Outer Banks Part I - My Pseudo Nephews

My sincere apologies to my loyal readers for my lack of posts recently. We were away on vacation in the Outer Banks for a week and since then have been swamped playing 'catch up'.

Now...onto the post!

I work with kids - all...damn...day. I work with the worst kids, too. Ill-tempered, ill-mannered, rude, disrespectful children. Kids with only one parent (sometimes a 'guardian') who will do anything, ANYTHING, for some attention. I have been threatened, I have been hit, I've even had a chair thrown at me (on several occasions). I have often think, at the end of a long, hard day, that I have failed and I'm not making a difference in their lives, however, they sure are making a difference in mine. I have to use every ounce of willpower I have to not smack the child that slammed a door in my face. I cringe at random childrens' shrieks in the mall. I contemplate asking for a new table at a restaurant when the child in the booth behind me won't stop pulling my hair. I have even questioned whether or not I will one day be cut out for parenting.

As if my job wasn't making me question my prospects of parenting enough, I was about to be faced with 8 days and 7 nights, 24 hours a day with a 2 year old and a 4 year old. Terrifying, no? But these two little boys have now been dubbed "The Cutest Little Boys on This Side of the Brandywine". They, within just hours, restored my faith in the concept of good parenting. (Don't get offended, Meg...I think you are a wonderful parent. But the true test will be when Baby B learns to TALK)

Michael and Ryan

Vacationing with them was awesome, and I miss my morning greeting from Ryan: "Good morning, Tistie. How was your sleep?"