viva italia

This girl (another Haiti travel friend) leaves for FLORENCE, Italy today.
I haven't been able to tell her in person, but I think a semester abroad is the single most important thing you can do for yourself in college (eh, maybe go to class). Nothing beats it (take me back to London town, please).

Follow her journey here.

So proud of you Britt!!!

xoxo,
April

change

Well friends, the inevitable has happened.
This nanny is taking a break. (a nanny break that is.) Life is going an unexpected direction.

Wait, pause.

Ok, let's be honest, me wanting to pick up and move to Haiti is not totally unexpected. My second trip to Haiti went like this. Now I'm just waiting to see what God does. He's moving. In big ways I never knew He could. Oh ye of little faith!
So, I'm still writing. I mean, I love writing as much as I love talking. I'm changing venues though. I figure I might as well embrace change, so I'm trying tumblr (plus, I'll admit, it's trendy, sue me). If you happen to be interested in my little journey, you can follow it here, on an anchored heart and wandering feet.
I'll stick around here too. There are sure to be a plethora of nanny and teacher stories to tell in the coming months.
Thanks for the support and love friends. I am so blessed.
xoxo,
April

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.

just think about it...

Ok, so being a nanny for the Duggars would obviously be an insane task (see previous post). They'd have to have at least 3...right?

BUT

It can get a little more bizarre...

How about those crazies over on "Sister Wives". I mean clearly, there are enough sister wives to care for the children...plus, like the Duggars, the number of children means a huge age gap; therefore they take care of ( & raise) each other.
If ALL FOUR WIVES decided to work or go on a book tour simultaneously, they'd need a nanny. Weird, right?

Would they advertise that their seeking a nanny for a polygamist family...?
Who would answer that...?
It's true that I find the whole thing fascinating but I don't want to get in the middle of that mess.

What if the nanny became the 5th wife.

Ok, I'm grossed out now...

nanny of 19 kids and counting...?

Sometimes I wish I was a full time nanny again.
Not the same full time nanny I was this time last year. Please no. I do miss those kids though.
Just a regular full time nanny. The hours are better. You only have one ( or 2) sets of parents to deal with as opposed to 19 and definitely less than 19 children...unless of course you nanny for the Duggars.
You know what...I think I'd like that job...

How can I contact tlc?

the hits just keep coming.

...in a good way of course...and in the form of babysitting jobs.
One of the three year olds I teach needs a babysitter in a couple of weekends. I obviously said yes.
This is a new experience (babysitting a student I teach) for yours truly and I am sure it will generate some material, so keep your eyes peeled faithful readers.

:)

xoxo,
April