An Angel gave my kids a cold....

An Angel came into my life on Sunday and gave my kids a cold.  Maybe I should explain....

Like a stereotypical Angel she is beautiful & has flowing blonde hair and sky blue eyes.  There is a knowing look about her, wise beyond her years.... What makes this Angel different is that she is only 3 years old.  Her name is Angel.  Her grandma/my co-worker just gained custody of her after a 2 year battle in the court system.  Angel has been shuffled thru the foster system since the day she was born.  Her mother has too many emotional issues to care for her, her father has never been in her life.  My co-worker is a single mom who works too many hours.  On the days she cannot find daycare for Angel, one can find Angel puttering around the nursing home in her pink feety pj's until her grandma (a few years older than me) is done working at 11pm. On those nights my heart aches for this little girl, who should be fast asleep in her own bed.

Last Sunday my co-worker asked if I could watch Angel from 9am - 3pm.  I agreed, knowing that she would be a great playmate for my 2 year old.  When I picked Angel up at the nursing home, she was standing there with her suitcase, looking so unsure.  Her grandma said "she might be a little shy at first".  As I took Angels hand and led her away, I reassured her that we would return to grandma at 3pm.  I don't think she understood.  As soon as I got Angel out to the car I noticed she had a boogy nose. Damn, damn...obviously the start of a cold.  But because I didn't want to bring her back in to spend yet another shift in a nursing home, I took her home with me anyways. 

It turned out that Angel & Sammi played great together, and Angel wasn't shy.  She had no problems telling me "no" and blowing raspberries when not happy....