World's Greatest Compliment

Recently I received the best compliment ever.

I'm not married to my brother.... you will all sigh a breath of relief for that admittance. But what that means, is that I'm not married to the King of Words of Affirmation, for any of you '5 Love Languages' readers out there. I'm not married to the guy that gives glowing praises in the form of flowery, romantic compliments. Given that my love language just happens to be Words of Affirmation, I soak it up like a sponge. For any of you who know my brother, he absolutely ruined me for all other men in the 'compliment' department. We roomed together in college, so I spent 3 years enjoying all kinds of ego boosting compliments about how pretty or smart I was, what a good friend I was, or any other number of glowing words of encouragement and brotherly praise.

Anyway, I digress.

A few days ago I was riding bikes home with the kids after school. As we rode through a tunnel of leafy green with delicate slices of brilliant blue sky and perfect dapples of shady patterns splashed across the pavement of our oak lined street, I told the kids "Isn't this street the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" We rode along quietly  enjoying the soft scent of new leaves and newly cut grass.  I was truly absorbed in the moment and caught completely off guard when my little Cooper said (after quite a long pause of deep thought) "Actually, it's not mom, that's you!".

Oh be still my beating heart! My sweet, sweet five year old managed to take my breath away for a fleeting moment of tender mom heaven.

Salute to Captain Fun

As a new working mother and recently 'single' mother, due to Lee's deployment, one of my chief concerns has been the kids. I've worried about leaving them home alone, about having them feel abandoned or that I don't love them because I'm so busy all the time. Balancing home, work and church life has been a challenge since I purchased the yoga studio.

One evening before Lee left I was particularly stressed because I had to go to work and Lee was stuck in meetings. In desperation I looked across to yard to see Tyler Gambone, our neighbor's 19 year old son, playing outside with his little brother and 2 sisters, ages 3-7. Out of sheer panic, I asked him if he'd possibly be able to watch the kids for a few hours 'just until Lee gets home'.

Tyler's one night stand in gig has turned into an extended 'amusement park vacation', if you will. Tyler is getting ready to go to training with the Army as a National Guard Reservist. That leaves him currently unemployed and unattached, all the better for us! He's my #1 go to guy when it comes to babysitting and errand running. He takes Ally to gymnastics when I can't, he helps around the yard and best of all - he's an awesome babysitter.

I come home to a clean house every time. Yes, ladies, you heard right.... my 19 year old male babysitter cleans up with the kids each time he babysits. The kids adore him, I mean downright adore him! They once called Lee and I on our date to find out if we could 'stay out later, please mom, please'. If I come home early from work, the kids are mad at me. They dubbed him Captain Fun.

What did Captain Fun do to earn his stripes, so to speak? He plays board games, rides bikes, rides ribsticks, he plays goalie in full hockey gear.... allowing the kids to whack him with their hockey sticks. Tyler plays catch in the yard, brings over potato guns (when parents are home, of course), teaches the kids to play basketball, lets the kids crawl all around and on top of his jeep. He helps with homework and cooks macaroni and cheese.

Today was my all time favorite. It's Good Friday and the kids are out of school. I got home at 2:30 to find everyone swimming in the backyard pool.... but the kicker is that the pool was FULL of WATER BALLOONS! We had a festival of colored globes floating in our backyard lagoon. Some of the balloons had two or three smaller water balloons inside them. You just can't beat Captain Fun in terms of good times and lots of smiles.

So thank you Tyler, for easing my conscience and keeping my kids safe and happy when I'm not around!