As I sit here with a box of tissues, it is an understatement when I say, " I am not ready to write this blog."
How have 913 days passed since our sweet, vivacious Elena came crashing into our lives? I remember picking her up from the airport like it was (legit) yesterday. I was late (of course) and she was patiently waiting for me in the baggage claim area at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. She smiled warmly at me as I walked up to her and she gave me the biggest hug, melting away both of our fears. Neither of us knew exactly what we were getting ourselves into. I was inviting a complete stranger into my home to live with my family and she was leaving behind everything she called "home".
However, in the most unlikely of ways, we fit each other's puzzle perfectly. She quickly merged into our family seamlessly, like she was always here, and now I can't imagine our life without her. She is the most AMAZING person and caretaker for Cashton and Jaxson and she has truly become my best friend.
Many have asked, "will we get another Cultural Aupair?" The answer is yes, but Elena will forever have a place in our hearts as our "first". She taught me exactly what this program is all about. When I signed up to host an Aupair I thought it would be a "cool" cultural exchange for us and the kids, while solving our childcare needs. Little did I know my party of four was about to become Strager -Party of Five with Elena at the helm!
Sure, I didn't learn one lick of Italian while she was here (which was one of my goals... I even took an Italian language class that I failed out of) but I learned a new love that my heart didn't know before and for that I am eternally grateful.
Elena has touched so many people during her time in the USA, that includes not only our immediate family but our extended family as well. You know a person really has a special soul when family members from all over the US from Montana to Florida go out of their way to spend time with her. It's easy to see how Elena has made so many friends along the way and has even won the hearts of our Kiss 95.1 listener family too.
Elena has been there for me in ways that not many others have. She knows a side of me that few will ever see. She can sense when I am stressed or something is weighing on me and she knows just how to brighten my day. We instinctively know what each other is thinking before either one of us ever opens our mouths and her love is felt by just a look. In short, she has become the sister I never had and I truly know she will ALWAYS be family now.
She has been so instrumental in Cash's development, Jaxson's joy, my laughter, Dallas's sanity, and for truly making our house feel like a home. She completes our family in a way that is hard to understand from the outside looking in, but to us, she will ALWAYS be a Strager.
She is a woman of strength and many talents and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for her. As we say our "see you laters" I say countless prayers that Cashton continues to thrive and that Jaxson remembers her. I pray that she will visit often and that we can take the children to visit their "extended family" in Italy one day. And I pray that we have made a profound, lifelong impact on each other's life and path in this world.
Thank you Elena, for 2.5 of the best years I could have asked for (even with covid). I love you so much and I hope you truly know how much you mean to me and our family.
Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.
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