when it rains, it pours {and in my life, hails}

Rain, rain, go away!

I am a positive person. I really enjoy my life. I have been blessed in so many ways. Not everyday is rainbows and butterflies but I'm happy. I like where things are going and I have high hopes for the future. Sometimes though, life throws a lot at you...and it's hard to take.
My life is doing that right now but it's kind of in that "I can't believe this is happening, I'm almost amused..." kind of way. I guess that's the best way to experience a crappy week though, right?

To start with, I'm struggling in a couple different personal relationships so my heart, while not completely broken, is still a little sore.
Yesterday (Monday) I found out my great uncle Mac passed away. He's in a better place but the pain is no less real.
Today (Tuesday), my dad called to tell me about funeral arrangements. I couldn't talk, I was dealing with this:
I had a flat tire in the parking lot of our school. It was dark and there was a {freezing} torrential downpour. Oh wait, a TORNADO watch. I don't have triple a or a boyfriend(...who else do you call when you have a flat in the rain?).
I wandered around in the school like a soggy wet stray for a while, spoke to a variety of people and hoped my knight in shining armor would show up. I assume I would have been waiting all night until I saw one of my 3yr olds fathers. They are an incredibly nice family and I just needed to talk to someone I recognized. So I trudged my soggy self into the gym where he was coaching basketball, looking like a hot mess, and desperately asked for help.

He was a bit flustered, but after pulling himself together, he let me use his triple a. Just called them up, said he'd check on me when they were done with practice. Easy peasy. Angel.

I ended up having to call him to come over to the parking lot I was in and wait with his id becasue the aaa people on the phone were being difficult (since, well I don't have aaa)- so he waited in the car with his children while I sat embarrassed in my car.

AAA came, changed my tire, I signed something and we were off.
I am forever indebted to this INCREDIBLE family. I'd obviously LOVE to be their nanny. I said "thank you" about 8 million times and he said "You take care of my baby, of course." That almost caused tears. I have no idea how I'll be able to thank them but I'm going to spend a long time trying. I will be SURE to express my gratitude.

When I finally got home, I did some dishes...
CUT my finger with e KNIFE (small nic, I'm 100% fine).
But really??

Are
You
Kidding
Me?

This is laughable really. I haven't even cried. I'm not that upset. I'm too confused, it's all too bizarre.
But- I am terrified to see what Wednesday has in store for me. Thursday I have a dentists appointment to get 2 cavities filled. Friday will likely be capped off with a space rock falling from the sky and hitting me on the head. Saturday? A drive to Tennessee for a funeral.

So positive thoughts, prayers, karma- whatever suits your fancy- I'd LOVE some sent my way. I have no doubt that when the literal rain goes away and a new day begins, I'll start new and things will be brighter. This week is just a little bump in God's big plan. He has truly poured infinite blessings on my life.
Here's to not losing a nanny or teacher this week!

xoxo,
April

P.S. I also tripped the breaker in my house this morning.

coming through in a pinch

I got a phone call from one of my favorites a few minutes ago. Let's call him "desperate dad". Desperate dad and I go way back, in fact he gave me my first long term nanny job. I was maybe 13 or 14 and his sweet baby was around 6 months old. I spent the summer rocking her to sleep (and cleaning up the bottles they left lying around for days).
Come to think of it, desperate dad and his clan are probably why I love nannying. His first is beyond adorable. One of my favorite children ever, seriously, the stories I have could fill a book. Such a personality & the easiest of his children [I give myself a sound amount of credit there- this little one and I spent some serious time together].

Pause

Let me confirm, desperate dad does have a wife, but she has one of those fancy suit wearing really demanding jobs. She and desperate dad are both great parents, just a little flaky sometimes. Since I was in high school and then off at college they hired a full time nanny. I think they might have gone through a couple....don't know for sure. They're in a group of families where those details get fuzzy. You never know what's going on. I learned a lot about flexibility.

Anyway my point IS that desperate dad called me tonight for the first time in months. He said he knew I was available for weekends (i.e. he went through the list of high schoolers who usually come through). He asked for me on Sunday...for 2.5 hours...in mid morning. I said yes, because I'm soft. He just needs me for the youngest...who loved me once...but last summer hated me. So we'll see how this goes. I'll report back. I confirmed babysitting locations with desperate dad (because you can never assumes it's the house) and he said "Thanks for always coming through in a pinch April". I said goodbye, hung up the phone, and laughed.

Isn't that what a good nanny does?
Come through in a pinch?
I think for those families who mean a lot to you it is.