being kate

So, it's a new year huh?
time to look forward and face new challenges.....

We actually passed the Islamic new year already, and in my house we celebrate neither.
But it is a chance (on both occasions) to think and reflect about how we passed the year gone and what we hope to achieve during the one facing us...

Personally, I'm suffering partial brain fog right now....
and can barely think past the next few minutes,

but things looming on the horizon this year are....
hopefully a visit from my Mum and neice and her beautiful boys insha'allah, which is something we're all looking forward to. It will be two years by then since the last time we saw them, and with our patchy communication (too expensive to phone UK, and we're not even going to discuss the internet connection!) and lack of decent postal service it's been really hard to stay in touch. We have managed, but barely..and it will be nice to have them here and show them the place we call home.

School remains our main focus of attention for the first half of the year, it's all consuming at times, and the school system makes for a really frustrating experience both for the children and the parents. Here the emphasis is on exams, exams, exams...and each term is so full of tests, mock exams and real exams that you begin to wonder where the real learning is happening.
Here in Algeria, if you don't reach the required total in your exams you get the opportunity to repeat the whole year all over again...so we will spend the next few months coaxing, cajloing and worrying our children into studying, revising and re-revising until we're all fit to burst!.

And hopefully there will be some studying for the older family members... I've only just managed to drag out my study books and dust them off, hoping to be able to pick up where I left off. Just don't tell anyone the last time I did any serious amount of studying was when I was still in the UK...

And insha'allah this year we hope to get out and about a bit more...car problems meant we were pretty housebound this summer gone,  it'll be nice to finally get to explore!

Our English lessons in the masjid look set to continue this year, and we may even introdce a craft session for the girls.

it would be good to get some of  THAT  bloomin list accomplished too.....

Really I just hope to have a year full of goodness and blessings from Allah ta'ala..in whatever shape or form they may come. And I pray that all those out there who are suffering hardships find some relief from their problems and gain a bountiful reward for their patient perseverance, ameen