Cup of tea with Aisha

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh everyone :) how are u doing? I'm moody and feeling so low about myself. I blame it solely on hormones.. and actually as I have been following my cycle more keenly for the past few months, I really see the patterns. I use Flo app, I find it very versatile. It was actually my occupational therapist who asked me have I thought my anxiety could be partly hormonal, and yes, it is.  But alhamdulillah, everything is fine. I do feel good generally speaking, these are just a little bit moody days on my way.   ... It's the time before Ramadan, the very eve of it in sha Allah. More and more close we have come to it, more and more the sheyateen, the devils, try to make us lose hope and trip, as they want to sabotage our blessings. So if you feel like you are not on the right mood, because things have been happening, don't worry. You are not alone with this experience. Don't also worry if you can't fast for some reason. These situat...

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullah :) how's your Saturday? Today wasn't clearly my day. Every small thing went wrong. Things like going to market without my bag (and bank card and keys). And I cried already one time. My husband is patient person alhamdulillah.. But I also did go to gym in the morning and had a good workout. And managed to go to the market then after all like a normal person. And then I've been home just relaxing, safely at home. Maybe tomorrow is easier in sha Allah. ... That's how the everyday life is. Can't win always, not even every time as we say here in Finland. But I'm so happy still how everything has turned out. Things are so.. how to say again. Regular? In a good way. We are low income people nicely said, so we don't talk about trips to Malibu or buying a second home, but we can talk about getting a new sofa from the flea market and eat delicious home cooked meals. We have begun to know each other much better and I'm so happy we c...

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh :) how are you? I woke up in the morning very tired, could have slept all day.. didn't feel so good but my husband saved the situation by taking us for an one and half hour walk. Then I just cooked a simple dinner with yesterday's leftovers and today's blessings and after that, just relaxing. Alhamdulillah. I actually have now blisters in my feet.. ... Not much has happened or even has been on my mind. The psychiatric physiotherapy group I'm attending to might just start to work. In the group, we start with movement and then proceed to relaxation. And last time I noticed that when my mind, note not only my body but my mind too, is relaxed, it will automatically cut off the anxious thoughts. And I don't know have I felt such feeling for a while, I mean the very literal peace of mind. Now that I've noticed it, I might be able to practice it more. In sha Allah. But there is some news: we did sign a new rent contract an...

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh all :) how was your weekend? I have been kinda busy. Past days I have been either fasting or going to gym, and then doing the regular chores. It's like I can do only one thing a day, or normally it has been so.. now I have become more active and I feel like I also have more hours in a day, alhamdulillah. Not all my spare time will go to recovering for what I have been doing. It really shows that I have gotten past the worst anxiety, at least for now, ma sha Allah. I want to take all the extra energy and comfortableness and make it work for me this while in sha Allah. ... I am now 36 years old, and I (we) don't have children. Yet..? This is a topic that brings me sadness. Because I have wanted to become a mom for some time now. I think when I was in my twenties, I wasn't really ready and definitely didn't have the type of life or relationship that would have been stabile enough to bring a new person in the world. Actually al...

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh :) how are u doing? These last couple days I've had so ridiculously many small incidents to bother me that it only can be evil eye. It's little things.. like for example I always know that someone's looking me in the wrong way when I cross a busy road or walk my way and my abaya starts to tie up against my legs and I almost stumble, that's one I'm sure of. Mostly it's minor setbacks. This week, I wrote to my blog how happy I am for the week, planning to go to a group and fast and all that. And when I went to the group, I was almost too late, turtle pooped on the floor at the minute I was about to leave.. then had an argument with my husband, or it wasn't an argument but some kind of cry that didn't stop. And couldn't fast today, my mind just wasn't right for that. So this is the price I pay, because I share a lot what's going on with my life. I just remind myself first, and all of us, to just be ...

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullah all :) how are u? Today has been really nice day, alhamdulillah. I renewed my gym membership from 2023 and have now gone two times. It's good, gives energy, and I feel better already. I have gone there in the morning, it's a nice way to start a day, now that I have a chance to do so. This gym I go to is an all women gym so there's a good atmosphere. Usually people greet and maybe chat a bit, but generally everybody just focus on their own training and everyone are welcome. ... I was thinking, maybe it's time for a favorite list, haven't done those again for a while. These things are very simple but bring me much joy. So here it goes: 1. Raisins in smoothie My friend taught me this. Good sweetener for those of us who have a sweet tooth. Just remember to soak them before blending. There's also many benefits of eating raisins or to drink the water they have been soaked in. I remember it is a sunnah, but I'm sorry I can't pro...

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh all :) how's your week? Today I didn't do much, just relaxed. I did organize our home a bit, found some items to donate. Lit a candle and changed clean clothes. Sometimes days are like this, sometimes I do more. Alhamdulillah for everything. My mood is good tho. ... I was thinking to write about this topic a little later this month, but heck, I am an early girl (or early worm), some things don't change. Always early and everything happen beforehand so here it goes. I have been a muslim for ten years. Ten years guys.  Ten years of hoping for better. And seeing the better happen, so many times, alhamdulillah. I mean, I believed in the better day even before I was a muslim but it has become the goal since I said my shahada. I've been cooked in all kinds of broths, as we say in Finland, but only islam has been able to give me everything in my life what I have needed, including this beautiful relationship I have now. Islam saved...

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullah all :) Weekend time, yay :) This week and weekend has been nice, alhamdulillah. I went to visit a kind of a community center, for mental health rehabilitators, on Friday. It seemed ok and in sha Allah I will go there on Monday too. We went there together with my occupational therapist and I enjoyed the time. Usually nurses and other workers change often at the clinics, so I hope I could keep my doctor, nurse and the therapists because they are the best I've had. In sha Allah. ... I have been a lot in the kitchen, so it's nice to sit down and spend time with you guys too. Yesterday I was making meat pies (and regular dinner too), today I made garlic potatoes with some store bought chicken wings, and baked a banana bread. As you see from the pictures, I didn't have the regular bread tin but this came out fine and actually about 25 minutes faster as supposed :)  ... We have been improving our turtle's enclosure. Now he has some rocks to cli...