No, I Won't Just "Let It Go"



Don't worry, this is a staged shot
of L7 and A6.

As I continue to work as a nanny I have discovered that the sharing of adult wisdom when children are having a "discussion" of sorts could be listed at the top of the job description.  Some might refer to this simply as "refereeing". L7 and N6 are great kids who have a fun sister-brother relationship but they also have their fair and normal share of conflict.  The adults in the house are working are encouraging the kiddos to use kind words and a calm tone of voice to minimize sources and outbursts of anger.  However, we are also working on encouraging them to LET IT GO.

(Also, if you're confused about these cryptic code names being used, I explain it all here). 

In a good mood and working the camera.

For instance:

What, you came in from outside and someone else closed the garage door behind you?  Probably let it go.  (Or, you know, cry about it.  Whatever works).

Someone is walking down the stairs with you and then quickens their pace, and arrives at the bottom first?  Hmm... I would also say this is a "let it go" situation. 

Letting things go is a huge part of my marriage and my life.  It is both helpful and frustrating that I married the King of the Nobel Land of Letting Go-Ness but mostly a good thing, as he forgives faults and minor frustrations freely and easily and has a knack for moving on and not letting things get to him. 

Typically, when people talk about letting go, they are referring to things of a negative nature.  Let go of the past - it's gone.  Let go of your anger - it won't help.  Let go of that loss - try to move on. 

However, right now, I do not want to let go. 

I want to cling on to the goodness of God that has been overflowing around Ryan and I and continue to welcome it with open arms.  Here I am, God.  Please, continue this shower of blessings - You are amazing!

This concept struck me the other morning as I was reading one of the psalms.  The author wrote this now-familiar line: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever."  (Psalm 118:1, 29)

How many millions of people have said, read, or sang that line, over the course of thousands of years?  How many people can testify to the sheer truth and greatness of that statement?  God's ever-enduring love and goodness is not something we should just "get over."  Simply observing that God is good, always and forever, give thanks, and then letting go would be ridiculous.  Likewise, we should embrace this amazing truth, celebrate it, and live our lives in light of it.

I realize that my last blog post was primarily about being in the center of God's will and how amazing that feels and this post about God's goodness could come across as redundant.  But then again - how could God's love ever become redundant?  People have been singing His praises for thousands of years and it won't be stopping anytime soon.  This is the soul's natural response to such truth. 

So, I am not letting go of God's goodness to me.  I am savoring the fact that I have an amazing employer and I love going to work.  I delight in the jokes and cuddles I share with my husband each day.  I humbly adore the ways that God is molding me and humbling me as I read through Hosea and understand even more how the Israelites are just like me.  I am in true awe of how God has provided for us financially as we moved from the ever practical,  stable [and salary-earning] lives we lived in Fargo to this affluent, expensive area.  We are paying for Ryan's grad school and we aren't earning a salary and yet... it's okay.  Seriously.  I have been keeping a list of the all the things that have happened and blessed us in our finances since we moved here in August.  There are 25 items on it as of this week, 25 different ways God has intervened in our lives so that we can pay our bills, have enough to eat, etc., etc...

This short list is only the beginning of things that I have been blessed by lately.  So yes, I am basking in God's everlasting love and goodness.

I am not letting go of this.  I am giving thanks and holding on. 

Run down on the nanny family

I have been nannying for some time now and I basically love it.  It's a great fit for me and I am settling into routines and life with this most excellent family.  I have also gotten the go-ahead to post pictures of the kiddos, who I will affectionately refer to by letters and potentially their age.  I considered doing this in real life but it is more awkward in the spoken vernacular than in the written word.  (And yes, I just wanted a reason to use the word vernacular).

Here they are, summarized for you:

L7: Oldest child, female.  Has a memory sharper than a shark's tooth.  Enjoys reading, biking, talking, asking questions, playing violin (usually), and fairy-related items.  It was from her that I learned you need to be 14 years old before you can be a tooth a fairy. 

N6: Moved from youngest to second-oldest 18 months ago - a big adjustment.  Loves all things Lego and transportation and has ongoing "vroommmm" sounds exuding from his mouth during said activities.  Another avid reader.  An active little boy, he bikes, runs, and swings with vigor.  Plays cello and thinks it's awesome when I play piano with him on "Old MacDonald." 

A17m: 17-month old girl. Most expressive faces I've ever seen. I love them all, especially when the nose is scrunched.



Swinging is a favorite activity!

 
 A17m enjoys: doing anything her siblings are doing, "reading" through books by flipping a couple of pages and grabbing a new one (though she will listen to "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"), approaching "Babababa" (babies) while they're on their tummies and patting them (similar to burping them), and being silly.  She has super-cute babbles and we are working on getting more words.  She is smart but also screams when everything isn't going her way.  Ah, the life of a toddler.   

Peek-a-boo!

K in the swing. 

 S5m and K5m: I am working on noticing the differences between this identical duo, as to not always lump them as one entity, "The Twins."  So far, here's what I've got:

K is chubbier of the twins, probably by a pound and a half or so.  Think that's not much?  Imagine being 10% heavier than someone exactly your size and who has the same genetic make-up of you.  He enjoys kicking his legs with great enthusiasm while on the changing table and has gigantic eyes.  He also has a distinct "Prelude to a Cry" song in his vocal repertoire, which somewhat resembles a raccoon noises or small animal yelps.  This means: "I am not crying yet but if you don't get me some food soon, I will give you full-blown shrieks and tears." 

S5m enjoys being held more than K and has a leaner torso and face.  He is more likely to scrunch up into hungry face and cry if something is wrong or if he wants to be cuddled.  He recently added rap noises to his repertoire of sounds, which are these spitty lip bubble things where air comes out of his mouth without actually opening it.  He also has a great smile and seems to enjoy looking around at all that's going on.  He was a little behind brother K in raising his head but with much training, S is also able to raise his head and look around while lying on his belly.  (K does this with slightly greater ease).

S observing the world (and the photographer)

K with his huge eyes on the left, S on the right.  This picture also demonstrates the passion these boys have for sucking on their fingers. 

This is my new life.  Though I still get nostalgic (read: a little sad) when I think about the 200 or so kids I left behind in Fargo I think I am doing moderately well at embracing my new job, with my new kids.  Working with only 5 kids is a huge change from so many, obviously. While I think that I so darn extroverted and working with large groups is a special niche for me, working with merely 5 kids is a different kind of good thing for me.   I have a separate blog post rolling around in my mind, discussing the various things I have learned thus far from my new job, but suffice it to say for now, I'm learning new things.


Learning new things is always a good thing!  Have you learned something new today?