real things and dreams

Spring has finally come to Minnesota. I mean, technically Spring is here. The reality is that it's generally super chilly or hot and humid. Minnesota seems to enjoy skipping seasons. Either way, those 8 feet snow banks are no more and this a happy Katie makes.

My days are filled with joys of nannydom. I think my happy spirits toward nannying once again can be in large part attributed to the fact that I was hired at UrbanVentures! Words cannot express how thrilled I am! My contract is through AmeriCorps and starts in August. Though the contract itself is for only a year, I am hopeful that getting my foot in the door will lead to a much longer relationship. I love the things they do and being able to be a part of this team is really a dream come true. I mean, really.

That said, I am enjoying every single second of nannying. It helps that Amanda has her daycare kids at her house, so we collectively have 27 children to play with each other while Amanda and I laugh at the things they do. Okay, there's not 27, but sometimes 6 can feel like 27. Especially when two of them are baby babies. My charges are Miles and Jake, 3 and four months respectively. Miles is a funny little tank of a tiny who runs around tripping on things that aren't there and says things like, "Jake hates your blue shirt." While I tell him that his four month old brother does not care what color shirt I'm wearing, he closes his ears, grabs a light saber and starts beating evil payasos (read: clown in Spanish) who are hiding behind the couch. It's fun. The baby, Jake, who was called "a lump, but a good lump" by his mom, just watches and laughs. And sometimes cries because he hates my shirt color, apparently. All in all, I like the boys.

Lisa has her Nick at home on Wednesdays so we travel to Cottage Grove so Miles and Nick can try and be friends. It's funny to watch only-child-Nick interact with oldest-child-Miles. Normally, when Miles is around Amanda's Cora, who is a little over a year old, he is as bossy as they come. When he's around Nick though, he turns into this hesitant kid who is generally nervous about everything: he gets scared of the toilette, the wind, spiders, black toys, other kids, the garage. Thank goodness Lisa is there to talk sense into me because my natural inclination is something of an intense OCD exposure therapy approach. I have learned such approach is wasted on three year olds. And doesn't work when the one administering said therapy does not know how to administer correctly.

I love my job.

I think I'm going to make a great mom.

The sun makes me giddy. I mean, really. More than once I have found myself driving home (the Bernard residence = I.LOVE.MY.LIFE), blasting music, just overwhelmed with thankfulness for the life I have. The job I have. The job I will have. The place I live. Finally, my life seems to be falling to place here in Minnesota. I've found new coffee shops, dragged Tiffany to the Farmers' Market, and strap the kids into a massive double stroller to go for hours of walks (yes, that makes sense) along the river. Not to mention I am loving the Gallery...the relationships I am building there have been nothing short of awesome.

I find myself dreaming again. For a long time, it was about day-to-day getting through: finding a job, figuring out the living situation and then, when a job would come through, being okay with hating it. There was a general feeling of: this is it? That time was not wasted though. With Spring has come a deep awareness of the work God has been doing in my heart. I feel tempered. Imagine that. Katie, tempered. Hmm.

Now though, on those drives down Marshal or Selby, I dream again. I think about where I've been, where I want to go, what memories certain smells bring to mind, what I want to do in this city, what can come of being at UrbanVentures...it's a good feeling. Also, Pinterest helps. :-)

So, I leave you with an image that inspires me to go to one of those coffee shops with a journal, get a coldpress, and dream.