Innalillah...

"Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we will return..." – Surah Al-Baqarah 2:156

(Mohd Noh bin Mohd Ali)

Noh passed away peacefully around 5:00 pm, after a short battle with advanced-stage prostate cancer.

Words cannot express how deeply saddened we are by the loss of hubby's beloved younger brother. He was not just a brother-in-law to me, but a wonderful part of our family who brought so much joy to everyone with his good nature and candor.

May Allah forgive him, have mercy on his soul, and grant him peace in Jannah.

Eid Family Get Together...

“Eid is a time for joy, a time for togetherness, a time to remember Allah’s blessings. May Allah bless us and our loved ones. Eid Mubarak!”

(Eid get together for AliSom family)

Eid is a time to spread happiness and for family to get together and celebrate.

It is the family tradition for one of the siblings to host an open house on the first day of Eid. Unfortunately, this year none has offered to arrange for one because of other commitments. It was then decided for the siblings to just meet for lunch at Memang Meow Restaurant in Melawati Mall on the second day of Eidul-Adha.

We later went to Zin's place to visit Ita who is recovering from a broken femur after a bad fall. 

(A heavy lunch at Memang Meow Restaurant)

(Having assorted cakes for dessert)

Chinese New Year open house in Bandar Utama...

“Wealth and rank are what man desires, but having contentment is the greatest wealth and highest rank...” - Confucius

(Red is the theme for Chinese New Year)

Chinese New Year is a time of joy, reflection and celebration.

For the Chinese, it is a time of renewal and new beginnings, a time to reflect on the past year and to look forward to the future. It is also a time of celebration with family and friends, a time to cherish the relationships that have been built over the years.

We are a multi-racial family of Malay, Indian, and Chinese, which means our year is filled with many joyous celebrations. Chinese New Year is always special, and like every year, my sister-in-law Tijan takes the lead in arranging our family gathering. She is a wonderful cook and lovingly prepares the main dish, while the rest of us bring along our potluck contributions. Although my husband’s brother, Shah passed away many years ago, the spirit of family remains strong. These gatherings remind us that while time passes, the bond we share will always keep us close.

(The gentlemen in the house)

(The ladies with Tijan, the hostess)

(Hubby and his siblings)

(A memory to cherish)

Family New Year Dinner...

 "The greatest wealth is having a healthy body, a peaceful mind, and the right people in your life..."

(All in the family at Chilis Sunway Putra Mall)

(Ikea Cheras, MyTown Shopping Centre))

As 2024 finishes and 2025 begins,

may we be blessed with hope,

love, safety, the best of health

& abundance of wealth...

Happy New Year!

اللهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي رَجَبٍ وَشَعْبَانَ وَبَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَان

Iftar at Masjid Negara

"There's no road map on how to raise a family: it's always an enormous negotiation..." - Meryl Streep

(Iftar with Iwan's family)

Today we had iftar with Iwan and family at Masjid Negara. We were a little late and the queue was very long. We had our food just in time to break fast. We performed eight raka'at of tarawih prayers. Had some time to visit Masjid Negara Gallery in between Maghrib and Isya' prayers. 

(A very long queue at the food counters)

(Alhamdulillah, got our food in time for iftar)

(The food tastes good)

(The three generations)

(Masjid Negara at night)

(Masjid Negara Gallery)

(Amir at Masjid Negara Gallery)

A family get together at Pasir Ambor..

“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life...” – Richard Bach

(Pasir Ambor Resort, Negeri Sembilan)

(The Ashrans - The yellow team)

(Fishing alone in the early morning)

A Family Holiday in Penang...

"There is something truly magical about the holiday season that brings out the child in all of us..."

(The grandchildren at the beach)

(Bank Negara resort at Batu Ferringhi)

(All in the family in Penang)

(A short holiday with the kids and grandkids)

(The two of us at the beach)

Pak Uda is a spitting image of my Abah...

“Your presence is missed every single day, but your legacy of love lives on...”

(Abah younger brother, Pak Uda Talib)

Pak Uda looks very similar to my father.

We were on our way to Serom for a wedding reception of one of our cousins when my brother decided to detour to Kampung Kundang to visit Pak Uda, my ailing uncle. Pak Uda is my Abah's younger brother. At this old age, it was fascinating to see such a strong family resemblance. Not just their looks that are alike, but they both shared similar personalities traits as well.

Watching him laugh while narrating old nostalgic stories makes me deeply miss my Abah...

(Abang reminiscing old memories with Pak Uda)

(At the wedding reception in Serom)

Loved ones die too soon...

"The good die young but not always. The wicked prevail but not consistently..."- Helen Hayes

(Grief is a complex journey)

Losing loved ones is one of the hardest experiences we face.

I am allowing myself to grieve. It's okay to feel a range of emotions, from sadness to anger to confusion.  It can feel like a piece of our heart is missing. But I will forever cherish the happy memories of them in my heart.

(I lost a dear sister recently)

(My dear son Mirza, 1985 -2006)

I lost my sister to cancer...

"Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us...” - Samuel Smiles

(Paliative sedation state before her passing)

انالله وانااليه راجعون
اللهم اغفرلها ورحمها وعفيهاوعفعنها

Avoiding conversations about my dear sister made it so much harder for me to cope with her demise.

Amah was my younger sister. She lost her battle to breast cancer at the age of 61 only a year after being diagnosed. After a series of chemo procedures in Hospital Besar Melaka, she was transfered to Institut Kanser Negara, Putrajaya. Her condition was deteriorating and doctors decided that the medications and procedures were too much on her body.

She passed peacefully in her sleep.

(My sister, Amah, a week before)

(Institut Kanser Negara, Putrajaya, a day before)

(اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهَا وَارْحَمْهَا وَعَافِهَا وَاعْفُ عَنْهَا)

01 - Langkawi Trip - A night at Kuala Perlis

“When you change your thoughts, remember to also change your world...” - Norman Vincent Peale

(Fetching Hana and Amir from Mandy Villa)

Day 01: Sunday, 28 May 2023

Route: KL - Kuala Perlis

The years we all lost to Covid-19 pandemic were the years where we were grounded and as a family, we were not able to spend so much time together.

It was a school holiday and we planned to spend a few days in Langkawi. Sara and family flew direct from Johor Bharu. Iwan and Ella were unable to join because of work commitment, so only Hana and Amir joined us on a road trip to Kuala Perlis. From there we took the ferry to Kuah, Langkawi. We had booked  3-bedrooms chalet at BNM Langkawi Resort in Pantai Chenang for four nights and had arranged for transport rental during the stay.

It was fun to have all the grandchildren together. It was not always easy to handle them, but spending time and doing activities together was priceless. Family holidays always create memories that last a lifetime.

(Lunch stop at Restoran Nur Zetty Mee Udang)

(Noor Boutique Hotel, Kuala Perlis)

(Our lodging for the night)

(Art Gallery Noor Boutique Hotel)

(Early dinner at Pizza Hut)

02 Langkawi Trip - The Five Grandchildren...

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty..." - Winston Churchill

(The cheeky grandkids at the pool)

Day 02: Monday, 29 May 2023

Route: Kuala Perlis - Langkawi

We had heavy breakfast at the restaurant next door before we checked out of Noor Boutique Hotel. We had ample time to park our car and board the noon ferry. We bought our ferry tickets on-line earlier and avoided the hassle of queuing up at the ticket counters. The ferry ride took about an hour to reach Kuah Ferry. Lunch was at Kenny Roasters before we picked up our rental car and drove to Pantai Chenang.

We arrived at BNM Resort about the same time as Sara and family. The grandkids were overly excited to meet each other!

(The ferry to Langkawi from Kuala Perlis)

(The waiting lounge before boarding)

(An hour long ferry ride)

(Disembarked at Kuah Ferry Terminal)

(A late lunch at Kenny Roasters)

(Checked-in at the resort and met with the rest of the kids)

(Our favorite dishes at a Seafood Restaurant)

(Our lodging for four nights, proximity to the beach and pool)

(Arif and Aira sleeping on the floor)