'Ummies World': The Fire this time

Asalaamu Alaikum,

A lot has happened in OUR lives since the EID.

NH has come home. His unit in GA really messed him up. They messed up the pay for 60 people, their LAST checks. Family had to come together and get that brother home. Alhumdulillah!!

While NH was home on vacation our apartment building caught on fire. It started in the bottem level and shot up the balconies. Alhumdulillah neither of the girls were home. I was at work..and NH hadn't decided to take a nap. The building was condemed the same day as the fire.

(This is the building after the fire)

Thank Allah(swt) that we had renter's insurance. Masha~allah they worked for us. Thank Allah(swt) for the RED Cross too. They put us up in an apartment for two nights and gave us money for clothes and food. The day of the fire NH had been on his feet all day and on the phone all day with insurance companies, family, work.....he took the brunt of that days stress. May Allah(swt) strengthen him.

So after NO being able to get into our apartment on the first day we moved ourselves into the hotel. Then NH and I had to meet up with the recovery company contracted by the insurance company to recover any and all of our belongings. Our apartment encoured mostly smoke and water damage. It seems that the fire got to the roof and the fire man put a hole in our ceiling and the roof...so because it was raining all that lovely water ended up in my living room floor.

It was very dis-heartening to walk into that apartment. I know we shouldn't have attachments to stuff but....it's hard not to. My kitchen table that has lasted me from single college life to married adult life turned over. A table and chair set we sat and put together for the girls--it was an EID gift, turned over, sooty, slightly damaged. I felt like my life had been invaded. As a muslim women we guard our privacy...here so many ppl had peered into my life. Someone even stole NH's Ipod. (not good!)

(where we had lunch--on the Red Cross)

So NH and I had to buy clothes for the girls, shoes for three of us, personals, hygene products, towels, sheets-- a lot of stuff, to make it thru the time while our stuff was gone.

The recovery company packed all our stuff up in like 3 hours and took it away to clean it and stuff. Get the smoke smell out of all those books and the couch and the clothes. So as we signed the lease on the new place we knew we'd be playing the waiting game.

The cyberspace community has really reached out to us. NH is a member of the blogging few on
Myspace.com . His faithful readers stared a fund for him.
Thanks to all those who gave to help us out.

The ummah in our area has really reached out to us as weel. We've recieved pots and pans, an air matress, gift cards and cash. There have also been many emails about our status, the girls well being, of which we are so very appreciative and greatful.
Please know that this even has put so much stuff in perspective for both of us I think. I realize now that that 1 in a million can be YOU. Allah(swt) can sometimes close a door just to open a window. We give all praises to him and his infinate wisdom. He is the true maintainer and sustainer of our lives and our world.

(the only clothes/shoes i had after the fire)

So the family has returned back to it's ordinary existance. NH has gone back to work. Amirah back to school (she actually stayed with my mom thru it all --that sense of normalcy was necessary), Asima back to daycare and me at work. It's like we've been given a new chance at life. New apartment, new possibilities.

I think I'm liking the air over here...we'll see how long it smells good.

Ma Salaama
Ummie A

(my very understanding job-took care of home first)