A Home with the Holmes

I am no longer jobless or homeless- which is a good feeling for anyone I would imagine. I moved in Friday with the family I will be working for, The Holmes'. The whole process actually went very quick, which was fantastic. I received a phone call from the Grandmother on Wednesday, who forwarded my number onto her daughter that afternoon. Wednesday at about 4:00 I received a phone call from Jane who wanted to set up a time to meet and suggested that evening. So I hopped on the bus and got to their house at about 6:00 (they live in the outskirts of Edinburgh). I phoned her the next morning to see if we were all on the same page, and to see if they wanted me to come stay with them for a while(which they did), and Friday morning I moved in. I am what is called an 'au pair' which basically is an extra helping hand around the house. I will be doing childcare and housework in exchange for free room and board and a weekly 'salary.' Basically it is about 25-30 hours a week of work around the house plus two nights babysitting.
The house is absolutely lovely, and Jane and Malcolm have been so welcoming and accommodating. And I have my own (huge) room and bathroom, which means I am no longer living out of a backpack. They have three boys; Jack (9), Michael (7), and Ben (5). I love spending time with the boys- and I have been busy teaching them American games. Jack the oldest has warmed up to me the most. He is so affectionate and just loves hanging around with me. He told me over the weekend that he was going to learn to talk like me! Jack asks a lot of questions about my family and friends back home, and we have a good time sorting out what each other is saying with our differences in 'slang.' Michael is the middle, and just a barrel of laughs. He is so smart and funny- and loves to be the center of attention. We have a special bond already since he and I are both middle children. Benny is the youngest, and is developmentally delayed. He is in nursery school for about 2 hours every day, so I have been with him quite a bit before and after his school. He is so sweet and so darling, and his smile lights up the room.
So I arrived on Friday- spent the day getting acquainted with Jane and the house. Michael was at a sleep over, so Jack and I had the whole night to play together. Saturday night I spent the night with the kids at Jane's parents house (the grandmother that I spoke to on the phone) while Jane and Malcolm attended a dinner party in the area. Sunday I went back into town and did some exploring on my own. Slowly but surely I am getting adjusted to the rules of the house and the family culture here. I've had a great time and am so blessed to have found something so quickly. At first I was going to still search for another part-time job, but Jane and I are still working out if she is going to need me more around here or not. We'll see what the next few days bring me. Until then, I will be busy soaking up all that Scotland has to offer :)