Madeline usually wakes up at 1am and 6am to nurse
Last night she woke up at 3am, so my shirt was soaked…
Yeah – I know – TMI breastfeeding lady!
So I peel off my pajama top, grab a clean shirt,
plop into the rocking chair, and nurse my darling baby.
Now I have to tell you – I am NOT a shower-before-bed kind of girl.
I hate the WET hair, WET pajamas, WET pillow… you know what I mean.
But at 3am this morning? It was all I could think about.
Yes…
a nice hot shower will make it all better…
So I rocked my baby back to sleep, put her to bed, and stepped on our poor sleeping dog while trying to search for clean pajamas in the dark.
I go to turn on the water in the shower… and it’s cold…
and it STAYS cold…
I love Vintage Government Housing… sigh…
So I pull on the clean pajamas and go out to the living room to call the 24 hour work order desk – which is also the local German Fire Department. (This TOTALLY freaked me out the first time I called – “No I don’t have a fire! I just need my hot water fixed!!”) A kind German gentleman answers the phone and assures me they will send someone to my building to take a look. It should be hot in time for hubby to have a hot shower after PT in a few hours. (PT is Physical Training – Monday through Friday 530-730)
And so, I go back to sleep for a few hours until the boys wake me up at 0630…
Maybe if we get breakfast done, I can get a shower before Maggie wakes up…
Nope – didn’t happen… and my friend was stopping by for coffee around 8…
So I’m nursing the baby, wiping little boy faces, and trying to clear the counter when I hear the bell ring. And when I answer the door, there stands my friend…
dressed in sweats with a stylish scarf… I love this lady!
within moments we are sitting down for coffee…
and for the first time that morning…
I relax.
She doesn’t care that I’m still in my pajamas.
She doesn’t mind that I haven’t showered in 49.345 hours.
She doesn’t mind that my children are running around in their underwear.
She doesn’t mind that their cereal bowls are still on the table.
She’s been there.
She’s been the ‘Mom of many small children’
She encourages me. She laughs with me.
She loves me for who I am.
She’s like my big sister – only she’s never stolen my favorite shirt.
Do you have a big sister? What is she like? How does she encourage you?
Or are you a big sister yourself? How do you encourage others?
December 7, 2009 at 3:41 pm
What a blessing to have someone like that in your life, especially when you are so far away from your family.
December 7, 2009 at 9:53 pm
What an awesome post. I love it.
December 7, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Anna banana…glad you found a sister in Germany. You know, I consider you a 'college sister'. Hopefully someday we'll be able to have some coffee together! (I prefer tea, though:))
December 8, 2009 at 4:37 pm
No big (or little) sisters. I have six brothers and loved it. As an adult I sometimes have moments of wishing for a sister but then I talk to friends that have one and am thankful I only have brothers.
~ingrid