Misrak, Super Nanny

We're fine here, just tired with school up and running (the kids are pretty good so far...who am I kidding? Right now, they're great. The trick is to make them stay that way all year long). With Anastasia added to the equation, we are two exhausted parents. Misrak is doing well with her, though.

For those who are wondering, Misrak is 24 and comes from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. She has been in Abu Dhabi for about nine months now, and she lives with three other Ethiopian girls in a flat a block away from us. Thus, she's nearby in case of a babysitting emergency (or in case we lock our keys inside our flat, something that happens all too often to people here).

Misrak came highly recommended by a few teaching couples who employed her services last year, and she was one of Christine's first visitors at the hospital (others who visited Christine early on were Heidi, Ryley and Roar, Allana, and Zakaia, or one Canadian, one American, one Norwegian, one Trinidadian, and one New Zealander--it's a multicultural city! The second "wave of visitors" brought an Irishman, a Spaniard, an Englishman, an Australian, an Egyptian...well, you get the idea. It's like having the United Nations in our house).

Misrak even brought flowers to the hospital for the new mother, and a few days later she gave Anastasia a big stuffed bunny (look for it in pictures!). Misrak looked after Anastasia throughout the summer, coming in for a few hours three times a week and giving Anastasia's parents a little break. It also gave baby and nanny some time to get to know one another. Misrak has even accompanied us on trips; when Christine's youngest brother Brian (the godfather) visited us, Misrak went with us to Dubai and to Al Ain.

Misrak has a quiet, calming personality, and we are lucky to have her.