The 1st Pregnancy

Assalamualaikum.

How Ramadan so far guys? Motivated to do more ibadah this holy month? Or are you just seeing it passes you by like it’s an ordinary month like every other months? Nevertheless, I pray Allah make us to fully seize this golden opportunity to do more ibadah and ultimately be a better servant to the Almighty.

Now this particular post has been long overdue and instead of continuing to procrastinate it, I’m gonna make sure it going to publish at this hour (poyo). So I would like to share my experience prior to my wife’s pregnancy and during the pregnancy itself, which at this point of time she’s in her 24 weeks alhamdulillah.

So let’s start with our first year of marriage. At that time, we’re already have in our mind to have kids at the very first year. But instead of that, I think the first year was more adapting to each other preferences and nuisances hehehe.

Anyway, as the year came to an end, the pressure to having kids started to build up. Added with our friends whom already got pregnant and married in a similar timeframe like us. But I keep saying to myself, hey it’s just the first year. Still haven’t fully understand my wife completely and I am still not :P Though the feeling to play with our friends’ kids and talk to them in a way gave comfort to me.

Umrah Part 2

Assalamualaikum.

We were in Makkah for 5 days if I remember correctly. It was 5 days that I'd rewind it back if I could. The first day we're like still finding our ways around Makkah. But after a while, it has been el nature for the two of us. Alhamdulillah in this first trip to Makkah, we got to do a couple of umrah, 3 to be precise. If you intended to your umrah slow and steady, you ought to do them during dhuha time. Around an hour or so after subuh right after zuhur. Because for me that's when it's the least people around the Masjidil Haram. Once I got to do tawaf for like 20 minutes or so during dhuha time. That's quite impossible to achieve in the peak hours, I'll say it's from Zuhur to Isya'. Even after Isya' hundreds  of people were still all over the Masjid.

Our umrah package includes meals throughout our days both in Madinah and Makkah. So that way we could focus on optimizing our time for seeking Allah's pleasure. Anyway I don't know about anyone else in our Rayhar package, but  ohh boy did the food on Madinah or Makkah was amazing or what haha. It's a rare thing for me to eat only once during any meal time. One time tambah is the way to go for me hehe. I eat so much back then that one of Rayhar officials reckon I didn't miss Malaysia at all. L to the O to the L.

Umrah Part 1

Bismillah

It almost been a week. Alhamdulillah last week my wife and I went to Makkah and Madinah to perform our Umrah. We went there for 12 days with travel package from Rayhar. Well.. technically it was 10 days because our flights were delayed. But at the end of the day we got there, and did get back home safely alhamdulillah, so what more can we ask right?

You know how people always imagine what their ideal or best day would be like. Well for me, my days visiting these two Holy places would by far are the best days in my lifetime ever. Felt like serenity is always in the air. Humility is constantly embracing me. And whenever I did whatever to please Allah, I felt religiously satisfied. Not that I didn't feel any before, but this time it was a whole new level.

Before this, I always hear people say they would definitely come to Haram again and again. Or for the people who are already retired, it's the only place left they would want to go in this world. Now experiencing it for myself, I understand what's the hype is all about :')

In Makkah, particularly Masjidil Haram there were ocean of people. Clearly, it's the most holy place in this world. But you know what? Never did I felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people in the Haram. In fact, I felt closer to them thinking we're all there for the same reason, finding Allah's pleasure. And I can see people's mouth were uttering praises to Him all day along. The pilgrims, the contractor, the labors, the cleaner of the Masjid. All of them. It was a beautiful sight to see.

Anyway we were at Madinah for 3 days and the remaining days were filled in Makkah. The weather in Madinah is breezily cold. I reckon it was 17-20 degrees. When we're arrived at our hotel, we go on and pray our first prayer in Masjid Nabawi. I felt awe with the size of the Masjid and with its non stop visitors. The next day we're guided by our Mutawif to visit Baqi cemetery and Raudhah. Goosebumps were all over me when Ustaz Hadi guided us in saying salam to Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) We continued with visiting Raudhah. It was full of people because they were fully utilizing their opportunity to pray and make dua in Raudhah as it was one of the place where Allah will accept our dua.

Fast forward and Makkah were our next destination. First thing we did in Makkah was our Umrah. I was actually nervous prior to our arrival, as I didn't know what to expect at the time, since it was my first doing it. We started our Umrah around 2 o'clock in the morning and finished it for like an hour and a half. Alhamdulillah our first Umrah went well. May Allah accept it, Ameen.

There are still so much things to be shared in this journey but I'd continue them in future post as it is now late and sleepy eyes is now very sleepy hehe. In the next post, I'd share my journey on the remaining days on Makkah and what are my thoughts on this trip as a whole. Till the next post, Assalamualaikum.

Moving

Assalamualaikum.

I'm having many tabs too open in my brain right now. Haha like literally. One hand I was having conversations with a prospect wanted to lose weight with Herbalife, and on the other hand I was thinking & writing this post at the same time. Ohh did I tell you that my wife is in front of me right now sharing what's inside her head while me writing this blog and talk to her back and forth? Talk about men can't do multitasking hehehe. So bear with me if this post is like haywire because that's the current state of my mind.

So earlier this month we were getting notice from owner of this house. Our rental contract will end next month and he didn't intend to renew the contract. I quite understand his decision because I myself didn't want to extend my stay here haha. It's not like this house isn't good or anything, but it's just that I wanted to have new experience in new place. It's always in my blood, you know, to have the urge to experience new things. And I believe such interests were developed from my life experience. See, since I was a kid, my family were moving to new place within 4 to 5 years. One time we were in metropolitan city KL, next thing you know we were going to stay in Labuan. It was truly a great experience albeit troublesome at times, with all the moving things and finding place to say. And with that experience, it also develops my interest to always try new things to eat hehe. I consider myself as a food lover, but not as in having personal favorites and just stick with them. Or having few favorites place and always go whenever I can. I'm the ones who always wanted to try new menu or new places. This can be developed into a blog right? Trying new things and share them on the web. I've had that in mind for a while but as of now, what I have is just a url. My wife must be rolling her eyes right now hahaha. One day, okay? *bile la tu*

Now back to the story of us having to move out from this house. Having like two month notice (thanks owner!) giving us plenty of time to find new house to stay. Since we're our own boss, we can stay wherever we like. At times, we were having discussions where we would settle for life but until now, without no clear answer. Maybe Allah wanted us to try many different places until we got that 'this is is' moment *haha poyo je kan aku ni*. Anyhow we both agreed to stay in vicinity of Ulu Kelang or Gombak area for now. So I was searching houses to rent in the Internet. Lots of amazing houses but comes with even more amazing price hehe. After filtering all things considered like rental price, location and such, we end up with few houses that met our criteria. Fast forward a bit, we fell in love with this particular house. Okay we're not falling in love with the house (that's tomorrow where we'll meet the owner) but with the concept of the condominium. It has that homey neighborhood vibe since there are couple of townhouses near the condo. The property is also relatively new, launched in 2012. So when you talk about new property, what I love is its current state would be decent, so that's a plus. Here's just hoping that the house we wanted to rent would be great, insha Allah. I would definitely update on the progress. Till then, later.