I am a Hired Housewife

I rearranged my room again. Third time in three months. This time it even involved me pulling out the screwdriver and dismantling my tacky closet door. I'm not completely satisfied with the current arrangement, so I'm sure by December I'll have it switched around. Who knew this little cube of a room could accommodate so many arrangements?

Other life changes: I dyed my hair. With the help of Becca, I am no longer a blonde/dirty blonde/dull brunette. The technical term for my current hair color is Cinnamon Stick. I guess that's a fancy way of saying auburn? Warm brown? It's been three years since I've dyed it, and when I told Mom my plan she replied, "I guess that's okay for you to do." Moms. Always thinking they're in charge.

I have one week of my shiny new job under my belt, and so far so good. It's hard to describe--part maid, part nanny, part personal assistant is about as close as I can get. I'm essentially a housewife, except for the part where the children are not my children and I'm not married to their actual mother...and I don't live at the house. But in all other respects: she goes out and makes the big bucks while I stay home, take care of things there, drive the kids around, and make sure they eat their vegetables and do their homework.

I spend most of my evenings with the 12-yr old, and so far I have found out that he loves Crazy 8's and board games. He is also very honest about his homework. They have the teacher's edition of his math book and he made me read the questions out loud to him so he didn't look in the book and see the answers. What a gem! When I pick him up from school, I always make sure to have that day's redeye with me & we do the crossword puzzle together on the way back home.

The 14-yr old, who "doesn't need a babysitter," spends most of her time in her room "face chatting" (her brother's words) with her friends. I think I'm starting to win her over, though, since I fixed the zipper on her North Face the other night.