Aash at Home

Yesterday I went to the now empty 1826 with Ajee to meet with our new Realtor who will help us put it on rent. While we waited for the her,  I looked at the empty rooms, bare walls (except for the nails and the really low pencil scribbles n the Master Bath walls thanks to Yusuf) and furniture indents on the carpet. The emptiness  reminded me of the same time exactly 10 years ago right before our wedding when we purchased this brand new townhouse.  The thought that I will not be living here anymore saddened me as this place has always been so blessed and has witnessed so many happy moments of my life that I have experienced from  a young, energetic college girl to a grown (not so energetic) mother of 2. I still remember walking in to 1826 (which was still half done) with Ajee, Amma, Abba, My Abba and our Realtor at the time to choose the upgrades, paint colors, wood flooring etc for our future house. It was so exciting to be starting my new life with ...

My Abba has picked me up from the dorms and I am home for the weekend. I have quite a bit of reading to do for my American History class and an English Paper due. I am sitting on the Computer checking my e-mails, and I see an e-mail from a certain "Ajnabi Bechara" (Innocent Stranger)..I hesitantly click on it thinking what if it's a virus. It was actually an email from a Secret Admirer..what are you serious??Its 1999!!! who approaches girls like this???..It must be someone playing a joke on me. Little did I know that this "Ajnabi" - unfamiliar person was going to become the most essential and familiar part of my life. My Dearest Ajee, The past 4 days have been a constant reminder of how important this familiarity is to me as you have been in California. You went there to help Phuppi with her travels to Pakistan and to visit your relatives and spend time with your cousin (who you grew up with) Faisal Bhai who was injure...

My Abba has asked me to move to the  dorms, something he was totally against just 4 months ago in September of 1998. I guess he couldn't watch me leaving the house in the dark every morning to catch the Marta bus and then the train just to make it in time to an 8AM lab at Georgia Tech.  He has finally dropped me off to my room at the Woodruff dorms with my comforter and pillow, some clothes and a few snacks. I am by myself for the first time in my life and extremely nervous..in my heart I was asking Abba to please not go..but I made this brave face in front of him and hugged him good bye.  I take a look at the other bed, it has a colorful comforter and a green stuffed turtle on it. I see a microwave and a small fridge - beside it is some coffee, I then see a humongous phone charger by the computer (wow..she has a cell phone ..how cool is that!!) hmm..I wonder what this other person is goi...

I just spoke with my dad - My Abba after almost a week. He called me from the Jeddah Airport as he was on his way to India to visit his ill older brother, after completing his Hajj Mashallah, which is not a minor accomplishment. (The Hajj  is the largest pilgrimage in the World to Mecca, Saudia Arabia.  It is one of the five pillars of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out by every healthy Muslim who can afford it at least once in their life time.  Although, I don't live with him anymore I can definitely feel his absence. He is a regular visitor at 1826 who seldom comes empty handed. He always has his hands full with the best juices, fruit, cookies, chocolates etc. He is known for having the best taste in almost everything from groceries, to women's clothes to jewelry. However, his best quality is his kind and welcoming nature. Mashallah! No matter whom it is, and how much space he has his door i...