Feeling Even Better Still

I chose a happy color to write with today because I wrote to AH my Arabic teacher last night to thank him last night for being so encouraging to me after class the other day, and I also used the Arabic keyboard to type "shurkran" whuch means "Thank you" in Arabic. Imagine my surprise when I received a reply this morning (I had written quite late--probably after 11 p.m.) from him, my dear brother, inviting me to attend services at his Masjid on Timberhill tomorrow for the special program for The Prophet's birthday. He did neglect to tell me the time, so I did write back to him and ask the time of the services, but I was also so excited and happy because he had mentioned me to some of the women at the Masjid and they are anxious to meet me! I may actually have friends! Wouldn't that be wonderful, if I could have women friends who could help me, with whom I could talk, who could help me learn to pray, who could teach me to wear the hajib properly (and neatly!)? How wonderful that would be! I have yet to hear back from brother Mike at the Masjid on Fairhaven, and that bothers me. It makes me feel that I am not really wanted there or that I would be over looked because it is such a large mosque. Maybe at a smaller masjid I would be happier. It is so nice of AH to help me. I was really so surprised. I hope he lets me know the time of the services so that I can go there and not have to stake it out.

I also have to wait for the delivery of Sabrina's new TV tomorrow. (Why do they need a new TV? My TV is older than theirs, both of mine are older.) Of course, they are all glued to the TV all the time. Well, what will she say if she is there when I show up in my "modest Muslim lady" attire? Then again, maybe she'll be gone. I hope.

I tried to onstall my Arabic Rosetta Stone, but my Spanish Rosetta Stone Application is apparently newer than the Arabic Application, so I have to uninstall the Spanish before I can install the Arabic. So on Monday afternoon, I will go to the Apple Store and get them to help me do that. I refuse to annoy myself over this. Bad enough that I have to figure out what to do about this printer business. I guess I had better work on that next week or the week after. I had better get serious about that.

I also have to go pray now. I don't know the right words to pray, but I am using words from the Qur'an so I hope Allah hears my prayers. They are earnest and sincere. I believe he will. I know he loves me and knows I mean well.

I should finish this and publish it before Sabrina calls with my "directions" for tomorrow. I don't want to mess up my assignment!

Feeling Less Alone

I went to Arabic class today. It was our 2nd to last class. We all want OASIS to continue the classes next term. So does Hussein. We also want the classes to be twice a week, 4 hours rather than 2 hours. How else will we learn? Hussein looked at me when he came in and said, you look very nice today. I was wearing my veil and a tunic dress, slacks, and a long-sleeved long red sweater. Florine loved my Sketchers. Ralph brought Middle Eastern pastries. We may go over to Jerusalem restaurant next week and celebrate the end of the term.
At the end of class, Hussein said, do you want to tell me why you are dressed so nice? So I did. We had a nice chat. I told him the whole story, and he was really encouraging to me about adopting Islam. He said if I needed to talk or if I wanted to go to the mosque he goes to, or felt alone, to call him or email him. He gave me his phone numbers and email and really was great in making me feel that things were going to be okay. He attends a mosque over by Ingram Mall, near to where he lives. This week is The Prophet's birthday, so there will be a lot of people in attendance.
I will email him tonight and thank him for making me feel less anxious about things. The funny thing was that I picked up Cassie at school and she didn't say anything about how I was dressed. Not a thing. Didn't phase her in the least. Good old Cassie. I love her.