Monday, January 10, 2011

My Family rallied…

Most people celebrate the New Year with Fire Works, champagne and whistles.
However, we celebrated the New Year with these:
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Kid so sick he fell asleep while playing. Stomach bug, cold/flu, ear infections, Conjunctivitis, and the beginnings of Pneumonia (for our little Asthmatic one). We were ALL sick at the same time. It was miserable. I was pretty pathetic. I think that’s one of these toughest things about being a new parent… you are figuring out that even though you are sick and need to rest… you can’t… you gotta take care of your little ones. My mom has always said that being a parent is one of the best ways to become less selfish. Can I get an “Amen”?
On top of being sick… we were in the midst of moving. Which, I WAS very excited about… until we got sick. I was ready for a new start. A new home (well… “new” to us), a fresh start, a reorganized life, and a new year! 2010 was probably, hands down, the toughest year of my life (which I will write about one day). I was ready to leave it behind me, and step forward. And then it hit. And the thought of moving AND cleaning the “old” house to get it ready for a Real Estate “showing” just about put me over the edge. I think I’m getting a zit just thinking about it now. 
But then… there was family.
So, my Aunt and Uncle came down the night before the move and asked us, “what can we do? Just put us to work.” So we did. We stuck my Uncle staining windows and my Aunt over at the “old” house cleaning out the fridge. While cleaning, my Aunt called in recruits. “Ah… dispatch….ah…. we got a sitch-ee-ation here… ahh… we’re gonna need some back-up.”
And help came. The next day, most of the rest of my family showed up in sweatpants, cleaning gear in one hand and coffee in the other. There were 16 of them! 16 of my family members (including 2 friends… but we consider them family members anyway) came to save the day.
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And by 5:00pm (which my family actually calls “wine-o-clock”), they had moved OUR ENTIRE house AND cleaned it! (I’m talking behind-fridge, ironing curtains, dusting, and washing clothes-type-of-clean). You could lick the floors.
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I was at the “new” house putting box after box away. They told me to come over to the “old” house when it was finished. I walked in… and there they were… 16 people who loved us. And the house was immaculate. Plants were placed “just so”. Rugs were washed. And I couldn’t help but cry. I was thankful beyond words.
So, my precious family… if you are reading this… know that you saved me. It’s one day later and I’m sitting on the couch in our new house sipping on my coffee and writing this. Most of everything is put away. The kids are sleeping in their new room. I can breath. And it’s gonna be a wonderful, wonderful new year. Cause it’s a wonderful, wonderful life when you have people who love you. So… I love you Family. More than you know. And I’ll never forget when you showed up… and saved the day.    

3 comments:

  1. SO great. I'd be lucky to be able to recruit a handful ;-) Can't wait to see the new place!

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  2. My goodness, how precious family is!! And this makes me a little envious of Jill and Justin...that they are close enough to be like family and help when you need it most. ONE DAY, friend!

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