I Did It!!!!

Ok, so I have a wonderful friend named James. He lives in England and is also applying for school through UCAS. I have been having trouble contacting UCAS to ask questions about my application. James is a dear, and called them for me. Now that I have the answers to those questions... I filed my application today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I am asking for prayers. PLEASE pray for God to have His hand on my application. That the right person reads it. That, whatever the outcome, I will be able to be ok with it... Thank you all for the prayers I know you are saying, and the love and support I feel from you all!

Things I've Learned

I have worked in child care, professionally, for 7 years. (Not counting the decade or so of baby sitting before that.) And I've learned a thing or two. I thought I would fill you in, in case you are considering a job in this line. You know, just so you really know what you're getting into...

1. If you are already having a bad day, and you have a child in your care with a sensitivity to milk, seat them on the opposite side of the table from you. Why? Because this child will most likely have "drinkable" yogurt as a substitute. This child WILL find a way to spill the entire container of yogurt down the right side of your body. A large portion of the yogurt WILL end up in your hair. And no matter how much you rinse your hair and scrub it with baby wipes, it will dry in crispy clumps and smell fruit medley-tastic for the rest of the day.

2. If you have unfortunate yogurt mishaps, it is important to work for a boss like mine. She will understand that the yogurt was really the last straw, and will send you home 45 minutes early, so that you can wash your hair, then curl up into a ball and hide.

3. If there is more than one child in the room, DO NOT give any child either a piggy back ride, a horsey ride, an air-plane, etc. Because if you do, you will have to give ALL the children one.

4. You will, at some point, have poop, vomit, snot, urine, or eye crusty things rubbed on you... It's a fact of life, just get over it.

5. If a coworker is changing a diaper SO bad, that you can hear them dry-heaving from the next room... It is important to laugh hysterically at this coworker, then regale them with all the stories of horrible diapers you have changed and the reasons they have no right to complain.

6. You can eat in ANY circumstances, if you're hungry enough. Even while a child is puking all over the table...

7. At some point in your career, you will find yourself on your break, crying to your mommy on the phone, asking her why in the world you ever entered this profession.

8. After crying on the phone, you will go back to your class. There will be a child who recognizes your distress. This child will look at you very pointedly, pretend to trip, shoot mock-accusing glares at all the kids near by, then smirk at you while raising his eyebrows. You will then bust up laughing, hug this child, and miraculously feel all better.

9. CHILDREN ARE TAPE RECORDERS! Anything you or their parents say WILL be repeated.

10. It is VERY amusing to tell your friends all the things kids say that their parents said.

11. If you overhear a little girl telling a little boy "You have to get an erection." and turn to stare at her in horror, she will then say to the little boy "Otherwise, how are you gonna know how to get there? You have to follow the erections." You will then understand and instruct the girl on how to correctly pronounce the word "direction."

12. If you tell a child you road on a ferry, you will later hear that child explaining to the others, that a little person with wings picked you up and carried you where you wanted to go.

13. Never, under any circumstances, think, "Well, it can't get any worse." Trust me, it can...

To be honest, I could keep writing this post for days. But I'll leave you with this thought: When it comes down to it, the insanity is worth it, because of faces like these...