James and Ellen

Today is my first day back to work, being a nanny for James and Ellen. This morning I spent 2 hours at the park with James while Ellen was at kindergarten. We spent our hours swinging, climbing, sliding, laughing, reading and relaxing. During our trips we often come across other preschoolers and today was no different. For a half hour I was paid to sit and watch James play with his new friend, Jake. I was free to think about things other than the apartment, Hebrew and online posts for class. I was also able to reflect on the amazing afternoon Aaron and I spent together on Wednesday. In short, I was able to catch a glimpse of life outside of our apartment and Luther. Often I don’t realize how intense situations are until I step back. Work is my step back. Spending a few hours with children brings new perspective. It’s a time to get back to the basics. It’s a time to catch a breath of fresh air and a ray of sunshine. My call committee made one recommendation for me. They want me to focus on self-care. I believe being a nanny is a form of self-care for me. Well, quiet time is over, time to for a snack and a Ms. Frizzle video then it’s back outside to play.