It was a good dream, a very good dream...

 Who doesn't love the story of Mary Poppins? She is truly magical, coming at just the right time to save the Banks family from... themselves, really. She is firm yet fun. Cleaning is delightful with her. Suddenly the children are happy and well-behaved, the house is clean, and the parents are happy. Life is fabulous! And then she is needed in another place, so she is on her way. And she has left their little world much better than she found it.

When D arrived after his time away, I was still sane, but I was frazzled. I was able to sort of recuperate during his vacation (he had no work and no interviews for about a week and a half), but I was not looking forward to him resuming his 60+ hours a week at work. During a conversation with my mom, she happened to mention that she had a really hard time after her third (that's me!) was born--her first three were 19 and then 21 months apart (mine are 19 and then 20 months apart)--well, I figured she might have a little bit of perspective, so I asked her what she did. "I hired help," she replied. She spoke of how life suddenly became easier and she was able to feel more like a person again, more like herself. Isn't that what everyone wants?

So I mentioned it to D, and he started looking on Craigslist for a possible solution. Did I mention how much we love Craigslist? And then he found an ad that went like this: Looking for housing in exchange for childcare. I'm looking for an extra bedroom or basement in exchange for about 15 hours per week of childcare... "We have an extra bedroom!" D said excitedly. Yes, but it had turned into our storage room. I was more guarded... I didn't really want a live-in nanny situation because I didn't need a replacement. I really just needed a few extra hours each week to do the things that make me feel like a person. "Just email her," D pressured. So I did, and then we spoke on the phone, and then she came over for an interview. I was really impressed with her confidence and her answers to my questions. She had about a dozen references for families she had worked for, and one of her best friends who I'm acquainted with told me, "Nannying is her passion in life." Well, I was sold (D was sold when he saw her ad), so we prepared for our new roommate. It was actually pretty helpful to clear all of our junk out of that room--it will make moving in a few months much easier.

Ashley moved in during the second week of January. We arranged it so she'd be able to help for two mornings a week so I could go running, and then during Squeak's preschool so I could attend with her, and a few more hours so I could run some errands, one date night per week, and a few hours on Saturdays so I could teach a HypnoBirthing class. The kids love her! She doesn't mind that they are into everything (including her stuff!) and that they are very high energy and really loud. Even Squirt's "angry cry" doesn't phase her. Ashley volunteered to clean the house and stuff, but I told her to just play with the kids and give them love and attention. I was amazed from the beginning... I'd come home and the kids would be playing contentedly, the house would be spotless, and I was starting to feel resurrected. She would do the dishes, mop the floor, wash the clothes, clear the countertops... I suddenly had a personal assistant!! For the past three and a half years, I've been everyone else's personal assistant, and suddenly I had one for me! Such a lovely time for all of us!

And just like that, Ashley is needed in a different place. Her grandma in California is 94 and is no longer able to take care of herself. So Ashley is dropping everything--her college, her friends, her work, her LIFE--and running to her aid. She has left our little world SO MUCH BETTER than she found it. We will miss her so much!!

Those heels belong to Ashley--the kids LOVE them, but not as much as they love Ashley!