Growing, growing, growing.

2013 has brought so many changes in our lives.

I’m grateful for all the blessings my family has received. I got a great new job. Practically at the same time, we bought a home that is really fantastic for our family and in a good school district.

With all these blessings, comes change. As I grow older, I realize that with time, in general, there will always come change. I know I’ve gotten to be much more sentimental lately but getting older does this to me. I argue that becoming a parent also does this to me!

I spent 25+ years wanting to grow up so I could do things I couldn't do before. Moving up grades, going to high school, learning to drive, going to college, getting a good job … always striving to complete something or accomplish something so I can move on to the next challenge. Time didn’t feel so fast.

Now that I’m in my 30s and a mama, time just flies!

I promise, I have a point. I know I ramble like a little old lady but I’m getting there.

Today we said goodbye to The Bun’s day care provider. Monique has helped take care of The Bun since she was 4 ½ months old. It was scary, the idea of a stranger taking care of my helpless baby. So, so scary. But Monique came strongly recommended by a mom in my Mommy’s Group who entrusted two of her kids with Monique! One was only a month older than The Bun. I thought that was a pretty good testimonial.

At first, my parents (primarily my mom) watched The Bun four days a week, Monique watched her for one. As time went by, we knew we could trust Monique to take good care of her. And my parents also needed the rest because of illnesses and age. For the past year, Monique watched The Bun for three days, my mom for two. I feel so blessed to be able to have such an arrangement and blessed to have the peace of mind that my baby was well cared for.

But now she’s nearly four years old. Preschool aged. And with all those other changes like moving to and working in a different city, taking The Bun to Monique’s was also no longer convenient. It added about 40 minutes to my commute. All these factors were telling us it was time to move The Bun from a day care provider to a school setting in our new hometown. So smack dab in the middle of escrow (well, when it was looking like we were good to close), we found The Bun’s school.

We gave Monique four weeks notice because we wanted to give her that respect. This woman was part of the small village that raised the amazing little girl we have now. Just like The Man and my parents, I see little bits of Monique in The Bun’s mannerisms. So I think it’s understandable why this goodbye is a little bittersweet. This wonderful caretaker did her job and did it well.

With change also comes anxiety. Remember, I’m the one who, in addition to becoming sentimental is also filled with anxiety when it comes to change. The Bun will have exposure to so many new and foreign things to us. New teachers and lots of new classmates. Will they be kind to her? Will any bully her? Will she love it there? Will she pick up bad habits?

I think not-so-secretly, the village would love to keep The Bun in a bubble. If we could keep time exactly as it is, I think we would all be content. But that’s just not how life works. We have to roll with the punches, try to prepare ourselves as much as possible but also know that we can’t prepare for everything.

Monique doesn't own a computer so she will never find this blog. But I just want to thank her for her huge role in the Bun’s life and for being part of our village. (And if you can believe it, I have tears in my eyes as I write this. Damn my age, motherhood and nostalgia:/)