Saturday, April 17, 2010

"help, i need somebody! help, just anybody!"

dear emily,

now that you are so happily anticipating the arrival of precious baby
#5, i want to beg you to consider the possibility of getting some help.

isaac's sophomore year in high school included two basketball teams,
many honors classes, along with loads of school and church activities.
shelby, who was a freshman, enjoyed the pom squad,  even more
honors courses, and every school and church activity.

max, sunday, and hailey (6th, 5th, and 4th grades) were involved in
basketball, cheerleading, ballet,  missions trips, church, etc.

i was in way over my head, couldn't physically transport everyone to
their various activities, prepare healthy meals,  help with honors chem,
pre-ap trig, honors english, science projects,  and then attend all the
basketball games, etc.

enter the calvary in the form of the loveliest, most intelligent, well
rounded young lady, named aubrey!  she was a sophomore at one of
our local universities, and she saved my life by chauffeuring, tutoring,
shooting baskets, giving fashion advice, making the most adorable
valentines, and doing anything legal that i needed.

to say that we adore her is an understatement, and last week, to our
delight, we were able to visit her in germany to see her adorable baby
girls and handsome husband.  while enjoying a yummy german meal,
she exclaimed, "can you believe it was nine years ago i sat in your
kitchen wondering what in the world i had gotten myself into?"

can i remember each anesthesiologist who administered the epidural
before my babies' births?  oh yeah.

love,
lea

"bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law
of Christ."  galatians 6:2

26 comments:

Lisa said...

Thank goodness for all the sweet Aubreys of the world and my personal favorite...a good housekeeper/maid service.:)
Great advice Lea!

Southern Lady said...

Everybody needs a little help once in a while!! Good advice. Carla

Farm Girl said...

I remember having a newborn, 2,4,6,8,14 and had just had my first and only c-section. I almost lost my mind and if a sweet college student had not came into my life, I might not have been here today. Help is the most important thing any new mommy can have. Though it was 15 years before my husband and I ever left the kids. That is another thing is getting away from the kids for awhile. It makes a better Mommy and my kids are all very nicely adjusted today. :)

Karen said...

Not being able to have more than 3 children, I still had a house full. I kept friend's children while they worked, and at one point I had a 6 week old, 7 week old, 2 year old, 4, and 7. I ended up hiring a teen girl for a short time during the tiny infant stage of the "twins". She was a huge help to me. Good advice!

Rita said...

congrats on your baby # 5 but one does need help at some stage in their life or another. get yourself a maid to help you out sith your daily chore and you will then be able to find all the time to help your kids the way they need.
hugs
rita

Unknown said...

So nice to meet you, I love your blog. Collecting old books is such a passion. Oh, remember how we couldn't get anything accomplished with a newborn. My girlfriend asked the neighbor one day if she could cut his lawn, just so she felt she had finished something. A mother's helper is always a nice compromise.

Karen

Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings... said...

Aubrey = a gem!
We all need an Aubrey at times...
xoxo~Kathy @
Sweet Up-North Mornings...
Happy weekend!

Blondie's Journal said...

I had several 'Aubreys' and could not have survived without them. Lovely post.

I have taken a peek around and will be back to visit. Thanks so much for stopping by!

xoxo
Jane

Anonymous said...

Hi Lea and it's so nice to meet you. Now what an unusual blog - I love this idea you have here! I had only two children and even with just two tiny ones, I needed a bit of help at times.
Thank you so much for popping in to see me. Now I play the piano and am the pianist of my church. I am also a soloist. We should get together and then we'll have a duet! :)
I do hope you'll come back sometimes.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Cinnamon said...

I have received so much help over the years and at other times no help at all. Each different situation has helped me lean on the Lord and be thankful for friends as well as the lonely times.

What a great reminder to me as well, to be the one that gives a helping hand to an expecting Mama :-)

~Cinnamon

Mountain Mama said...

LOVE the "Aubrey's" in my life. What sweet blessings.

Bree said...

isn't it wonderful when we are able to admit and then graciously accept the Lord's help (comes in all forms!) I'm finally allowing others to help me instead of trying to be super (more like foolish) mom! What a blessing, with you being blessed by this sweet Aubrey to now see the fruit in her own life and young family-sewing seeds :)
Hugs!

Anci said...

Hi,
Thank you for your always so sweet comments ! I become so glad everytime :)
A little help is can mean so much !

Have a lovely week !

xo
Anci

Natasha in Oz said...

I don't know how any parent would be able to survive without a little bit of help every now and then...even it is just to have a little date night with hubby!

Best wishes,
Natasha.

Debra@CommonGround said...

Had to catch up Lea, on all your great posts. Each one so wonderfully written and insightful. I cannot imagine, as I only had two, but those two filled my days. What a blessing are our children and Thank you Lord, that He blesses us with "help"!
Debra

Jo said...

The Aubreys of the world are really angels sent from Heaven, and if you squint your eyes just a little bit, you can see their angel wings. :-)

debra@dustjacket said...

What a life saver, she sounds so adorable!
xoxo

Anne Lyken-Garner said...

I haven't got one. Maybe I should look for an Aubrey. It's been extremely tough raising our 3, without family or grandparents living close by.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Dearest Lea,

What a rich life you lead! And to think you came to visit with me and my frivolous dreams! But I thank you and welcome you to come and slip away to a fairy dream land that I enjoy creating, and congratulations on being a mom of 5! I have a great old friend in California with 5 children that she home-schooled....the most incredible family I have ever known, also believers. Then, I have a great blogger friend with 7 children, who live on a farm and are all home-schooled too, with mom being the most INCREDIBLE ARTIST....again, believers. One can do anything with Christ.

Please feel free to come by again! Anita

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

We all have memories of someone coming to our rescue!! Great advice!

Jenners said...

I can't imagine having 5 kids and not having an Aubrey in my life! Heck ... I only have 1 kid and some days I feel like I need help!

Rosie said...

Oh Dear Lea, thank you for taking the time to visit my little site. I am so sorry it took so long to get back to you...your name didn't link to your site and I had to search a few sites to find you...{apparently, I should NOT become a detective} ... but oh, "you are the pot at the end of the rainbow", "the light at the end of tunnel" AND "the cherry on top!" It only took one post for me to have to get out the tissues...what a touching site.

We live in such a fast pasted world, so many activities seem to fill our days...all to often I feel like I am the girl, in the water, coming up for one last breath. Thankfully, He sends "Aubreys" as a life line, to rescue us, and enrich our lives, How very Wonderful...

P.S I hope you won't mind, I have added you to my collection of special people...so I can continue to enjoy your site...Smile on Rosie

HeARTworks said...

Without my wonderful Lucy, I would not be able to paint, write, blog, and just lose myself in a wonderful world of art and creativity! What a delightful blog you have- I felt right at home!

bbb said...

i hope emily takes this advice. you told me the same thing years and years ago. we still love our lacie, lizzie, amy, andrea and marybeth, but my husband is the most thankful of all!

Rebecca Nelson said...

How I wish I'd had some help! Maybe it would haved saved me from crashing and burning when I was 40!

xoRebecca

Aubrey said...

Oh. My. Goodness.

Thank you so much, Lea! What a tremendous compliment. I appreciate your kind words more than you will ever know.

The funny thing about our situation is that you, Hans, and all those incredible kiddos helped me infinitely more than I ever helped you. The semester before I came into contact with your family was very difficult -- my grandfather passed away and my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was over 200 miles away from home, and coping with grief and fear without the family support system that I had relied on for the past 18 years.

Coming to your house a few nights a week to "help out" was so incredibly therapeutic. It was fantastic to walk into a home that was bursting with love, laughter, and faith. There's no place like home, but your house was a close second for me all through college.

So thank YOU! When I count all the many blessings that have touched my life when I needed them most, the names Lea, Hans, Isaac, Shelby, Max, Sunday, and Hailey always come to mind. Lots of love from across the pond.