Jake and Sam had their first babysitter when they were pretty young. My mom and mother in law watched them a few times for us if we had appointments or wanted a night out. It did not happen often, but we lived two hours from our parents and it worked out well. During Kerry’s second (very long) deployment, I needed someone more frequently so I set out on a quest for that perfect sitter.
Anyone who has a good sitter knows how it feels….you can leave your kids and relax. You know they will be taken care of, kept in line and when you come home your house will still be in one piece. I had never looked for a sitter before, but I had a feeling I would know the right person when I met them. I hit the jackpot after interview #3 and three years after we left Ohio and Kelly, I still miss her 
Kelly was a high school junior with younger siblings herself. She took care of the boys as if they were her family. She became part of our family…dinner out, going to watch her boyfriend play lacrosse…..she was my go-to when I had a doctors appointment or just wanted to get groceries in peace. Though we have had good sitters since then, none have compared to her.
Just this past month we had a new sitter with the boys and we all like her a lot. She was even able to handle Jake, Sam and two friends on her own for five hours….not too shabby. I hope, in time, she can come to mean as much to us as Kelly did, but I know those are big shoes to fill. Jake and Sam are the most important things in the world to me and though I don’t expect a sitter to feel the same, it sure is nice when they come close 
Do you have a great sitter? Any nightmare stories about one that was not so great?
