Jonathan Home Again--and I Get to Do His Laundry!

After almost eleven long days, my sweetheart is back home again!

It was strange having him arrive home in the middle of the week wearing dress clothes!

But he had traveled lightly and when laundry had been done in Guatemala, somehow his jeans hadn't gotten back to him. So he came home in his Sunday dress clothes!

Sammy picked Jonathan up Thursday afternoon at the airport because Sam had driven up to a fireman's gear shop in Ft. Collins, and it wasn't much out of his way to pick his dad up on his way home. 

While we waited, the day seemed to crawl. After school, Danny and Hannah were out building a "dam" in the ditch where melted snow was sloshing.

The two of them also made "Welcome Home" signs for the front door!

I made a fresh batch of homemade laundry soap.

One of the girls took this sunrise picture.

And finally Jonathan was home! Lots of hugs and kisses all around!

I am so thankful my wonderful hubby freely hugs all the kids--even the older ones!

But he saves the biggest, longest, most affectionate hug for his "spring chick"!

He was soo tired.  They'd had to leave the hotel at 4:30 this morning to catch their plane at Tapachula, Mexico. But from Mexico City then, Jonathan had a non-stop flight.

Yesterday in Tapachula he managed to find a few treats to bring home including pineapple jam, mango jam, marmalade, Snickers made in Mexico, some kind of yummy candy.

And he also had a bag of fresh coffee!

I helped unpack.

I get a kick out of how he makes use of every tiny space!

He packs his vitamins and morning stuff inside his boots!

I was sooo happy to be able to do my hubby's laundry again. It brought back memories of the first time I did laundry for him--something I just read about in my old diary from 1994. It was during our courtship in Ukraine when he was visiting for a few weeks with his sister and her husband. Jonathan was wondering one day how to get his laundry done, and I offered to do it for him. My coworker and I had a tiny washing machine that just barely fit in our bathroom, but it worked fine as long as you did small loads. 

So the next day Jonathan brought his laundry to our apartment when he and his sister and her husband came for the day.

To me, it was such a privilege to do this small job for my sweetheart!

My coworker was horrified. I guess she had not grown up with brothers like I had, and had different ideas about who should do laundry under such circumstances when you are courting! However, her fiance felt differently.

When the first or second load of laundry was done, he was sitting in the livingroom watching me carry a basket of laundry out to the balcony to hang to dry, and he said, "I'd like to hire you for my housekeeper!"

This time it was my turn to be horrified.

I did not know what to say, so I did what I usually do when I don't know what to say.

I say the first thing that comes into my head.

So I said sweetly, "I'm already hired!"

And I went on out to the balcony.
When I returned, my coworker's fiance tried again.
"I would pay you well," he said.
Without missing a beat, I replied evenly, "I shall be paid well," and then I went on out into the kitchen where I was the one who had made most of the meals during our time in Ukraine.
My coworker's fiance had made his choice, and I had made mine.
I had decided whose laundry I wanted to wash, whom I would be cooking for, whom I would be cleaning up behind, whom I wanted to be a helpmeet to,
and whose heart I wanted to care for.
It would be one and only one person. It would be MY sweetheart, and not somebody else's.
And I am still happily washing his laundry every week!