...the sign of love...

November

2008-11-25T16:15:00.002+02:00

My favorite activity in this month is to vacume!!!!!!with Nadezhda honum

saying my prayer

my new haircut - hahah!!!!!!!! Tatai's hair behind looks like a part of my new hair too!

Tatai's birthday and grandpa's visit

2008-11-08T16:22:00.005+02:00

getting ready for lunch out on tatai's birthday

taking a bath with grandpa

grandpa and I outside of our building

my family

nanai and tatai

first steps

2008-10-25T11:51:00.003+02:00

yesterday Azamat made his first steps on his own without any support. it was just few shaky steps forward, but then he got all excited and started stepping more and more, but he is far from walking independently yet. this morning he was walking around his chair holding on to it and singing a song along the way, so cute.... pictures will be posted a bit later.

2008-10-05T17:53:00.003+02:00

give me food!
trying to get up

in a park with mama
black and white
i love bananas!

pictures from our trip home in june

2008-08-01T20:25:00.008+03:00

back in almaty - my fav toy for now

mommy
playing bayan
trying my grandma's hat

trying to sit and talk
walking with grandma
the sky

in my grandpa's car
studying ruhi 7 with Aselya and her two kids Ali and Anissa
grandma is studying ruhi 3

playing in a basin - my grandpa's belly is on a background
visiting my mom's friend - she gave me this nice cloth - her legs are on a background (1,2 meters long)
mom's friend and her son Nikita

in a village with dog Linda
at home
walking with my grandpa's brother

laughing with grandpa
grandpa played with me all the time - here i am trying to sit
riding grandpa is fun

first night sleeping with grandpa
playing piano
after bath

love walking - mama's back is aching^)

2008-07-31T07:25:00.001+03:00

second tooth

2008-07-24T18:34:00.001+03:00

ok, i promise to try not posting for every single tooth, but this is just too exciting!

first tooth

2008-07-15T08:11:00.001+03:00

if u touch his lower gum it feels like the tooth is already out, but if u look at his gum - it's just a little white. i think it will come out one of these days. yey!

back in almaty

2008-07-13T19:32:00.003+03:00

we have been back in almaty for a week now and so much ahd happened during this time. my mom came to almaty as she accompanied us in the train. the trip was so tiring, there was no air conditioner and we were dying of heat. azamat was crying all the time - for 28 hours. only during night he was sleeping alright as it was a bit cooler. when we arrivd it was nice and cool in the city and we had good rest for two days. after that we went to visit uncle askar's mother, somehow azamat cought a bacetria in there and next day he developed a fever. he had it for three days and we had to take him to the hospital. they said he is having a viral infection and told us how to treat him at home. next day he had diarrhia - i think this was the effec tof the infection and after two days he's gotten a rash. i got so scared. i thought it is measles, but pediatrition who came to see him at home said it was an alllergy on fever-reducer - efferalgan. so now he is better, playing, talking and giving me smiles. man, was it a rough week!

in my home town with grandpa and grandma

2008-06-18T05:54:00.003+03:00

We have been visiting my parents for three weeks now and will be here until the end of month. I took y camera with us to take pictures of this trip, but didn't take a cord to dawnload them to the computer and this pc does not have a cardreader. So, we'll wait until we return to Tatay to post some pictures.
Azamat turned 6 months three days ago, he enjoys company of his grandparents very much and so do they:)
First two weeks were cold and rainy and we haven't gone out much, but lately it's shining and warm outside and we are visiting our relatives and friends. Hopefully we will be able to go to some natural resorts that are located around my hometown in few days, they are just beautiful!
We also just yesterday remembered that we have a videocamera we could use to record Azamat's development. How didn't we think of that earlier! Azamat does not like taking his baths anymore! That came as a surprise for all of us as before he loved being in water.. Now every time we put him in water he screams as if someone is hurting him. I am trying to figure out what is the problem, or is it just a phase in his growth.
He is having juice and banana every day. This is new and he is loving it:):):) The town is small with not so many cars. The air is very clean, we are enjoying it realizing we have to go back to a big hot poluted city soon.
Pictures from our little vacation to be posted soon:)

One of the natural resorts of this area.

5 months

2008-05-22T20:12:00.003+03:00

i just woove being outside and expworing this wowd
one of my favorite toys - octopus

8 May

2008-05-08T20:32:00.002+03:00

2008-05-02T18:45:00.001+03:00

thank to Skype, my grandparents can see me whenever they want:)

uncle Askar's new camera

2008-04-29T19:34:00.002+03:00

4 months

2008-04-14T11:46:00.004+03:00

me and my friend and relative Edil - just hanging out:) Edil is one month younger than me
Tatai and me
aunty Maryam is laughing about my hat

few minutes ago...

2008-04-10T11:51:00.002+03:00

After a lo-o-ot of crying and yoning, he finally fell asleep in Tatai's arms...
that's how tired we sometimes are...

7 april - our 2nd anniversary

2008-04-08T18:29:00.003+03:00

having lunch out, just the three of us
cheers!
our little chubby joy:):)
5 in the morning - he wakes us up every day

pics from past three weeks

2008-04-06T14:32:00.005+03:00

I like holding my own fingers these days and counting whether they all are in place:)
after mama had finished her lunch, i couldn't stop staring at the leaf on her plate
that's how i communicate to mama that i want her to pick me up from the carriage

"I am confused" look

Even when I am not happy, mama does not care - hse keeps kissing and kissing and kissing mewalking with aunty Maryam
I don't really love being on my belly...
this one is funny, i think i winked:)

2008-03-17T14:42:00.003+02:00

Aunty Ruzanna is leaving for the US tomorrow morning. She will be studying at the Musicians' Institute in Holliwood. I will miss her, and when she comes back, I will hopefully be able to talk to her in English.

My second day with grandpa... He carried me in kangaroo sling:):):)

2008-03-16T12:25:00.010+02:00

Orthodox old church in a park - where we went today

I sleep in a big bed

Despite of local doctors' warnings I tried to sit in Kangaroo when I was two months and three weeks. Not bad at all!

There is not big mountain for a big mammoth!!!! Uncle Askar's gift brought from Turkey, a little big but I still look handsome in it...

I am trying to reach out and touch things...

wearing my first jeans

My grandpa is here for a couple of days, I haven't seen him since I was two weeks old! We had some quality time together today:):)

3 months, 13 weeks

2008-03-13T19:26:00.004+02:00

Today we went for our 3 months check up. We gained 1 kg and grew for 4 cm since our 2 months check up. We also got out vaccine and now mama is waiting for the reaction - fever and restlessness. But so far, it's been few hours, it has been alright, we ate and now are sleeping so well.

On the photo Azamat and aunty Alfia few days ago.

11 weeks

2008-03-05T14:15:00.002+02:00

hihihi....
I am learning to hold things

breaking the Fast in a Hindu resourant

2008-03-04T14:53:00.005+02:00

Aunty Maryam brought us to this Hindu restourant last night where we broke the Fast. We wore bindis for fun!
Even Tatai and uncle Zhenya were wearing bindis!
I love looking at pictures and this room was filled with different pcitures of Indian sceaneries.
The food was delicious!

2008-03-02T07:03:00.004+02:00

Aunty Nurgul and me at the Ayyam-i-Ha celebration.
Tatai is back! I have missed him so much and didn't forget him. People say kids have short memory. Not true, i remember my Tatai, no matter what. Uncle Jamal and uncle Quddus sent me this hammock and Tatai tried it this weekend, i was a bit scared but in general i liked the idea of being swung in it.

missing Tatai

2008-02-24T07:31:00.003+02:00

yesterday Tatai had to go to Kokshetau, where he and Nanai stayed for the first 6 months in Kazakhstan, to do some paper work. We went to see him off to the train station and already missing him a lot:( He will be back in a week time.

2008-02-23T09:10:00.000+02:00

2008-02-20T19:12:00.001+02:00

recent pictures of azamat on y sister's blog pagehttp://www.lights-of-unity.blogspot.com/

2008-02-18T11:25:00.003+02:00

me and aunt maryam
another pretty aunty came to meet me last weekend
and she gave me nice professional massage that night! we had so much fun! i loved it!

tomorrow, on Valentines day i will turn two months old

2008-02-13T07:00:00.002+02:00

I love eating, talking to my mom, watching faces, I smile in response, loooooove my bath time with tatay and to sleep while walking outside with mommy

2008-02-03T11:31:00.001+02:00

that's it? i was kinda hoping to swim a bit longer...!
pretty aunty came to visit me from Astana

1,5 months - 6 weeks

2008-01-27T13:17:00.000+02:00

last night after taking my bath - me and mama
every morning my aunty Maryam comes to play with me and help to do my exercise

last night. sorry for me being naked...
Tatay is bathing me, he is so kind!
after bath applying lotion
holding mama's finger
enjoying dress-free time

1 month

2008-01-17T09:22:00.000+02:00

on 14 January I turned one month old. First mama was counting hours, then days, then weeks, and now we've made it to months:):) I gained 1100 gr and grew for the whole 1 cm:):):) This morning mama told me a joke and made me laugh
It was so good that I couldn't stop laughing...
This is to show how much I love my family - THIS much!
Tatay said I was kicking him in his face... I so wasn't!!!!!!! I love tatay!

19

2008-01-02T08:23:00.000+02:00

I am 19 days today. my grandma made this cute little outfit for me and i tried it on for the first time this morning:)
me and my grandparents:):):) what a nice picture! i just now noticed the poster with the Shrine of Bahaullah on the background
trying to walk with help of my grandma...
mama got some time to read while grandma was holding me

2007-12-30T14:05:00.000+02:00

I spent 12 days in a hospital - 7 days waiting for Azamat to come and 5 days after he was born. This is what i saw from my hospital window every day:)

This is our everyday guest - a little squirrel that would come to our balcony at 10:00am and take her portion of bananas or cookies that we would prepare for her. She was a delight to watch and wasn't scared of us at all:)

Today Azamat is 16 days old:) The pictures above and below were taken last night after he had taken his bath... You can see how happy he is to be washed:)

This is how he looked few minutes after he was born - all swallen and surprised to be in a new world. Picture taked by his tatay.

And these pictures are from day before when he turned 14 days old:)

10 days

2007-12-24T13:31:00.000+02:00

i love Tatay!
don't i look just like him?
me and my dear Tatay!

We make funny sounds together we make funny faces together!
he loves me!

i feel so good sleeping on his belly!
and love holding him...
after yummy lunch!

Azamat is here!

2007-12-20T10:40:00.000+02:00

Our son Azamat Kakenov Daumar was born on 14 December at 23:55. His weight was 2900gr and he is 52 cm long:) It was a natural birth, we are out of hospital and are all very happy. Cannot believe how we could live wthout him all this time. Life has become different in all its meanings!!!

see you in ....

2007-12-05T17:49:00.000+02:00

Kevin was in Kazakhstan for few days and paid us a visit. We had a great evening with him, Zeinab and our family
Corinne sent us some candies through her husband, so yum, thank you Corinne!

A picture from another dinner with our friends Alfia and Talgat. They enjoyed seafood a lot.
For all those who remember Alfia from the time she served at the BWC - this is her husband Talgat and their lovely daughter Yasmin.
Zeinab is chatting with mama...

I am being hospitalized tommorrow morning for .... days until the baby decides to come out. Hopefully it won't be long:)

Update

2007-12-02T17:16:00.000+02:00

Our mom has arrived this morning in Almaty. She will take a two-weeks course after which will stay with us until first week of January. She brought some cloth for our son and a little handmade pillow:):) This is actually first time for her to see me pregnant because when we left home i just learnt that i am expecting.
About my pregnancy, my doctor said i would have to be hospitalized at the end of next week. She thinks Azamat will come much earlier than 23 December - my due date. Well, according to what i have been feeling lately, looks like it will be the way my doctor says. I am ready!

More of November pictures

2007-11-28T08:02:00.000+02:00

On Maryam's birthday we had first snow surprise. It melted the next day. So we felt like it was a gift specially for her:)
Rose plant on our window with snowy background
Happy birthday, Maryam!

Amir's guests were happier for him than he was:):):)
A gift to Amir from one of the pionners - prayer of Abdul Baha written in a caligraphy style
The power got shut down, we had a romantic second half of Amir's birthday celebration

Me walking on my birthday, can u tell I am 8 monmths pregnant from behind?
Close-up

Small park
Maryam
Maryam's composition on my belly

We're back in the blog world

2007-11-21T14:16:00.000+02:00

amir's birthday "cake" first thing in the morning and a song from his wife... you can see he is soo sleepy!
we made pansit for dinner that night.. yum!
and adobo... yum-yum!

on my birthday in the park, the weather was so beautiful!
morning surprise by my sisters

On 12 November we had people over to celebrate Bahaullah's birthday. We thought we'd try the shadow theater and performed the story from His childhood written in Ruhi 4 about the puppet show He was so impressed by. I can say our theatre experience was experimental and successful, and we can improve it for the next time.

My cousin Aliya got married last weekend. She will now live in Almaty and that means we will see each other more often! Their wedding was typical for this region, they tried to observe all the traditions which still survived from the past.

getting ready...

2007-10-29T17:39:00.000+02:00

officially on maternity leave

2007-10-24T17:06:00.000+02:00

yep, starting this coming sunday. of course no working until then - it is a national holiday when noone works. i am looking forward to my non-working days spent on shopping for the baby, cooking for my husband, cleaning and rearranging the room for the kicky addition to our family:):) also i am planning to do a lot of walking. 30 weeks, yea! just 7-10 more weeks to go...

2,5 hours of Chaikovskiy

2007-10-22T04:47:00.000+02:00

My youngest sister made a gift to all of us having bought tickets to the ballet Swan Lake to Chaikovskiy music. Cold fall night, leafs falling, a bit raining, causy and beautiful opera theatre, full house, children dressed like angels, beautiful music, amazing dancing, apllouds, flowers, hot tea during intermission, baby kicking and rolling inside (enjoying music). Very elevating experience. On the way home we were all singing and even trying to dance some pa's from the ballet:):):) Fun! We thought we should do it more often.

2007-10-18T07:13:00.000+02:00

O thou who art turning thy face towards God! Close thine eyes to all things else, and open them to the realm of the All-Glorious. Ask whatsoever thou wishest of Him alone; seek whatsoever thou seekest from Him alone. With a look He granteth a hundred thousand hopes, with a glance He healeth a hundred thousand incurable ills, with a nod He layeth balm on every wound, with a glimpse He freeth the hearts from the shackles of grief. He doeth as He doeth, and what recourse have we? He carrieth out His Will, He ordaineth what He pleaseth. Then better for thee to bow down thy head in submission, and put thy trust in the All-Merciful Lord.

Abdul Baha

Fall

2007-10-16T09:34:00.000+02:00

I haven't been in Almaty during fall for five last years. I forgot how colourful and beautiful it is! Warm weather is perfect for walking and enjoying these last days before snow comes. I had a week of vacation last week and was able to spend a lot of time outside to get vitamin D. Our baby is 28 weeks old now, I and Amir cannot believe the time is coming up when we will see him and hold him...

10kg

2007-09-24T07:45:00.000+02:00

trying to reduce on sweets and bread these days, mostly eating grains, veggies and fruit. 10 kg in two months is more than a normal gain, although i am feeling the same, and haven't changed in my looks - same skinny girl with a big belly:):):) this is a challenge since i love sweets so much, i guess when a baby comes into one's life- no more me, my likes, my fancies, just him, his health, his well-being...

we learned how to bath and rap the baby last saturday, how to give him massage in home conditions, we had these dalls to practice on, so much fun! tonight is another exciting lesson for couples - first phase of labour - partner's assistance.

we also have started studying ruhi 5 for juniour youth animators yesterday, finally! first 7 sections had a lot to learn from and contemplate on. it's going to be a weekly class, hoping to finish it before i have my son in my hands:) let's hope i can use this knowledge in my services in future.

love

2007-09-20T08:17:00.001+02:00

Class - preparaton for labour

2007-09-18T05:22:00.000+02:00

Last night was the first session. There are around 10 of us - beautiful young ladies, for most of them it is the first pregnancy. Our trainer is a wonderfl energetic lady, who has an experience of helping 6000 women in labour. She has a great personality and is a great speaker. In one hour and a half I learned so much! Amir had difficulties understanding her as she speaks fast, but he stayed with me till the end. Actually two other husbands were so happy to see him as they were worried to be the only ones there... Here the partnership is just starting developing and being a common thing, as, culturaly, husbands do not participate in such activities of women and especialy they do not see themselves helping out during labour:) But slowly slowly it is changing... at least here in the capital, thank God!!!! Tonight we will watch a BBC production about pregnancy, a 40 minutes long film where the camera was placed into the womb of a woman and recorded the whole process. Exciting!

doctors, doctors...

2007-09-11T09:39:00.000+03:00

I've never liked visiting doctors, since childhood. may be cause the docs i visited were not very friendly, or whatever reason i don't know. I wish we had
more Baha'i doctors in the world! Because most of the time it's not that docs don't know what they are doing (which is the case in some situations), but the attitude they have to you, kind of, leave-me-alone, or here-they-come-again kind of attitude. It makes you feel guilty that you came to see them. But of course i am not generalizing, there are some very good ones, who make your day by just smiling at you and making you feel comfortable and cared for. Not complaining, just have to visit two more of them this week. wish me luck.

last night

2007-09-04T09:08:00.000+03:00

was so much fun! we had our second ultrasound! we went to another lady who was soo nice to us, showed us everything - his cute little heart which was bitting so fast!, kidneys, legs, arms, feet, hands, head, brains, spine and ribs, and even genitals. it's a boy!!!!! to make sure, she showed it from differenet sides, it was very clear! she said our boy is doing great, then we saw him moving his arm inside, it looked like he was waving at us:):) he is quite active, constantly moving, rolling, he still has some space to do it:):):) she also showed us his eyes, they are big! we came out absolutely amazed of his progress since last ultrasound, and happy that everything is good. next time will be the last before delivery - to see his position at 34 weeks. thank you again for all your prayers!

much love...

tell me everything you know...

2007-09-03T12:48:00.000+03:00

about influence of computer on pregnancy. i have read many articles on internet and all of them are very contradictory, some of them say no inflience, some of them say stop using computer especially during the first trimester, when baby's organs are being formed. my monitor at work is very old, i don't think it has a protection, so, after having sitted here for two months, i am gettng worried:) they are buying me a new monitor this week, but still, i am bit worried. please let me know if you know anything about this issue... thanks a lot!

pictures

2007-09-02T09:40:00.000+03:00

We have recieved a cd with pictures from our farewel in the Holy Land that were taken by our friend Melonna. It was nice to see them now, almost 10 months after leaving, and remember that warm, cozy home of Liudmila and Serghei on a cold Novemeber evening, and close friends getting coming to say good bye to us and wish us luck. I have posted most of the pics on my facebook, and here are some of them for blog readers.

home...

2007-08-29T08:31:00.000+03:00

check out the nature behind my cousin...

watermelon and green apples

2007-08-27T09:46:00.000+03:00

are my devoted companions through pregnancy... no day passes by without a kilo of green sour apples and some watermelon. i find myself more indifferent to oranges which i used to love before, bananas and grapes. what i miss is mango. we have mangos here brought from china, but they are nothing in comparison to the ones i tried in israel and of course double of nothing to the ones amir says grow in south east asia:)
another strange feeling i get is crave for swimming! and it's funny cause i don't know how to swim, just learned last year how to float. somehow i get this confidence that my belly will hold me on the water:) i think it's my baby who will be a good swimmer, and who knows i might learn while i am pregnant to swim as well:) on 30th august is a national holiday - constitution day, we are going to the outdoor swimming pool for the whole day, yey! it's also my sister's birthday, so she might join us there, i hope the wheather will not change our plan. so far it's nice and warm during days - perfect for swimming:)

discovering the world of cramps

2007-08-24T06:06:00.000+03:00

my sister is a professional dancer and when i told her about my experience, she said it's such a usual thing among dancers and sportsmen, that she had them all the time while studying, they are caused by overtraining. she said i must have walked too much that evening and my muscels were reacting to it, especially beacuse i am heavyer now:) she also said that if the cramp is so intense that it doesn't let go off your muscle, dancers take a needle and poke the muscle to release the spasm...ouch! that might really hurt! but she said it helps immediately. then my sister started telling me terrible stories about some dancers who tear their muscles during practices and the muscle runs away from it's usual location, so in order to catch it before it runs, after it's ripped, they take a safety pin (!) and pin it to the other ripped end. terrible!

this morning...

2007-08-23T07:07:00.000+03:00

I had a terrible first time in my life leg cramp. The pain was sudden and very intense,

I cried and called Amir to wake him up to help me. I heard before that if one has a mussle cramp, he needs to strech his leg and flex toes back towards the knee. I tried doing it but found it very painful. The cramp lasted for about 1,5 minutes, it felt like eternity! Amir massaged my calf and slowly it got better. Gosh, so painful. It still hurts when I try to massage that part. This is what I found on Internet about cramps during pregnancy:

Why am I having leg cramps during pregnancy?No one really knows why women have more leg cramps when they're pregnant. It's possible that your leg muscles are tired from carrying around all of your extra weight. Or they may be aggravated by the pressure your expanding uterus puts on the blood vessels that return blood from your legs to your heart and the nerves that lead from your trunk to your legs.Leg cramps may start to plague you during your second trimester and may get worse as your pregnancy progresses and your belly gets bigger. While these cramps can occur during the day, you'll probably notice them most at night.
How can I prevent these cramps?Try these tips for keeping leg cramps at bay:

• Avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time.
• Stretch your calf muscles regularly during the day and several times before you go to bed.
• Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you sit, eat dinner, or watch TV.
• Take a walk every day, unless your midwife or doctor has advised you not to exercise.
• Avoid getting too tired. Lie down on your left side to improve circulation to and from your legs.
• Stay hydrated during the day by drinking water regularly.
• Try a warm bath before bed to relax your muscles.

• There's some evidence that taking a magnesium supplement in addition to a prenatal vitamin may help some women. Check with your provider before taking any kind of supplement during pregnancy.You may have heard that having leg cramps is a sign that you need more calcium, and that calcium supplements will relieve the problem. Though it's certainly important to get enough calcium, there's no good evidence that taking extra calcium will help prevent leg cramps during pregnancy. In fact, in one well-designed study, pregnant women taking calcium got no more relief from leg cramps than those taking a placebo.

What's the best way to relieve a cramp when I get one?If you do get a cramp, immediately stretch your calf muscles: Straighten your leg, heel first, and gently flex your toes back toward your shins. It might hurt at first, but it will ease the spasm and the pain will gradually go away.You can try to relax the cramp by massaging the muscle or warming it with a hot water bottle. Walking around for a few minutes may help too.
What if the pain persists?If your muscle pain is constant and not just an occasional cramp — or if you notice swelling or tenderness in your leg — call your practitioner. These may be signs of a blood clot, which requires immediate medical attention. Blood clots are rare, but your risk is higher during pregnancy.

Astana during night

week 20

2007-08-20T14:29:00.000+03:00

today's visit to doctor showed that i am 20 weeks pregnant, for the last months i gained 5 kg (!), my blood test was good, blood pressure is normal, the baby is happy (i added that) and that i need to consume more calcium. In two weeks i have an ultrasound appointment, until then we won't know whome we are expecting for sure:):) last ultrasound didn't show any such details. the baby started kicking three weeks ago, i didn't know it was supposed to kick every day, so i was kind of tired of it moving too much inside me. second week of kicking was not as intense and on the third week i am completely used to it, and if i don't feel any movement, I start worrying. for the past week i had backpain during my sleep which made my nights sleepless. the last two days pain went down to my legs, i had trouble walking last night... i shared these feelings with doctor and she conlcuded that i am lacking calcium, whereas my opinion is that it is the neuralgy caused by weight increase of my baby and pressure on my nerves in lower back. i will have more calcium for the next two weeks and see if the pain goes away. not sleeping at night made me realize that from this time on my nights won't be so calm any more, especially first months after the baby arrives. luckily i have a very caring and helpful husband, cannot wait to share parenting experience with him!

pictures from past couple of weeks

2007-08-16T07:04:00.000+03:00

we have a family park we went to one weekend with our friend Askhat. It had this huge old equipment excibited from the times of world war II.

in this section of the park old peole were having their dancing party... they were all dressed up and looked happy. i thought it was quite cute:)
Another day we spent in my sister's husband's mother's place..hahaha...we just call her Tatte. she lives in the suburbs of almaty with beautiful view of the mountains and very clean air

one of her grandsons turned 5 that day, this was the occasion we got together. he is a fan of spiderman:)
i never know how to pose my belly for the pictures, this one is funny, like i am afraid to drop it:):):)
trams are for old people here, we love them though, and took a ride after a birthday party
Kamila is at the age of loving antie's shoes
bbq we had last weekend at Tatte's place

three sisters
kazakh hats
the birthday boy!!!!!!a.k.a. spiderman
his birthday cake

making a wish before blowing candles

us coming back from our first ultrasound check
fish being deep fried...yum! another couple has decided to verilly abide by the Will of God
Almaty mountains
the veiw of the city at sunset

flowers my sister bought for us one day, she is so sweeet!
heart- shaped middle
me - tired and sleepy
can u see the tiny foot??????
random encounter in the middle of the city

Flan in Kazakhstan

2007-08-10T10:19:00.000+03:00

I will remember Haifa for many wonderful things. One of them is trying out lot of different culture's foods. Yum! I won't even bother going into listing all of them as there is a lot i tried at dinners, parties and weddings! I surely miss this diversity here in Kazakhstan. Although I am a bit lucky that my other half is of differnet culture becouse he cooks so well! I've been trying to see if Kazakhs know what flan is - one of my favorite desserts after Haifa, but only few people, in fact two, in my office knew what it is and tried it at least ones in their lifes. So me and Amir, got the recipe and decided to make it one night. We didn't manage to find a vanila syrup. Not wanting to give up, we tried to use the maple syrop instead and this flan of ours turned out to be soooooooo real and DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!! yum! I brought it to work, now people are asking for its recipe, I am so glad they liked it:):):) How can u not like the flan??? Thank you to Isra for the recipe and thank you to Amir for making it, thank you to me for the idea and being there while it's made:):):)
What would be next??....

Stomach abuse...ouch!

2007-08-07T12:17:00.000+03:00

Being pregnant and having a bigger appetite is NOT a good reason to eat as much as i ate yesterday! My goodness! I couldn't literally walk, and sit and function in general!!!!!!!!!!! Our office mate bought all this delicious food to celebrate his birthday during lunch time yesterday and I forgot my hand-break at home...:):) Please!!!!!!!!!!! Moderation in everything!
On this picture i am already sitting with one leg hanging from the chair because couldn't put my legs together - so big was my poor pregnant belly! And, I still manage to smile!
It was a torture to digest all that food, I am telling you! And it's all my fault, can u hear, i am not complaining, just warning you not to do what i did:) The food was delicious!

weekend

2007-07-30T07:03:00.001+03:00

Last weekend was sooooo relaxing for us, only me and amir in the house, my sis with her husband went camping for three days. Amir and I went to bazar on saturday and bought gooseberries which amir found amusing, he was excited to buy it but refused to try. I love gooseberries, they are so sour, and I crave anything sour right now. Apparently gooseberry doesn't grow in the Phillippines, Amir called them small watermelons because of the stripes and colour:):):)
On sunday we bought this baby which weighed 17 kg!!!!!!!!!!!! Poor amir had to carry it all the way to home! Thank God it was downheal most of the way! I wish I could help him but for next 5 months I have my own watermelon to carry around..hahahaha
My watermelon is growing so fast, since last week it kicks me every day, I loooooove sensing its movements. since we were relaxing most of the time last weekend, we spent some time talking to the baby, each in our own language. amir felt its kick once, but afterwards every time I would call him to feel it again, the baby would stay quiet:):):) I didn't really want to post a picture of naked tummy, but due to demand of some friends in comments, here it is. I am entering the 5th month this week.
Happy me
Amir is demonstrating half of the watermelon we ate, which by the way was delicious! it was huuuuuge!!!!!!!!!!!!

baby's picture

2007-07-25T12:11:00.000+03:00

following the tradition of posting ultrasound pictures of babies on blogs, i am herein posting a first pciture of our baby made a week ago. although the baby is still very small and it is hard to see anything there, we all saw the head, and i even managed to see little fingers on his(?) hand.

dinner out last night

2007-07-25T06:27:00.000+03:00

i am soooooooooooooooooooooooooo huuuuuuuuuuuuungry!
Kazakh money
painting on the wall of the first cafe we tried to have dinnner at

Amir is being silly...happy!

Can you tell there are two of us on this picture????????

Amir has worked for a month now, yesterday he got his first salary, yey! We met up after work and went for dinner to eat on it. First place we came to was really nice, we had eaten there before and liked their cooking, but unfortunately there were people smoking all around us and this restaurant didn't have a non-smkoking area. I cannot bear smoke since i got pregnant and we decided to go look for another place close by. I was sooooooo hungry that our searvh didn't last very long, hehehe... We stopped at a fist place outdoors where people were still smoking, but there was not many of them and it was outside, so the smoke didn't bother us much (me and baby). I ate like a preggy, two portions:):):) couldn't move afterwards, but was happy! Amir ordered pork in a clay pot, he said it was delicious, I couldn't try it any more:) The weather now is amazing in Almaty, usually it is very hot during these months, but this year, it's hot during a day and it's raining almost every night, so it's so fresh at night while we sleep. I think it was by my order the weather is being so pleasant on me cause I don't really like continuoes heat... especially now...

Living for two

2007-07-23T09:16:00.000+03:00

Last week was my first ultrasound appointment after which i had a complete realization that I am carrying a human being inside me and that I am living two lives at the moment. All this time I knew I was pregnant but wasn't fully realizing what is going on... (may be cause my belly is still smal. Although I was trying to take a good care of myself, say prayers as much as possible and was having some simptoms, I cannot say I was pregnant mentally, rather more physycally. After I saw a little spine and ribs, little foot, head, I think I even saw a hand on the pictures, I couldn't believe it! Like I just learned that I am pregnant! So interesting how my mind was absolutely separated from my body and from what was really going on... So interesting that I needed this visual evidence to enjoy and try to understand my state for this months and... upcoming yearssssssss:):):) Amir was there too and so was my sis, they were sooooooo excited! I wish this visual connection to my baby would last a bit longer, next time I will ask them to show me everything possible, and hopefuly we can make a video as there will be much more to see:):):)
p.s. Ultrasound showed that everything is OK so far... thank you all for your prayers!

2007-07-11T09:27:00.000+03:00

During the week-long project of reaching out to our neigbours we found out that in the building we just moved in lives this Israeli family of 6 people - a couple with their daughter, son-in-law, grandchild and their old mother. We were so excited to meet each other on our way back from the grocery store, i saw the woman's smiling radiant face, she was holding this beautiful baby in her arms and coming out of the buidling, i immediately felt some kind of connection and an impuls to come and start a conversation. It was so easy, i asked if the baby is a girl or a boy, what is his name, after i heard the name i raised a question about his nationality, she said they are jews. next followed our exclamation that we used to live in Israel serving at the Bahai World Centre. She was so happy to know that, she said they go there often, in fact, Eliran (adorable child, her grandson) was born there three months ago. She had been to Haifa and visited the gardens together with her family. We meet once in a while in a yard when she walks with Eliran. Now, me and my sis with our husbands are eager to teach them the Faith, although i still have this thought in my mind that we shouldn't teach jews and i try to remind myself that this rule is applicable only INSIDE Israel.

2007-07-04T06:23:00.001+03:00

kids who attend children classes in one of the regions of almaty where we had our teaching project recently
this region is basically a village with all its features:)...

me and my sis are enjoying a company of our devoted new friend Ryzhik
watch out! sheeps are crossing the road!...

doors are opening for the Message everywhere
Ryzhik is posing for the cam

one two three, family shot! Amir was still counting when the cam did its job

Amir was serving as a cook during the project to feed teachers of the Faith

beautiful flower in one of the visited houses' gardens

~good news~

2007-06-15T14:55:00.000+03:00

As I am leaving work for a nice productive weekend, I thought it's time to share with you the news of our family. Before we were just a married couple, now we are a family:):):) God willing, if everything goes well, our baby will arrive at the end of this year/beginning of the next. If you have a little time, say a little prayer for the little one....

~good news~

2007-06-07T14:33:00.000+03:00

today was a day of good news for us. to make long story short, two days ago i have left my bag with ALL my documents together with my cell phone (all contacts are there) and a bank card in a taxi... we were very upset as to find it in 2 mln people city is not an easy task. my cell phone died and i couldn't even call a taxi driver hoping he would pick up my phone... needless to say how mad i was at myself. two days later, today, i got a phone call from my mom, someone had found my bag and wanted to return it to me. miraclously, they were able to turn on my cell nad find my mom's number! I was soooooo happy! then my dad called and said that Amir has gotten his residence permit!!!!!!! yey! it will arrive in almaty very soon! and he will be able to work, yey!!!!!!! anyway, more good news to come in coming days!!!!!!!!!!

2007-06-01T14:51:00.000+03:00

we have moved to Almaty and Taha is already working. it was truly a blessing, we arrived in Almaty on monday, on the same day she had an interview, and on wednesday she started working! such luck. Amir had few interviews already and everywhere they were interested in hiring him, but because his residence permit is not YET (!!!) ready, he is enjoying his time exploring the city, visiting different places, meeting local Bahais, etc... who knew it's going to take so long! we certainly didn't expect it. well, another test to deal with:):):):) we are staying with my sister and her husband here, andthe third sister is also with us, so we are having a lot of fun together! will post pictures soon.

married for one year

2007-04-08T08:13:00.000+03:00

this picture is one of our favourite ones.

"A good marriage is an intimate and loving relationship which gives both partners security, friendship, companionship, support, comfort, and deep love that penetrates every aspect of life. None of this can be achieved without work and sacrifice. Marriage may be compared to a plant that requires daily nurture, daily attention, daily care and cultivation. It will not develop of its own accord; only as effort and will are exerted will it grow and mature. For a marriage to succeed, both husband and wife must be committed to its success. They must build an enduring love relationship that is centered in the heart of their consciousness. Their relationship must be nurtured with the water of loyalty and love.

A pilgrim who visited 'Abdu'l-Baha reported that the Master spoke to him of marriage, saying:

The greatest bond that will unite the hearts of man and wife is faithfulness and loyalty. Both must exercise toward each other the utmost faithfulness and loyalty and not let any trace of jealousy creep between them...The man and his wife must dedicate their knowledge, their talents, their fortunes, their titles, their bodies, and their spirits, first to Baha'u'llah and then to each other. Their thoughts must be lofty, their ideals luminous, their hearts spiritual, and their souls the dawning-places of the rays of the Sun of Reality.... Their hearts must be spacious, as spacious as the Universe of God."

spring time

2007-04-03T14:47:00.000+03:00

exactly two years ago we were doing ruhi 4 in haifa with my flat mate as a tutor whom i miss very much. the group was soooooooo nice! i am thinking of it right now because it is a spring time and we are doing ruhi 4 here. content of a book is so springy - new Revelation, Divine spring time! it reminds me a lot of our studies of the life of the Bab and Bahaullah within the Holy Precincts in akko and haifa! plus amazing spring in the holy land, oh, i miss everything.... happy coming Ridvan!

Kakenova

2007-03-31T12:03:00.000+03:00

just to inform those who have my name written as Kakenova-Daumar anywhere in their contact lists may want to change it just to Kakenova. Apparantly and unfortunately i cannot change it to a double name here...:):):) won't go to the details...

2007-03-30T11:26:00.000+03:00

these days are the days of transition from winter to spring. one day it may be warm, snow melts, sun shines, birds warble. the other day snow comes again. yesterday snowflakes were huge and were falling as if winter doesn't even think of giving the turn for spring.
my little cuties are singing a song with me at the English class
we were learning emotions, i asked them to make an angry face!
sabina

Hot tea Samovar at NawRuz celebration 22 March. It is a National holiday in Kazakhstan just like in all Central Asia countries.
crafts sale at NawRuz celebration
walking around with my auntie! the weather was very nice!
Kazakh Yurtas (traditional houses) were spread out all over the central square of our little town. Inside you could see the traditional furnishing, try traditional food, like NawRuz Kozhe, a dish made only during this holiday, watch traditional rituals and listen to traditional songs.

Trip to Astana

2007-03-21T19:39:00.000+02:00

the last day of the Fast we spent in Astana - the new capital of Kazakhstan. Although Amir doesn't have a permission of permanent stay and a right to work here as yet, we got an interview in one of the companies and decided to go and explore it. My dad happened to go for a work trip there and we took this opportunity to get a free ride with him:):):) These pictures are from the green house of the company that is interested in Amir, and some sites of just 15 years old, still under construction Astana.

some pictures

2007-03-11T04:23:00.000+02:00

in January we went to the village to visit our relatives, it was so windy and snowy on the way that we found it difficult to drive. at one point i was scared we'll get stuck somewhere, but after i saw this guy walking along the road ALONE AT SUCH WEATHER i thought i am a complaining sitting-in-a-comfortable-warm-car coward...hehehehe
this picture was taken on our way back, we left at sunset time... so beautiful!

it was nice to see we are not alone on the road!
this is a picture of my grandma's Persian carpet hanging on the wall at my uncle's house in a village we visited. even i remember it, and i was only 5 when my grandma passed away.
every morning we have a sunlight in our kitchen which makes it look so happy:):):) i wove it!
this note was placed in the sink by my mom when our kitchen sink got broken and we weren't aloud to use it. she didn't know how to get our attention and had wrote in Russian "don't turn it on" and for amir "stop" - probably the only word she could come up with in English for warning... hahaha soooooooooooo cute!
my beautiful cousins from the village with amir

amir is currently helping my uncle here to repair a flat. i went to their work site yesterday and took some pictures. here is my uncle, putting glue on tile and posing for the cam

their little entertainer - radio
amir is checking on how even the tiles are
poor plants got all white because of dust
these tiles are waiting for their destiny to be fulfilled
work is in progress

.... cute couple
hammering
have you ever seen a hanging switch????????
he is having fun!

Update

2007-02-22T14:37:00.000+02:00

A little update on what we have been up to. We finally finished collecting all necessary papers for amir's residence permit and submitted the package to the respective authorities. Now we are just praying for it be successful. Amir is helping my uncle with his business and is happy to work after a long break:):):) in the meantime I found a temporary job of teaching little kids English in the kinder garden. Both Russian and kazakh speaking kids. I find it so much fun! Especially kazakh speaking kids, they speak only kazakh, in which I am weak and I am noticing myself beginning to speak kazakh as well, I love it! They teach me and I teach them:):):) kids' memory is amazing! They remember everything I tell them and do with them. I find it hard sometimes because all they want to do is to play, they cannot sit a while on their chairs. Thank God I am currently tutoring ruhi3 with local bahais and reviewing the methods of disciplining kids. Today I tried the method of having rules in the class and "punishing" kids for not following the rules, it worked so well! They saw that my words were not just lipservice and were trying to behave not to be deprived of taking part in a game. And they all feel the love I have for them. One boy was always sitting next to me, and others were teasing him as if he fell in love with me, so cute! I am beginning to love them more and more, and trying to find different ways of teaching them the language. May be one day I could take a picture and post it here so you see yourself how many gems are surrounding me twice a week! I'll certanly do that!

2007-02-04T17:59:00.000+02:00

went to the village to see our relatives and found these pictures in their albums. This was taken at the wedding of our cousin. Left to right: my sis maryam, my cousin Gulya, myself and my cousin Dina 10 years ago. Me and my sis were not yet Baha'is:):)
same year, same location, same event. My little sis Ruzanna, my dad and our niece Ilmira
29 and a half years ago. Left to right: wife of my uncle, my uncle, their son, myself (with white hat), my dad, my cousin and my mom:)

How it was

2007-01-29T18:28:00.000+02:00

happy crowd
cake time
parents
rings
winter bride

2007-01-29T08:11:00.000+02:00

loving atmosphere of the wedding had its effect on us...hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!
Baha'i certificates
happy bride
sisters... missing our third one who stayed home because of sickness
first dance as husband and wife
we were so happy for them that coudn't stop hugging each other!
There is something special about winter snowy weddings! The air is crispy fresh, so is the couple:):):):) The sun is bright but far, the mountains are inviting...
In folklor they compair bride with birch tree - white, graceful, pure, beautiful...

leaving tonight

2007-01-09T14:52:00.000+02:00

going to attend exciting event for our family - my sister Maryam's wedding at the former capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty. it's +5 there, so we're gonna get some suntan:):) will be back next week with lots of pictures! on this picture Maryam is in the middle.

Re-connecting

2007-01-04T14:10:00.000+02:00

I am gradually re-connecting with my friends here. Running into them on the street, different places, they recognize me, I recognize them, warm embraces, learning of what has happened to them while I was not here, exchange cell phone numbers, arranging for a meeting. Such an amazingly pleasant experience! I suddenly realized that I know quite a few people although a lot of my friends from earlier years are gone into different places and I don't know how to find them to ask how they are doing. Last night the girl on this picture called me, we stayed in the same flat for few years, and went on few trips together. When I left she was studying in university and now she is working in a good company in a good position and thinking of developing her career. We talked for longest time and I felt how much I've missed her and other friends in that remote city of Kazakhstan and how much of memories connect me to that place where I pioneered and worked for 3 and a half years. There is a lot of love for these people in my heart.

2007-01-03T10:29:00.000+02:00

We are through crazy times here. My sister and her fiance, my another sister and our friend Dj came to celebrate New Year with my parents and us. We are total 9 in our flat which always seemed big enough and which now seems so small!:):) we are having a lot of fun together, going places, taking pictures, playing games. Tomorrow night Dj, my sister and her fiance are leaving for the capital where there wedding will take place in 2 weeks time, and Amir, myself and my other sister will stay home and will join them in a week and a half time in the capital. Our CD-rom got damaged therefore no pictures for now. We are still working on Amir's documents that need to be submitted to the authorities in order to start the process of his residence permit. There are a lot of papers that need to be collected, lots of copies and legalization of them which is very costly. Our shipment is in kazakhstan now, yey! Hopefully next week it'll arrive to our small town, we will finally get our books, DVD's and cloths which we miss so much:) Hopefully next time I can post pictures of our crazy times!

Holidays

2006-12-20T09:27:00.000+02:00

Thank to the 4 days off my parents got on the occasion of the independence anniversary, we went to a natural resort called "Burabay". It is a big territory filled with forests, lakes and beautiful mountains.
My dad and Amir
getting ready for the evening walk in the village where we stayed overnight. My dad and Amir decided to swap the hats
mom and dad
next day we visited museum of natural wealth of this region - birds, animals, insects, minerals, everything was represented in big variety.
walking in the forest
this deer is living in a zoo
unique rock in the middle of the lake reminding of a girl's profile. Legend says the girl threw herself from the cliff into the waters of the lake and turned into this rock. We were able to walk towards it this time, as the lake is solid frozen.

Kazakhstan - 15 years old

2006-12-19T12:34:00.000+02:00

On 16 December Kazakhstan celebrated its 15th anniversary. So young! All over the country celebrations and concerts took place, the president addressed the people of Kazakhstan underlining the achievements and sharing new goals. The ambitios goal that impressed me was to become a first world country, in a number of years time. We are now a second world country, well, good luck, and we'll try to help as much as we can to achieve this.

flag of Kazakhstan

Update

2006-12-15T18:23:00.000+02:00

Dearest friends, we had a little problem with internet, therefore couldn't post anything for a few days. We are back online from today and are happy to update our blog. We are doing very well, enjoying our life, looking around, meeting people, celebrating birthdays, tahmina is re-connecting with her relatives whom she hasn't seen and talked to for some time, amir is adjusting to a new place. we miss haifa, that's why i am posting few pictures from our last day in haifa, and from the last holy day we attended there. melonna sent us this pictures today. thank you, Melonna!

Happy 19 Day Feast, Masa'il - Questions

2006-12-11T19:17:00.000+02:00

It is not permissible to ask questions from Him Whom God will make manifest, except that which well beseemeth Him. For His station is that of the Essence of divine Revelation... Whatever evidence of bounty is witnessed in the world, is but an image of His bounty; and every thing owes its existence to His Being... The Bayan is, from beginning to end, the repository of all of His attributes, and the treasury of both His fire and His light. Should anyone desire to ask questions, he is allowed to do so only in writing, that he may derive ample understanding from His written reply and that it may serve as a sign from his Beloved. However, let no one ask aught that may prove unworthy of His lofty station. -- The Bab

Day out with mom

2006-12-10T12:35:00.000+02:00

Today is Sunday, a day off in Kazakhstan! hahah! So unusual after living in Israel for 3 and a half years to witness quiet Sundays again. People chill with their families and friends inside if it is cold; if it is warm outside, like today, they go for a walk or shopping; if there is a lot of snow they go skiing and skating. My mom was so excited to spend whole day with us. My sister asked us to look around for wedding dresses which we did with pleasure today. It was +3 today, soooooo warm and no wind at all, the weather as if we ordered for our smooth adjustment. The snow is melting everywhere, dark roads and walkways are showing again and it feels like spring. Since we don't have a car, we took a bus to the center of our town and walked from shop to shop. It was a very pleasant walk, good workout, and it gave us a chance to explore the town more. Here are few pictures we took:

I must say peaple living in our area which is quite cold during winter are concerned about being warm and looking beautiful at the same time. They come up with the most exclusive models of hats and coats and boots that are warm and suitable for winter. I was so impressed by the choice of fur hats in this store that couldn't help but to take a picture of the one I liked the most.
Old wooden mosque
Amir and mom on the background of the monument to those killed during Second World War
we love hanging out together!

our beautiful mom:)

8 months

2006-12-07T12:29:00.000+02:00

last night we watched our wedding again, showed it to our friend who came to visit.

life indoors

2006-12-06T10:23:00.000+02:00

The cat I was hearing about from my family all the time is now a big part of my life. Every morning he comes and myaws at our door asking to let him in. He hates being alone and often looks for company. His name is Persik which means Peach in Russian but it doesn't have anything to do with peach:) The name is given to him because he is half Persian and half Syamiac cat
My mom gave us bed sheet with this cute pattern on it. I love it:)
Our first guest was little Ali with his parents - my Bahai friends. Last year when we saw him he wasn't talking and walking yet. He brought some candies to have with tea.
Ali with his parents Asel and Tanatar
part of the room my parents gave us for this month while we are staying with them
Persik and Amir are posing for the camera
Persik liked the empty cabinets in our room:)

where we are

2006-12-06T06:00:00.000+02:00

Finally some pictures from where we are. my parents live at the north of Kazakhstan, very close to Russian Siberia. Therefore we have all four seasons, the winters are cold, the springs are beautiful, the summers are short and pleasant, the falls are warm and colourful. The town is rather small, only 150000 population. Almost every third person you meet on the street you know or saw before. for me who hasn't been here for a while, it's may be every 15th person...:):) These pictures were taken on the second day after our arrival, it was around -18C
For Amir it was a first time to see this kind of winter. He was very excited. the snow here is dry becouse the climat is dry, which makes it easierto bear . But the snow doesn't turn into a snowball, unless you pour some water on it...
Amir was also excited to see how much steam comes out of our moouths! but one's gotta be careful not to breathe with ones' mouth all the time, sore throat is very common for this reason.
happy to be home...

Sacred Experience

2006-12-06T03:50:00.000+02:00

floor tiles in Ridvan garden
sea shore in Akka
flowers at one of the Monuments
Bahji...
Olive park in Bahji
Reading before going to Akka

Pilgrimage has been really a Sacred Experience. One of the purposes is to re-fresh or for some people to establish special connection with God and the central figures of the Faith by visiting the Holy Shrines and the Holy Places associated with their lifes. It is a very thoughtful experiece, one re-considers his whole life during pilgrimage, finds answers to his questions and goes home full of determination to serve his Lord. Since everyone has this chance in life at one point, i thought i won't post pictures we made in the Holy Places, but rather try to convey the spirit of love and fellowship that united us with other pilgrims. And may be to post pictures of some cute moments and small elements that made our journey special apart from the main impression.

2006-12-06T03:33:00.000+02:00

Bryan, we were in the same pilgrimage group
His sister Charmain
Me and Charmain during one of the tours
in Mazra'i garden
Bryan and Amir on the balcony of the Mansion of Bahji
Bahji Visitor Centre

2006-12-05T19:16:00.000+02:00

the youngest pilgrim in our group:)
it's not an easy task to go on pilgrimage
walking and praying in the Monument Gardens, we met up with Jamal
diverse group of a beautiful half of humanity
in the court yard of Al-Jazzar mousqe
happy pilgrims with Shohreh and Mutale
bye-bye Katya and Carlos! we will miss you a lot!
the Shrine of the Bab on the last night of pilgrimage

we're home!

2006-11-30T19:38:00.000+02:00

dearest friends, we made it home.
we took some pictures, but for technical reasons we cannot post any for now. and i still remember i promised to put some pictures from our pilgrimage. please be patient, as soon as we figure out what is the problem, we'll post some pictures. my parents have embraced us with their love and care as soon as we got off the plane. they make everything to make us happy. it is cooooold in here, i must say quite a change. it's only now that i think of those staff emmbers who left the World Centre while i was still there and what they must have gone through returning home or elsewhere. i am so happy to be here, it's wonderful to be home again. Amir just corrected me saying that it's actualy freezing in here:):) real winter, with cold wind, white sparkling snow, steam coming out of the mouth when speaking or breathing, and many things that we are yet to experience as we've been outside only for 20 minutes today. till the next post.
love, us

pilgrimage

2006-11-25T15:32:00.000+02:00

9 magic days with amazing group and guide visiting the Shrines and Holy Places... more picture to be posted soon...

wisdom

2006-11-12T15:42:00.000+02:00

"Not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor can every timely utterance be considered as suited to the capacity of those who hear it." Such is the consummate wisdom to be observed in thy pursuits. Be not oblivious thereof, if thou wishest to be a man of action under all conditions. First diagnose the disease and identify the malady, then prescribe the remedy, for such is the perfect method of the skilful physician.

(Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol II)

7/7

2006-11-09T17:20:00.000+02:00

getting ready to leave, running around trying to figure out all logistics and practicals, preparing for pilgrimage, and my exam, we totaly forgot that on 7 November it was 7 months since we got married. oh well, this time is a bit crazy for both of us, so no wonder we don't have time to remember important dates, hehe... anyway, it's hard to believe but we are more than half way through our first year as a married couple, gosh! it's been absolutely wonderful and i am looking forward to many many more months and years of life together.

November - birthday month

2006-11-09T10:50:00.000+02:00

Happy birthday to my beloved sister, Maryam! She is gifted with so many amazing qualities that make our relationship go beyond immediate family, we are best friends! She has a very juicy (as we say in Russian) beautiful voice and she is also an artist, as in she paints and draws professionally:) and yes, she is the one who just got engaged and will be married to her wonderful fiance Askar in two months time. Exciting!

sky view from our window

2006-11-08T17:22:00.000+02:00

sky looks and feels different back home, it's much higher up. here in israel clouds are law, thunders stronger, rainbows brighter, rains heavier. but the sea makes all of foregoing look spectacular.

Happy birthday, zhanym

2006-11-07T17:33:00.000+02:00

It's my zhanym's birthday tomorrow, 8 November. Love you, zhanym!