Today I am thankful for:
1. Sweet Perks provided through my job. I may complain about the overtime or the different day to day things that quirk me about my job, but I have to stop and be thankful for the sweet perks. For example, I've got Hyatt Reward points galore and could stay overnight at any Hyatt worldwide for free...and in some places, or several days. That's a sweet perk. Or what about my Marriott Rewards points, that just scored me a FREE Vacuum...(how lame that I'm totally stoked about a new sweeper for free!). There's also the free meals, chachki's that come in the mail and hosted fun gatherings at unique locations trying to swoon our business. Again, Sweet Perks.
2. My kids babysitter - Pam. Pammy. Pamela Jo. The way we came about Pam was unique in and of itself, and I'm so thankful that God aligned things the way he did. After being warned to find daycare early, I set off on a quest -- at only 16-20 weeks pregnant to find a sitter. Of course, in our small little nook of the world, I knew that Bonnie was THE only and best babysitter in Brookston. Imagine my heartache when she told me she was just full to the gills with kids and couldn't take on additional babies at that time. Of course, since she was the best, I asked for suggestions and she gave me the name of Careen Becker. So, I called Careen and she had an opening and that was that. Fast forward to Colton being 6 weeks old and brand new Momma staring her last two weeks of maternity leave in the face. We go to meet Careen and she is a wonderful woman with a great daycare set up. She had a nap area, a baby area, her garage had been turned into a playroom with soft walls and she did Mother Goose pre-K prep with the kids. She had a food program, etc, etc, etc...all the perks. However, when we walked outside, climbed in our car, and headed home, I began crying and crying and crying. Careens house (and now us) wreaked of smoke (her husband smokes, only in one room of the house, and only in the evenings...). I couldn't bear to send my baby to a home where he'd get excelled care (I never doubted that one bit) but come home smelling like smoke, when we are not smokers. So, with a kind phone call, I politely lied to Careen that we had found another sitter.
And then I went on a MAD HUNT to actually find another babysitter. After a few suggestions, I called Pam and set up a time to go meet her. She too had all the qualifications - 25 years in the business, several of our friends (my age) had gone to Pam's when they were kids, and my favorite part, her daycare was in her home, yet secluded away in her basement so that she could "walk away" from her work each evening. Most of all, she and I seemed to click that day. She loved on Colton, but I could tell that she wasn't going to take any crap. She's a tough love kind of gal, but has an enormous heart (and patience level). She's so wonderful to my kids, and they love her. She texts me funny stories, captures cute pictures of them and sends them my way, and leads them in crafts as she can in and around the different holidays. I think I learned how wonderful Pam was on one particular, "Pity Party for the Working Mom" afternoon. I just didn't feel like I was a good mom, I wasn't giving Colton the attention to learn/practice his alphabet, teach him numbers, etc. That afternoon, on the way home from Pam's, out of the blue, he broke out into the ABC song. I truly believe it was God's way of saying "You're doing great...and together with Pam, you two make a great team!" The kids are eager to go to Pammy's during the day, and I love the care that they are receiving. God knew what he was doing that day he sent me into a panic attack as I left Careens...leading me right in the direction of the best caregiver in our small town! (Well, in our situation anyway -- I still know that Bonnie and Careen are great too!)
3. Laughter and a sense of humor. I am so thankful that love to laugh, and that I've been blessed with people around me who love to laugh too. For 29 years, Stacy and have shared a mantra -- "Dear Friend, if ever you should fall/trip/bite it, I will promise to first laugh at you uncontrollably, and then, once I can catch my breath, I will ask if you are okay"...........and how true that is! I think when I went down with my ACL tear my Junior year of high school, Stacy laughed, until she realized it was serious, and then she quickly caught her breath and came to my aid! :) I'm glad that Jason and I can laugh through any issues that come up and can find a way to keep our home happy & lighthearted. I'm glad that my kids love to laugh, and I hope that we can always remember that life is too short to be taken so seriously. (Except for the bills...those are kind of important.)
1. Sweet Perks provided through my job. I may complain about the overtime or the different day to day things that quirk me about my job, but I have to stop and be thankful for the sweet perks. For example, I've got Hyatt Reward points galore and could stay overnight at any Hyatt worldwide for free...and in some places, or several days. That's a sweet perk. Or what about my Marriott Rewards points, that just scored me a FREE Vacuum...(how lame that I'm totally stoked about a new sweeper for free!). There's also the free meals, chachki's that come in the mail and hosted fun gatherings at unique locations trying to swoon our business. Again, Sweet Perks.
2. My kids babysitter - Pam. Pammy. Pamela Jo. The way we came about Pam was unique in and of itself, and I'm so thankful that God aligned things the way he did. After being warned to find daycare early, I set off on a quest -- at only 16-20 weeks pregnant to find a sitter. Of course, in our small little nook of the world, I knew that Bonnie was THE only and best babysitter in Brookston. Imagine my heartache when she told me she was just full to the gills with kids and couldn't take on additional babies at that time. Of course, since she was the best, I asked for suggestions and she gave me the name of Careen Becker. So, I called Careen and she had an opening and that was that. Fast forward to Colton being 6 weeks old and brand new Momma staring her last two weeks of maternity leave in the face. We go to meet Careen and she is a wonderful woman with a great daycare set up. She had a nap area, a baby area, her garage had been turned into a playroom with soft walls and she did Mother Goose pre-K prep with the kids. She had a food program, etc, etc, etc...all the perks. However, when we walked outside, climbed in our car, and headed home, I began crying and crying and crying. Careens house (and now us) wreaked of smoke (her husband smokes, only in one room of the house, and only in the evenings...). I couldn't bear to send my baby to a home where he'd get excelled care (I never doubted that one bit) but come home smelling like smoke, when we are not smokers. So, with a kind phone call, I politely lied to Careen that we had found another sitter.
And then I went on a MAD HUNT to actually find another babysitter. After a few suggestions, I called Pam and set up a time to go meet her. She too had all the qualifications - 25 years in the business, several of our friends (my age) had gone to Pam's when they were kids, and my favorite part, her daycare was in her home, yet secluded away in her basement so that she could "walk away" from her work each evening. Most of all, she and I seemed to click that day. She loved on Colton, but I could tell that she wasn't going to take any crap. She's a tough love kind of gal, but has an enormous heart (and patience level). She's so wonderful to my kids, and they love her. She texts me funny stories, captures cute pictures of them and sends them my way, and leads them in crafts as she can in and around the different holidays. I think I learned how wonderful Pam was on one particular, "Pity Party for the Working Mom" afternoon. I just didn't feel like I was a good mom, I wasn't giving Colton the attention to learn/practice his alphabet, teach him numbers, etc. That afternoon, on the way home from Pam's, out of the blue, he broke out into the ABC song. I truly believe it was God's way of saying "You're doing great...and together with Pam, you two make a great team!" The kids are eager to go to Pammy's during the day, and I love the care that they are receiving. God knew what he was doing that day he sent me into a panic attack as I left Careens...leading me right in the direction of the best caregiver in our small town! (Well, in our situation anyway -- I still know that Bonnie and Careen are great too!)
3. Laughter and a sense of humor. I am so thankful that love to laugh, and that I've been blessed with people around me who love to laugh too. For 29 years, Stacy and have shared a mantra -- "Dear Friend, if ever you should fall/trip/bite it, I will promise to first laugh at you uncontrollably, and then, once I can catch my breath, I will ask if you are okay"...........and how true that is! I think when I went down with my ACL tear my Junior year of high school, Stacy laughed, until she realized it was serious, and then she quickly caught her breath and came to my aid! :) I'm glad that Jason and I can laugh through any issues that come up and can find a way to keep our home happy & lighthearted. I'm glad that my kids love to laugh, and I hope that we can always remember that life is too short to be taken so seriously. (Except for the bills...those are kind of important.)
Comments
Post a Comment