Emotionally Attached.

Okay, so last May when I started as a nanny for Luke and Allie, I went into the job with a few misconceptions.

Things I know now:

1. Always plan on leaving 20 minutes earlier than you need to, and then maybe, just maybe, you can get the kids out the door on time.

2. Kids totally know how to wear you down. So that occasionally you give in to their repeated pleas to have friends over.

3. If you are a young nanny and you take your kids out in public, the world automatically labels you as a single teenage mom.

4. Small children and sit down restaurants don't mix well.

5. Even if you're just the part time nanny, and half the time the kids drive you up the wall, you will get emotionally attached them.

This last one I've noticed a lot lately.

Between teething and doctors appointments and grocery shopping and sickness and friends moving away, and homework, and Girl Scouts, and dinner time, and violin practice.... (the list goes on, but I'm just gonna stop now), you really get emotionally attached to these kids.

I've known for a while that I really love both kiddos, but today it got moved to a whole new level.

I got to work on time, and Luke was asleep so Renee (his mommy) and I were able to catch up on some things. We were talking, and then she just randomly brought up taking Luke to see a specialist.

Why? Because he turned one in mid-February and still isn't anywhere close to talking or using words for anything. Even his grandma who is a speech therapist says its about time to get him checked.

When I heard this I just wanted to cry. My sweet (most of the time, er, some of the time!) Lukey may have cognitive delays. And this means he will have a lot of work ahead of him.

No, this doesn't mean that I will love him any less or will treat him any differently.

But it does mean that his parents and I are beginning a long road to figure out how we can best help Little Guy.

It's going to take lots of patience, which I will admit I don't have. But maybe the Lord is using this 14 1/2 month old to help grow more patience in me and in his parents.

So, please be praying for my little Luke, his mommy and daddy (Renee and Jon), and his big sister Allie (and me too!) as we begin checking things out.