It all started with a phone call from my daughter. She asked if I could give her friend a much needed break from her children so she could enjoy a trip with her husband for 4 days. The mother didn’t feel comfortable leaving her kids overnight with anyone but me for four days & nights.

Her friend is like my second daughter, having grown up across the street from me, often coming to my house to play with my daughter. They have stayed in touch over the years, and she even calls me on Mother’s Day. I love her and her adorable kids too.

The kids amazingly love me too after only a few brief visits.

And since I don’t have any grandchildren, I thought this longer time together would create a deeper bond between us, plus fill an unmet need for more family in my life now that my kids are grown & gone. And, nine years ago while going through my divorce, I was a nanny for two young kids and I loved it. I felt like Mary Poppins then, helping the family through a hard time in their lives. So yes, I would do this next “Mary Poppins” assignment.

However, this Mary Poppins act of service also required flying to their home in a neighboring state. Not having an umbrella to take me there, I’d need to book a short flight from LA to Las Vegas. Then I’d need to take a 2-hour shuttle to their town in the heat of August.

Ok, I thought, I’ll kick back & enjoy the scenery in a nice air conditioned “Executive” shuttle, free water included.

However, the scenery wasn’t much to brag about unless you like hot, brown, dried up desert for miles with those little Joshua trees that have survived a million years in the desert. No wonder they look so ugly! (Sorry, I prefer tall evergreen trees. I’m an Oregonian at heart.)

What an adventure, I thought, as we traveled down the road. I nodded off to sleep for awhile.

The family greeted me at the end of the ride, happy Mom & excited kids in a big white van.

Note: the next day I would be crawling into the back of that van trying to put a 3 yr old in a car seat with straps that were too short & tight & hard to fasten in 100 degree weather. Then I’d drive this van with no backup camera and the cell phone holder was too big for mine so I had to hold my phone with directions to the water park in one hand while steering with the other hand, hoping & praying my left hand was strong enough to do double duty & get these kids safely to the water park.

Oh, what an adventure! Not to mention the precocious 5 year old in the back seat telling me over & over, “That’s not the way my Mommy goes to the park!” Later, she would often inform me that I wasn’t cooking the way her Mommy cooks either! After a couple days of this I finally blew. “This is the way I cook! Not like your Mommy!!” She ran away devastated by my harsh words. (Maybe that’s when she put so much toilet paper in the toilet it wouldn’t flush her poop down.)

What happened to “fun Linda?”

She got totally exhausted.

Oh I didn’t mention on the way there my flight was delayed and the escalator to baggage claim was stuck so we had to walk down the stairs.

I got blurry eyed looking at the metal striped steps that seemed to all blend together, so I held onto the railing for dear life & inched my way down each step, stopping periodically to let fast paced fearless fools walk past me. How dare they make me feel old & stupid!

After a quick trip to the bathroom to relieve my full bladder, I finally made it to baggage claim, but no baggage. People were still waiting. I wondered, should I reschedule my shuttle for the next one, an hour later? I still had 15 minutes before the shuttle left. My bag finally lumbered down the black slow conveyor belt. I grabbed it and ran for the inter-terminal bus that would take me to the shuttle. It turned out to be a very long run to find door 53 to my bus.

I finally found it and raced through the door to the bus outside where an older, white haired, rugged, desert tanned man was loading suitcases into the back of a small white bus. “I gotta catch my shuttle in 15 minutes,” I told him.

He grinned a semi-toothless grin & said, “Let’s make a go for it!” I climbed into the bus, sat down, took a deep breath & then realized the drive to the next terminal was further than I thought. Will I make it in time? My heart beat faster. I forgot not to hold my breath.

As we approached the terminal, the driver starts announcing airline stops. I started to panic. I leaned forward & told the driver I need the SG Shuttle. He pointed and said, “It’s right there!” Relieved, I hopped off the shuttle & the driver said, “Yell at Mike that you’ll be right over.” I waved at Mike, a short, round, white haired man standing behind the shuttle. I felt grateful I wore an orange top so he sees me, and I yelled, “Mike! I’ll be right over!” He nodded. I run to get my luggage. The driver handed it to me & I raced over to the shuttle just in time.

“Are you Linda Marten?” he smiled, looking at his list.

“Yes, my plane got delayed,” I said between breaths.

“I was just about to call you before we left. Glad you made it. I just need to see your ID.” I pulled it out for him. He loaded my luggage into the shuttle and I climbed aboard & found a seat by the window. He then proceeded to hand out tiny little water bottles to everyone, not as fancy as it sounded on their website.

Note: Thanks to all that great airport exercise, the next few days my thighs were tight as rocks and it hurt every time I sat down or stood up, including the toilet. It’s a great way to start the day. Not to mention the long staircase up to the bedrooms. Every time I climbed up or down the stairs, I looked like an old lady holding on to the railing, wincing in pain with every step.

I often heard my mother in my head saying, “Ya know, you’re not 35 anymore.” Thanks Mom, I really know that now!

Of course, the kids were oblivious to my pain. The 3 year bounced on my lap once and I screamed “Ouch, that hurts!”

I know, honey, that’s not what your mommy would say!

Oh, did I mention the 3 year old was also being potty trained? Surprise! More fun times ahead!

The first day, he did well. He only wet his pants once, a little. I thought this was going to be easy. The second day was another story! I don’t know where all that pee came from, like every hour it seemed he had wet pants. I kept changing his pants & putting on clean pants. A couple of times I turned around and there was pee all over the floor! I grabbed some towels and mopped it up.

By the end of the day, I had a full load of pee scented laundry to do, grateful at least he always pooped in the potty!

By the third day, feeling exhausted, I realized I never signed up to do potty training & my energy & patience were running thin. So, pull-ups to the rescue!

He wore pull-up diapers at night and I decided he would wear them until Mommy came home. He didn’t want to do it. I explained that I’m too old & too tired to do potty training and that he’d just wear pull-ups until Mommy came home in a couple days. To my relief, he understood and cooperated. Phew.

Now I have to admit, it wasn’t all exhausting. My first evening as I was getting them ready for bed, the three year did something I’ll never forget.

He’s so cute with a head full of thick curly blond hair and big blue eyes. At bedtime that first evening, after we put pajamas on, he sat on his bed and squinted his eyes really tight. Then he said to me, “Can you see me?”

I laughed. He warmed my tired, traveling heart. Then I did the same thing to him, squinting my eyes & saying, “Can you see me?” He & his older sister giggled. I closed my eyes tight again and said “Where’d you go?” Then popped open my eyes & said, “There you are!” Both of them squealed with laughter as I did it over & over.

There were other precious moments I cherish, like relaxing & snuggling on the couch watching cartoons together in the afternoon when we were all tired.

Their hugs and laughter & imaginative play often warmed my heart and helped me keep going despite the hot dry August air & constant air conditioning that severely dried up my nasal passages despite a good nose gel. I should have brought vaseline for my nose. Oh well, I guess I’m finally a “crusty” old lady!

This whole experience gave me a deeper appreciation for what mothers do, especially single mothers. I know fathers do a lot too, and, in a lot of families it’s still the mother who does most of the work raising the kids. This experience also helped me honor all the work I did as a mother for my kids. I don’t know how I did it. Raising children is one of the hardest, most important jobs with little reward or recognition.

By the way, a few hours before their parents came home, I unclogged the kids’ toilet that was stuffed to the brim with poopy toilet paper. I’m sure you don’t wanna hear the details of how I did it. Believe me, I could have used some Mary Poppins magic for that ordeal! I just knew the parents wouldn’t want to come home to that mess after a long trip. I never told them about it, so let’s hope they don’t read this blog. 😊 💩

Well, this old Mary Poppins needs to retire, but she still plans to come back and visit now and then for short visits, like a few hours, not 4 days & nights.

Until then, she’s happy with phone calls and video chats with two kids she still loves and adores.

❤️❤️