Bragging rights

A few weeks ago, when I had posted about how tough things were going, I had my big girls here with us for our typical week on with them. I found that week particularly challenging as we were hosting a few things, I was living off of very little sleep and was feeling haunted by the suffering children of our world... there were a few doctor's appointments mixed in there, too.

I was down right pooped.

On this one day, I had to bring Ethan to the doctor's office which took a couple of hours, followed by a grocery shop with a hopefully contented little guy, only to get home and try to cook our meals in good time before Duane got back from his day shift at the firehall so he could eat quickly and head out into the fields.

Melina was babysitting Anika and Isabel for me.

The drive home was heavy as I thought about all the things I still needed to get done in the house and I how I would get them all accomlished between nursings, meals, diaper changes, Isabel's meds & tube feedings, etc...

When I got home, I walked in with my bags of groceries anticipating the horrific mess of a kitchen I had left earlier that day. But to my glorious surprise, the kitchen was spotless... all dishes cleaned and put away, counters wiped down, odds and ends put away... it was beautiful. I could literally feel the weight being lifted from my shoulders as I glanced around that sparkling kitchen.

There was Melina beaming with her beautiful smile and I felt so proud, so touched, so grateful to her. Feeling as tired as I was, this meant the world to me.

When I went to the den/living room to take Ethan out of his car seat, I gasped again as I looked around a cleaned den and living room! Are you serious? The toys were picked up and put away, no movies were scattered, clothes were put away, books were on the shelves... another beautiful sight!

What a gift! What a delight! What a daughter! What a helpful and loving human being! Truly I say to you, Melina's help has been an incredible gift to me this summer. I could not be more proud of her willing heart and her hard work. I love her so much and could not imagine my world without that smile, without her laugh, without her jokes... simply put, I could not imagine my world without her.

Melina, my darling girl, I love you so much! Thank you for being who you are!