I made my second attempt at French toast this week and it went MUCH better than the first. Not only did it actually taste like more like French toast, but I didn't set off the smoke detector. Yay me! The pot of coffee I made could have been a little better, but one out of two isn't bad :o)
My sister came over this afternoon to work on the scrapbook she made for her friend who had the baby. I'm not sure when I last saw my sister. So, the first thing I said was "wow, you actually look pregnant!" It is really kind of funny seeing her "look pregnant". She is sixteen weeks and looking forward to finding out what she is having. (I refrained from giving her the talk that ultrasounds are meant to be diagnostic tools not just finding out gender...sorry Kristy , I just couldn't "go there" although I did try, sort of.)
Now, onto the part that led me to title this post "Just a Little Strange". I mentioned that I was going to be baby-sitting for someone I have never met. I have talked to this woman twice. One time was when I was in California in October. The other time was earlier this week. All she knew about me was that I was a nurse who worked in Pediatrics. All I knew about her was that she had four boys, her first name, and directions to her house.
In this day and age of "crazy people", we had a significant amount of trust in the person on the other end of the phone. She even more than me, considering she was going to be leaving her CHILDREN in my care. She met me at the door, and we shook hands. She introduced me to her oldest son, "H" who happened to be eleven and we also shook hands. I met her other two kids who were there ("A" is five, "G" is nine, and "T who is seven was at a party but returned before they left). Well, hello there, my name is Amanda and I am your baby-sitter for the night. As she showed me into the kitchen, I noticed a piece of mail on the counter and quickly noted their last name just in case I would need that for future reference :o) She said, my oldest will help you out, the younger two should go to bed 8/8:30, the older two around 10, they can find something to eat. And then, basically was like "See you later" (I did meet her husband before they left...for a few minutes, I was wondering if she was a single mom...)
The boys were really good, especially considering they didn't know me from "Adam" (or Eve I suppose). Of course, they were intent into video games on the computer and their mom tells them (and me) before she leaves that they are only allowed to do that for an hour. I definitely made a number of attempts at getting them off the computer, but I had no clue where they kept their games, what kinds of things they liked to do besides play video games...and I didn't have any overly creative ideas. The younger two did show me where they kept their board games and we played those until I let them put in a movie at 8:30 (they were asleep by "9ish"...not bad for a baby-sitter, right?!). Then, I forced the other two off the computer to play the Monopoly of the 21st Century where your money is kept on a credit card and purchases are made in the millions and rent is in the tens or hundreds of thousands. It was fun and I sent them to bed about "10:30ish".
I did some of my reading for my meeting next week and they arrived home at midnight. I got a check for $50 (with only my first name, so apparently they didn't know my last name...that is more than a little strange to me, but I'm $50 richer and didn't have to work very hard for my money!)
On a different note, I called my friend from Curves on the way to baby-sit. I meant to call her this morning to see if she was doing okay, but after sleeping in, and knowing my sister was coming, I didn't have a whole lot of time to offer her. The diagnosis they got for her husband this week was stage four lung cancer with metastasis to the brain and liver. One part of the large tumor is wrapped around his trachea and pushing on his heart. Today the visiting nurse came and they are planning to do hospice care at home. I am really sad for her. I also feel like I'm not sure what to do. Not to say that I'm an "expert" on dealing with the loss of babies and children, but that is where my experience has been, and that is what kind of reading I have done. I have read about what kinds of things help, what things do not. I have talked to grieving parents. I know the loss of a child is the most horrible event imaginable. However, that doesn't really make losing your spouse "easier". I want to be as good of a friend to her in this situation as I have tried to be a good friend to those I know who have lost their children...
Maybe that is why a friend of mind gave me the book Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying around Christmas time to borrow. Little did I know where I would be right now, but something (perhaps "Someone") compelled her to share it with me.
That's a lot for one day, and now it is after 1:30. I should head to bed because the morning is technically already here!
Good night.
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