DONE

I did it. You all should be SO proud. It was really hard and I was WICKED nervous. I decided after the fact that I rather give another speech in my 6th grade class then do this ever again.
Well I am not nannying anymore. Donna, the mom was treating me like a worthless piece of crap and I am not exaggerating when I say that. She would yell at me ALL the time. Anything I ever did was NEVER enough. I could do 90549543934 things right but if I did one wrong she was PISSED at me. So I quit last night. I would not recommend that job to anyone ever. Even if I hated the person, they even deserve better.
After she paid me for the last 2 weeks I said 'So I have been thinking a lot and praying (lots and lots of praying) and then thinking some more. I am not happy working here, So I am quitting. I tried to make it work for the kids. But it is not working.' Then SHE had the guts to say 'We are not happy either. But you cannot just quit, you have to give us notice, so 2 more weeks.' I said 'That's fine' And walked out.
When I got into the car I got to thinking YOU are not happy? I do EVERYTHING for you. I take all the crap YOU dish me and do not say anything back. If for reals this is truth that she is not happy with me, she will not be happy with anyone. She needs a reality check. This is NOT Texas or London. She just moved here with 4 young children. She needs help and she should be thankful for what she has.
I have decided that some people will never be happy no matter what you do for them. I have been too nice. It is time I watch out for myself and not others. If she is rude to me these next 2 weeks I am gone and not coming back. She needs my help. I do not need her or her money so she can just keep it. It has been hard enough just getting my bum out of bed this last week.
So I guess I am looking for a new job. I am not ready to hurry into one. I want to go to the beach about one hundred million times before I start up work again. But by the time school starts in August I would be okay if I had a job. We will see what happens though. I will keep you in check, do not worry.

Girls Camp

Wrinkle in Time was the name

Who knew that I would be old enough to be a girls camp counselor. Well surprise, I am. Megan and I were co-counselors of the second years. It was a great week all in all.  

Monday Started out with helping set up 4 tents for our girls. Then as soon as we finished doing that we garbed our already packed lunches and headed off for our hike. Megan gets blisters really easily and one of the girls has knee problems so they got to stay back at camp to help set up. The hikers drove a couple of miles down the road to hike up Eagle Rock. This hike was hard. The beginning was good. All down hill and even some walking on paved roads for a wee bit. But the end HOLY COW. That was like a WORK OUT. It would have honestly not even been that bad. But, I think when you are told that you are almost to the top of this huge hill that it is legit just around the corner, I think, 'heck yes!' and exert all my energy to get to the top faster. Then 30 plus minutes later you reach the top, it is not that great. That is why I call it the devils hike. It was horrible. 

Top of Eagles Rock.

The rest of the night was filled with the girls going to crafts and eating dinner then a slumber party where they got to paint nails and color there hair with chalk. It was just great fun. 

The rest of the week was pretty much the same. You know we got the winner group where at least 3-4 girls were late to EVERYTHING. That is not even a joke. They were legit late to EVERYTHING. No matter if they had to just walk(aka walking slower then the aunts) to somewhere to get there on time, they were LATE. If we gave them a 10 minute warning they were still late. It was really frustrating. Also these girls complained about everything. They always gave you attitude no matter how nice you were trying to be. The other 6 girls were gems. I really loved them.

The rest of the week was filled with games, certification, first aid, capers, laughing, free time, eating really good food, service, fun activities, tears at testimony meeting, C.O.P.E.S course and a lot more laughing.

Our table and our Jc Toshie who is SO awesome. 

Leap of Faith

 100 years of  girls camp

lunch before copes

President Knudson on leap of faith

Service

First Aid Games

So so so funny

Choices

This might sound dumb. But I feel like my life is not mine any more. I work 6 days a week. I wake up at 7 am to make it to work by 8. That might not sound like too bad, but, it is. After work I do not have any energy to do anything. It is summer. All my friends are out of school. We like to hang out wee into the hours of the morning. I have to be home and in bed by at least 11:30 (but 10:30 is my real bed time) or else I cannot do my job. This week alone I worked over 40 hours. That might not sound like a lot, but it is a lot. I can think "oh this is for Kenya." But some times that is not enough. 4 kids under the age of 27 months. Yes triplets that are 2 and there sister who just turned 11 months on Thursday.
I am a nanny/ moms helper, basically. I am a PRO bottle and kid-eating-wear washer. I am pro at vacuuming. I am pro at not reading other peoples minds (who would have thought.) I am pro at being yelled at. I am pro at being hit, changing nappies, holding kids and giving cuddles. What else would I want, right?
I struggle with this job and do not know what to do. This week I almost quit. I have a feeling that if I need or want a day off it would not happen. I cannot just stay in California all summer. For reals. Sunday is my only day off and that is all filled with church activities.
Do I go part time?
Do I give my 2 weeks notice?
Do I say 'I will work for you till you find a new nanny'?
Do I wait till they are finished moving and stress goes down to see how things work out?
Do I tell them I can babysit for them when ever but it just is not working out?
Its been 3 and a half weeks and I still do not love it. That is enough time to see if you love something. The kids like me. That is all that matters right? No. It is not.
I feel like the mom hates me. I feel like I can never do anything right. I feel like she is breathing down my neck all the time. I do good when she is not there. I play with the kids when she is not there, we actually play really well together. But, I feel like she does not have confidence in me. I feel like anyone else in the world would love me. I am sure that is being conceded. But I personally think I am really great with kids. I enjoy kids. They are hilarious and they love you so easily.
I love the kids I work with. Issac and I are buddies sense day one, Lily is a sweet heart, Jack's laugh and eyes are the best, and Bailey's kisses are just the funniest things.
But is that enough?

Soup

I have really been missing IT a lot lately. I know you all know what I am talking about. Is it odd that I want soup on a really hot day? When I lived in Kenya, on the hottest days we would make soup or have hot coco so that it did not feel so hot outside. 

Today I was looking at my friends pictures. She still lives in Kenya. She went back to visit the boys this past weekend. I do not think I have ever been so jealous. I can tell that the boys are gowning. Oh my. Just imagine how big they will be by the next time I see them. 

Tony is behind Jack, Austin is in front of Jack I am holding Harrison then you can see Opondo's eye.

I miss there laughs and hearing them say what class kesho? and KALEIGH, MEGAN, KALEIGH, MEGAN all day long. I miss hot days every day. (yes, it is getting warmer now, but its not hot every day yet, just hear and there.)  I miss Tony. I miss Phobian Big-E and Harrison. I might even miss the nasty men, they are SO funny. I miss my hair being braided. (I know I can get it done in America but it is not as cool.) I miss night time TV and hugs. I miss going to random orphanages. I miss walking up the hill with the elders just chatting about life. I miss Oscar, Gabby and Brian. I miss church there a LOT. But, most of all I really miss how much an adventure every day was. Everything was an adventure. Going to the bathroom was even an adventure with lizards or huge spiders coming out of no where. 

I am saving my money. (I am 1/3 saved) I am going to go back to Kenya, SURPRISE. December 26 is the goal date to leave. But we will see what really happens. The only 2 things I want to do different this year are, to go to the giraffe center for a longer time and to spend more time with the boys. 

Princess

Did you know that when you wear a headband it means you are a Princess? The boys told me that every time I wore one. Then they would try it on and I would say something along the lines of 'Oh my what a beautiful Princess you are.' Then they would all pass the head band around being Princess as we laughed. (They know they are Princes. Just so you know)

Utah

The day I got home from Kenya Kerianna asked me if I would go to Utah with her. 

OF COURSE I will. I had not seen my cousins in like 4 plus months. That is a long time for me! We got there on Thursday night and just had dinner and hung out. 

On friday we kicked the day off with visiting Sister Hamilton. I LOVE this lady. We talked about the goods. Aka boys, Africa, school and so much more. After we went shopping and out to eat. It was just a super chill day.

On Saturday we dropped by Elder Parker Millers home. He just served in my singles ward and we brought him his guitars and amp. It was fun hearing his dad tell us stories about him when he was younger. I am sure he was mortified. 

That night we went to visit our elder in Kenya's family. They were SO SO great. The dinner was the funniest thing I have ever been to. He is a blessed soul for being able to have such loving parents. 

This is Robert Garbett. He also just came home from his mission. He was with his family for less then 24 hours when he made a choice to come play with my family for the weekend. Who knows why he did but all I know is that it was fun and I am sure he thinks we are CRAZY.

Elder Jesse Wynn also just got home. So I went with Sarah to his homecoming talk. It was GREAT.

On the way to Utah we picked up Addies boyfriend, Danial at a random gas station in Reno. He is so nice.

Dear parents you might not want to read this. At the same gas station that we picked up Danial we picked up these 2 wonderful souls and there 2 dogs. They are going all over the states by hopping on trains. They have been doing this for a year. Now they are on there way to Montana (I think) to settle down. She (Rexy, 21) grew up as a member of the church. I feel like she still has a great love for it. And he (Joe, I think 34) is from Virginia. We let her call her mom for Mothers day. 

We were an answer to her mothers prayers. I am sure of it. We were suppose to get into Reno 3 hours before we did. But, because the van kept on over heating for some odd reason we could not go as fast as we wanted to and had to take breaks to let the van cool down before we could go on. But the second we left the gas station with them in the car, no more problems with the van. Call us crazy. But it was meant to happen. They were so very nice. If I see them again I would totally help them out. We dropped them off in Auburn where they will catch another train to another fun adventure that lies in front of them. 

This trip to Utah was so great I loved it and wish I lived closer.

Oscar and Gabby

One day Oscar and Gabby came to visit us. For lunch we had hamburgers and guacamole.(Gabbys favorite)

Then we went to play football and do magic with the boys before class while listening and dancing to music.

In class we had a whole bunch of paper, fun shapes, glue, scissors, and coloring crayons so the boys got to make what ever they wanted. It was a lot of fun. 

After class we got together the juice and crackers that Oscar and Gabby so kindly brought for the boys. The boys were SO SO SO excited!

After we gave all the boys there juice and cookies, crackers, biscuits what ever you call them...We went to find the older boys who live on there own now for all different reasons. But we went to visit them to find out there stories and what they want to do in life  because they have now gone to help build another children's  home in Naivasha. (Here is the website, CHECK it. it is going to make a BIG difference! http://www.friendsvision.org/) I LOVE these boys so much. They are such troopers and are all younger then 18 and have jobs goals and there own place to live.

Interviewing while Gabby translates 

Gabby, Derek, Godfrey, Alex, Megan, Morris, and Oscar (there were more but this is all we could find)

After we bought them a soda just because we love them.

Then we took Oscar and Gabby back to Thika to have dinner and send them on there way. I love being with these boys. Every time is an adventure.