Paying it Forward

 

Last week I had an interesting experience.  One morning after dropping the girls off at horse camp Jared and I went to visit a friend that I’ve known since college.  My friend is a year younger than I am, had her first child a year after I had Cindy Lynn, and had her tenth child a year ago.  Yep, you read that right.  Ten children.  She is amazing, and more than a little busy.

When I arrived at her house she was still upstairs with little kids.  I found a washcloth and started cleaning off the table, figuring that I could help out just as easily as sit around and wait.  Later I found a broom and swept, and then even (miracle of miracles) mopped the floor for her. 

 

The week before I’d been thinking about this new phase I’m in.  This new phase that includes a mostly clean house, laundry that is more often folded and put away than not, (well except for horse camp week!) and dishes that get washed by me every night after dinner.  One night as I was washing the dishes I thought of the last 10 years of my life, years when I was too exhausted by dinnertime every night to even consider doing the dishes before morning.  I can’t tell you how many times our friends Ken & Alisyn came over for dinner and cleaned up the kitchen both before and after dinner.  I will never be able to thank them enough for all of their acts of service in our kitchen.

 

Cleaning floors isn’t the only way I’m paying it forward right now.  The first month that the triplets were home from the hospital Russ’s parents stayed with us.  After they went home my sister Andra came for three weeks.  She brought her two younger children with her and left her two older children at home.  It was hard for her, and I will always be grateful for her sacrifice that helped me so much.

Several months ago my youngest sister, Laila, found out that she was having twins.  They were born two weeks ago, and at the end of April I’m going to go out and help her for a couple of weeks.  I always said after our experience that when I grew up I wanted to be a night nanny for people who had triplets, but I never thought my first chance to help would be with my own nephews.

 Noah & Preston  (Or Preston and Noah?)

I will miss my own kids and of course my wonderful husband, but at the same time I’m so excited to be able to go out and help her.  I’ve lived this experience, I know how difficult it is to bring multiples home from the hospital, and I know what a difference it makes to have someone to help. 

 

I like this new stage, and I’m excited to see all of the ways that I will get to pay it forward.  And every time I do have the opportunity to help someone else, I know that in my heart I’ll be thanking all of the people who have helped me.