Well, it is a sad day at our house today. Our helper, Xiao Chen, has had a challenging fall with her family. I won't go into details here, but in large part due to a hurtful family situation and also in part due to being kicked out of their second home this year, she and her family are moving back to their hometown, a 19-hour train ride from here. This Friday (they have to be out of their home Wednesday). So we are really sad. And she is sad...this was not her choice. She feels like a member of the family and was the best helper we have ever had by far...LOVED our kids and they love her, amazing cook, I never really had to instruct her on what to do...she knew the way I did things and got it done. She has become a good friend. And her reason for leaving is also sad and I know she will have some hard days ahead when she returns home. We are praying the Lord will lead her back here, but not holding our breath.
Other than greater factor of losing a good friend practically it will also impact my life a lot. Anytime I do errands or meet with other women is on a "Xiao Chen day". She cooked dinner Tuesdays and stayed til 9 pm Thursdays...feeding and caring for the kids while we actually had a regular weekly date night this year. Not to mention the dishes, mopping, patiently teaching our kids Chinese and a zillion other things I am sure I will discover after she is gone. When we told Austin, he asked why can't she find a house around here? Or if not live with us? Or if not couldn't we move with her? He said he could go to a new school if he had to move. When Bennett plays toys, he often makes up the members of our family with Legos or CARS cars...Xiao Chen is always included with Chris and I and the siblings.
With Chinese New Year around the corner, we probably will not look for another helper this month. Then we probably will just look for someone temporary and far fewer hours from Feb-April, since we are planning a 3 month trip to the US this summer. So next fall I will see if she is for sure NOT coming back...and if not look for someone more full-time then. I know I will want and need someone new, but at the moment it feels a little like trying to date someone right after breaking up with someone else (not like this is a "break-up" in the sense that either of us chose this). I'm not quite ready to find someone else.
0 comments:
Post a Comment