most chaotic and challenging time of a person's life is during this age. according Levinson, at these ages, people who are married wanted to get free from the wedlock, yet for those who are not married, they wanted to get a spouse. another example for couples who have kids, they are having hectic life with the kids and wanted to get rid from it, yet for those who do not have kids, they are really amused to have one. What ever the theory says, for me, i want to stay focus to do the best for my family and job ahead. And I am happy with what I have now

Back to abg's birthday celebration, I secretly bought him small cake, Nabihah was eager to dress up in her favourite outfit-baju kurung. She always said :"Nabihah nak pakai baju cantik (baju kurung) macam ibu". Thus, with her tudung the moment abg reached home she shouted from far.."abah..ibu ada beli kek utk abah" Hilang surprise. I've already told her not to tell abah, coz want it to be something un expected.

For abang..a very warmth birthday wish for you..thanks for being a lovely husband and superb dad to lil nabihah.

Whatever it is, abg's birthday celebration is more merrier with Nabihah. Enjoy the pictures

The card

Abg's & Nabihah's favorite cake-chocolate cake

Nabihah's favourite event-potong kek

That night, I treated abg at Sakura Crystal as abg said he had tasted most of the food at Secret Recipe. Ok laa..to fulfill birthday boy's wish...

Iced Blended cappuccino for abg

Hot Lemon Honey-you should taste it...very scrumptious

Abg's favorite-Fried Soohon without bean sprouds

I choose mix grill- macam2 ada...

Nabihah-Nasi Goreng Cina

AT LAST..IT PAYS

8th Nov 2008 (Sat)-Today is my final exam for Lifespan class. It means my final day for my final subject at UM, insya Allah. after this I have to concentrate only on finishing my Project Paper. Abang & Nabihah sent me to UM as my class starts at 12pm and will end at 12am and on that particular day the class ended at 12.15am. Abg has to entertain Nabihah (again like usual every time I have to be out for quite sometimes abg has to play his role, bring Nabihah to her favorite spot, where else-THE ZOO NEGARA) "It's ok abg...after this NO MORE UM..NO MORE CLASSES, God wills.

We spent more than 12 hours doing so many things for our final exam class. Among the activities were:

a)Final exam part 2 (as we have been given part 1)

b)Discussion on last chapter of the subject (Death & dying)

c)Song lyrics critics

d)Power point presentation

e)Movie critics

f)The most awaited event...PRESENTATION OF OUR SCRAP BOOK ON IRISH BOY

Let me share with you all on our strong determination and high effort in ensuring our scrap book complete according to the storyline given (i did write it in the previous entry). To Kak Jumi and Syikin...Thanks for your fullest cooperation..at least its worth to stay up until 4am every day for a couple of weeks. My lecturer said: "A very GOOD scrap book and EXCELLENT presentation"

Not to forget my colleagues..thanks for the help and information rendered..you all are very superb!I owe u all a LOT! and for me..this is the FIRST experience in my life doing a scarap book...very precious insight and valuable knowledge for me.

The cover page

Acknowledgement-TQ every body

Our team members-Me and Syikin

The other member-K Jumi

Table of content

The world map of Ireland

The neighborhood-in Ireland

Enough of part 1 of the csrap book..I'll share more later. Back to our final day class, we only stopped for performing prayers. It really stunned me as this is my first time having non Muslim lecturer in UM (in UIA quite several times)yet she allowed us to perform prayer. If I could recall, we were not allowed to perform prayer when we had our class with this one Muslim lecturer. Until to the extend, we had to sneak out from class during Maghrib time, purposely for our solat. And at that particular time, our non Muslim classmate would back us up by saying that we went to the toilet. For me this is a sensitive issue, how about you all out there??

With my dr. Diana I've learn a lot..the way she approaches our class is TOTALLY DIFFERENT. She would entertain every single request from her students, NO NEGATIVE QUALIFIERS yet she gave us THANK YOU card for every single person in the class. Personally, for me that is the proper way approaching a PERSON per say, rather than building a barrier between a lecturer and students. On top of all, this is the way the MUSLIMS lecturers should communicate with students.

Lastly..I want to share with you on the activities conducted during that day...how we want to be remembered after our death. so we were asked so called to create and decorate a memorial or tomb.

Various ways people want to be remembered by their relatives & friends

EID MUBARAK

1 oct 2008 (1 syawal 1429H)-Syawal comes once again.Leaving behind Ramadan..with the hope that we will meet Ramadan again next year, insyallah. For me..this Syawal will not be the same as we are not going to visit opah's house in Parit yet her grave. And as expected, this Syawal..not many of mak's relatives visited opah's house. They rather go directly to opah's grave. For me, Syawal is the time to seek forgiveness from each others, not only having big feast after a month of fasting but more to have a social bonding and building good relationship.

After 3 years of marriage i could see some different in the way of my family celebrating Eid, and abg's family celebrating it. Perhaps it is due to abg's big family if compared to mine. But I dont agree with that point to some extent. As recenlty we discussed in Life Span class, attachment (especially during early years) is the MOST IMPORTANT element in having a good parents-children relationship. I could say abang's family comprises of persons who are Teflon (no hurt feeling ek abang..you know I am very assertive person). what is Teflon? As many book stated..it is emotionally unavailable. Do not want to discuss any further..just share some pictures taken during recent Eid.

Abg (in white shirt) helping mak preparing the lemang (this we don't have in Kuala Kangsar)
I wonder abg, why without you the lemang cannot be prepared ek?

The ketupat..some of us handling the rendang. The eid preparation was like preparing for a wedding feast

we ended our preparation (cooking and other house chores) in the middle of the night. So, no takbir raya maaa. I had my takbir raya only with abang. Kak Ina had hers with her hubby la...seem we had it according to our free time as we had to take turn to look after the rendang and lemang.

Automatically my mind strike saying that If i were in Kuala Kangsar.. the takbir will be more merrier as we would gather together with ude's big family..praying congregational solat isyak and early in the morning we would have congregational subuh followed by takbir. One extra significant of Kuala Kangsar hari raya that we have the big meriam besi starting from 12am until solat sunat eid. we hardly sleep that night but it gives us some special feeling that could not be said by words. Yet, in Kuala Kangsar, no preparation done like in Manjung. I could recall vividly when mak only knew how to cook delicious rendang after i married with abang. Mak always said "Alamak...mak ni dah ada menantu baru le nak menjengah ke dapur"..Its ok mak..since abah always said "wat pe penat2 masak2 kita nak makan berdua je"

And mak's tradition passed over to me..i only know how to cook simple things after i got married. Being the eldest daughter in law for my parents in laws, i have to learn many things...before this in my own house...i rarely spend my time in the kitchen..but at abg's house you can always find me in the kitchen..not cooking, doing others house chores..Malu maaa...adik2 ipar sume pandai wat kije umah dan memasak. Thus I take it as experiential learning for me

People always say; "ikat suami dengan masakan..maybe it does not suit for me..my hubby i ikat dengan....rahsia...nak tau kene menuntut dulu

Back to our eid preparatuion, early morning we would rush to prepare ourselves to the mosque but in Manjung they would rush only to get their lemang and ketupat and rendang. No eagerness to the mosque. How do i really missed my younger time (before married) so that i have the chance to go to the mosque. But i know for me, the aula is to take care of my family, hubby and Nabihah rather than performing sunat eid in the mosque

As for me..there is no such a big deal to celebrate the first eid either in my house or abg's house. Like this year, it is abg's turn. The only thing makes it diferent is where to have the solat eid. For example, this year is abg's turn, so we have the solat eid at Manjung. Afetr zhur we went back to Kuala Kangsar. on the way, we surely stopped at opah's house in PArit. It was the same last year. It was my turn, thus solat eid was in Kuala Kangsar..after zuhur we went back to Manjung... HAPPY HARI RAYA every body. Kullu 'amin wa antum bikhair...

1 syawal 1429H-Manjung, this year theme-dazzling blue

abang's big family..not all in the pictures as it is hard to have every body in one shot.

Abang, me, Nabihah.
Seated from left, my mum in law, dad in law and tok wan.

on the way back to K Kangsar, at arwah opah's house with Acu's family and Ne's family. Coincidently their themes were also BLUE..No MoU before ek

Syawal 1429H-Family picture-Kuala Kangsar-Nabihah rebelled not to wear her sweet tudung

Last but not least...enjoy this movie on our syawal prepared by my creative only brother, Lid

HECTIC STUDENT'S LIFE

Sept 08-My hectic and tiring schedule resume even in Ramadan, what i mean particularly my weekly observation for Life span class and our scrap book on Irish boy have not start yet. Sometimes I do lost my patience when every night I have to stay up or wake up early just to finish my weekly observation. Luckily for this time, our lecturer Dr. Diana said the observation would be only 4 (according to age where she will let us know later). When this happen, abang will always tell me to be more patience as this is my last paper, after this no more staying up late, waking early as 3am just to finish those things. After this only my Project Paper is waiting for me. And his words really cool me down. And because of his support as well, taking care of our 34 months Nabihah.

Attending this Life Span class makes me more understand the importance of early development of a child. Once in class Dr. Di did discuss that early separation and early detachment of a child during her childhood will lead to unsuccessful relationship in adulthood. It strike my mind that teenagers delinquencies and unsuccessful marriage could be as a result of unsuccessful child bearing during a person's childhood. Dr Di once said "a victim will always be the victimizer" and its proven and can be seen a lot to many of the world political leader today.

enough on that, let us share some of my observation conducted during this semester class..which I could say..IT REALLY GIVES ME SOME INSIGHT AND NEW METHOD OF LEARNING...EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

those observations are:
1) 30/8/2008
Infants & toddlers (6 months - 24 months)
Thank you to adik Muhammad Ashraf Mohd Azam

2)13/9/2008
Reflection Paper on Mid term activity
Play approach

3) 20/9/2008
Early childhood (2-7 years)
Thank you to adik Wan Afif Jazimin Wan Mazlan

4)27/9/2008
Adolescence (13-20 years)
Thank you to Miss Aizadatul Adawiyah Che Ismail

5)2/11/2008
Late adulthood (60 years and above)
Thank you to En Mohd Shuhaimi Abu Jamin

Last but not least, we have to submit our take home test part one (which was given on 2nd Nov 08) on 8th Nob 2008 which consisted of 8 MAIN questions. And the peak of the day is that we have to undergo a 12 hours exam day (with many other activities) YOU DONT BELIEVE ME??!!BELIEVE ME< ITS NOT KIDDING..so guys..wish me luck for my last paper

NYAH'S CONVOCATION

23rd August 2008 (sat)-"Master of Science (Finance), Nor Akila Mohd Kassim" and unconciously I burst into tears. Well done Nyah, you did a good job. Today is Nyah's convocation, for the second time she received her certification from UIA. Earlier when I sent nyah together with mak and abah (as i have to send abah to the front door since abah and mak have to be seated at disable area, pity abah..he has to use tongkat to support him) to CAC, nyah whispered to me "Why I did not feel much excitement like I felt during my undergraduates time?"..I replied to nyah...maybe because you already had you degree..but you have to remember..at least you completed first your master degree even though i started it first. You got scholarship but I have to pay the fees myself. And she nodded

As for me I do believe that nyah already has her parts. I mean all her good deeds paid, simple example..she helped me and my hubby A LOT when i have to rush to UM. During my early years being a mum, she NEVER refused to take care of my little;e Nabihah when I have to be in UM, late up to 10pm. I NEVER paid her and she NEVER asked. But I indebted to her for the rest of my life.

Having a baby yet at the same time you have to juggle your time between work and classes is not EASY. As most of my friends, when they asked me is it easy to do TWO BIG TASKS simultaneously..without hesitate I will say directly..NO..ABSOLUTELY NO. And when people asked me how did you manage to cope between these two jobs.. I said.."...because of My HUSBAND'S BLESSING...and I have TWO SISTERS who never say NO when I need their help"..I mean particularly to take care my little baby who was only 7 months old that time...I can still remember clearly when every week i have to bring nyah together with me to Um so that she would take care of Nabihah when i have class from 6pm to 9pm. Every week without missing she would calmly look after Nabihah at Rumah Universiti UM. I do not mind paying RM120 (if not mistaken) per week as long as Nabihah will be near to me when I have class at UM, since Gombak and UM is quite far, and the traffic is really hectic. And my hubby waited for me at Faculty of education's musolla. Sometimes when nyah did not manage to accompany me..yam will do that.

For nyah..you got good result, you have GOOD JOB..you have good pay..you have GOOD life now because you are a GOOD daughter and GOOD sister to us. CONGRATULATIONS NYAH...WE PROUD OF YOU.

Before that just to share, Acu, Maksu and Ne came along the way from Perak to witness nyah' special day. I still remember what Acu said to me.."Acu mane pernah pi convo...ini le first time (in his pure Parit accent)" Acu treated all of us at SAkura Crystal a night before the convo. (thanks a lot Acu) and we spent our nite at Dynasty apartment (since Acu had booked 2 apartments..more than comfortable for all of us). After this...waiting in the list for convocation (insyaalah)Cik yang..me myself, mek and Lid (in sequence...according to plan)

Ok let us share some of nyah's memorable moment and for me, I take it as a BIG CHALLENGE to complete my master degree...insyaallah

Since it was heavy downpour outside, we only took studio picture From left Lid, Cikyang, Abng (cuddling Nabihah) and me Seated from left abah, nyah and mak

Big family-standing from left Nina and Aiman-both are our cousins (can see only his face), Lid, Maksu, Mek (cousin), Ne, Cikyang,me and abang (cuddling Nabihah..again).
Seated from left, abah, mak, nyah ,Acu (who always support us) and Azim (bored of standing too long)

A day after, nyah , mak and abah in front of IIUM mosque..abah and mak..your hard work is paid today. It goes the same to nyah

On returning robe day (nyah bought the robe as she wanted to use it for UITM convocation every year) Nabihah got 2 balloons...selepas puas abah memujuknya..anak abah le katakan

Post in front of CAC

Bouquet of white lily from mak and abah

A dozen of red roses from me, abang and Nabihah

Dazzling orange daisy from cikyang and lid

Half dozen of red roses from Acu, Maksu and family...and pink roses from Ne and Mek