Spin off of the "Ask an Atheist" thread... If there are questions you'd like to ask a Muslim, I'd be happy to try to answer as I'm sure other Muslims on the board would. I don't know how varied the madhabs (schools of though, kind of like denominations) are…but we'll do our best. The number one question I'm asked, "Are you hot in that?" (Referring to my hijab…and I live in FL). Answer?? Yes, if it's 95 degrees out and humid, I'm hot. I'd be hot without it on. But in general, different fabrics are better for different climates. :)

Lots of prayers for you. I've had two inductions…and two babies who were precipitous births (came in less than 3 hours of labor). Although different experiences, both were good experiences and healthy babies. I wish you the same. :)

Last time DH was sick I went through the hassle of getting Sudafed from behind the counter. The pharmacy tech asked me if I wanted the small or the big box. I went for the big box as I didn't want to come back and need more. I get why they do this, but it's still a pain. The other meds do not work the same. I don't care what they say. It's the same with levoythyroxin and branded Synthroid. Not.the.same.

I love hats. Although it would bug me in real life, sometimes I wish I lived back in the day when women wore them all the time. I love the hat on the left, the black & white one. It's very stylish. It would dress up any outfit. I love the penguin hat because it makes me smile. I would wear it with jeans and a t-shirt. Hats rule!

Potato bread? That sounds yummy. That reminds me, in upstate NY you can get something called Salt-Rising Bread. IMHO, there's nothing better than having that toasted with butter. Yum.

I read them as a kid…loved them…and re-read them as an adult. Of course, I got a lot more out of it as an adult, especially as my knowledge of Christianity, etc. was greater. Still, I don't regret reading them as a kid. DS1 started to read them this year. He's 10. I think it's a good age.

Do you have Ikea or Rooms-2-Go near you? On a side note, we did buy a SureFit slipcover and loved it.

There used to be a restaurant near Orlando called Houston's which had a chopped chicken salad with honey lime vinaigrette and peanut sauce which I loved. I hate salad. I would sell my children for this salad.

^^^ Yes, I was going to post that. There are no issues with prepubescent kids using weights. They believe that maybe 30 years ago, but things have changed. http://www.protraineronline.com/exercise/strength-training-for-childrena-review-of-research-literature/

I know it sounds silly, but the Belief-o-matic can be a good place to start. :) I was raised Presbyterian….and have gone through phases of agnosticism in my life. I've studied different Buddhist schools, Judaism, Islam, Catholicism (did RCIA), Hinduism, Divine Feminism/Goddess religions, etc. One time many moons ago, somebody told me that my life's mission was a spiritual path. I guess that's true this time around. In reality, I probably incorporate many different aspects of things I've studied, even though I'm Muslim. What drew me to Islam, was how it is repeated over and over again in both the Qur'an in real life, about God being the Most Merciful, and Most Compassionate. How God is neither male nor female in Islam. Yet, I'm probably more Sufi in approach to many things that strict Sunni or Shi'a. I don't believe in a God who is mean or is just waiting to throw people into hell. Of course, when I read about a child rapist, then I'm all for that…but normally, nah. I think one's spiritual beliefs evolve over time even if one is born and dies the same faith. I don't think you have to know anything right now. To check a box. You might find comfort in a UU church or Unity church, where doctrine is more free flowing…yet you still have a "church" home. Good luck on your path. Enjoy the experience as much as you can, as hard as it may be to do so right now. :grouphug: Oh…and even if you don't believe, you can still try prayer. You can be honest with God or Spirit or the world about your disbelief. I remember when I was an agnostic praying that I'd really like to believe in God, but I didn't…. well, literally three days later, I had a very bizarro spiritual experience that changed everything for me.

I wasn't aware of the whole Mary/bathtub shrine thing until I read Clarissa Pinkola-Estes's book "Untie the Strong Woman: Blessed Mother's Immaculate Love for the Wild Soul." Apparently it's quite common in some Latin cultures to create a bathtub shrine, for lack of a better word. Honestly, I would look at them differently after reading her book. You can read a little excerpt here: http://ncronline.org/blogs/el-rio-debajo-del-rio/guadalupe-transforming-drunkard Not sure how DH would react to my doing the same in our yard, being Muslim and all (but hey, we <3 Mary too, just icons are verboten), but now I'm a fan. ;)

Mellow Mushroom is a pizza chain that has a good GF crust, and does Daiya (dairy-free) cheese and other options. California Pizza Kitchen will do GF crusts now. PF Chang's is the bomb, though in terms of GF. They really try and make it work. Chick-fil-A tries to be helpful for GF. You can do their grilled chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, and fruit cups. They'll wrap the chicken in lettuce for you or put it in a box with a knife/fork.

A grandma-like figure in my life lived in a double-wide. It was lovely. Her park was well-maintained. There was nothing trashy about it. My brother lives in a run-down rusting trailer. It looks like crap. It's not the trailer, it's how it's maintained. Oh, and yes, both had tornadoes hit their parks. Seriously.

We bought a bread maker at a thrift store for $10 and I've used it for at least three years. BUT, I just use it to make the dough. I always bake it in the oven. In theory, I could make it in my Kitchen Aid, but I love the hands-off-ness of the bread maker. It is ugly. It takes up way too much space. I actually store it in the laundry room. But even with all that, I love it. Right now, I'm thinking about a fancy Zorijushi rice cooker or bread maker. In theory, I would use the rice cooker more…but the bread maker calls to me. Can't afford them both, though. Although I do have four kids. Hmmmm…. :)

Yukon Gold are my favorites, but in all honesty, there are no bad potatoes. :) DH likes to boil them whole with the skins…then slip the skins off. I like to peel first, cut into quarters, and boil in salted water. Then I drain the potatoes, throw them back in the hot pot for a minute or two, add in butter, milk, salt, pepper, and sometimes some fresh grated nutmeg. I use a normal potato masher that I bought at the dollar store. I've thought about getting a potato ricer, but haven't made the plunge. DH likes to use the stick/immersion blender, but I think it makes them too gummy. Still, I eat them. As I said before, I'm not picky when it comes to potatoes. It's all good.

We own a home which we have not lived in for awhile. Friends were using it, but now they are gone. I need to clean out a lot of stuff, and am thinking of using a service like 1-800-GOT-JUNK. Have you used them or a similar service? What was your experience?? How expensive was it? TIA. :)

As the mother of four kids, all of whom fall in different weight ranges, yet eat the same food and have the same activity level, don't assume that the parent was necessarily over feeding her daughter. My eldest has always been in the 95th percentile + for weight. Even when he was an exclusively breastfed infant. His youngest sister, has been in the 5th percentile ever since she weaned. Our other two kids are exactly at the 50th percentile. They all eat the same food. They all have the same access. Their bodies just metabolize food differently. New research suggests that eldest's micro biome may have been messed up by the antibiotics I was given during birth as I was running a fever. Is that true? No idea. But I can tell you that they all eat the same food… we don't eat out as a family more than once per week…..I cook/bake nearly everything from scratch….and they are all outside active for more than 1-1/2 hours per day. My largest child, BTW, is also my healthiest eater. He loves fruits and veggies. He chooses milk or water as a drink. Yet, he's still much larger. As to the OP, I would talk to the Mom.

Is it her culture or his to have arranged marriages? Is it normal for engagements to be short? If so, is there any sort of bridal representation required? Like in Muslim marriages, there is a wali who would negotiate on behalf of the bride, check out the groom more in depth, etc. Some warning signs….http://www.imarriedanalien.com/?p=19

My guess is you wouldn't be the first to raise the subject. There's quite a good likelihood that after a month in his country the marriage will not survive. i would encourage her to register at the US embassy when she arrives. Also, I'm not sure how accurate her timeframe on getting a visa for him is. Has she met his family? Is it possible she could stay with a sister or Aunt for a week when she arrives before the marriage?

Tough to answer because our garbage fees are part of our property taxes, but I want to say they run about $65/year. They will pick up pretty much anything, but there are specific days/times for big bulky items like old mattress and the like.

I hope she gets the closure she needs. I finally went through the legal hassles, permission, and DNA stuff to find out my birth parents after my DD was born. It was an interesting experience. I learned some stuff, but honestly, I feel no connection with them. My parents are still my parents. Not a lot changed, really, but I'm glad I did it.

My DD is getting ready to bridge to Brownies. She's so excited. :) DS1 is a Webelos I and he's finishing up his showmanship pin. I think he has four to go before he'll have them all. DS2 is a Bear and earned his Bear badge. He's looking forward to being a Webelos. Both boys are excited about the Pinewood Derby this weekend.

Do you want to use the job for a story line? If not, is there something else that pays similar but might offer other benefits? Like working at Target and getting a discount or something.

Just because the cab drivers are not white does not mean that it's not racism at play. Just because the cab drivers are Indian or Middle Eastern does not mean that they do not discriminate against black men. You're assuming that all non-White people see each other as equal, not true. (Also, on a side note, Arabs are classified as white.) There is black on black discrimination regarding skin tone. Lightening creams are popular in India and the Middle East. There has been a big discussion in the Muslim community about racism that exists among Muslims regarding black Muslims. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/23/wusa9-taxi-discrimination-video_n_3326228.html "A WUSA9 undercover investigation -- see a video about the investigation above -- found D.C. taxis 25 percent less likely to pick up a black passenger than a white passenger" ​Oh…and I've been pulled over once in 25+ years of driving. I was at fault when I did get pulled over, but was given a warning. I drive all the time. I'm white. I would find it weird/troubling to have been pulled over as many times as you. I can also tell you that it's not the norm for my peer group to be pulled over.

This website might offer some help. http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/index.aspx