How Do You Get Through Airport Security? Muslim Airport Follies

I haven't flown in a few months so haven't had too many treacherous experiences lately, but there are definitely challenges when flying Muslim in America. The first challenge, is the prayers of people around you BEGGING God that you not be on the same plane as them.  Literally I've gotten out of my car and seen people doing the whole "forehead, chest, shoulder" cross thing. Chill out, people.  I may be on your flight independent of what you're asking God... pray for your safety in general, not your safety from me, please.

Next, comes the ticket line, when people automatically try to help me because clearly I cannot possibly speak English.

Them (Yelling, in caveman language): "YOU INSERT YOUR BOARDING PASS NUMBER HERE"

Me (quietly, in perfect English): "Yes, thank you. I know...."

Joy.

Then, we go through security - the FUN part.  Everyone is looking at me like I MUST have SOMETHING in my bags that ain't gonna make it. I stress about this for at least a month before I fly.

The first joy of security is the awkward "how you look and your name don't match up" look that I get from TSA.

Yes, I know, Hannah Nemec-Snider, and I'm wearing this on my head.... it may not add up to you, but this is Amurica, sir.  Look at my ID all you want, nothing's going to change.  And please, check the hologram on the ID 72 times. It won't change.  I'm still white.  It's a real ID. And yes, this is still on my head. Move along.

And THEN - the climax of the whole event - The conveyor belt of doom.

The entire time I am FRANTICALLY stressed that even though I know that I read the instructions on what can and can't come in my carry-on and how to label it and clear plastic baggies for my shampoo, it is SUCH a hassle to - within a 14 second period - take off my shoes, put my laptop in a container, take out my liquids from the plastic baggie, and smush my carry-on into a tiny little conveyor belt.

I was deathly scared when I looked like your average white girl before this process - and now I'm seven times more stressed.

This should literally be an event in the Olympics.  WHO THE HECK DOES THIS GRACEFULLY?

I look like a scared rat for these entire 14 seconds.

Then, I step through the scanner.  Without fail, I am asked to step to the side.

They ask if they can pat me down.  I say, yes, as long as it's a girl.  They touch every millimeter that is my body.  The girl is always super short, so I have to squat the entire time so all 5'9'' of me can be pat down.

They ALWAYS get extra thorough on my head - check my hijab, pat it down, touch my bun in the back of my head, pat every inch of me. Easiest one was Cleveland and LAX - not sure why.  Hardest, most annoying was Boston.  WOW. That's all I have to say.

Then, they always say "enjoy your flight!" as if they didn't just finish touching me more intimately than I expect my husband to on my wedding night.

Disgusted, I go to find my gate.  As I walk by, I continue to hear the prayers "Please, God, make sure she's not on my flight."

Then, I finally arrive at my gate. I take a seat. I always get there early so that I don't have to be the one that awkwardly sits next to others and freaks them out.

I'd rather they be "stuck" sitting next to me.

A couple times I've given up my comfy waiting seat to elderly women and people were VERY relieved that I was forced to stand.   I'm thrilled my comfort upsets you. You're welcome.

One of the MOST AMUSING parts to me of the entire experience, is the utterly TREMENDOUS effort that other Muslims and I make to ensure that we do not interact in ANY POSSIBLE WAY while waiting for the flight.  No eye contact. No salaams. No acknowledgement.  If I clearly have a question, no one is willing to help me.  We do not speak ANY Arabic to each other, even if they don't speak English. It is the most disconnected event in the entire Arab world, I feel.

I think that it derives from the fear that others may feel we are all connected and this may freak out the other passengers. Like maybe we have a secret plan or something? I promise, I have never met any of the other people on our flights EVER in my life.

An added bonus on my last trip was the fact that my athan went off on my phone - louder than normal - while waiting at my gate. "ALLAHU AKBAR" is not the last thing you want to hear before you board a plane, I guess.

And then, ah, we finally board.  I get more crazy looks at the disconnect between my name and my ticket gets the final check from the gatekeepers.

I start walking down the aisle on the plane - at this point people are praying SO HARD that I don't sit next to them, I get emotional about the spirituality in the room. More prayers are said in this few minutes than probably ever in entire lifetimes for some of them.

And then, I sit, in my seat. Next to someone that is eyeing me up and down the ENTIRE flight. No one next to me EVER sleeps even a WINK. 

When we arrive at our destination, safely, without any disturbance from me - besides maybe my horrible snoring the entire flight - I get a feeling of thankfulness when I get off the plane.  I feel like people want to shake my hand and thank me.  People nod at me and smile, with gratitude.  

SURPRISE! YOU'RE ALIVE!

You're welcome that I was a normal person, people. You are SO welcome.

And then, I forget about the whole thing until my trip is over and it's time to go back home, when I get to have the same exact experience all over again.

May Allah (swt) safely deliver all people in the world to their destinations, and may the stereotypes fade over time. And, please, Ya ALLAH, make the security process less stressful on me. The heart attack I experience every time I have to fly is not good for my health.

How Do You Swim? And 11 Of The Last Questions Asked to Hijabis

Here's the last batch of questions... Hope you enjoy :)

1. "Are you allowed to drive in your religion?"

Religiously, totes. The Prophet (saws)'s wives rode camels and the modern day equivalent would be driving.  Culturally, Saudi Arabia is the only country that women don't drive in.  It's a cultural thing, though, not a legal thing... And a lot is changing....

2. "Don’t you hate Jesus or something?"

Yep, and that's why I wear this thing on my head that his mother also wore. I love Jesus. More than when my family practiced Christianity.

3. "Are you allowed to get a job?"

Allowed to and have.

4. "Does your husband treat you okay and all?"

God willing, when I find one he will treat me with more respect, knowing that I preserved my modesty just for him.

5. "Why not just take it off for work?"

Why not just walk around naked in front of your parents?

6. "What’s that thing called?"

Finally, a non-ignorant question! It's called hijab (heh-jeb)

7. "Are you allowed to date?"

Got any raisins? How about a date? :D No, no dates.

8."You know what would be cool, if you let your hair down for at least a day."

You know what would be cool, if you wear this for a day!

9. "How do you swim?"

Not well to be honest, I just can doggie paddle to stay afloat... Oh, you mean in hijab? Hideous swim suits - I choose to just avoid swimming.

10. "Can you even exercise with that on?"

It's a little hotter as you may expect, but yep! And I do!

11. "Do you hand make you own scarves?"

Yep, on my golden loom at my house.... What is this 1706?

12. "Where do you get your hair done at?"

I make the lady stay late at the salon when everyone else has left for the day. God bless her soul.

Any more questions? Let me know in the comments!

Can I See Your Hair? And 11 MORE Questions People Ask Hijabis

1. ‘Can I see your hair?' Are you a girl? Then of course :)

2. ‘Do you find white guys attractive?’

I find good men attractive.  Although I don't see myself marrying a white guy, there are still many beautiful white guys - inside and out.

3. ‘I know this one guy who covers his hair to. Y’all should meet'

Oh my gosh, I know another brunette girl, you guys will be best friends! Actually, I know a guy - of the Sikh faith - that covers his hair too... And we have shared haircare tips and tricks.  He's awesome.

4. ‘So what is hummus really made out of?’

Chic peas, olive oil and garlic. And one or two tears of angels.

5. ‘I know (fill in the blank) hahaha sorry I thought you were her! You all just look so much alike.’

Yep, all black people, Asians, and Jews probably look the same to you too, right?

6. ‘Were you born in America?’

Indeed.

7. ‘Do you know any good hookah lounges?’

Nope.  Not a hookah fan.

8. ‘I feel bad you don’t know how it feels to have the wind in your hair.’

For this one, I must admit, I feel bad about it too.  It almost defeats the purpose of me having a convertible.  Once, my girlfriends and I went to the Hollywood sign at 3 AM and driving up the long road to get there (knowing absolutely NO ONE was on the road) I took off my hijab and felt it for myself. Pretty life changing. Definitely an amazing feeling.

I must say,vthough, I feel bad that you don't get to have the same feeling I get in hijab though, the ultimate feeling of protection.

9. ‘Whats that thing in the back of your head?'

A hamster.

It's my hair....

10. 'Are you bald?'

Sure if that would give you additional questions about number 9....

11. 'Ya know, I was just nervous to approach you because I didn't know if you spoke English”

How ironic! I was scared to approach you because you look like an ignorant fool!

12. "Do you miss showing off your hair?"

Gotta be honest, my hair is pretty fabulous... But I get to show it off to my girlfriends and they're the only ones I care about seeing my hair anyways.

Last post to come tomorrow!

Do You Really Think In Two Years She's Going to Still Be Muslim? Yah Right!

On May 27, 2011 I took my shahada. I remember overhearing someone who was skeptical about my faith say something on that day that really broke my heart.

This person said, "I guarantee you in two years she will completely forget about Islam and go back to her old life. You know how these converts are."

Well, today is May 27, 2013, and look at me.

I am far from a perfect Muslim.  I make so many mistakes.  But, I will never forget Islam.

Two years ago today, I was blessed that Allah (swt) chose me to say:

لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله

There is no god but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God.

And this was the best day of my life.

Today is better to me than my birthday, because on my birthday I didn't do anything except be born.

On this anniversary, this marks another year of dedication to my religion and my God.

So, I will be happy to send you my P.O. Box to forward gifts to ;)

Sincerely, in the past two years I have tried to be a better person and a better Muslim every day - although on many days I'm a failure that is lucky only by the grace of God. This day really was an immense blessing.  The best one that Allah (swt) has ever bestowed on me.

Today, two years after I took my shahada, I pray that everyone in the world is able to taste these words on their lips before they die. I can only wish you experience one millionth of the appreciation I have for my religion. It really is such an honor to be Muslim.

To the person who doubted me:

It's the 2 year Muslim mark, what have you done in the past two years?

I can only speak for what Allah (swt) has decreed that I do for His sake, and I am not trying to brag, but I've helped three people to come to Islam. I've helped change the hearts of hundreds of people to see how beautiful our religion is.  I started this blog on Islam.  I have spent hours studying.  I have fasted two Ramadans.  I have recently started to do dawah on a weekly basis. I have taught classes at the masjid.  I have answered countless ridiculous questions about my religion with patience and tact.  I have chosen to wear hijab.  I've memorized several surahs.  And, I have forgiven you for this hurtful comment.

I'm not saying I'm a better Muslim than you because I swear I don't think I'm God's gift to Islam, but I would like you to know:

Every day that passes I only love Allah (swt) more than all the previous days combined.  

From the bottom of my heart, however, thank you so much.  Your comment has continued to push me to want to strive in the way of Allah more and more. You have helped me to question the things I do and want to do better to prove you wrong.  And, you have taught me a wonderful example of how not to treat new Muslims.  I only pray that you will see how far I've come in 20 years. I don't know where I'll live, if I will have a family, who I will spend my life with, but I put my trust in Allah (swt) that He will choose what is best for me as he has in the past two years.

To all my readers:

Please make du'aa for this person that they are able to benefit Islam.  Make du'aa for me as well inshaAllah.

May Allah (swt) reward all of the people who helped me convert with Jannah and may He bless me to continue to assist others in converting as well. May the day I took my shahada be one that pleases God and may it be the best memory in my heart for the rest of my life.

For Allah (swt) found me an orphan and He gave me refuge.

He found me ignorant and He guided me.

He found me poor and He gave me the gift of riches in Islam...Alhamdulilah.

Your Husband Must Be Muslim, That's Why You're Brainwashed, Right?

Yep! You got it! My imaginary husband who put this invisible ring on my finger is Muslim so I just wear this on my head to make him happy. Umm .... no.  You're stupid, and by the way, it's a 22 carat invisible ring. And my imaginary husband is the guy that got kicked out of Saudi Arabia for being too hot. Duh.

After the Boston Marathon tragedy a lot of people were speaking out about the widow of one of the attackers as she is a convert and making this accusation of her.

It made me really mad.

And I feel terrible for that poor girl bless her little soul.

I think I have it rough with my friends and family? Imagine if I married someone accused of something like Boston.

The amount of judgment I can imagine is intolerable.

May Allah (swt) relieve her of her burdens and may she fight through the ignorance to become a voice for all of us.

What I found the worst was that I read an article (or watched a TV segment - I can't remember) where her old professor said that she was a bright girl with a great future, it's a shame she became a Muslim because of that guy.

What killed me is that I can totally see something like this happening to me and reporters calling up like my freshman year Geology professor who thought that I should be a geologist and was pissed when I told him that I could not imagine my life spent with rocks all day.

Yah, he was offended.  He looked like an angry version of Danny Tanner.  I insulted his passion. He would claim "Muslim" on me.

And, they showed pictures of her with hair... what the hell? That's so messed up.  That's her choice to wear hijab, why do you think it's appropriate to show pictures of her without hijab just because her husband messed up? I'm sure they'd find some ridiculous pictures of me and post them all over the internet. (By the way, before anyone judges me for this sentence, I don't care if you're a 53 year old niqqabi, you have a skankalicious picture SOMEWHERE).

I would flip.

You can't assume that we all became Muslim because we married some guy.

(Who are these persuasive men? I want them on my dawah team!)

I would do a lot for someone I really loved, that's true.  Give up my favorite food perhaps, do a symbolic dance of sorts, dye my hair red.  But change my religion? No chance in hell.

And last week, at my open house, a woman came up to me and said "your husband must be Muslim right? What's your story?" No. Not right. I'm not married. I'm Muslim on my own choosing. No guy in my ear.  No threats.  Just Muslim because I want to be.

Like I've said before, some girls meet some 7/11 owner named Firas, fall in love with him and "convert" to Islam because he says so and they can't marry anyone else otherwise.  And he wants his greencard.

But that's not every person.

Look, I don't LOVE these stories, it wasn't my path, but who am I to judge those girls?

Maybe they really believe it. Maybe Firas is meant to be a Muslim missionary. I don't know.  You don't know.

Most people just follow the religion of their parents, so why is it SOOO wrong to follow the religion of your husband?

It's not my choice. But it's a choice.

I also have spoken to a lot of my friends that converted after falling in love with a guy and what I realized is that it wasn't because their husbands are Muslim that they converted.  It was because it's the first time they ever had a deep conversation about religion with someone that was Muslim and they finally understood it.  You probably aren't going to talk to your girlfriends about the secrets of life, religion, faith, etc... in a deep way. You're gonna talk about shoes.  But, you will talk to a potential spouse that deeply.  So, that's when Islam comes up.  When you're deep in conversation.

But, please, don't assume it's because of some controlling Muslim guy that these women would change their faith.  Islam is the fastest spreading religion - it's not because there's a lot of controlling dudes and weak women.  It's because it's beautiful.

There's a LOT of male converts as well so riddle me that one....

And Muslim people - that were born Muslim - don't be so quick to ridicule converts who convert after falling in love with a Muslim guy.  You're not God.  And, there's no reason to be skeptical.

Again, I suck at history, but I remember this story: In battle a man took his shahada when he was about to be killed by the army of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) and the solider killed him anyway.  Prophet Muhammad (saws) told that soldier that it was wrong of him to kill him as even if he is in a pressured situation, the solider, a mere man, is not the one to say whether or not the man was Muslim.

Similarly, we can't judge.

Finally, know that no, I'm not brainwashed.  I didn't come to Islam with some "kumbaya" (no, I can't spell it!) lovey -dovey attitude towards it.  I came to it critically, harshly, like every other "average American" would.  And after fact checking, understanding, and building my knowledge then - and only then - did I fall in love with it and convert.

May Allah (swt) protect this woman, Katherine Russell, from all of the negativity in this world.  May He open peoples eyes to Islam.  May He help everyone that converts to do so willingly and for His sake only. And may everyone that takes his or her shahada die a Muslim.  Ameen.

Where Are You From? I'm From Here. No, I Mean ORIGINALLY? Cleveland.

One of the reasons I decided to move to beautiful Los Angeles, California was because some bootleg Malaysian newspaper writer who straight up stole my convert story and published it in his country said I was from Los Angeles.   Just kidding - (although I thought it was pretty funny that they just made facts up out of thin air and I was quite offended that he used a picture of some really unattractive white chick to represent me in the article! Rude.)

I moved here because of diversity.

I came to visit a friend, walked the streets of Hollywood and people said "salaam" to me when they saw my hijab.  White people!

Imagine that.

So, when I experienced people speaking 20 different languages when I walked a one mile stretch of sidewalk, I realized how beautiful that was and that I wanted to be a part of it.  Permanently.

A month later I moved here.

I'm a sucker for diversity, what can I say?

And, guess what... people are cool to me here ALL THE TIME!

It's beautiful!

I go out to lunch with my Asian boss and white people on the sidewalk go out of their way to say "salaam" - the greeting that Muslims give each other meaning peace.  How cute is that? 

PLUS, they do it in the sweetest voice and they touched their little hearts when they said it.  Merrrrr ... adorable!!

This is a beautiful example I wish everyone had the opportunity to experience, because I wasn't experiencing that in Toledo, Ohio.

The one thing I have noticed about Los Angeles, however, is everyone is curious about me.

I'm not saying that because I think I'm God's gift to earth and I'm like Los Angeles' own unicorn or something... I mean because I look different.

I hold open houses every weekend to advertise the houses we have for sale and 1 out of every 3 people ask me where I'm from.

No matter what their ethnicity is.

And, they don't do it in a mean way.  They do it out of love.

Usually though I think it's so annoying!

Standard Couple #1: WHERE ARE YOU FROMMMMM?

Me: I'm from here.

Standard Couple #2:NOOOO I MEAN WHERE ARE YOUR PARENTS FROM?

Me: Here.

Standard Couple #3: NO I MEAN ORIGINALLY

Me:Cleveland.

What does it matter? Are you writing a book?

My Goodness!

If I say my dad is from Iraq will that make you feel any different?

I thought about making up a story that my dad is Saudi and my mom is Syrian just so people don't ask the follow up questions...

Eventually the conversation goes:

OOOOOKAYYYY WHAT'S YOUR NATIONALITY?

I'm Czech.

OH AND YOU'RE MUSLIM?

Yes.

AH I SEE. DID YOU CONVERT?

Yes, I did.

OHHHH WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK? HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DO YOU PRAY? DO YOU SPEAK ARABIC? WHAT IS YOUR DAD'S COUSIN PHIL'S MIDDLE NAME?

None of your business! UGH! This is a Spanish style house, that's all you need to know.

Today I was reflecting on this, preparing for a meeting where I was sure I would be asked my nationality, and I realized it's not as annoying as I feel like it is.

It's actually a blessing.

Instead of being negative I should be appreciative that people are nice enough to ask and strike up a conversation as if they actually care about a stranger.

It might not be consistent with modern social cues, but it's very nice that they ask and are curious.

I'd much rather people be curious than afraid.

This post is a reminder for me to work on myself - to be more open to answering people's questions - regardless of where I am, how rushed I am, or what I'm doing.

These people are giving me the opportunity to educate them without hatred. How awesome.

May Allah (swt) teach us all to be guided guiders and teach others about our religion for all of its beauty.  May we be as curious of others as they are of us, and in a positive way.  Ameen.

Of Course They Were Muslim, What Did You Expect?! My Take On Boston's Tragedy

Yes, the attacks at the Boston Marathon were allegedly caused by two men who identified themselves as Muslims.  I know. And yes, I spent all of the week that they were looking for them praying - sincerely - to God that they would not be Muslims.

And yes, I am extremely heartbroken that people who share my religion would be evil enough to kill others.

Devastated.

But, after I was devastated, I realized that they're not just Muslim.  They're Chechnayan, they're American citizens, they're men, they're a lot of other adjectives! Unfortunately, the only adjective that people care about today is "Muslim."

(I don't hate all boxers because the one brother was a boxer, do I? So don't hate all Muslims because they were Muslim!)

Probably about a year ago now, there was a plot to bomb a bridge in my hometown.  A bridge my grandparents take to go to the doctor, one that I took to go visit my friends in high school.  I remember that my aunt mentioned to me that "they must be those Muslims!" before the names were released.

And then the names of the plotters were released.  And they were some white kids.  And they were no longer "terrorists" they were just "two crazy kids!"

Even then, I remember being thankful that my family was safe, but almost more thankful that the plotters weren't Muslim, so I didn't have to hear about it for the rest of my life from my aunt. What I never thought to myself was "oh my God, they're white and I'm white!!" And, I never said to my aunt, who is also white, "look it was them whities!"

Regarding Boston, I have a confession to make:

I am pretty damn ashamed of myself, to be honest with you.

I'm ashamed that now whenever I hear a story of a "terrorist activity" on the news, I spend all my energy praying that the attackers aren't Muslim.  I'm busy praying "dear God, please tell me they're not Muslim." And what I'm not saying is "dear God, grant all the victims Jannah... forgive them of their sins, protect their families, grant them Heaven for dying innocently" even though, in my heart, that's what I WANT to say.

I wish we lived in a world where I could do that! And, I wish I was strong enough to not worry about myself so much.

I worry about going to the grocery store and having someone say "oh look at what YOUR PEOPLE did."

I want to show everyone all of the love that Muslims spread every day.  

How many buildings they've built, not the handful that they've destroyed.

How many Christians, Jews, and people of all religions that Muslims have saved, not how many they have killed.

But, I am only one person.

This week I read a quote that said "My religion doesn't oppress me, it's your ignorance" and I feel like that quote is applicable of this subject.

My religion is beautiful.  Perfect.  Muslim people are NOT perfect.

Far from it.

Especially me.

But, the anger people have leads to this intolerance and ignorance.

One thing I want Muslim people to understand however is that we cannot say "These men are not Muslims! Muslim people don't do evil things like this!"

Are you God? No.

The reality is, MUSLIM PEOPLE DO EVIL THINGS. You are a sinner. I'm a sinner.  Killing people is a MAJOR sin, but our sins are terrible too.

You are NOT the person to judge them if they believe in Islam or not.

Whether their actions are consistent with Islam is not a question - they are ABSOLUTELY actions that are NOT consistent with the teachings of our Prophert (saws) and our God.

However, as far as we can see, they were Muslims.  Imperfect Muslims, but Muslims nonetheless.

I want my nonMuslim friends to know as mad as you are at Muslims, I'm furious at these two men.

Way more mad. A million times more.

I spend every waking minute going out of my way to defend my religion, show how beautiful it is, opening doors for little old ladies, getting spit on and smiling through it so that I can put a positive image out there for others of my beliefs.

I'm a representative. So are these guys. I can spend my entire life working to change your mind and in two seconds these two people can completely destroy it.

And when something like this happens, I feel like all of my hard work, all of my restraint, all of it, is in vain.

I have to start from square one all over again trying to rebuild that image.

It's so frustrating. 

Thank God for all of the people in the world that are reasonable enough not to let the actions of a few change their opinions of an entire religion.

On behalf of these two men, I'm sorry you're disappointed. I'm sorry we disappointed you.

But please realize me apologizing for them is equivalent to Christians apologizing for the Ku Klux Klan.  (Literally, same percentages).

Just because one of the adjectives that these two men are is "Muslim" don't let that one adjective become all that they are.

How can we say that Islam is a religion of peace when things like this happen? I get it.

It does not necessarily mean that their religion is the cause for their disobedience.  With the bridge example, no one said they did it because they were Christian.

May God grant all of us - no matter what race, religion, gender, sexuality, etc... - tolerance for one another.  May He teach us the importance of compassion, holding judgments, and loving one another. May He grant all of the victims Jannah and all of their families solace.  May all of our hardwork not be in vein, and may God make us all good examples in the footsteps of the BEST example, Prophet Muhammad (saws). Ameen.

Why Don't You Post Anymore? I Suck.

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah everyone! So sorry I haven't been posting lately - I've been ridiculously - RIDICULOUSLY busy with work.

(Side note: Want to buy a house in Los Angeles? Please call me LoL)

I've been working on ten transactions at one time and studying to get my California license at the same time!

Alhamdulilah for my job and the passion I have for my career.

I've been receiving angry emails that people are mad I stopped writing! LoL... that's an honor that I've upset you by shutting up! Haha...

Anyways, I promise to make an effort to try my best to post more often! I've actually written a few posts but after I reviewed them I thought they needed some editing before they could go out to you.

I will try to edit and post a few inshaAllah.

Tonight, I was reflecting and trying to perfect my recitation of all of the surahs I know from Quran and I remembered a website I used when I was first learning Quran.

 www.mounthira.com

I recommend everyone - especially converts - go visit it and learn some surahs! It makes it SO MUCH EASIER! you can repeat the verses, there's a transliteration, there's the Arabic next to it.

Really, it's an amazing tool for non-native Arabic speakers.

I am in no way affiliated with the site, I just happen to love it.

May Allah (swt) reward the creators of the site for helping to teach me many surahs and inshaAllah you as well, and may He reward you for learning His Book - ten hassanat for every letter you read.  May He multiply your reward to His pleasing.

With love,

Hannah