Mary Poppins DOES Exist, y'all!

Ok, whoever said Mary Poppins was a mythological creature hasn't met Mackenzie.

We have never had to select a babysitter (they just say "nanny" up here in the PNW). We have been abundantly blessed by friends offering to babysit or having a sweet teenager be nearby from day one. I will FOREVER be abundantly grateful for those couples & gals who have loved on our sweet girl. I sit here nearly in tears thinking about how blessed we have been....and thinking about how much I miss those people!

When we moved here, my "job" (I run my own business from my home...full time) didn't stop, but ODG's preschool days did. In our town, preschools don't exist {or they were full} for kids younger than 3 and not potty trained...she does not meet either of those criteria. After a week of being here and meeting some other working momma's, I was directed to a job board for our local university. Insert divine forces, a whole lotta prayer, & a whole lotta faith for this lady!

I posted the "job" for a part time nanny (remember, this is what they call babysitters up here....I'm not that fancy, folks) and this gal emailed me almost immediately! Very professional, great resume, and cute photo...which I hadn't ask for, but perk! I got several more emails and none matched up to her, but I selected 3 girls to have interviews with. As fitting, this girl is who I had my first interview with. She was too good to be true. I didn't want to go on with the other interviews, but I needed to. Needless to say, she made the cut and we invited her to our home to meet ODG. We had two girls come over to meet ODG and would you believe she was the only one who got on the floor and interacted with ODG? CRAZY...well, at least in my mind...I've cared for children since I was 13 and couldn't imagine not playing with the child immediately upon an interview like this!

Anywho, she got the job. and SHE is Mackenzie...our real life Mary Poppins! She has been a LIFE saver! She has entered my house in all sorts of situations {and we've only known her a month}....let's see....Abbey pee on the floor with baby doll bathed in it, dishes piled high to the ceiling, our small little downstairs powder room COVERED in unfolded clean clothes that I was frantically trying on for a party, and ODG bare-bottomed and throwing a FIT because she didn't want to go potty! Days like these I have come home to clean dishes/dishwasher loaded, floor cleaned, clothes folded, and ODG calm and happy...which makes for one calm & happy momma right here!

Not only does she do all those amazing things, but she takes ODG on adventures! They go to the beach & discover crabs and climb on tree stumps, visit the pet store to look at bunnies & fish, have donut & hot chocolate dates, and paint pottery, just to name a few!

Discovering sea shells & crabs

Mackenzie is getting a little puffer fish for her aquarium soon and ODG has mastered the puffer fish look :)

ODG is absolutely smitten with Mackenzie's sweet friend, Mr. Nathan...she told me Mr. Nathan was her best friend! 

We are so thankful for our real-life Mary Poppins, Ms. Kenzie! 

And to end with a thought provoking quote as we prepare to remember the death & resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, from ODG:

"Jesus comes to my house and plays with me and when I was a baby, Jesus holded me like a little baby."