3. the female perspective

My classroom. Daniel lovingly helped me rearrange my desks.

As I was reading my husbands updates, I was realizing that it lacked all the ooey, gooey, emotional stuff. So, it is hereby my goal to be the contributor at a heart level. Daniel and I started nannying this week for a local family with an 11-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl. We only looked after the 9-year-old, Clara, this week, taking her to the Dallas Museum of Art, the mall to window shop, and the local pool, among other places. We also played a lot of games. Mostly Yahtzee and Sleeping Queens. We have never watched younger kids together before, so it has been fun to see the roles we take on. I am more of the "why don't you go ahead and put your dishes away..." or "15 minutes until we are leaving..." kind of person. Daniel is more the hands-on type and the protector. He is always making sure Clara is safe and that she is having a good time. He will make a good dad someday.

Nannying has definitely forced us into a routine this week, which is nice because we have been getting the days of the week confused all summer. Last night, we realized we were tired, though. We also realized that we were bored in the confines of our own apartment. There was plenty of cleaning that needed to be done, but decided that cleaning was a Saturday morning activity not a Friday night thing. So, Daniel suggested watching a movie. I suggested dressing up and going out to window shop or do a photo scavenger hunt. As you can see, we are people with two very different personalities. And here, that turned out to be a great thing... and a lesson in compromise. I knew that I would feel regret if I sat in front of a movie and came back to my senses two or three hours later, because I would have felt like I was wasting my time. Had Daniel gone on a photo scavenger hunt after an exhausting week, he would be drained even more. So, we agreed to leave the apartment and see what strikes us when we are out. We ended up stopping at Knox Street, where we had taken Clara earlier that day to see what it was like at night. We went inside the three-story Crate and Barrel, where I was mistaken for an employee (this actually happens all the time). After that, we walked a couple of blocks down to Starbucks, to watch the people and cars go by and enjoy the cooler (85 degree) Dallas air. As it turns out, we both really enjoyed a simple night out, and even though spending $10 at Starbucks seemed unreasonable when we are fairly tight on cash, we decided that these types of expenditures are worth it to throw a little fun and romanticism in our world.

This morning, we cleaned. Partly because it was driving me crazy to have our clean clothes still in baskets and not hung up. And partly because Jama keeps asking for pictures. :) Our car is clean, house is clean, and laundry is done... all at the same time. I don't believe this has ever happened to me before, and it feels so nice. And there is a cheesecake baking in the oven. Hard work needs its rewards, and Daniel still needs his birthday cake!

Bedroom/hallway (We LOVE built-in bookcases)

Bathroom

Walk-in Closet!

Me writing this blog in bed :)

The kitchen - view 1

The kitchen - view 2

Study/ guest bedroom

Eating area/ living room

More living room

Now onto other ponderings. We really like it here. I thought that we might before we moved, but I had no idea to what extent. The church we have found is really neat. The youth led worship on Sunday, and I was reminded of how much I love young people. Another great thing is how much people value art and culture. I feel actually very humbled by this, because I know very little of either, but it is neat to be around. To the extent that instead of annoying kiosks at our mall, there is art -- sculptures, flower arrangements, fountains, etc.

That's all for now. Nannying tonight for family #2 :)