Won't You Be Mine?

Today I am grateful for: neighbors who are truly friends.

We totally lucked out in the neighbor department when we moved here. I wasn't completely convinced of this fact at first.....there are very few young families with kids the same age as ours, or other stay-at-home moms for me to relate to. But I have learned to look past age, religion, and basically any other common denominator as factors that contribute to a likely friend.

Take for example the couple across the street. They are older than my grandparents, but are lively, vibrant, and always serving others. Just when I'm thinking we ought to take something over to them, here comes Sister A. with a plate of dinner rolls, or Brother A. with fresh veggies from the garden. Brother A. is also always lending Brandon a hand or a tool when the need requires. Brandon jokingly remarked once that Brother A. would be happier if all of his tools were in our garage. They watch out for us and take care of us, I'm embarrassed to admit more than the other way around.

Another neighbor across the street is often too ill to even leave her home, but on any holiday - even the minor ones - you bet she has a gift for our kids, and a treat for us. Even the smallest act of kindness on our part is genuinely appreciated, her door is always open to us, and she really cares.

The neighbor around the corner......same thing. Also in poor health, but treats my kids as if they were her own grandkids. Spoils them rotten, frankly. Any service we do for her is repaid a thousand fold in thoughtful gifts, and true friendship.

The neighbors next door, again, always thinking of our kids on special holidays, and when Princess P was born, she knitted/crocheted, (I'm sorry, I don't know the difference!) the most beautiful quilt. I really couldn't believe she'd put all that time and effort into a gift for someone who wasn't family.

And the other next door neighbors.....willing to share absolutely anything they have with us. I can't think of a night in the last week and a half that they haven't brought over a plate of food, or invited us all to eat with them. We hired them to do some drywall work in our living room and kitchen, and now they're doing the rest of the house for cost only, (painting included!) simply because we're friends, and they'd like to do it for us. A couple of weeks ago they even offered to loan us money for a new stove when ours needed replacing..........fortunately we were able to take care of it, but we know it would have been a strain for them. Even through a language barrier on my part, these people are open and inviting.

All of these neighbors are examples to me of what it really means to "love thy neighbor as thyself." I know that any of these people could be counted on in a time of need, and I am grateful for the love and friendship that they have shown us since we moved here.