What a contradictory day! The sun was out, people were mowing their lawns, birds were going crazy, Soph and Mads spent as much time as possible outside ... but then there was an open house next door to us that ruined my good humor. I'm bummed! The people who lived there have been awesome neighbors to us and their little girl, Kashmala, is beloved by Sophie and Maddie.
The thing is, they've had a rough go here in America:
- She's a doctor in her native Pakistan, but had to go through the entire testing all over again here (in English);
- They sent her back to Pakistan when she was expecting K, and wouldn't let her come back until K was 3 months old, which means Asad (the daddy) didn't get to see his daughter until she was 3 months old;
- They are Muslim, so you can imagine the prejudice they have run into time and again.
Through all that, though, they don't want to go back! There was not a time when they were not smiling and happy to be here. Every time Anjum (the mother) and I talked, she thanked me for praying for them. They felt very blessed here. Now, they are moving on to bigger and better things in Louisiana. I wish I had a picture of them.They will be missed!
Oh, some stuff I found interesting -
- They saw each other for the first time on day 2 of their 3 day wedding. The first day, she wore a veil.
- The bride's family doesn't smile in the wedding pictures, that symbolizes the sadness they feel at losing a daughter.
- in their culture they take on their husband's first name. We would be the Jeff family and my name would be Danna Jeff. How about that?
2 comments:
Sounds like Rupali and Salil with the name thing. She took his first name as her middle. Where in LA are they moving?
Oh I hate that. When you get great neighbors you just want to make them stay or move with you. Great picture of your girls outside. Aaah, warmth.
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