To this day I still feel as if she begrudges me for my decision to convert.

To this day I still feel as if she begrudges me for my decision to convert. I hope, insha'Allah, she can fully accept my lifestyle someday. Last fourth of July we had a picnic that turned ugly because we got on the subject of politics and the World Trade Center, which in turn came down to Christianity verses Islam. I resolved the situation by making it clear that if she was telling me to turn away fitom Islam, I would never see her again. She relented, but I feel she wasn't quite sincere.

+I have a very small family, one sister. I don't have contact with my mother-my father raised both my sister and me. My sister is university-educated and has studied religions, so she totally accepted my decision to convert and accepted my marrying an Arab Muslim. My father has had a harder time accepting it.

He hasn't gone to church since before I stopped going, but he thinks that I should act "American," dress like everyone else, celebrate Christmas like everybody else-basically, not be different than others. But he is beginning to accept my life as a Muslim and that my daughter will be raised a Muslim. +My family always saw me as the "weird" one, so when I called and told them of my "new" religion, they just waited to see when I'd lose interest.

Years later, my mother made comments about how I [had] changed and why I didn't stay in the religion I was raised in (we only went to church on Easter). She and my dad accept it, but I think my mom wishes I'd "go back." They especially dislike me staying home versus working, although they support my home school efforts. My parents are very hands-off They accepted my first name [Muslim name] change easily. My father seems more accepting, maybe even approving.

He likes my dress (my mom is embarrassed) and has even read some of my books. +My parents were very upset when they first learned of my conversion. I think they hoped it was a "phase" I'd go through and grow out of. My dad read the whole Qur'an, my mom took a course in her church about Islam and so they both learned more about it and now feel more comfortable with it. I don't think they will ever become Muslim, but I hope they do.

My sister is a fundamentalist Christian and refuses to talk about it. She is upset that I will be going to hell when I die and prays for me all the time. We have a good relationship otherwise, and it is understood that neither one of us should bring up religion unless we want to argue. +My relationship with my parents is fine.