My whole adult life I have been a nanny. I have had a few other jobs here and there, but that is the one that stuck. I started watching a little boy, Tyce, when I was a junior in high school. He did not even know I was there. I would come over at night after he was put to sleep so his parents could go out. Little did I know it when I was a junior but I would watch him until he was 10 and a half years old. I eventually watched him while he was awake and the first time I picked him up from daycare he cried the whole way home. I met his sister, Teagan, for the first time was she was just eight tiny days old. Not only have Tyce and Teagan worked their way into my heart, but their parents Mark and Heather, have as well. This family has seen my through high school, seen me give college a try, and loved me while I took care of my mom in her final months. I have gotten to see two great little ones grow up into awesome kids.
And tonight, I told them I was leaving them.
Heartbreaking.
There were a lot of tears, me included. I don’t know exactly how I expected this conversation to go, but I didn’t think it would hurt this much. Teagan cried that I was going to miss her birthday and she couldn’t turn nine without me. Tyce teared up and didn’t know how he was supposed to do his homework without me at the table for when he has questions. And my heart broke. I have snuggled these kids when they were sick, given high fives when they learned something new, driven them to soccer practice and guitar lessons.
So tonight before I go to bed I will probably cry a little more. And for the next month before I leave I will cherish every moment I get with these kiddos.
