week one down...
Well after week one i guess it is official I am a new jersey nanny. I have to say I could get used to this:) The days can be long, and it is almost too strange to only have 2 children to watch instead of 24! Things are quieter, calmer and slower. I actually find myself with some time on my hands. I am sure soon I will look back on this post as I try to remember what it was like to have down time...
Perks of the job...the commute is literally 30 seconds if I walk really slow..15 seconds if I am in a rush. I spend a majority of my day with no shoes on. While in the house with the kids I don't have to wear them. I hate them!! The pool is right outside my window. I mean just plain lovely! The beach club is nice...hopefully next week I can fit in some cabana time:) Apparently in new jersey you don't have to pump in gas. In fact you aren't allowed to pump your gas. How sad is it that is my probably my favorite thing so far!! I hate pumping gas:) The kids have been great. Of course next week that could change. Right now the fear factor is still there!
Cons of the job...living in someone's house is going to take some time to adapt. Man do they eat freakishly healthy:( I am sure that is suppose to be a perk but I am not in that place yet. Sweet tea is missing. These Yankees just don't know what they are missing! I was finally able to find it at Mcdo's today but those are few and far apart! The New Jersey lefts make me want to cuss!!! On most of the main roads here you can't turn left AT ALL. You have to turn right and then make a U-turn to find a red light to go straight through. Yeah it took me 10 minutes this morning to find a place to turn!! Anything that makes you think evil thoughts while trying to find a church can not be good:(
Overall the first week has been really good. I haven't gotten lost. People are really friendly. Unfortunately most of the Italians I have meet hate every jersey show out there. I am still waiting to hear someone with that typical jersey accent. I guess it is typical after all:)
what matters
Growing older brings about a variety of changes...things that never hurt before hurt, energy doesn't last as long, little interest in staying up late or going to new different places, etc. Over the last few weeks I have realized that leaving gets harder when you're older. When I have moved away from home before, I was always bouncing with eagerness. Bring on the new state, new country and new everything was my motto. I rarely shed any tears or whined about being nervous. Excited energy has always been the norm. I firmly believe it is easier to leave than be the one left behind. But being older and wiser means I realize what I am leaving.
In a few days I will hopefully be fully packed and flying to a new home. I am going to live in the New Jersey land of big hair and overly Italian accents. I am excited and really looking for a totally new adventure as a nanny! It will be a completely different world with 2 children to care for instead of 24:) Close to the beach and NYC...pretty sure no other location could be better...BUT
I am going to miss some things from here. I love my job. It is stressful at times, and they drive me nuts. Some of the children have taken a little piece of my heart. I will miss the hundreds of hugs I get everyday from my 24 grubby monsters. The relationships I have built with the other teachers especially my assistant have sustained more than I ever thought possible.
Relationships matter to me. I know who I want to be friends with and the ones I want to last. Right now for the first time ever I want to keep all my friends and hold them close! Saturday shopping trips and mid week girls night out won't be as spontantous or often not an option...It makes me sad to not know when I will see someone again. I know that relationships change. Will we still want to be friends when we live several states apart...
Community is a blessing. To have fellow Christians to do life with isn't always an option for some people. I know what it is like to not have believers in my life, and it makes everything twice as difficult. I have been blessed for the last 2 almost 3 years to have a community of believers and that make going to church worth it. I have been able to teach bible study and watch them grow. They have challenged me to dig deeper and learn more. I won't find another group quite like meat-n-taters:)
Yes...I will miss more shallow things like Sonic on every corner and deep fried southern food, but the relationships are what matter and will be missed...
