Introducing.....The Muslim Popsicle!!!

I should have known it wasn't a good idea when my husband happily chose work over spending what I considered "quality" time with our kids. I think I heard him laugh when he said "You can go if you want, but I have to work." (chuckle, chuckle)

I should have known it was a bad idea when I realised at the last minute he had took the car with him to work and left me with the problem of finding a ride for me and all six of our kids to go. Who has room in their car for that many people? I ended up having to ask two different sisters to each take half of us, leaving the "Teen Queen", the "Love Bug" and the "Samurai" home to wait, while I drive off with the other three boys (who I have yet to dub with nick names so just bear with me on that).

I should have known it was not a good idea to go when the buttons on my abayah kept popping open (which drives me crazy) making me feel half dressed (having a BHD- Bad Hijab Day) and self conscious.

I should have known but I went anyway.... trust your instincts people it's a good thing.

Our masjid had a family picnic and it was as cold as (h.e.double hockey-sticks).

I was literally freezing and shaking. We got there (on top of a mountain no less) and I spread out a few blankets on the hillside, preparing to offer my salat and sit and listen to the lectures that they were about to give and noticed some of my body parts going numb. I made the takbir, made ruku then sudjood and prostrated..... in a puddle of water. The grass was saturated. So now I am WET and freezing and shaking. I am now forced to pray on the hard ground which happens to be in the shade. Cold-Sun = Colder. What kind of concentration in prayer can you have while looking like a break dancer? I was shaking that hard.

I convinced some other popsicles, I mean sisters to help me move a picnic table into the sun and we all sat huddled and shivering there trying to eat (cold food) and listen to the remembrance of Allah. It was 40 degrees and dropping fast. We gave new meaning to the words "Sisterhood and Unity," as we hugged each other and rubbed each others hands and tried to share as much bodyheat as we could spare. Did I mention that they also gave away free ice cream as well? It's hard for me (a natural born conspiracy theorist) not to believe that someone was doing this to us on purpose. Perhaps some FBICIA agent was hiding in the trees getting a good laugh at our expense.

The kids had a wonderful time though. The lecture was amazingly good and my husband laughed at us all when he got home from work.