Hearts of Gold

And this is why I’m still a babysitter at 28 years old. 😍

These specific kids I began babysitting in the fall of 2011.  I moved to Nashville for an art internship not knowing but a handful of people.  I babysat one family part-time and was scared away by their intensity.  So I looked for other work, babysat a few families I had met and interviewed with, but nothing too permanent.  Until I met my little munchkins.  The oldest was 5 in kindergarten, the second was 4 and in preschool, and the little boy was only 16 months.  Immediately we all clicked.  In the past, I’ve worked most with boys.  It just happened to be that way so two giggly girls made me weary at first.

But not for long.  They make me laugh.  Hard.  Like embarrassingly loud, belly laughs.  Their interest in reading, art, and imaginative play was heart-warming to say the least.  And the little boy…. well.  His mom said he was at the age of stranger anxiety and nervous away from her when we first met.  They were getting out of the car, and she handed him to me to “test it out.”  And he immediately laid his sweet head down on my shoulder.  And has never moved it since then! 😄  He became my little buddy and a trusty cuddle bug!

No matter what other jobs I have had, they have always treated me like family. So of course I asked these munchkins to be in our wedding as flower children!  The few days before the wedding, I was a wreck.  I couldn’t stop crying from stress and emotion overload, unfinished projects, and the lack of organization of others.  I ran into their mom right before the rehearsal dinner, after I had been crying for what felt like hours.  She suggested to see the kids in their hotel room, and although I was hesitant, agreed.

They ran out of their hotel room and were THRILLED to see me.  They all made me pictures and were ecstatic to tell me all the stories I had missed earlier that week.  The darling boy made me a picture that said, “I luv you so much serie.”  The oldest couldn’t wait to tell me about her field trip.  Selin, the middle child who is much like me, just wanted to give me a hug.  They were excited to be in a hotel 😊

Even though a lot of stress surrounded this weekend, seeing them made me feel truly loved and comforted.  Yes, the kids comforted ME!  I don’t know if they will ever know how much they have impacted my life, but I love them so.

It was so special to have them there on our wedding day.  Now the oldest is 11, middle is 9, and the boy is 6.  🙂

 

Children see us the way we should see ourselves… comfortable, strong, loving, and funny.  We can learn so much by letting them be themselves.

 

Love the children of the world,

 

Sarie