The Evaporating Nanny, and The Cuban Redeemer

So, I've posted here about how much Eliot loves his nanny, Val, and how nice it has been to have her in our lives. Well, sad news, on Monday, Oct 4, she texted me to say she had to go back to Oklahoma for a family emergency. And could I mail her last check to her mom's address in Oklahoma?

What? So you're not coming back?

No.

She had already decided that in December, she would be moving back to Oklahoma because she was, essentially, homesick. But this was sudden. I did mail her her check, which she cashed, but I haven't heard anything from her since. She hasn't responded to my email, phone call, or text message following up to see what's going on, how she is, what happened, etc. So, she quit via text. She had been very reliable and responsible until then. :-/

Anyway, so after two weeks of searching, we found a new nanny. And after all this turmoil, I think it has worked out for the best because she is a native Spanish speaker, and that's what we wanted all along for a nanny, to expose him to Spanish and hopefully have him (and new baby) learn it. Her name is Odalys and she is from Cuba. She is very sweet. She has two grown children and loves newborns. She has been here (in the U.S., and Portland) nine years, and lives with her mom. She is also a foster mom herself, to four siblings related by the same mom, and she is trying to fully adopt two of them at the moment. So she's very settled in Portland. She came highly recommended to us. She has worked with four other families in the area over these nine years that she's been in Portland, as a shared nanny for several years between two families, and for several more years between two more families. So she sticks around! Her recent job ended because the kids are all of school age now.

We are also sharing her with a family down the street. She comes MWF to watch Eliot, and on M and F another boy, Ari, comes over as well. Ari is 17 months old. Eliot and Ari were also sharing Val, so it is working out well so far. She costs a little more, but I figure in exchange we're also getting Spanish lessons (for Eliot AND me; she speaks very little English), and someone whom we hope will be more long term.

And she's very clean. She swept the entire front porch and steps (much needed). She is a meticulous laundry folder. And she always sweeps the kitchen, and cleans any dirty dishes in the sink (well, so far; this is her third day; I have high hopes this will continue! She says she needs to stay busy. She said, "It's okay??" that she swept the porch and steps. And I was speechless. I couldn't think of how to say "great" or something similar in Spanish. So I just said, "Si! It's great!" and nodded vehemently).