Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
happy ending...
My day started with lots of tears,being so tired and exhausted from the lack of sleeping...but jeeej insisted on spending the day out,,,so we made it to Capitola Beach!
It was a sunny day and we had lots of fun:) It was a day to remember!!
Hamdolillah...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
For Real?
Now that she is starting to push herself up, it's becoming more dangerouse leaving her in her crib on her own...yesterday she was about to fall out of it. I pulled the rails up, and still she managed to stand up...
this morning jeeej lowered the mattress so I hope everything will be alright! Anyways, from now on, if she cries while in her crib I have to runnnnn to see her and make sure she isn't stuck between the rods!
Will I ever miss her as a newborn? peacfully sleeping or awake in her crib?!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Teaching La' (aka NO)!
Today we are starting a new chapter...we are teaching Marmoura what NO means...firm looks followed by distraction ;)
Friday, January 9, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
The truth: so obvious, yet so masked
Throughout the years, I've had one question in mind, a question that may sound so naive, yet it really bewildered me: How can an obvious truth be so masked? I remember when I first participated in a summer camp for bringing together teenagers from conflict areas, which meant meeting face to face with our long-lasting enemy, Israelis, I was told by my then mentor that should I participate, there will be a day when I will regret it.
More than ten years have passed, and do I regret it? Of course not. Because in such bloody days, where the most controversial weapons are being used by Israel against civilians in Gaza, I can still see the truth so obvious: Israel stands for an unjust cause. I can even stand face to face with those who claim to know better, simply because they see the Israeli point of view, arguing that Arabs only go by sentimental strides and have no idea about the "dimensions" that this conflict entails.
It's a personal strife for me to be fair. I read books about the conflict, I minored and excelled in international relations, I attended conferences, I rejected propaganda, I even remember crying when visiting the Holocaust museum. I did give myself all possible chances to be unbiased when looking at this conflict. I've digested it all. But something tells me my feeling of injustice has nothing to do with the fact that I'm Arab or Muslim, it has much to do with the fact that I'm a human being.
Today, I am grateful, if anything, to have had the chance to "understand" what the world considers as "the other side of the story", and to be here now and reiterate to this world the truth I remain, along with millions of truth-seekers, to see so obvious: The creation of Israel was, is and will always be wrong. It has by far created the most arrogant appeal to a loosing cause. In a way, this reminds me of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice"...
The right for Israel to exist continues to be the root cause of Middle East tirbulance and socio-economic instability for decades (remember October war, Intifada, Second Intifada, inter-arab-states conflicts, Gulf War I, Gulf War II, War on Iraq, Sabra and Shatela, South Lebanon 2006, Lebanon 2007, Jenin, Gaza, etc.) . In basic computer programming, the widely understood concept is; GIGO (Garbage in garbage out). Wouldn't this garbage out for decades say anything about the single common factor in? Really, as Noam Chomsky would say, Peace in the Middle East?
Fighters in Gaza stand by the truth, no matter how much it hurts. The truth may kill, as it obviously does, but it never dies. Likewise, Arabs can shake hands with Israelis, hold peace "talks", trade goods, and everything can look and feel "normalized", but it's like pushing a floating board under water; it will always emerge back to the surface. I kept trying to push this board in the name of being "open minded", but it never failed to come back up, proving time and again that an obvious truth can never be masked.
I pray that every wounded child, widowed woman and amputated teenager shall find the mercy of the Almighty God awaiting. Life is already tough for the wealthy and healthy. The dead, as we believe, are martyrs in the name of freedom and faith. And amidst fears of anti-semitism, and of disappointing the spoiled Jewish state, the truth remains silenced. Not a single "First World" state can condemn the atrocity and give it its proper name: Attack. But just remember.. the floating board.
Gaza.. our hearts and minds go out to you..
Nour
---My Sister.
More than ten years have passed, and do I regret it? Of course not. Because in such bloody days, where the most controversial weapons are being used by Israel against civilians in Gaza, I can still see the truth so obvious: Israel stands for an unjust cause. I can even stand face to face with those who claim to know better, simply because they see the Israeli point of view, arguing that Arabs only go by sentimental strides and have no idea about the "dimensions" that this conflict entails.
It's a personal strife for me to be fair. I read books about the conflict, I minored and excelled in international relations, I attended conferences, I rejected propaganda, I even remember crying when visiting the Holocaust museum. I did give myself all possible chances to be unbiased when looking at this conflict. I've digested it all. But something tells me my feeling of injustice has nothing to do with the fact that I'm Arab or Muslim, it has much to do with the fact that I'm a human being.
Today, I am grateful, if anything, to have had the chance to "understand" what the world considers as "the other side of the story", and to be here now and reiterate to this world the truth I remain, along with millions of truth-seekers, to see so obvious: The creation of Israel was, is and will always be wrong. It has by far created the most arrogant appeal to a loosing cause. In a way, this reminds me of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice"...
The right for Israel to exist continues to be the root cause of Middle East tirbulance and socio-economic instability for decades (remember October war, Intifada, Second Intifada, inter-arab-states conflicts, Gulf War I, Gulf War II, War on Iraq, Sabra and Shatela, South Lebanon 2006, Lebanon 2007, Jenin, Gaza, etc.) . In basic computer programming, the widely understood concept is; GIGO (Garbage in garbage out). Wouldn't this garbage out for decades say anything about the single common factor in? Really, as Noam Chomsky would say, Peace in the Middle East?
Fighters in Gaza stand by the truth, no matter how much it hurts. The truth may kill, as it obviously does, but it never dies. Likewise, Arabs can shake hands with Israelis, hold peace "talks", trade goods, and everything can look and feel "normalized", but it's like pushing a floating board under water; it will always emerge back to the surface. I kept trying to push this board in the name of being "open minded", but it never failed to come back up, proving time and again that an obvious truth can never be masked.
I pray that every wounded child, widowed woman and amputated teenager shall find the mercy of the Almighty God awaiting. Life is already tough for the wealthy and healthy. The dead, as we believe, are martyrs in the name of freedom and faith. And amidst fears of anti-semitism, and of disappointing the spoiled Jewish state, the truth remains silenced. Not a single "First World" state can condemn the atrocity and give it its proper name: Attack. But just remember.. the floating board.
Gaza.. our hearts and minds go out to you..
Nour
---My Sister.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Call a family in Gaza...NOW!
I just knew about this! My sisters told me that they've already called 2 families in Gaza...they told them how proud they are of them and that they're all in their prayers!
The electricity is off now over there and the bombing is still going...
Call NOW!
Dial 0119708286XXXX add any number you want, and let them know you pray for them!
Yesterday, at the Mosque, the Imam was making a speech, after taking a break between the 2 parts, he stood up and said: "I have had a hard time writing this speech today, you see, my sister just died in Gaza" almost everyone in the mosque started crying...and then he added: "and my brother just lost his 4 kids". Now everyone started crying and was in shock!
The Imam added: "these are not my brother and sister in blood, they are my brother and sister in Islam!!"
Everyone rushed to the donation boxes after prayer...
I don't know what else to say...all I can do now is make Dua' -prayer- for them!
Still, I'm ashamed!
The electricity is off now over there and the bombing is still going...
Call NOW!
Dial 0119708286XXXX add any number you want, and let them know you pray for them!
Yesterday, at the Mosque, the Imam was making a speech, after taking a break between the 2 parts, he stood up and said: "I have had a hard time writing this speech today, you see, my sister just died in Gaza" almost everyone in the mosque started crying...and then he added: "and my brother just lost his 4 kids". Now everyone started crying and was in shock!
The Imam added: "these are not my brother and sister in blood, they are my brother and sister in Islam!!"
Everyone rushed to the donation boxes after prayer...
I don't know what else to say...all I can do now is make Dua' -prayer- for them!
Still, I'm ashamed!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Feeding Ducks!
We finally took her to the lake where we could feed the seagulls, ducks and geese :D It's one of my favourite things to do here! EVER :)
The lake we usually go to was closed from some maintenance...so we went to a very nice and big one in Los Gatos...
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