There’s that old saying that goes like this, “Some people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.”

Toady we said good-be to a special someone who joined us both for a reason and a season.

Last year, a family friend of ours who has connections with her own family and friends in Germany, asked if we knew of anyone who was looking to have a university-aged girl come and live with their family to help out around the house, tend to the children, and improve her English while she experienced life in Canada for six months.  She knew of a nice girl named Janina who was looking for that situation and I started jumping up and down, hand raised, saying, “PICK ME! PICK ME!”

Life is crazy for us. Three kids, unpredictable work hours, apple orchard to run, home renovations. I needed some help! We ended up making arrangements for Janina to come and live with us for six months and on a stormy August night, she flew into the Okanagan at midnight and began her journey with our family.

Over the past six months she has been an amazing addition to our home. The girls loved chatting and playing with her, she packed their lunches (SCORE!) and helped me keep the laundry situation under control. Whenever I had to dart out for work to go and show a house or meet with clients, she was happily there to hold down the fort. She even made us schnitzel! What touched me most was the way she loved our kids.

The last half-year has flown by in the blink of an eye and today we drove Janina to the airport and she bid us “Auf Wiedersehen” as the girls clutched her tight in a long, final embrace.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I wholeheartedly agree. Thanks for joining our village, Janina, and making it wonderful! We will miss you!

We wish you all the best as you return to Germany. Prost!