Is Sunday the beginning or end of the week?

                                                                      

Is it the beginning or the end of the week? Some people may argue that Sunday is the start of a new week; others may say it’s the end. Well today I have decided it’s the end, which may only be because I promised two blog posts this week so I’m considering this the same week.

This post is about what I did this summer. I was a nanny for a family I have been babysitting for since my senior year in high school. I know most people are probably thinking, “why is this post going to be important” or “most girls nanny at least once in their lifetime.” Well this is different. My dad actually introduced this family to me, he knew the father from when he was in a praise and worship band. When I started caring for their, at the time, two kids, I would just come over for a few hours at night to let their parents have a date night every once and while. Towards the end of the school year their mom, Kristin, asked me if I would be interested in a summer job that would be a few hours a day, a couple days a week. Saying yes that summer was the best thing I chose to do!

                             

I learned a lot from these two little kids. I know, it sounds weird, I learned a lot from two children who at the time were 4 and 2 and a half, but I did! These two kids could make me laugh when my day seemed way longer than any other day, have more patience, have a more protective side, and just learning how to deal with different situations.  

 I may have started with just the two of them but the summer before my freshman year at college, Ella, the oldest, told me she was going to be another big sister. Every time people ask me, “How many kids do they have?” every time I excitedly answer, “They have 3!!” Every time that question is followed with, “oh wow and what are the ages?” And again, I excitedly respond with “6, 4 and roughly 1 and half!” Most people follow that answer up with, “how do you do that”, “you must be brave”, “I assume you’ve known them for a while and feel obligated”. I may be “brave” or “crazy” but I wouldn’t change it for anything. I have personally known them for about 3 years (I think), I’ve honestly lost track. All I know is those 3 years have been the best summer!                     

               

I already said I’ve learned a lot from the kids, but I have also learned a lot from their mother. She is not only a mother of three, a wife to their daddy, but also an extremely hard working businesswoman. Kristin is a photographer, weddings, engagement sessions, family portraits, family, children, anything and she will capture the moment beautiful with not just her camera but her words as well. My favorite thing she does is her Hope series. She meets a family and captures their life and the challenges they may be going through. She has her own family she has to worry about and care for and then she adds more to it. Her blog is beautifully written, can be a tearjerker and have stunning photos with it.

 

Kristin has taught me so much about patience, hard work ethic, creativity, finding the funny in things that probably aren’t so funny (#whymiloscrying), balancing fun and education when it comes to school work and so much more! Sometimes I wonder if I stick through the crying of Ollie, ignoring from Milo and attitude from Ella just so I can talk to Kristin that day about whatever is going on or advice I need. When I wonder this, I think how lucky I am to have such a rewarding job every summer.

Now I can’t forget about their dad. I don’t get as much time to talk to him but one thing I can know for sure even if I never met him is that he is so loved, a wonderful father and an extremely supportive husband. Before I even started working for the Seward’s my dad always spoke highly of Jake. I am always raving about how cute their family is, or how adorable a picture of the 3 children being crazy is, or just squealing of how the Christmas card was the best one yet.

  I may leave their house at the end of the day exhausted, one kid may have cried pretty much the whole day, it could be raining the whole 15 minute commute home (this happened quite a lot), but I love every day there. It may just be a nanny job to some people, but for me it’s a rewarding job with so many lessons learned and taught.