2012 Lent Praise #1

This year I chose to observe Lent in a creative way, find out how here.
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We have had a couple from China, Wudan (woo-dawn) & David, staying with us in our basement for this past month. They are friends of our neighbor, who do a golf ministry in China, and will be in the States for a couple years while David goes to school.

We have often opened our home to people, driven mostly by my husband's heart to do so, and if I'm honest, my initial concerns are always, "how is this living arrangement going to effect my comfort level?" Needless to say, my heart and mind went to that exact place after agreeing to this couple staying with us, especially because I'm pregnant and about to have a baby.

But I have been humbled and blessed. They are such a sweet couple, very engaging, feel like friends already. We've shared meals with them, they cooked us a gourmet Chinese dinner (David was a professional chef for four years!), and there is no language barrier in communicating with them, even with deep, meaningful things.

The unexpected blessing is that Wudan has offered to come EVERY day for 30 minutes to an hour to tidy up our main living space: dishes, kitchen, dining room, sitting room and living room. Basically the rooms that get used and abused by us. I can hardly stand that this is my reality sometimes!

In China, pregnant women and moms either have their mom living with them to take care of the house and/or kids, or they put their kids in daycare so they can work and have a housekeeper. Wudan is amazed that I am alone every day with the kids, without a helper, especially being pregnant. What I can't laugh about is, I am pretty low on the totem pole with energy and all that I accomplish throughout the average day, AND I have a lot of help from my mom-in-law. She should see some of my Type-A friends, or friends that don't have either set of family nearby, they would blow her mind!

We are so blessed to have this gift of friendship and help with the house, especially because I am pregnant and about to have a baby. {oh, the irony.}