Child Care Chronicle

We have had trouble with the whole child care issue nearly from the beginning. I stayed home from work for 9 weeks after Gracen was born. We were having trouble finding someone to keep Gracen, so Jeffrey's mom, Barbara, said she would keep her until we found someone. There is a lady in town that keeps several children in her house, and from what I hear, does a wonderful job. But I really wanted someone to come to our house, so Gracen could keep up her routine. Barbara kept Gracen from the end of November through December. I loved Barbara keeping her, but I knew she had other things she needed to do. December was nearing an end, and I was really wanting to find someone.

That's when Naomi, the black lady that keeps the nursery at our church, asked me if I was looking for anyone to keep Gracen. I thought, "Dear Lord, yes I am!" I thought this would be great. Gracen would already be comfortable with her at church and at home. She started in January, but she was still working some in the cafeteria at one of the elementary schools. I only work Monday and Tuesday, so I didn't think this would be a problem. Everything started off really well: she did my laundry, ironed and cleaned any dishes in the sink. Then she started calling and missing work occasionally. She would only give me a day's notice if she wasn't able to come, which started happening more than I can count. After a while I became very impatient with her, but kept my cool when I talked to her. I think she got a little nervous when I replaced the lady that cleaned my house, because she started coming more reliably for a few weeks.

But then a few weeks ago she called me at 7:20am Monday morning (I have to be at work at 8am) and told me that she wasn't feeling well so she couldn't come. I called her back that night to see if she was feeling better, and she said she wouldn't be able to keep Gracen Tuesday, either. The next week, 8am rolls around, and she's not here. I called Jeffrey's mom, but she was asleep and couldn't hear the phone. So I called Stephanie, my sister-in-law. She was taking her 3 kids to the dentist 2 hours away, but sure she'd take Gracen, too. (Thank the Lord she's more flexible than me!) I called Naomi that night, and after several attempts finally got ahold of her to ask her what happened. She said she was at the doctor having some tests run, and didn't get home in time. I told her that I would appreciate her letting me know if she wasn't able to come, and she said that she just didn't get home in time. I already had Barbara lined up for Tuesday, so I told her I didn't need her. And the last straw was last week. I called her Sunday night to make sure she was going to be able to come, and she said she wasn't going to be able to come that week. And of course, this would happen on a week that I had agreed to fill in Wednesday and Thursday at a local pharmacy. Barbara was out of town, so Stephanie offered to keep Gracen for me. Stephanie is a photographer and always has plenty of work to do, but she still kept Gracen. She somehow managed to get some work done while driving Gracen back and forth from her house to mine so Gracen could sleep in her own bed.

Needless to explain any further, we started working really hard over the weekend trying to find someone else to keep Gracen. Stephanie had mentioned to the ladies that clean my house that I was looking for someone. They told her that they might be interested. I called them and they said they would keep her. They are wonderful, kind, Christian ladies. They kept Gracen today for the first time, and I felt very at peace leaving her with them. They are truly an answer to prayer. Now I want to mention that all those time that Naomi wasn't able to keep Gracen, my mother-in-law or Stephanie jumped in (many times without much notice) and kept her. My parents have come several times for many days, often taking off work themselves, to keep her for me. I truly don't know what I would've done without their help. Jeffrey, Gracen, and I are truly blessed to have such wonderful family.