The days are long and the years are short

i spent a while gazing at my own naval (or psyche) today with the help of my sister.

I got a form from my employer stating that my reported wages in 2007 were wrong. After reading carefully, it was only the wages reported to the IRS, not those on my W2 that were wrong. So I paid correctly, just the IRS may flag my return for review. If they do review it, I send in the letter from my employer with my signature on it. Since I am currently avoiding finishing this years taxes, I have most of the rules in my active memory that apply in this situation.

T emailed me a statement from his benefits manager that allows us to claim money saved last year on this year's dependent care expenses. This is a miracle due to our problem with not finding our previous babysitter. It has to be a change in the law, right? I wonder if it went in with the stimulus bill. It makes some sense, if you assume that Q4 of 2008 was the worst for jobs, but that isn't so.

It's not just me failing to advertise well for my daycare provider. This economy is making it harder and harder to run a daycare operation. I am relieved that it's not my fault and saddened that it is so hard for my provider.

It's a deep relationship, even though it is founded on economic needs. This is the person I trusted to take care of my daughter when I couldn't. The provider gets very attached to the children and knows so much about their likes and dislikes, their quirks, and the children love the provider.

Elsy was a great provider. She helped the children play together, to love each other and to trust one another. She kept her operation small and took the children to parks nearby. She helped Emily nap with all the toys that Emily brought for security. She liked to play outdoors in the backyard with the children, swinging them on the swing, blowing bubbles, and knocking on the doors of the toy house.

We will miss her. But at the current rate, I have no work for her. When Emily is not in school, I am home for her. My job has slowed down so much, it is practically non-existent.

I am getting fed up with my babysitter. We are supposed to be finding more children for her. It's hard to do. A lot of people only want licensed daycare providers. Many places charge (a lot) for advertising or will only advertise licensed daycare providers.

I am feeling guilty that maybe I am not writing the best advertisements for her. This *should* be something I know how to do. And, of course, I wonder why my advertisements don't get any replies.