That is the ultimate question I have been asking myself ever since we have arrived back in Tianjin! Those of you sitting among piles of laundry waiting to be folded and floors waiting to be mopped are probably thinking I have completely lost my mind (not possible - it has been gone for a while now!!)! I always used to beg and plead Danny for more housecleaning help in the US and now I’m just not sure what I need or want!!
On one hand, I love having someone empty the dishwasher, walk Mei at 12:00, go to the market, and iron our clothes. Those are the things I really dislike doing. It is also nice to have the floors and bathrooms cleaned multiple times a week - Tianjin is so dusty that film builds up rather quickly on everything! I also like the fact that we are helping a local resident make ends meet.
However, our new house is much easier to take care of. It is bigger, but it is newer so the dust doesn’t get through the windows as it did before! We also have a central vac which allows me to vacuum in very little time. I have been cooking almost all meals recently because the kids have had enough Northern Chinese food to last a lifetime!! And, for those of you who know me well, I actually love to clean - I’m a neat freak and feel accomplished when I have cleaned the entire house! And, probably the biggest challenge for me right now is the lack of privacy.
As I have been pondering this over and over, as of Thursday, I have been given the opportunity to see for myself how life would be with no help!! My ayi’s husband has been in the hospital awaiting surgery to have a stint put in. In most public hospitals in China, a family member must be present at all times to take care of the patient. They must get the meals and tell the nurse when a drip runs out. The nurse administers all of the medications, but it is very important for someone to be there watching over everything. (After our experience in the hospital with Coop I cannot even imagine this. You are already completely stressed out because someone you love is sick and needing care, but to have to also stress over making a mistake or forgetting to get the nurse for something...I am definitely thankful for the hospital care in the US!) I digress!! I am sure that regardless of having to be a part-time nurse, my ayi would still want to be with her husband while he is in the hospital - I completely support this, so we have given her an indefinite leave. Of course, this comes when Danny is in the US, so not the most convenient time, but it never is!!
I plan on having my ayi return to work gradually and then maybe working part-time instead of full-time. Maybe that will be a happy compromise for everyone - I can have a bit more privacy and she can have some more time with her husband as he recovers!!
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