Our dear friend Hilkka just went home yesterday after spending a week with us. Both she and her husband Larry are like family to us. He married us 6 1/2 years ago, they have prayed for us, and we have called them many times for to tell them good news, to ask advice, or just to have a listening ear. Dan has known them since he was a kid and I feel like I have known them all my life.
I am almost (only almost) embarrassed to say that I spent the not doing a lot more than making meals (Hilkka informs us that we use a LOT of dishes), caring for the girls and getting some sewing done. And yet there is clean laundry, clean bathrooms, organized cupboards, clean floors and more. I think I only did the dishes once! But it was so much more than that too. It was a week of talking with another adult (in case you wonder, Dan and I love talking to each other but it is nice to talk with others), of being encouraged spiritually, of being affirmed as parents (even with our flaws it is a wonderful thing to hear someone say even after 168 hours straight that they think you are doing well), of being honest about life and marriage, and of sharing cups of tea and chit chat. After a week of such loving support, I feel so much more hopeful and ready to prepare for our wee child. Like I can officially move into nesting mode. Just a few more weeks and I feel as if they are going to fly by. We were given a baby shower on Sunday and thanks to the sweet generosity shown us, there is now a snug little sheep skin lined moses basket waiting for a sleeping little one. I am sure there might be nights that see all five of us in our bed but it is still nice to have a place for the baby.

And to finish off the random nature of this post, I just have to share this tub scrub; it just works that well. The recipe is not mine, I got it straight from Martha Stewart. I think she will be okay with my posting it here since I am giving her credit.

Tub Scrub with Essential Oils by Martha Stewart

Add one teaspoon of liquid soap and several drops of an antibacterial essential oil (such as tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary, or peppermint) to one cup of baking soda. Add just enough water to form a paste, and use it with a sponge or brush to scour bathtub surfaces.

I used a few drops of lavendar, eucalyptus and peppermint. I also added a little bit of salt. I used it on my tub that had coconut oil on it and there was no scrubbing needed, just some paste on a cloth and a wipe down. It looked and felt so clean. Hilkka also used it on the tub, toilet, and sink; she is a house cleaner and said that it was wonderful.