AuPairoftheYear:RamonaUrban
Onewouldbehardpressedtofindanaupairmoredeservingofaupairoftheyear
thanRamonaUrban.Tosayshehasbeenapillarofstrengthandsupportduring
thispastyearwouldbeatremendousunderstatement.Notonlywassheour
trustworthy,kind,motivatedpartnerinallthingsrelatedtothekids,shedidit
againstabackdropofabarmitzvah,amove,newjobs,twograduations,twonew
schools,aseeminglyendlessroundofrotatingvisitsandentertainmentfromfamily
andfriends,andayearinwhichbothmyhusbandandIwerediagnosedandtreated
forcancer.Throughallofthisshemaintainedsteadyandstrongforourentire
family,especiallyforthekids.Shemanagedthehousewhenneededandeverything
justcontinuedtoworkseamlessly.Duringourillnesses,especiallymine,thekids
neededthatextralove,supportandsenseofsecurityandRamonaintuitivelyknew
howtomakethemfeelthateverythingwasgoingtobejustfine(whichisit--we
arebothcancerfreeandhealthy!)andtocontinuetofocusonbeingkidsand
enjoyingthegiftsoflife.
Sheprovedtobethe“goto”personfortheaupaircoordinatorwhennewaupairs
arrived.Herfriendlyoutgoingnatureandhereasylaugharecontagiousandmake
allwhomeetherwanttospendtimewithher.Shemakesfriendseasilyandisbold
abouttryingnewadventures.ShearrivedspeakingdecentEnglishandisleaving
speakingsuperbEnglishenablinghertonavigateandtravelwithease.
DuringhertimehereshehasexploredmuchoftheUSfromthecoastofCAtothe
smokeymountainsinTennessee;fromthebeachesofFloridatocitiesfrom
PhiladelphiatoNewYorktoLasVegastoChicago.Andhasbeentoalmostevery
nationalparksinArizona,UtahandVirginia.Sheembracedtheopportunitytolearn
andtravelandeventookacourseand“fieldtrip”allaboutNiagaraFalls.She
embracedherhomecityofDCandcouldprobablybehiredasatourguideshe
knowsthemuseumsandmonumentsandmemorialssowell.
Shelovesspendingtimewiththekidsandwhetherhangingoutwiththemattheir
baseballgamesorhelpingthemwiththeirmusiclessons;whethertakingthemto
thebeachforthedayortoamuseum;whethercatchingPokemanGoorjusthaving
aquiettalk,shemadeeverythingfunandcomfortable.
Morethananything,ithasbeenRamona’sjoiedevivrethatstandsout.He
enthusiasmandpassionforlifeisamazinganditiswithgreatsadnessthatweneed
tosaygoodbyetoher.Shehasblessedourlivesandourcommunityandwillbe
missed.Thoughwehavenodoubtwewillseeheragainonskypeandinpersonone
day–whethersheisbackhereworkingortravelingorweareinEuropeandthat
makessayinggoodbyealittleeasier.
Shehasbeenanamazingaupairandanintegralpartofourfamilyandhasbeenan
exemplaryparticipantintheaupaircommunityandhandsdown,deservestobe
recognizedastheaupairoftheyear!