Angels

Apparently, I can't decide if I'm a blogger or not a blogger.  I'm a journal-keeper, but I'm having a hard time deciding where I'm journaling these days too.  Anyway, here's a post I started way back in November.

Thursday, November 8,  was my "practice day" as Steve called it.  He went back to work, but said he would come home early so I wouldn't have to take all the kids to piano lessons.  The day went pretty well, but Steve was late coming home.  So I packed up the kids as quickly as I could because as usual, we were late.  As I drove out of the parking lot, Steve drove in.  He followed me to piano, took Stephen and Mi Na with him, and then I sat in the quiet car, nursed Li Ya, and waited for Mei Li.  I also thought about scolding Steve for being late, but I never did.

Steve, Mi Na, and Stephen arrived at home shortly after Mei Li, Li Ya, and I did.  He said, "I know you're mad, but I brought a surprise for you."  And then my sister-in-law, Michiko, appeared!  I cried and cried and I could not stop hugging her.  Then she told me she'd be here for a week!   I felt so grateful and so relieved to have help for a little longer before doing the four kids thing on my own.  

On Friday morning, I woke up much later than everyone else.  I walked downstairs and into my kitchen, and there was my sister, Ie Mei, eating a bowl of cereal!  It was such an amazing surprise.  Michiko and Ie Mei each have four kids of their own and somehow these angels from northern California and Mexico City were both in my house. 

Ie Mei and Michi went right to work and had my whole house cleaned by noon on Friday.  Ie Mei even washed my walls.   They went grocery shopping for me, cooked dinner every night, took our family portraits, played with my kids, babysat so Steve and I could go on dates, filled my freezer with meals, did my laundry, threw an early birthday party for Stephen, and helped me install bookshelves!  

Ie Mei had to leave on Monday, but Michi stayed until the following Thursday.  She helped me make an awesome chore chart using a magnetic white board and then helped me hang it.  She hung a mirror over our piano, fixed our entertainment center door, prepared additional freezer meals, and continued to make dinner each night and do my laundry.

My list of things to do before the baby came still had fifteen items on it.  Ie Mei and Michiko helped me get through at least half of it.  These women are just incredible. They served with such love and generosity that I could not help but want to love and serve also.  I don't think my heart will ever be the same after being the recipient of such goodness.  Thank you, Michi and Ie Mei.

Here are some of the awesome pictures Michi took from that week: