MLK Day

Well my MLK Day will be spent doing my second annual doctor visits.

Last year I went to the eye doc, the dentist and took my DD to her doc appt and the dentist as well.  This year we are all getting some type of work up (well all except the docaphobic Khu).  The day will start with an 8am physical for me, 9:30 hails the 4 mo check up for little Khalifah (4 months Already I KNOW!!!), then an 11am Eye appt and then Africa has yet another follow up for her ear tubes.

Then we will pick up the docaphob and go home.  YEAH!!!

Happy MLK DAY!

Mission Totally Possible

My mission (have no choice) I choose to accept it is to do a master clean on the house.  My husband and I have both been sick off and on for over a month now.  DD#1 came down with pneumonia, but has gotten pretty well over it.  However DD#2 is still congested with a terrible cough.  Therefore the house needs to be germ exterminated.

Since my TTY duties are suspended for the next two weeks due to the holiday break I will have the time this weekend to get this all together and get into routine before the new year.  Come 2011 I look forward to having fewer illnesses by all that occupy the house.  We've already kicked the ear infections (Africa).  So now we will kick the asthma attacks, coughs, congestion, sneezes, runny noses and all around iciness.

Please Support our Family Team

Hello. As you might be aware, our family has been touched by the March of Dimes mission to prevent birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. That`s why we have formed a Family Team to raise money and participate in March for Babies. Please join us in our fundraising efforts today by sponsoring our event.

Contributing to our team online is fast, easy and secure. You can donate directly from my personal webpage with a credit/debit card or PayPal. If you prefer, I can also accept cash or check. Just click the appropriate box on my webpage.

Our family knows firsthand the challenges associated with prematurity. It is important to find out why premature birth happens and what can be done to prevent it. By raising money, ongoing research to answer these critical questions is funded. When you support our Family Team, you show you care and you give hope for defeating premature birth and other threats to babies.

Please join us and millions of compassionate people across the country who support March for Babies each year. We need your help. Visit my webpage and sponsor our event!

With your support, there`s hope.

Thank You!

To make a donation, or join team visit my personal Web page at
http://www.marchforbabies.org/Fqhamata

Happy New Year!!!

Today is the first day of Muharram 1432.  The first month in the Islamic lunar calendar.   The years are counted from the Hijra of the Prophet (PBUH).  I take this day and all the days to follow that I am allowed to grace this earth to remember Allah (SWT) and all the things he has done for me and for those around me in blessing us.

Healthy Chips

I found this and thought I would share.  Haven't tried yet, but it is #1 on my list the next time we go shopping to have a variety of vegetables for my little picky eater.  


Check out this and others at Recipe4success.


Recipe for Success Healthy Chips


4 cups               Vegetables
2 Tablespoons   Olive oil
1 Teaspoon        Kosher salt
½ Teaspoon       Pepper
1 Teaspoon        Minced garlic
Several sprigs    Rosemary, 
                           Oregano, 
                           Thyme 
                           (or all three)

• Heat the oven to 375F.
• Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Slice the veggies into 1/8 inch slices and place in a large bowl 
• Whisk together the oil, salt, pepper, garlic and herbs
• Add the sliced veggies and toss gently to coat
• Arrange veggies in a single layer on baking sheets.
• Bake for about 15 minutes until crisp
• Turn with tongs and continue baking about 10 more minutes until light golden brown.
• Cool and enjoy!

Are you Kidding me?

This is me for like the 3rd time since we've had our lovely Volkswagen Passat.

Let me go back to 2009 I have no cell phone. I know how does that happen!?!  Anyways so I have no cell phone and I take the car up the street to Hilcroft/Westheimer to the 99c store.  This was during the time when the "LOVELY" City of Houston had dug up the road to resurface it.  So the drive in to the parking lot was 2-3 inches higher than the ground so even driving slower than Ms. Daisy I hit the curve hard.  I think nothing of it and drive to the store park, shop and exit.  I get in the car and start to back out, but the car doesn't feel right so I pull back in and check the tire only to find it flat.  Joy...!!!  Again I don't have a cell so I have to use the store phone.  Being that it's the only car we have calling my husband does some good because he works out a ride for me to get home and for him to return and change the tire (which I know how to do, but our Jack is special and I don't plan to have a car land on me in any way).

Moving forward November 19, 2010  I go to lunch with a co-worker over to Subway and to stop in Game Stop to harass my brother in law.  Unfortunately he's not there and wont' be for an hour so we decide to leave back to work.  We get in the car back out and hear "flap, flap, flap" uggh I think that doesn't sound right.  My Co-worker gets out yup the tire is flat.  Mind you this is the same front passenger side tire from before (different tire same side).  This time the previous tire changers stripped the lugnuts so it takes almost a full week before the car is returned to us.

Fast forward December 2, 2010 (Whoo hoo I'm not driving, but BADDDDDD car)  My husband has the kids and is fast approaching to pick me up so we can return home and relax.  He calls, I think he's outside, Nope he's stuck at W Tidwell and Blalock.  He hit a pot hole and the brand new tire we just got from Discount is flat.  This time we are not going a week out of work so he returns it to Discount (one closer to the house this time).  They claim they don't have the tools to remove the last stuck lug nut and they won't replace the tire because it has a puncture.  (Thanks again COH!) Alhamdulilah we are able to get it fixed are off to work, school, and Grandma A's house.

Inshallah the spare will hold off till we can get a new tire and that side of the car will stop being so bad and breaking.

So no more

National Prematurity Awareness Day

As I did last year I'm blogging to raise awareness about prematurity.  I didn't know about this day in 2008, but I did participate with my husband and then 2yo daughter Africa in our first March for Babies to raise money and awareness for prematurity. However in 2009 the cause struck closer to my heart and my family as our son Kirikou was born 20 wks to soon.  Being so early and under developed we were told there was nothing that could be done for him.  He lived for 4 hours after being born.  He was a strong baby no matter how small.  The short time that he lived raised the love and appreciation for others going through this situation.

In 2010 I hit the streets again raising money for the March for Babies.  This time I upped my goal.  I have yet to meet it, but still have till the end of December.  We were also blessed this year with a beautiful little girl, Khalifah. But the heartache of the outcome of my last pregnancy made me a little paranoid this time and also classified me this go around as High Risk of preterm labor since I had a previous early birth.  Therefore I was prescribed weekly P17 shots to keep all the parts that usually start labor closed and was  closely monitored by my OB and a Perinatologist.  My little one still arrived 2 weeks early in the 'Full Term' range, but still at risk for issues.  However (Alhamdulilah-All praises to God) she had none.  I like to think that people like myself that see the need to assist families like myself and others that have lost a child, has one with ailments, or is currently perfectly healthy but all born too soon that this blog post and the money we raise yearly for the March for Babies is doing something.

Please take this blog and think about someone you may know that was born premature whether it be a family member, friend, or child of a friend if you think hard enough you will find that there are more premature births than you realize.  After thinking about it look into the March for Babies and if in Houston I would love to see you marching on either April 24th in Montgomery county or May 1st at UH Robinson stadium(<-I will be at this one).

Help me spread the word and Reach my goal!