Jordyn

Last week my kids were sick so the little girl I provide daycare for wasn't able to come. My little ones and I missed her. I have been watching her since she was 1 year old. Last week she had her 6th birthday. This will be my last year for her to come; she starts 1st grade and full time school in the fall. I will miss her just like I miss her older brother who stopped coming several years ago.

I used to do daycare as a way of earning needed extra money but as my family grew, life became more hectic and the need for that money diminished, I quit and I didn't regret it for one moment. I was happy to spend my undivided time on my own children. Then one day I got a call from the wife of the choir director at my kids' high school. Her husband had been trying to watch their two youngest at school while she went to work and it wasn't a good situation. She had no idea where to take the kids. He told her "Call Mrs. Thomas, I know her kids and I trust her." I had to think about it. Did I want to? I liked the family. I knew we had shared values so I wouldn't be dealing with children who were being raised very differently than my own that was very important. A little extra money never hurt. They would only be here a few mornings a week, it could work. For me, the most compelling reasons were that I appreciated what Mr. Richard had been doing for my children and if I were in their situation I would want my children to be with someone I trusted to care for them well.

I remember rocking this little girl to sleep and wiping her nose. She has told me her stories and asked me endless questions. We read books, paint pictures and sometimes we tap dance. I have had two more of my own babies since she has come to our home. In some ways she feels more like a niece or some other member of my extended family growing up with my own children.

Jordyn has been a blessing for our family. I feel a little guilty about taking money from her parents. She plays so well with the kids that I can actually get some work done. I never would have imagined that anyone could turn little boys wielding toy light sabers into playing house. She gets them all dressed up in their "Jedi outfits", they go out and fight the robots and then she calls them "home" to eat lunch. Whatever they play, she keeps them too busy to even think about begging me to watch television. What could be better than that? Sometimes the best blessing show up on your doorstep when you didn't even know you needed them.