Mara Tegtmeier, Waikato

I would really like to nominate our Au Pair Mara as she is the most wonderful addition to our family!  This whole process was made so much easier than I ever thought possible thanks to Rachel, Michelle and of course, Mara. Poor Mara got thrown in the deep end completely as we are a family with 4 children and she arrived at the start of calving.  We run a huge farm here in Naike with 1100 cows, and with calving it is known as "The Crazy Time".  This has been my first year rearing calves, and having 2 babies aged 1 and 2, their well being has been my top priority. It was really hard for me to leave my babies but having Mara here has eased that all for me.  Hours are one thing that have been thrown out of the window recently and life for us will all begin after calving.  We talk constantly about life after calving and I look forward to sharing our usual family antics with Mara soon (only 3 weeks to go)...  So anyway back to Mara.....  I come home tired most days to children with french braids, singing German nursery rhymes, happy, clean, excited and pleased to see me.  They go to Mara now when they hurt themselves and spend afternoons outside exploring our farm and going for beautiful walks (even in the rain).  I have come home on the odd occasion of Mara being a Caterpillar, playing babies/mothers and the girls totally captivated by her and so captured in their game I can only but sit there watching with a huge smile on my face.  Our older girls aged 10 and 13 think she is wonderful and they dance, sing, play and really enjoy each other.  Right now I have had to take a back seat and it has been a very hard thing for me to do but having Mara here has eased it all for me.  This whole process has been so much easier with the worlds best Au Pair ever!  I have recommended Au Pair Link to so many people and thru our experience would never hesitate to do this again.  Actually I think I will send all the girls to Germany to stay with Mara next year :-)....  We now have a wonderful family member for life, I said to Mara from the start she will be more like an older sister than employee and that is exactly what has happened.  I can not think of life without Mara now and the thought of only having her for another 5 months saddens me greatly! 

Mara Tegtmeier