Grandmas

Well, My sister & her baby, and me & the kids I nanny for decided to catch TRAX (the closest thing to a commuter train Utah will ever have) downtown and hang out for a while yesterday. We just stayed around Temple square; went to the Church History Museum and then toured the Conference Center (It's amazing how big it is, and how little I really knew about it until yesterday!) It was pretty fun until the point where we had two kids sleeping and another honestly falling asleep on his feet, two pretty big purses/diaper bags, and only one small umbrella stroller. =)

Well, while we were on the train back home, I saw two really young kids (like 3-5) walk by, followed a little later by a girl who was probably 9 or 10. Me and my sister looked at each other after they passed, wondering where their parents were (they did NOT look like the type you would normally see unaccompanied on a train) A few stops down the line, I realized that there was an old lady slowly but surely making her way, a few rows at a time, back to where the kids were. She would take a few steps with her cane, and hanging on for dear life to the poles and seats around her until the train started moving, then she would sit down. When she got to us, we talked to her for a second while the train was moving. It turns out that the kids we saw were her grand kids, and the little boy (probably 3) absolutely loves trains, so his Grandma decided she would take them for a train ride. She was soft-spoken, and did not seem bothered one bit about the hassle their outing had become.

When I heard that, I immediately thought to myself "I'm going to call Grandma and tell her about this lady. That reminds me of something she would do." after a split second pause, my mind caught up with the times, and I remembered that Grandma is no longer just a phone call away. It was a heart-falling-to-the-bottom-of-your-chest feeling. The thought that my grandma is gone is still one I struggle with. It just seems like she is on vacation, and we're expecting her back any day now.

I found myself inexplicably drawn to that lady on the train after that. I wanted to follow her and watch her more. I am not sure what I thought would happen, or what I wanted to accomplish by following her (likely, she'd call the police about the stalker she picked up on the train). What I do know, though, is that I am happy for those kids on the train. I am happy that they have such a loving grandma who would make sacrifices like that for their sake and happiness, and I know that they love her as dearly as I love my Grandma. That thought makes me glad for them. Every little child deserves the love and adoration of a Grandma like that.

I am also grateful to the lady on the train for reminding me of one of the most simple, amicable traits my Grandma has; selflessness. It is something I always admired in her, and something I want to possess also. I think it will take a little bit of work to get to the point Grandma was at, but there can be no harm done by filling my life with service and love. In the end, it will bring me closer to my Father in Heaven, and in turn, to my Grandma.

Just knock twice.

So, I'm a nanny. I've been doing it for almost a year and a half, and it's pretty nice. Sometimes, it gets old, but I enjoy it for the most part, and it's nice to get paid to watch kids sometimes. Pro Bono is just not my angle =)

Well, this past month or so has been pretty draining, to say the least. First, there was Grandma being so sick. It seemed like any day I could get off work and find a ride up there, I was going back and forth to the Hospital (even though I know I was not there as much as I would have liked, I tried, right? ...Well, I hope it's alright, at least.)

Then, the very day I came back from Grandma's funeral, I found out that my boss' sister (who has been very sick with cancer the entire time I've worked for them) was getting only worse, and they'd be leaving to see her that afternoon, leaving me with the kids for a few days. The next two weeks have pretty much been just a revolving door at our house. The bosses would come home, get the kids, go back. Come home, stay half a day, and leave the kids. Come home for a day, leave. Just over and over, it seems. I'm OK with it; it does not bother me, but three or four of the times they have left have been at like 3 a.m.

At that time in the morning, I am usually in a very deep sleep. Anyone who has ever slept with me knows that I am a very hard person to wake up =) Here's how it usually goes; just before my bosses are about to leave, the wife (Runner Woman) will come to my room and knock really quietly, and pause for a few minutes. If I do not answer by then, Runner Woman will knock again, just a bit more loudly. The third time will be even more insistent, but still far too nice to convince me to leave the comfort of slumber. Usually, by the time I am conscious enough to know that she's really knocking, and it's for me, I have absolutely no idea how long she's been knocking, and I just end up feeling all sorts of guilty that they had to wait for me to get up. Needless to say, I think it would be a lot easier for both of us if she just knocked twice.

When I am roused out of deep sleep, I'm in a semi-conscious, foggy state. Usually, I try half-heartedly to decide whether the knock I heard was in my dream or real life; which determines whether I wake myself up enough to mumble "Yeah?", or slide back into sleep. This is the part where the two knocks come into play. The first knock is to wake me out of the deep sleep, and the second knock is to let me know that it's real, and not a dream. If you do them close enough, my body has less time to recognize the noise as a nuisance and tune it out. Life these past weeks could have been so much easier if she would just knock twice. It's a win-win situation for everyone. They do not have to wait for the slumbering beast to wake up, and I don't have to feel guilty for making them wait.

If ever in doubt, save us all some time and JUST KNOCK TWICE. < /RANT>

My Dæmon =)

Well, I've decided that I absolutely love the series His Dark Materials, by Phillip Pullman (more commonly known now for the first book, THE GOLDEN COMPASS, which is coming out in the movies on December 7, 2007). Anywho, for all of you who are looking for a book(s) to read, I highly suggest this series (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and the Amber Spyglass) I really like it, it's a pretty interesting take on fantasy, with different worlds, creatures, and a little bit of science mixed in there.

On the official movie website, I took a survey to find out what my Dæmon was, and here it is! Give me your input!