On 23rd March 2013, me and my unimates had a small gathering for Fazlin Azrimi's belated birthday do. Her birthday falls on the 25th of January every year. Let me tell you a little bit about one of my oldest friends in university. Fazlin, at that time a total stranger, knocked on my dorm door during those early days when I was reading law in matriculation and came just to drop by and say hi. Why? just because her childhood friend Shairil Ezani told her that she had a close friend in the same matriculation. Shai, who also happens to be my BFF in high school. That's how friendly Fazlin is, and that's how we became friends. Needless to say, we hit it off instantly.

Fazlin is a beautiful soul who was there through my ups and downs since uni. We started off as roommates when we went to main camp and were in the same classes most of the time. We met each other almost every day when were in campus throughout those 4 years. Fate brought us together as colleagues too since almost 2 years ago. We've been close friends for 11 years all praises to the Almighty. Can't believe it has been that long. She is someone who is kind, dependable, someone I know I can turn to in times of need and not just during those happy times, she's a shoulder to cry on and one of the sweetest souls I've ever known. Last I blogged about her and her birthday was in my 2011 post titled "Vintage Themed Gathering at Canoodling in 2011".

To Fazlin, Happy Belated (so belated it's closer to your next birthday!!!) Birthday again. It is an extremely delayed post. I'm sorry. I am truly blessed to have you as one of my closest friends. Watching each other grow. You deserve all of life's good things and more. Love you to the moon and back. May God bless you with contentment and happiness till Jannah. May the Creator grant you good health. May He bring you closer to Him and His Love. Amin

I remember Dian Farhana (colleague and close friend) telling me a week before I gave birth to Jibrael that she wanted to plan a birthday do for Fazlin at the hospital where I was warded. So that I'll be a part of the celebrations too. It was so sweet of her to plan it like that. She planned that we would celebrate Fazlin's birthday around that date. No one, most of all myself, expected that I would actually give birth before 25th January. Fate has it that I gave birth to Jibrael on 14th January 2013. The same month with Fazlin. So, they didn't celebrate Fazlin's birthday at the hospital as I was discharged by then.

I've written before how I struggled to go out after my confinement. But on 23rd March 2013, 68 days after I gave birth, I decided that I was ready, by hook or by crook, to attend my first gathering with friends outside. Because they were celebrating Faz's & Norleen's birthday. I felt ready to go out and I didn't want to miss it eventhough it was difficult for me to face a lot of people at one time. I remembered when close uni-buddies Khairun Nisa and Fadzilla invited me to the birthday. I was very quiet and timid during the birthday celebrations. Unlike the person I used to be. After spending 78 days in the hospital and 45 days confinement at home I was just a different person outside the house. Just felt awkward and weird. I was in my early stages of grieving so it is expected I suppose. I wore the scarf by @hush_bysuriaryani which I wore for the only look picture that my husband took of me carrying Jibrael in the hospital, 2 days before I gave birth to her. :)

Just before we went back, Khairun Nisa and Fadzilla tried to cheer me up by giving countless ideas to take photos. In the end, they had managed to get me laughing really hard for a while there. I really can't remember when was the last time I did that. Of course the husband took all the photos. :)

So Happy Belated Birthday Faz. You are a strong and a kindhearted sweet soul. May you stay sweet and strong throughout anything Allah may desire to test you with. May God protect you from harm and danger. May God bring you closer to Him and His Love. Amin.