Yesterday, on the way to Tender Seedlings Ayyam-I-Ha's party, little Miss Sunshine here was so very much excited!! So excited that she was running ahead of me on the way to the bus stop, that I had to walk faster to catch up with her.... lol...
The two following pictures of shots of Mona showing me the way and leading the way to the bus stop!!!
Well, ok, I admit that she was also posing a bit for me... lol... She was very happy and excited yesterday!! On this next shot, she was showing me that she was a bit grumpy because we had to wait a little bit for the bus, like 5 minutes, which in her time is a really really really long time and way too long to wait for the exciting party she had to attend!! lol...
And as much as my dear daughter is a girly-girl and loves all things pink, sparkly and well girlish (like lip gloss, shoes, handbags, princess crowns, ballerina gears, fairy wands and butterfly wings... and the list goes on and on....) she is also at time very, hmmmm, how should I put it, boyish!! Yesterday for instance, after wearing her 'tutu' skirt all morning (even when we went shopping), she decided that she wanted to bring her car toy with her to the party... A CAR!?!? And even though I tried to discourage her (because I knew that I would end up carrying it later on for her, and my backpack was already really full), she insisted to bring her car toy with her! What to do, a girl has to do what she has to do, right !?!?! lol...
Another amazing thing happened on the way to the party yesterday... Since I started taking the bus a few months ago, Mona was always very tense and quite scared on the bus trips we had so far, but today, she really surprised me! When the bus came, I took her hand to help her climb on the bus, but she insisted that she could do it herself and she did, she let go of my hand and climb on the bus and walked to an empty seat... by herself!!! I was like, oh hmmm, yeah ok! And quickly got my ticket and validated it to go sit next to her. Then she told me in a very serious (but really funny tone): "Mummy, I don't need your hand, I can sit by myself now! Please don't hold me!" I was struck dumbfounded!! Really!! This is a huge step for her!! She was really scared of the bus trips and would always sit on my lap or have my hands around her or on her and she would hold on to my arms so tightly that my shoulders and arms would ache!!! So imagine my surprise when she told me that!
And each time the bus would stop or brake, my automatic reactions were to put my arms in front of her to hold her, but each time she would politely push my arms back and say: "I don't need you to hold me mummy! I am big girl now!"
I love her and all the progress she has made so far...
Ooops... I forget to post pictures of today's morning surprise and Ayyam-i-Ha's gift No 4!!! (But really, I swear, I am going to bed after this post!!! lol...)
Ok, I have a question for you!!!
Do you know what this picture is????
LOL...
This is a picture of Mona putting lipstick, rather lip gloss on!!! Doesn't she look hilarious!! But I swear this is how she looks like each time she puts on my lipstick or gloss!!! lol..
So... today Mona had a surprise waiting for her when she woke up... her mamani (grandma) has totally spoiled her with her Ayyam-I-Ha gifts, by giving her the things she loves the most!!!
Mamani, gave Mona a Princess Crown (because hers had been broken ages ago and she had been asking for a new one ever since), a pink bag full of hair accessories, and the thing that Mona's loves best of all, yeah you guessed it... LIPGLOSS!!!!
My goodness, Mona was in heavens!!! She was so happy and really surprise to find the gifts when she woke up!! She even closed her eyes and turned her back when I told her there was a surprise for her from Mamani, and she waited for me to put it on the table and to give her the green lights before she turned around and opened her eyes!! lol... so adorable!!!
(Mona having a go at shaking everything off from the bag)
(Mona putting her lip gloss on... it's strawberry flavour and is eatable.... I even tried it on and yum it's good!!)
(Mona showing off her lips with the gloss on...)
As you can see from the pictures, Mona is still wearing her 'tutu' skirt...
So after breakfast, we had to do some shopping for the Ayyam-I-Ha Party for Tender Seedlings, and because I didn't get time to buy Mona's gift for today, I let her choose what she wanted as a gift today (of course within budget). And she choose the absolutely most cutest and softest toy ever... aka, this cute Teddy Bear!!!
(Isn't Teddy Cute?)
I'll be back tomorrow for more pictures of the Tender Seedlings and Bollywood Night Ayyam-I-Ha Parties!!
On Wednesday night, which is when Ayyam-I-Ha started (see my previous post about Ayyam-I-Ha here), we went to the Persian Restaurant in the city, the Kebab Shop to be precise, and had a wonderful time and dinner with the family.
Here are some pictures:
(Haleh Roya, Mamani and Mona)
(My Persian girl... did I mentioned that she LOVES eating kebab!!)
After dinner, while waiting for everyone to get out of the restaurant, the kids started playing outside, they were singing and dancing...
And this lady, who was walking by, stopped for a chat and a little dance with the kids... It was so unexpected and the kids really enjoyed the dance and the happiness of this lovely lady... including me!
That night, we went to stay at Mamani's (grandma's house) and spent the next day with mamani. Of course the first thing Mona did as soon as she woke up was to put on her 'tutu' skirt and with her crown on her head and her fairy wand in her hand, she entertained us all day long...
During the day, Mona decided that she wanted to wear my earrings. I LOVE theses hoops earrings, so much so, that my mum gave them to me (it was hers!!)... now it seems like the wheels are turning, and my daughter is doing the same to me!! lol... But she does look cute wearing them, and with her curly curls and wearing her tutu skirt, she reminds me of a little 'creole' girl (island girl).
That's it from me today, we had a long long day today, we had a busy morning and a very fun evening, where we attended two Ayyam-i-Ha's party. So be ready and prepared to hear more and see more of our Ayyam-i-Ha's adventures.... and it's not even finished yet, we still have a picnic to go to tomorrow and another party on Sunday!!
Did you know that partying with a preschooler is very tiring at times...
As I mentioned before in my previous post, we started celebrating Ayyam-I-Ha two days earlier and each day I'm giving Mona a little gift and we are doing something special to celebrate theses "Days out of Time".
Here are the pictures for gifts no 2 and 3 (day 2 and 3):
Gift No 2: Echo Microphone, Pink Art Smock, and a sheet of 32 butterflies. Gift No 3: A pink camera, that talks and a book 'I want to be Angelina Ballerina'. The book came complete with accessories such as a tutu, a butterfly wings, a fairy wand, a princess crown, stickers and sparkles and gemstones, and invitations to send to friends and family to watch a ballet performance).
(My little photographer 'en herbe' - Mona loves being in front and behind the camera!)
And I have the immense pleasure to introduce to you, the famous and super duper talented Ballerina/Fairy/Princess/Explorer Mona!!!
(I love how she poses for the camera now!! lol... she is such a cutie...)
Ayyam-I-Ha is here... and gosh are we excited about it this year! That's mostly because Mona is now big enough to understand a bit more about this Baha'i Holy Day and that it's time to be happy, to share, to give thanks and to PARTY!!! lol... This year's celebrations feels just like the kind of celebrations I use to have back home in Mauritius and reminds me a lot of my childhood.
First off, let me tell you a bit more about Ayyam-I-Ha (for those who don't know):
The Baha'i year consists of 361 days -- 19 months of 19 days each. To bring it into conjunction with the 365-day Roman calendar, a four-day period is set aside in late February and early March. These four days, referred to as "the time outside of time", stand apart from the rest of the Baha'i calendar and commence the Holy Day cycle. Known as Ayyam-i-Ha (pronounced: Ah-YAHM-ee-hah), the four days are traditionally a time of gift-giving for Baha'is. Baha'i children often await Ayyam-i-Ha the way Christian and Jewish children anticipate Christmas or Hanukkah. It is also a time of sharing and bringing joy and happiness to other, and Baha'i families typically visit nursing homes, bring food and clothing to homeless people and shelters or clean up neighborhood parks during Ayyam-i-Ha, like we are suppose to do all year round. Ayyam-I-Ha is also a period of spiritual preparation for the 19-day fast, which flows into the New Year's celebration of Naw Ruz. "Naw Ruz'' means "New Day'' in Persian. The holiday symbolizes new life and spiritual renewal. Christians fast at Lent, Jews at Yom Kippur, Muslims at Ramadan. Prayer and fasting are twin pillars of most religious traditions. Likewise for us Baha'is, who fast for 19 days as part of our annual cycle of holy days, which begins February 26 with Ayyam-I-Ha and concludes with the celebration of Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year) on March 21.
Like i mentioned, Ayyam-i-Ha starts on the 26th of February each year, but this year, I decided to start celebrating with my daughter a little bit earlier, actually two days earlier.
So Mona and myself we wish you all a very happy and joyous Ayyam-I-Ha Celebrations!
I'm sure you are asking why we are celebrating a bit earlier, well because I really want Mona to get excited about this Holiday. She was bombarded with Christmas absolutely everywhere during Christmas time and well before, and I want her to understand that this is our Celebration and this is a big deal. And also because she really deserves it, she has gone through a lot lately and none of it was her fault and just recently she felt abandoned and was totally forgotten by someone who means a great deal in her life.... And I hate to see her hurt and sad, so I needed to do something to cheer her up also....
So I decided to buy her a small inexpensive toy, starting today, and for each day of Ayyam-i-Ha's celebration. I talked to her about Ayyam-i-Ha this morning and will do so everyday and we sang prayers and songs about it together. We will keep a cheerful and happy spirit and we will show and share our love and happiness with everyone we meet!
We also have 4 different parties to attend to this year and we are excited about those!! We are celebrating Ayyam-I-Ha with the children at our Tender Seedlings Class and we are having an 'Ayyam-I-Ha Bollywood Night' and a picnic in the park with the Baha'i friends in our Community, and we also have another party at a friend's house with lots of other kids and friends too.
Mona was really excited to get her gift today! And she was just so happy and exclaimed clear and loud to all those that could hear: "I love Ayyam'-I-Ha mum, it's so fun!!!"... lol... Here are some pictures of her and her first gift:
(Gift No 1: Playdoh and accessories)
(Mona so happy to have her first gift for Ayyam-I-Ha)
And she didn't wait too long to play with them and get busy!! She made pancakes with them, she also made me a had and shoe with them... lol
As over here we are getting ready to celebrate Ayyam-I-Ha (more on this subject in a new post), I am reminded about the 7 beloved Baha'i friends in Iran.
Naeim, the son of one of the friends in prison, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, has written a very personal and heartfelt letter of what it's like for him to imagine his father in prison.
Reading this letter, just makes me realize how little my problems, pain and own suffering are in comparison to theirs. I cannot even compare them! My words are really not even befitting enough to even talk about it, so i will just share with you Naeim's letter...
I would like to share a few words about my personal experience and feelings on the current situation of Baha’is in Iran: about my family, my friends and myself. What I am going to share are my feelings and thoughts, and the complications which I face everyday: as an Iranian; as a Baha’i; as a member of the human family; and as a person whose father is incarcerated in one of the most infamous prisons in the world. The Evin prison, in north of Tehran. High on a hill. With underground cells and torture rooms. Surrounded by thick huge walls.
I remember the time I was involved in a hi-rise construction project which had a good view of Evin prison. As the building was going up, higher and higher, I was able to have a better view of that scary place. That is why today I can clearly remember the asymmetrical outline of Evin. It is the image I go to sleep with at night and wake up with in the morning, trying to picture my father in it. I know what it looks like.
Three years ago, my father, Behrouz Tavakkoli, was in jail on a previous occasion for his Baha’i beliefs. When we finally received permission to visit him I couldn’t believe the man before me was my father. Pale, weak with a long beard and long hair, in a loose prison uniform. As they took him away I saw he was limping. Now I can imagine what it looks like. But this time I have to add to this picture all I can remember from his friends, too. I have to use my imagination like Photoshop software to add beards to the smiling faces of the other four men. I have to make them look older. Make them look older by several years older for each month which they have spent in prison. I have to picture their joyful eyes as tired. Tired of repeated daylong intense interrogations under high intensity light sources. I have to imagine how my father and his friends look today after nine months of devastating interrogations accompanied by the most humiliating and insulting words they’ve ever heard in their lives. Do you know two of these seven arrested Baha’is are women? I can’t imagine these two women in that situation. This is what they call “white torture”. Words are loosing their meanings and implications. Upon hearing the word “White” it is no longer the snow that comes to my mind, nor is it a dove or peace. Torture comes to my mind these days with the word “white”. White torture means all the serious orthotic problems my father has developed during the incarceration period. White torture means that Vahid, one of my father’s colleagues, who is 35 years old, is loosing his eye sight due to severe nerve breaking pressure. White torture means to deprive a mother from being with her teenage daughter for several months.
I have only a few minutes to share with you a few words about my father, and his friends but this is more or less the everyday life of the largest non-Muslim religious minority in Iran. This is the life of anyone who belongs to the Baha’i community, a community of over 300,000. A community deprived of everything. Deprived of basic human rights from the time of their birth until they die. Deprived of being given - while still a newborn - any name which holds significance to the Baha’is. Deprived of having even one easy day in school without being singled out. Deprived of being able to register in any school based solely on their talents. Deprived of higher education. Deprived of marriage certification. Deprived of not only governmental jobs, but even banned from being hired by a large part of the private sector due to government pressures. Deprived of having their own businesses without their names published in the revolutionary guard’s black list. Deprived of having a tombstone on their graves, to rest in peace without shaking several times a year in their caskets from the bulldozers of the Islamic Republic. Deprived of having Baha’i administrative elections and institutions.
My father and his friends were seven members of this populous community which is scattered over every corner of Iran. Their job was only to bring these people together. To provide them with sense of community and integrity in the absence of any Baha’i institutions, which are banned by law in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Now they have been targeted by several false and fabricated accusations by the regime.
I remember nine months ago after that morning raid to my parent’s home, I was talking to my mother and I could feel she was shaking on the other side of the line as she was telling me about her conversation with one of the intelligence agents. She was packing a warm sweater for my father as they were taking him away, but the agent refused to allow my father to take that package, saying “he is not going to need clothing anymore, only a live person does”!
Now it has been over nine months that my father is in jail. It has been over nine months I am working on that picture in my head, imagining my father’s situation. Once I had to paint him in a solitary confinement, and in interrogation rooms. I’ve tried to picture him in a room sitting on a wooden stool for over 20 hours facing two intelligence agents filled with blind religious prejudices. I have moved my father in this picture from solitary confinement to the general ward. Then I moved him back to a small cell with no bed, not enough blankets, sleeping on a cold cement floor in Tehran’s cold winter with his four fellow cell-mates. Now I am working on another corner of this big mental canvas. I am drawing a court. I cannot see a lawyer though. Probably they don’t have access to their lawyers.
Will I have to draw my father and his friends back into the prison after this court case? Will I have to move him around Evin prison in my imaginary drawing one more time? From solitary cells, to interrogation rooms, to torture benches, to larger cells with his friends with him.
When I look more carefully at this big unpleasant picture there is another section in this prison which I can see, with wooden posts or steel posts. And steel rafters. And hand-operated cranes. And hoisting machines. And ropes!
My mind won’t let me move my father and his friends to that corner.
Yes, I'm talking about Valentine Day! I know most people have mixed feelings about this day. Some LOVE it. Some dread it. Some hate the commercialism of it. Some are too busy eating chocolates to notice it. The day has come to mean many things for many people, but for most, the one thing we can agree on, is that this day is about LOVE. Usually, this means love for a significant other. However, for me, since I'm a Baha'i and since I became a mother back in 2006, this is a day about love for anything and anyone. I love to celebrate love. The people, the places, the things I love. It is a day to reflect about and cherish my life.
And this morning, while contemplating 'love' in my life right now, the news that the 7 enamoured lovers of our beloved Cause, the 7 Baha'i friends from Iran who have been so unjustly detained in prison for nearly a year now, is facing trial really saddened my heart.
"The trial of the seven leaders of the Baha’i Faith in Iran could take place as early as this Saturday, Sunday or Monday. They have been charged with spying for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic republic. These charges are unfounded and no evidence against them has been brought to light. The Baha’i leaders have been held for nearly a year in Evin prison, denied access to their attorney, the Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi.
A summary of all U.S. Government and NGO statements is listed here along with all media and blog coverage on the issue."
So after saying some prayers for the dear friends in Iran, who once again teaches us all a great lesson in selflessness, sacrifice and pure love, Mona and myself decided to make this day a happy day!
Even though we are both sick, we decided to put on some nice outfits and went to the shopping center next to our house. We had fun strolling around among the people who were busy buying last minute gifts for their loved ones... We did some little shopping of course and among the things we bought, was Mona's first lip-gloss... in a heart shape!! She loved it so much that she held it tight in her hands all day long!!
I wanted to get myself something too, i was thinking something in the lines of flowers or chocolates, but then I saw these little beauties looking at me and yelling "Pick us, Sabby, pick us!!" And for my love of flats, I couldn't resist... and bought myself these (quite expensive) dark shinny grey flats! It felt good to splurge on myself for a change! Aren't they pretty?
Then we bought a few jewelery for our dear neighbour and friend, Mana, who I knew would be by herself on this day. And on the way home, we bought a tub of our favourite ice-cream (berry-licious and tropicana sorbet) from Wendy's.
Then later on in the evening we invited Mana to join us at the Gourmet Pizzeria behind our house, right in front of the Italian and next to the Chinese Restaurant... lol... We eat some yummy gourmet pizza, which we couldn't finish, and the owner of the restaurant offered us some chocolate and vanilla ice-cream! And after dinner, we went for a walk on the Parade, which was very buoyant this evening, and it was great to see that lots of families were out with their kids on this day to celebrate love... So we went to a cafe and ordered mocachinos for us and a babychino for Mona, until it was time to go home...
All in all, we had a great day, we made someone else happy and feel loved and we felt the love and felt happy in return too...
Hope you had a wonderful Valentine Day's too and don't forget to keep sharing the love even after the day is over...
This is a part from the personal report of my friend (on Baha'i Woman Converse Email List) who attended one of the 41 Baha'i Regional Conference recently.She attended the conference in Frankfurt, Germany on 7 and 8 February 2009, and what she shared with us was so brilliantly inspiring, that I wanted to share this bit with you all...Below is part 3 of her report on 'Pain and Ransom':
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This chapter of my report will be especially interesting to all of you who are in *pain and hurt* , I suppose.
During the last session, Counsellors Joany Lincoln and Stephen Birkland somewhat "reached the peak" of their talks - they sent us out with highly touching, motivating and inspiring messages! So here's a tidbit of Mr. Birkland's speech (To make it readable better, I won't insert "he said" again and again; instead, please not that everything between the ---------{-----<(@ is *paraphrased* from his words and not my personal comment! Of course, as it is my paraphrasing and even written out of memory only, as I was able to note only a few key words, there's *no* guarantee for this and I apologize for any optional misunderstanding!):
---------{-----<(@ *The spiritual meaning of ransom*
In every Faith, there is the concept of ransom. It is connected to "Crisis and Victory". In the Baha'i-Faith, the greatest ransom was offered by Mirza Mihdi, the Purest Branch. In Akka, when he fell from the roof and lay deathbound, Baha'u'llah offered him healing. Mirza Mihdi asked his exalted father to allow him to die, offering his life as a ransom for the Faith. Especially, he asked for this sacrifice to be the ransom in exchange for the prison (rather carcel) doors to open for Baha'u'llah, his family and the friends. Baha'u'llah accepted this ransom, Mirza Mihdi passed away and within few months the prison doors opened!
So this is an exalted example for all of us. Baha'u'llah told us that *to every success belongs sacrifice* ! Crisis and victory. Pay the price, and you win.
Now - what does this mean for the Five-Year-Plan? The Plan is carried out by Baha'is - who are human. There will be hurts. Someone will not acknowledge your efforts properly, someone will do something unwise, someone will ignore your input, someone will attack you, someone will backbite or let you down or just be a pain in the neck. So what? Remember Shoghi Effendi saying "forgive and forget"! And, to help you and the Faith at the same time - you can offer your hurt as a ransom for the success of the Plan! Clear your heart from revengeful attitudes, focus on purity, and with the right motivation, if you truly do it out of love of God, turn to Baha'u'llah and ask Him to accept your hurt as a ransom. Thus the Plan can progress even faster!
Or - if you haven't been hurt, but are in any kind of emotional or physical pain - you can offer this pain just as well! Think of the wonderful examples in Baha'i-history, of the heroes who were ill, disabled, had lost family or whatever, and who sacrificed their pains for the Victory of the Faith! For example, Hand of the Cause Amelia Collins with her severe diseases ...
... talking of Amelia Collins - even if you don't have any hurt or pain to offer as a ransom, you surely can offer something. When there was the call for donations for the construction of the Mother Temple of the West, the House of Worship in Wilmette, there was this lady who literally had nothing. Nothing but a huge stone ... You probably know the story. For those who don't, just briefly: Amelia Collins was in charge of collecting funds for the project. This poor lady came to her and offered the stone. Maybe someone else would have sent her away. Amelia Collins understood the sincerity in this offer immediately and accepted it and even more - as the stone was huge and heavy, she brought a child's pram to put it in and, together with the lady, bring it to the construction site. There, the pram crashed and the stone remained lieing there. When 'Abdu'l-Baha came, he saw it - and destined it to be *the cornerstone of the Mother Temple of the West* !
So - *every single humble person* owes at least something which is valuable or precious enough to be offered - as a ransom for the progress of the Divine Plan!
---------{-----<(@ Isn't that *wonderful* ??? It brought me to tears right away, for only an hour before that session, I was hurt by someone there. I had offered some service and it was rejected in kinda rude way. Of course, psychologist me immediately understood that the rudity came from the stress this person had to endure during the conference. But the little-tiny-whimpsy-Elena felt hurt inside. :-) And here it was, a *glorious* solution to my itsy-bitsy-tiny problem: I could offer this hurt as a ransom, I could focus of the love of God, strive to bring my heart to some pure attitude, let go my focus on that person and exchange it for the focus on Baha'u'llah, asking Him to accept this pain as a ransom for whatever aspect of the Plan He decides. :-) This gave my hurt a meaning. This made it *meaningful* - and my inner feeling immediately switched from "down" to "high up"!!!
And those of you who are in severe emotional or physical pain - as Counsellor Birkland pointed out, you may think of Mirza Mihdi's sacrifice, physical pain and even death ... *Justice* is a key concept in this revelation. So, God knows *YOUR* suffering and what it means for *you* in *your* life. We can't compare ourselves to the exalted figure of Mirza Mihdi. But, as God is just, he accepts even the tiniest offer for a great purpose, if our hearts are pure. See the cornerstone for that one ... So, even if we are Miss-unknown, feeling the least worthy for offering anything - rest assured, God in His justice *knows* how to handle things in justice. And the Manifestation of God for this era assured us that He accepts *all* our offers, as humble as they may be.
:-) Isn't that *GLORIOUS* ??? :-) Whatever test you may go through - you can use it to foster and promote the progress of the Divine Plan!!!
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Imagine the logistics of this particular conference: About 5000 people from different countries across Europe. The conference proceedings were in English with simultaneous translation offered in German, French, Czech, Polish, and Hungarian.
Supplementary activities to the conference were planned at the Baha’i House of Worship 25 kilometers west of Frankfurt at Langenhain. The day before the conference opened, special transportation shuttled people from the Congress hall to the temple for four separate devotional programs. For many of the attendees, it was their first visit to the house of worship, and they represented one of the largest and most diverse groups ever to join there for prayers.
Another feature of the gathering were the references to 1958, when Frankfurt hosted another landmark conference – one of the intercontinental conferences held at the midway point of another Baha’i plan, the 10-year initiative launched in 1953 by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith. Among the attendees at this year’s gathering were at least nine people who participated in the earlier event. They noted that in 1958, Baha’is from Iran were free to travel to such a gathering – at this conference, they were represented by red roses placed at the front of each of the auditoriums.
Here is a little video from the Conference held in Frankfurt:
Some of you requested that I put some pictures from my belly dance class... well let me tell you, it was hard to get those pictures... mainly because i was too busy dancing and learning the steps... and also because I might get shot by my two friends if they knew i put those pictures on my blog (and facebook)... however I did sneak to the back of the room, almost unnoticed, to get a few shots... here they are:
Waiting for everyone come and the teacher to get ready...
Just before the dancing begins....
During the class... the teacher is the lady with the long blond hair...
