Penny

When Gracie was 13 months old we decided to leave the hospital daycare.  We heard of a woman (Penny) who was starting a daycare,  through my friend, Amber- who's husband worked in the Bethel football department with Penny's husband, Travis. We knew Travis, from college, and I had actually met Penny while she was pregnant with Bailey, in Dillons one day.  We trusted Amber and Travis and decided to give it a try.  In-home daycare wasn't something we had considered before.  But, Penny had been working at Sylvan Learning Center for 8 years, and that was impressive to us.

We soon learned that in-home daycare can be wonderful!  Penny had Gracie, Amber's two oldest kids, and her own daughter, at first.   We became impressed with how Penny would not only have play time, but she scheduled out the day so that the kids would play and learn in the mornings and then after lunch, was naptime.  I still am in awe of how anyone can get 5-6 kids down for a nap at the same time every day.  Amazing!  

Of course, through the last 6 years, Penny has become a very important part of our family.  I HATED the first time Gracie called her "Mommy," because I am her mommy, and she shouldn't have been calling anyone else that!  But, I soon learned many kids do that, and it didn't mean Gracie was losing any love for me. I grew to love that our kids called Penny "Mommy" because it meant she was loving on my kids while I was gone.

Today was our last day with Penny at her daycare.  She is quitting her daycare business.  We have no hard feelings toward this decision.  What mom wouldn't love to be able to go to their kids' classrooms whenever they wanted to.  Penny has worked VERY hard throughout these last 6 years.  (I hope we haven't made her job too hard!)  

She's helped raise all three of our kids.  That's putting a lot of trust into one person who has your kids for more hours in the day than you get to see them before bedtime.  We're really going to miss Penny. 

I think in the last 4 years that Jada's been with Penny, she's probably given her a million, a jillion hugs!  Before we would leave she'd say over and over and over again, "Bye Penny!"  And if she didn't get that "last" goodbye she'd scream and cry all the way home!  (I'm hoping that changes with our new daycare!  I don't like being treated like that when I pick her up from not seeing her all day!  But, I'm glad she loves Penny so much.)

We love Penny, and what she's meant to our family.  I know this is a new change in our lives, and it will be good, but we will miss our Penny and her family.