When we first moved into our community over 4 and half years ago we didn't know anyone. We were starting our new married life in a town I have lived in when I was small and I knew people that lived in the area but no one in our neighborhood or on our street. There were few kids who lived here and we didn't really go out of our way to meet anyone really. It wasn't until after Hensley was born and our sweet next door neighbor, Mr. Harrelson (pawpaw as we now call him) mowed our grass for several weeks because he noticed Andy was working 7 days a week. We were so amazed at his sweet gesture that we realized knowing and being a part of our neighbors was so important. Later that year near Thanksgiving he randomly brought over a HUGE turkey. Since that time we have mowed each others yards, drove each other to pick up cars in the shop, taken care of each others dogs, and talked countless times outside.
There are 11 houses on our street....we had accomplished knowing 1! We felt pretty positive! HAHA! We slowly got to know the folks across the street and waved regularly at the people at the end of the cul-de-sac. There were still not any kids on our road and we slowly thought about moving closer to family and Hensley's preschool. We still sort of felt like this wasn't our long term community to live in. I have prayed countless times for GOD to direct us to where we are meant to be long term and where we are meant to raise our family and spend our lives. I always dreamt of a street where the kids were outside in the evenings all playing together while the moms and dads talked and swapped recipes and got together on the weekends for cookouts. Well, over the last 6 months our prayers and hopes for this dream have came true!!
Let's rewind.....
About a year ago there were 5, (yes 5!!!) empty houses on our street. Many due to foreclosure. And even though we were not close to the families who left it was sad to see our street so empty and sort of made me really think this was not the place for us. It felt very empty and deserted. There just felt like there wasn't a lot of life on our street.
Then that all changed... our next door neighbor Michelle had a baby! A beautiful smiley little girl named Moriah! A few doors down the Coltranes moved in with a vibrant full of life little 4 four year old boy named Nathan! Life was vibrant in our neighborhood. There are daily outdoor play sessions with the kids riding bikes, jumping on the trampoline, and racing hot wheels up and down the street! There are chalk drawing on everyone's driveways from evening play sessions. There are weekend hangouts at each other houses watching football and swapping stories. They have become more then just our neighbors, they are our friends!! We have went on countless outings to the park and trunk or treats together. Our kids have all become best friends and I'd like to think us adults are too! It's finally become all I dreamed of and I couldn't be more thankful. I look forward to watching our kids grow up together and share memories. I am so lucky to have a community where my child can play freely outside with no worries and that he can walk down our street (as I watched him do tonight) and knock on little Nathan's door and welcomly go right in and play for hours. I have not one reservation that these people we have come to know and love would treat Hensley just like there own and look after him just as I would!
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