Keletah anak

Alya, what is sejuk?  - sejuk is cold

What is bantal? - bantal is pillow

What is baju? - baju is dress

How about seluar? - seluar is pants

What is kasut? - kasut is shoes

What is gigit? - gigit is bite

What is cubit? - cubit is hurt.

no-cry day

Tuesday, 26 March 2013.


Setiap kali dikejut bangun pagi Alya pasti nangis.

"I don't wanna school!! I wanna sleep! I'm tired!" 

Bergegar rumah dengan tangisan dan amukan Alya yang boleh membuatkan otak jammed sekejap. Nasib baik mak bapaknya penyabar, kalau tak dah lama kena kompang budak tu. kikiki.. Kitorang dah lali tapi kadang kadang kesian jugak. Kecik2 dah tensen kena bangun pagi. Budak-budak zaman dulu rilek je nak bangun pukul berapa, mak tak marah. Tapi takdela pagi sangat, pukul 7 je pun. So, hari ini ada kelainan sikit. Kejut alya dengan penuh kasih sayang, cium-cium pipi dia sambil cakap

"Alya, today is no-cry day ok?" 

Alya dalam mamai2, 

"ha? what?" 

Agaknya alya pun malas nak layan mama die merepek pagi-pagi ni, tidur lagi bagus gamaknya. Lepas tu dukung dia ke bathroom, dudukkan atas potty, gosok gigi dia. Part basuh muka dia paling bengang, dahla ngantuk tiba-tiba kat muka rasa sejuk-sejuk basah. Mulala nak nangis.

"Alya, remember.. today is no-cry day.." 

Sambil menggerakkan jari telunjuk saying

no.. no.. no..

(jari telunjuk pun boleh bercakap you..).

Alya senyap, tak jadi nangis. Dalam hati, wah berkesan jugak taktik aku ni. Then, masa sapu losyen kat badan dia dan pakaikan baju

"Alya, you know what. Kakak putri not cry, Adam not cry, Kakak Aisya not cry, Haris not cry. They always happy. Alya is a happy girl too. Alya not crying.."

Hehe.. semua nama budak-budak kecik yang Alya kenal aku sebut. Kabel mesti cukup kuat beb. Alya pula nampak macam faham je tema yang aku cuba ketengahkan hari ini. Dia dengar je dengan penuh minat bila nama kawan-kawannya disebut.

Waktu sarapan, aku cakap lagi pasal no-cry day. Papa senyum meleret je.. hikhik. Bila tiba waktu pergi ke babysitter, kami bersalaman dan aku sempat bertanya pada Alya,

"Alya, what day is today?"

Alya jawab dengan penuh confident dan semangat.

"Today is crying day!!"

Haha.. kesitu pulak jadinya. Alya.. Alya..

Alya anak solehah. Selalu ikut papa g solat jumaat time mama ada kelas.

dress code

Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar..


Dress code adalah peraturan atau setting dalam berpakaian. Penentu gaya penampilan. Pilihan warna, material, tebal nipis, panjang pendek, longgar sendat dan yang sewaktu dengannya.

Dulu saya tidak kisah refleksi pakaian saya, yang penting mengikut trend dan apa yang berada banyak di pasaran. Perasaan supaya lebih kurang sama dengan masyarakat sekeliling agar tidak kelihatan janggal itu wujud. Suatu masa dulu: seluar jeans BUM, baju lengan pendek beserta stongan, blous paras punggung, tudung awning sekerat dada, tudung bawal pelbagai warna dan sandal tanpa setokin menyarung tubuh silih berganti. Dalam minda sedar, bentuk kaki, tangan, punggung, bahu dan dada kelihatan. Ya, dalam minda sedar tetapi tiada sedikit pun keinginan untuk berubah. Kenapa?

Saya faham dalil wajibnya menutup aurat sejak di bangku sekolah lama dulu.

وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ
Maksudnya : Katakanlah kepada wanita yang beriman : Hendaklah mereka menahan pandangan mereka   dan memelihara kemaluan mereka, dan janganlah mereka menampakkan perhiasan mereka kecuali yang (biasa) nampak daripadanya. Dan hendaklah mereka menutup kain tudung ke dadanya… (al-Nuur : 31)

 يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
Maksudnya : Hai Nabi, katakanlah kepada isteri-isterimu, anak-anak perempuanmu dan isteri-isteri orang mukmin : “Hendaklah mereka menghulurkan jilbabnya ke seluruh tubuh mereka”. Yang demikian itu supaya mereka lebih mudah untuk dikenal, kerana itu mereka tidak diganggu. Dan Allah adalah Maha Pengampun lagi Maha Penyayang. (al-Ahzab : 59)

Tetapi rupanya hanya sekadar pengertian tanpa tindakan. Itulah kefahaman tanpa hidayah. Allah sayang saya. Lantas Dia telah memberikan sedikit  hidayah-Nya membuatkan saya terjatuh lalu bangkit mengejarnya. Wallahi, sekarang dress code saya sudah berubah. Tudung mesti tidak jarang, tak menampakkan bentuk dada atau bahu, baju mesti labuh menutupi punggung, dan seluar atau kain mesti longgar menyembunyikan bentuk kaki. Kenapa agaknya kita perlu menutup aurat dengan sempurna? Takpe, biar saya tolong jawabkan.. kerana ia tanda keimanan, kehambaan serta kepatuhan kita kepadaNya.

Berulang sudah saya katakan, United States mengubah hidup saya 180 darjah dari segi pemikiran, pandangan hidup, penampilan diri, cita-cita dan banyak lagi. Berubah dari paksi kegelapan ke cahaya-Nya. Alhamdulillah.. Itupun atas izin dan kasih sayang Allah.

Tetapi  bukan mudah membeli pakaian yang betul-betul menutup aurat di shopping complex di sini. Kalau ada, agak-agak satu dalam seribu. Rare.. Selalunya beli online saja.

Tudung sericahaya online
Baju Nautica
Seluar Jeans Old Navy

Saya syorkan kepada wanita-wanita muslimah di luar sana, kepada yang suka berseluar, belilah seluar 'wide leg pant' jenama Old Navy. Boleh pilih sama ada jeans atau slack bagi pemakaian kasual dan formal respectively. Dua-dua selesa. Saya beli di ebay saja, yang penting murah dan berbaloi. Untuk baju pula, selain di muslim online shop, juga boleh dapatkan di pasaran terbuka dengan keyword: "long dress". Banyak pilihan. US kan syurga membeli belah (katanya..)

Allahu Akbar.. Post kali ini tak bermakna nak menunjuk saya ni baik sangat dan sempurna imannya, tapi sekurang-kurangnya saya berusaha ke arah itu dan mengajak para pembaca sekali. Dengan izin Allah, semoga saya istiqamah. Amin..

Tudung sericahaya online, baju eastessence.com, long skirt walmart

Selendang ebay, jubah eastessence.com

p/s: Saya sudah, anda bila lagi?

An evening walk

This past week has had absolutely gorgeous weather. Alhamdulillah. After class Thursday evening, all of us went out walking to the State House. The air at this time is full of peculiar scent. We feel warm, happy, peaceful and refreshed. The tired nerves seem to get a new life. The road was neat and clean. It was lined with green trees. The trees and bushes with their new tender leaves and flowers looked charming and beautiful. Subhanallah.

The State House

My husband took this opportunity to mantain his healthy and strong body. So, he jogged around the State House along the pedestrian trail to get rid of his stubborn belly fat! Often, he workouts, performs exercises, strengthen his muscles couple of times a week in the house especially during the winter season. It's cold to do it outside and nobody does that. eheh.. Me? I think 30 minutes walking to library everyday is enough to get my body need. (I hope).

He was an athlete back then. Well, believe it..

My sweet little girl has an obsession with BUBBLES. I think it's because Spongebob Squarepants. Spongebob loves to blow bubbles! He can even blow bubbles in the shape of different animals. Alya managed to blow her bubbles after failed many times. Haha.. and when the bubbles was in the air, she was exited and tried to catch it. Catch! Catch! Catch! The bubbles then pop and she grinned. ngee..

Blowing bubbles..

I just walked around and snapped pictures of this great moment. I can feel that phothography is my new hobby. ececeh..  :P and credited was given to Alya. She was such a great poser! ahaksz.. Yea.. you might noticed her hair, it was short like a boy..I can't wait for it to be longer so that I can make ponytails on her.

2 years 5 months old little angel

Ai Ai Captain!!

As the sun set down, we went back home. We went to this place zillions times since it only took 5 minutes walk from my apartment.

beautiful sunset, Masha Allah

Till then. Love you :)

What are you feeling?

Suddenly, I feel down. I had been swept away by the tide of egoism in Facebook. It happened when you love to be seen, recognized, praised and adored. Needless to say, in Facebook, every word, picture, or thought you have can be seen, praised, and 'liked'. Often, when I read someone's status in facebook, I feel that they want to show off their cell phones, cars, clothes, house, achievemeent, money and so on. Everyone becomes materialistic.

But, in reality I do the same thing. (Ashamed of myself!) Suddenly, I live every experience, every photo, every thought, as if it's being watched, because in the back of my mind I'm thinking, "I'll put it on Facebook." Show off your achievement is no good, show off your wealth is not wise. My iman is always up and down. Even, when you tell the truth, other people will misintepret it and say you are showing off.. By telling the whole world that I got that and that, or I went to that place and that place.. are annoying..

I realized this after one of my friend told me. It's killing me but it's good for my deen, In shaa Allah..  as to remind me the goal of our existence, is to realize the truth of Allah's greatness. The goal is to take myself out of the center and put Him there instead.  But Facebook perpetuates the illusion of the exact opposite.

أستغفر الله (astaghfirullah). I ask Allah forgiveness.

Malaysian Guest

Salam. Hi folks. How are you doing?

Have I told you that we are the only malays in South Carolina all this while? So, we were so exited after found out that another malaysian came to South Carolina last August. Her name is J, still single, taking PhD of Health Physic at Clemson's University.

We are living at different town and studying at different university. The distance between our house is about 120 mi. It takes about 2 hours by car, depending on traffic conditions. Pretty far.. She always wanted to come over to our house since fall break but the public transportation is not really convenient here. They have bad bus schedule. She might be traveling late at night and waiting alone for a bus at the station.

Miss J and Alya at USC

Finally, she managed to visit our house during Thanksgiving holiday. Alhamdulillah.. Her american friend sent her to Columbia by a car. Cool! Just like me, she is the only malay at Clemson. But, one thing I noticed, she was very friendly and warm, no wonder she can make friends easily with everyone. Even in my house, I feel very comfortable with her.

She told me her family knew me and I used to come to their house at Skudai. How come? Apparently, I'm the one who gave her little brother mathematic's tuition when I was studying at UTM. Haha.. Well.. The earth is round. She is jawa too. kekeke :)

Beside pay us a visit, she came here because she want to buy a car. It's much easier because my husband  worked at "bengkel kete" before. After did test-driving of honda civic and toyota camry, she liked toyota camry more. My husband helped her with the car insurance since she has no South Carolina driving license yet. For the time being she'll be using International Permit.

Spacious Toyota Camry

Oh, I forgot to tell you that cars in the USA are cheaper. She bought this Camry for USD $2500 only (second-hand). If it's not because of left-hand-drive, surely I'll buy a good car here and bring it back to Malaysia. Hehe..

Till then.

Mental note: Exam in one month away. I'd rather hit the books!

Fall into autumn

 BISMILLAHI RAHMANI RAHIM. In the name of Allah Most Beneficent Most Merciful.

Autumn at my university

We are now in the middle of autumn season, left out hot summer and deliver to  brisk winter. But americans call autum as fall. It's kind of weird. hehe.. I remember last year when my husband asked me. "Bila down season nak mula?". I confused. "Hah? what? down season?" We laughed. He's actually want to ask about fall season but he said "down" instead of fall. haha.. so funny.

view outside my faculty

Fall is my favorite season. I love the trees changing color, leaves swirling and falling and the cool weather in the air. It's so refreshing! Glad its cooling off, yeah.. summer is very hot and dry here. The temperatures can reach up to 40 degree celcius!

beautiful tree trunk

Everything becomes naturally beautiful with the appearance of the autumn season.We start to wear warm jacket and boots. Waa.. I like boots!

Me walking to the library

I've noticed as the seasons change from summer to fall, and the temperature drop to 0 degree celcius, my body needs to undergo an adjustment. I had a headache, cold, runny nose, sneezing, coughing and itchy skin all over my body for more than one week. huhu..

Whatever it is, Alhamdulillah..

Fall on the Horseshoe

The best time of the year

Till then.

Eid-ul-Adha 2011

Eid-ul-Adha came again. This is the second year. The atmosphere here is really different in Malaysia. With an autumn chill in the air, we performed the Eid prayer and listened to the sermon at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

First off, let me say I actually don't like the foods there. Call me ungrateful but it's not really my cup of tea. So before we left the house, we had our own breakfast or else we'll starve. I also brought 2 trays of bread pudding to be given to jamaah. Seriously I miss ketupat palas, rendang, lontong, sambal goreng etc. Muahaha.. Anyway, it's not that bad celebrating raya here.

This is Alya, wore her pinkish inner clothes during Eid's morning to keep her warm and cozy.

And this is him in black Levis jacket out of his jubah. He looked so darned smart. :)

I thank the Almighty Allah for His continuous uncountable rahmah given to me in whatever condition. Alhamdulilah.. May this hijrah make us a better muslim inshaAllah and may Allah make it easy for me to finish my study.

Mental note: Exam in less than 2 weeks.

p/s: Dear readers, please pray for us :)