Bismillah

ASsalaamu alaikum,

I woke up this morning to the sound of a small body and small feet pitter pattering around the kitchen. There was a knock at my door. A voice said something that sounded like “blah blah blah blah blah blah?” I tried to move but my limbs were heavy with exhaustion. “Quran, Quran,” I thought to myself. “I must read my Quran.” Slowly I moved. Slowly I turned. The summer cold we all caught was still rattling in my head. 

I look at the time, five o’clock. It’s still dark out. Alhamdulillah I haven’t missed fajr, but my time for Quran is fast fading. I move as if in a trance. I am sleepwalking. Brush… shower… dress… pray… feed the babies… wake the kids… pray with the kids… clean the kitchen…  Meanwhile a silent alarm is going off in my mind. Time is running out. Quran, Quran, QURAN! I sit. I pick up my musfah, a baby with a glob of yellow snot running down here face and into her mouth appears before me. I put the mushaf down. Look after her, put the quiche in the oven. I sit again and reach for my mushaf. Oh no! I forgot to cancel the kids quran class. They have sore throats. I log into WhatsApp and cancel class. I get distracted typing this message. Lol. The baby comes back to lay on my chest.  Alhamdulillah her fever just broke. I remember how frightened I was when I felt her this morning and all of her skin was hot. Alhamdulillah im so relieved she’s cooled down some. I sit, reach for the mushaf. There is a warm baby on my chest. 

A’oothoo beellaahi…

Bismillah hir-Rahmaanir-Raheem… 

Oh Allah you are my strength. Hold me up!